Author Topic: GT stripes: Wet/Dry application & how to cut  (Read 1265 times)

Offline Angela

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GT stripes: Wet/Dry application & how to cut
« on: January 09, 2018, 03:26:09 PM »
Forgive me if the following has already been discussed. Concerning the installation of factory GT stripes, I'm looking for some help with these questions:

(1) Is it best to try and apply the vinyl stripes using some sort of "decal application fluid", or try it dry?  I recently installed new decals on a skid loader and I used a mixture of water and dish soap, which worked very well. I see that NPD sells a decal application fluid called "slide-on". Suggestions?

(2) I'm installing GT stripes onto my GTA. The stripe kit does not come already cut out for the GTA emblems. Does anyone have suggestions as to the best way to accurately cut out the rectangular opening in the stripe for the GTA emblems?

(3) Do I wrap the stripes around the edges of the fenders and doors, or do I cut them short of those edges by some small amount?

Offline J_Speegle

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Re: GT stripes: Wet/Dry application & how to cut
« Reply #1 on: January 09, 2018, 03:52:31 PM »
Guess your working on a 67 GTA?

Forgive me if the following has already been discussed. Concerning the installation of factory GT stripes, I'm looking for some help with these questions:

(1) Is it best to try and apply the vinyl stripes using some sort of "decal application fluid", or try it dry?  I recently installed new decals on a skid loader and I used a mixture of water and dish soap, which worked very well. I see that NPD sells a decal application fluid called "slide-on". Suggestions?

I would stay with the dish soap and water if it were me. Not suggesting anything is wrong with the commercial product - just sticking with what I know works for me.  Would not try them dry



(2) I'm installing GT stripes onto my GTA. The stripe kit does not come already cut out for the GTA emblems. Does anyone have suggestions as to the best way to accurately cut out the rectangular opening in the stripe for the GTA emblems?

Cut out the opening before you try and align it. Believe there is enough extra length that you can center it on the emblem location one you put it up for alignment. I normally apply these while the car is on a lift so that I can eye the stripe location down the side easier


(3) Do I wrap the stripes around the edges of the fenders and doors, or do I cut them short of those edges by some small amount?

The originally wrapped around all the edges. At fender openings all the way around to the edge of the metal. At door edges, if I recall correctly maybe 1/2". Will see if I can find and post a couple of pictures to help with this. Can you tell us what factory produced your car so I can focus on what was done there specifically ?
« Last Edit: January 09, 2018, 03:55:54 PM by J_Speegle »
Jeff Speegle

Anything worth doing is worth doing concours ;)

Offline Angela

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Re: GT stripes: Wet/Dry application & how to cut
« Reply #2 on: January 09, 2018, 04:56:25 PM »
OK, thanks Jeff, I'll stick with a few drops of dish soap within a small bottle of water.

My fastback was manufactured at the SanJose facility.

When you say cut out the opening for the GTA emblem, do you mean cut a rectangle the size of the emblem plus 3/8" more at all edges???

Offline 67gtasanjose

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Richard Urch

1967 (11/2/66, S.J.) GTA Luxury Coupe, 289-4V w/Thermactor Emissions, C-4, Int./Ext. Decor +many options

2005 (04/05) GT Premium Convertible, Windveil Blue, Parchment Top w/Med. Parchment interior,  Roush Body Appointments

Offline J_Speegle

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Re: GT stripes: Wet/Dry application & how to cut
« Reply #4 on: January 10, 2018, 04:45:31 PM »
Richards post should help allot

As promised here are some pictures of how the ends were treated

GTA Emblem cut out




Front fender




Rear wheel well opening




Unfortunately don't have any San Jose 67 examples at the door jambs so can only offer the same task, same plant by likely the same workers from the prior year
Hope this help






Jeff Speegle

Anything worth doing is worth doing concours ;)

Offline Angela

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Re: GT stripes: Wet/Dry application & how to cut
« Reply #5 on: August 12, 2018, 02:57:31 PM »
Thanks to those (above) who gave me some assistance in the form of advice and pictures.

Also, the additional suggested thread (http://www.concoursmustang.com/forum/index.php?topic=7769.msg44529#msg44529) was a wealth of information! I thought I'd provide a little feedback after having installed my stripes.

