Hi

Hope you are all well?

I decided I wanted to add some 'viper'stripes to my car to finish it off.

The plan was a couple if black stripes running length of the car.

I got a universal kit cheap from eBay (which I think is the cause of the problem) and tried to fit them yesterday.

Used some masking tape to act as a positioning guide and followed instructions but despite my best efforts, I could not make the vinyl sit on the bonnet buldge, areo screen or nose cone without buldges in the stripe as it fitted around the curves.

After a couple of hours I gave up and pulledit all off.

I have enough to have another go but unless there is some technique I am missing, I am not sure I want to.

Does anyone have any tips or is this something best left to an expert?

Cheers
Liam

Www.kitcarbuild.co.Uk

Not an expert but I know someone who is! He always wets the car first to allow positioning even on sticky vinyl stickers. He then uses a hair drier or hot air gun around the curved areas. Be careful not to apply too much heat. you should be able to carefully shape it. Now and again though you may need to use a scalpel to carefully slit and rejoin if you end up with too much excess material.

Steve

i did mine ok, depends on the matiral used, some need soapy water first to help you mive it about.

If it comes like the MAC#1 stickers ( on a shiny paper with a matt paper on top ) you need to wet it first,

I got my from ebay and got my brother in law to trim it down in width, cleaned the body work first, run a amsking tape down the middle of the car and stuck either side of the tape.

I found that warming it up helps over funny shapes and use a pin to help squeeze any bubbles out.

Years ago i used to stick the massive logo's and adverts on the side of london black taxis. Stripes on a 7 are easy comapired to that

[Edited on 7/6/09 by grusks2]

spray the sticky side of the sticker too, it saves it sticking to itself if it folds.

if you wet it you need a good rubber squeegee blade to expel all the water.

you can alsp apply dry, but it take practise.

I've done it Dry and Wet, but it's much more pleasurable wet...

If you have a plant spray gun thingy, just put some warm water in it with a spot of wash up liquid and spray the sticker and the bodywork.

You will (as above) need a squeegee to expel all the water, and it's nicer to di it in the sun, so it gently warms the sticker.

Put a tiny bit of water with wash up liquid on the squeegee so it doesn't drag across the sticker.

I did these ones wet:



and these ones dry(I had to do dry because they spereated under the tape, so just had to go for it!):

My yellow stripe had some difficult compound curves at the nose cone area, I left it to the experts ( a local sign-writing place), it cost £80 all in, so well worth it. The used a heat gun to go round the corners.

I have since put some clear vinyl rear arch protectors on myself and used the wet method, i.e. spray bottle with water and washing up liquid, then place sticker on and slide about till its in the right place and finally squeegee the water out from underneath working from the centre outwards.

Thanks, good advice as always.

I think I will have one more bash at it and if it doesn't work, take it somewhere local.

I think a heat gun should help.

Cheers
Liam.

There's a few video's on youtube which might be of help,this one for example gives you the basic idea.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jy73159xW-Q&feature=related

Thanks for all the help.

Had another go at it tonight and am fairly happy with the results. Maybe not perfect but that matches the car.

I think maybe the vinyl was too cold before because this time I heated it with a hair dryer before applying and again when on the car around the curves and it worked ok.

Took some time but am pleased I did it myself instead of paying someone. I also used the wet method described above.

I will post a picture when I am next at a PC (on phone at moment)

Thanks once again.

Liam.

Www.kitcarbuild.co.uk

Here is the (almost) finished thing.



Car with stripes

Sorry about the dark, camera phone quality. Hopefully I will take some nice photos this weekend in the sunshine.

Thanks once again for all the help.

Liam
www.kitcarbuild.co.uk

[Edited on 10/6/09 by liamb]

[Edited on 10/6/09 by liamb]

Liam,

I like it... very much so.

I am even tempted to swop my bonnet for a pure orange one.... and apply stripes.

Is this your car

that is cool!

Good to see everyone at mac1 today. Mark and Colin spent a few hours setting up my geometry and steering.

Made a massive improvement to the car. I would recommend it to anyone.

Liam.