replica

I was going to stripe mine but just did Grand Sport fender stripes. Glad I did. Whatever you do, keep those stripes wet as possible during install and prepare to swear. It's not fun.

05gtdriver

I'm on my third(!) set of silver stripes(1st two sets from BSM) current set from a company on found on eBay(all three set were precut). I won the eBay set for an auction price of $39($48 w/shipping) and they're just as quality as BSM, but they aren't finish in metallic as the BSM stripes were. Working on a naked car(remember, I had to remove two sets and that's tougher than applying the stripes, the adhesive the stripes have is a BITCH to remove) is a cinch. Clay your car to remove all the wax, etc. off your finish(of course wash it before you clay it). Tape off your margins with the blue painter's tape and try not to work on too warm a day(causes the solution and car's surface tough to work with). Since you're new to this, as someone suggested, start with the rear deck-lid, as this is a flat, short area and will provide you with much needed confidence as you proceed. Put an entire weekend to this project, patience will pay off in spades. Keep the car's surface diluted as well as the stripes as you're applying them. Remember to remove the washer nozzles on the hood before you start, trying to work around them will cause headaches to no end. The squeegee that BSM supplies is so-so at best, get yourself a window squeegee(wider than the stripes, if possible). I'm telling you, clay your car! The surface will be smooth as silk and the stripes go on like butter and the benefit is that when you squeegee, the solution and stripes nearly act as one, very minimal bubbling, if at all.
I've had trouble with my stripes getting spotted after 6 months to a year and I'm just getting some info as to what will help. Teflon coat your stripes after you apply them, this will act like a varnish to protect the vinyl from contaminants(smog mixed morning dew is what will cause this). BTW, your rear bumper stripes will cause you the most grief, so take it slow, work patiently and take a timeout (if needed) to lower your frustration level. Also, get some single edged razor blades, these are needed to make things easier. Best of luck!

Metroshica

Wow, I'm starting to get a little scared now, much bigger project than I thought. Thanks a ton for the walkthrough 05gtdriver, definitely going to help. When you say to keep the stripes diluted, do you mean just a little damp or completely wet? Any other pointers before I put em on? Probably won't put them on until May, but it's good to prepare now. I take it that it's better to do the stripes sooner in the spring when it's a little cooler than later in the summer when it starts getting hot.

10KonaBGT

I was planning on getting white stripes on mine in the next few weeks. Does anyone know what kind of problem I will have since my car has the Simoniz glasscote? Will that have to be removed? I hope not, it was dealer installed and cost quite a bit.

http://www.graphic-express.com/K420-...top_lemans.asp

East87

BSM stripes are awesome. I bought the red 12" kit and rockers and did it myself in 26 hours. There are a bunch of striping write-ups on these forums if you search.

Totally worth the blood and sweat that went into it. Once you get the hang of it, it becomes almost like a zen exercise...like one of those sand gardens you rake to clear your mind.

I had to re-do my front bumper after someone ran into me, and I actually enjoyed going back and striping the car again. If you love your car enough, you'll find joy in improving it, no matter how tedious or time consuming it may be.

The stares from everyone is just icing on the cake.

Metroshica

Well glad to hear such a great response guys, I agree East87, anything to improve the look of my car is enjoyable for me to do. Heck, my weekly Saturday morning wash is the thing I look forward to every weekend. I do have another question though, will I be able to install these stripes completely fine by myself, or should I try and find someone to help me. Got a buddy who would definitely give me a hand, though not sure if he'd be up for how long this may take.

mstngsule68

you will need someone else to help you, put it this way, one gust of wind and ruin 3/4ft of vinyl...plus it just helps keep you sain by talkin to someone lol, my gf did mine with me

wcgman

I am on my second set of stripes and I agree with what everyone else has said. My first set was installed by a "pro". He had the car all day and it looked great. There was some shrinkage which I had him fix later. When I pulled off his stripes, I realized that he wasnt centered. In some places, it was off almost a full inch.

I spent hours making sure the center line of the car was marked appropriately, going over and over it again and eyeballing constantly. I wanted to have it perfect. I believe it is. I see other S197's that arent and it really bothers me.

I got mine from Baltimore too and he gives you the mixture for the solution and if you have the patience and the time, this is going to pay off very well. I did mine over 2 weekends and figure I have about 20 hours into it as well. I would do it again.

jmn444

Be EXTREMELY careful when using a razorblade on the stripes once they are on the car, you will easily go thru the clear coat... not a big deal cosmetically until you decide you don't want stripes anymore, but could potentially allow corrosion to start if the cut is deep enough...

Bird1606

I used Baltimore Street mods as well. The most important thing to do is start early, don't be in a rush, and take your time to get everything taped off and centered. It took me a full weekend, most of Saturday was spent taping off everything, and we started to lay stripes, worked till midnight, then finished the rest on Sunday. The hood is actually pretty easy, as is the decklid and the roof, as long as you measure and tape correctly. The really hard parts for me were the front bumper, rear bumper, gt500 spoiler, and the bottom lip of the GT500 front fascia. Take your time, you'll get through it. Also, this is a two person job ideally. My brother in law helped me on mine, and then a year later we put boss stripes on his (way easier). It really is a fun project though, and very rewarding when you finish it.