Per the suggestions in the thread mentioned above, I bought my stripes from "class-tech-cars". I called the owner before making the purchase and he was very helpful. The decals actually come from a business in Virginia called "Decal Magic" and are produced on 3M film. The product is licensed by ford.

I ended up buying fours sets of decals for my '67 GTA application. They were all purchased within about one month of each other. The first set suffered from the protective backing peeling off of the decals and this made me nervous, so I ended up using them as "practice pieces". Installation of the 2nd set was going well until I cut them too short trying to wrap them around the door edges and thus I had to start over. I was installing them with soapy water, hence removal was simple.

Installation of the 3rd and fourth sets is when I really began to become familiar with the product. I'm not impressed. While I did end up with a set on my car, I'm not happy with them. Here are a few comments which could perhaps help others:

(1) The product is shipped rolled up into WAY too small of a box, hence the decals are rolled up into a ~2" dia circle. This causes the protective film to begin lifting. Get them out of the box and unrolled ASAP!

(2) Three pieces from two different sets had debris stuck between the vinyl decal and the outside protective film. This really stinks because you can't tell until the decals are already on the car and you've removed the protective film. At that point you discover that the debris had embedded itself into the decal while you were pushing the squeegee across them as part of the install process. The debris left marks I wasn't willing to live with, so I removed them and started over.

(3) During the install, apply soapy water, squeegee like crazy and repeat the process. When you think you've got all of the air bubbles out, do it again anyway. As long as you keep everything wet, you can continue squeegee-ing. The issue with the decals from this company is that the protective film is opaque, thus you cannot see whether or not air bubbles have been eliminated. This is where a spare panel and a spare set of decals is handy to practice.

(4) In my small sample size of four sets of decals, I discovered that even though the 3M marking on them is identical, the gloss of the vinyl is drastically different.  In my efforts to select pieces which where the least damaged from shipping (see item #1), I mix-n-matched pieces from multiple orders (orders spanning one month). As stated in #3, the protective film is opaque, thus you can't tell the black vinyl has different sheen to it until it's too late.

(5) Most frustratingly, even after many hours of practice -such that you can repeatedly install these decals perfectly... I found that almost every piece has a 3" long grey-ish vertical mark/rub on them somewhere. I can only assume this is due to the way they are processed during manufacturing. I've exhausted hours of reading on-line and come to the conclusion that there is no product on earth which will remove or polish out these marks.

(6) With some types of vinyl you can pop a tiny air bubble with a sewing needle and the defect is not visible. This is NOT the case with this particular product! Trust me, I tried every trick and practiced many times. You either install them without air bubbles, or you live with the visible mark of an air bubble being popped.

So, in the end, I'm thoroughly disgusted with the decals. They look good from 10ft away. But, after 1000 hrs of paint and body work, I kinda wanted the decals to look excellent as well. But, as my father once taught me.... things can't be perfect and when we repeatedly do things over and over hoping for perfection we sometimes make it worse than if we had just left it alone. I've kinda reached that point. I could remove the stripes (again) but each time I do so I run the risk of removing paint with them. And, as stated in item #2, even if I do my part perfectly, there are sometimes defects and debris in the decals which nullifies my efforts.

My advice for anyone applying these decals is to order at least one extra set, practice on a test panel, use the soapy water approach and squeegee MUCH longer than you initially think is necessary. Don't mix-n-match pieces from one order to the next, even though the 3M product marking on the back is identical. Dry fit them and mark where you think you'll need to trim them.... but don't actually cut them to length until they're on the car. A heat gun helps get them to stick as you wrap them around the door and fender edges.

If other folks used decals from another source, please add that info here..... I for one would like to know for future use. I'm sick about how this item turned out, but they probably look as good if not better than the factory installed them and I think the risk outweighs the reward of me starting over (again).

Hope this helps!
« Last Edit: August 12, 2018, 05:28:01 PM by J_Speegle »

Offline stangman39

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Re: GT stripes: Wet/Dry application & how to cut
« Reply #6 on: August 17, 2018, 09:56:31 AM »
I recent ordered a red set and white set from the eBay seller mentioned in the other thread.  I got the early size stripe.
I have yet to install them yet but I can post how those turn out once I have them installed.
(Just realized the stripes I got are from the same company/eBay seller the OPer got hers from)
« Last Edit: August 18, 2018, 03:51:58 PM by stangman39 »