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Triumph TR6 - Pin Striping

This may be a bit frivolous for this BBS but heck, I'm looking for feedback from you guys with an eye for LBC beauty and class.

I saw a BRG TR6 the other day with a gold (twin) pinstripe down its sides and it looked great. The whole car was beautifully restored to original except for the stripe.

Question: What color pin stripe would you recommend for a French Blue car? It's been suggested that a light silver would look good... or maybe red to accent my redline tires. What say you?

Ken
Ken Shaddock

Ken

I would go for the silver on a light blue car myself. I thought of silver even before I read to the point where you suggest it.
Michael Petryschuk

Light silver. My 71 Midget had a BIG white rally stripe down the bonnet and boot. A lot of purist scoffed at it but "I" really liked it as well as a lot of people admired it. LBC's came up through the years being individualized by owners and racers...as long as it isn't tacky and adds a touch of class, uniqueness or individuality I'm all for it. After all it is "your" car!
JT White

Ken,
If/when I get to that final touch, I'll have a thin double dark silver/gray pin stripe on my deep blue. The original is Sapphire Blue, but I like it a bit darker so am retoring to Midnight Blue or maybe the Jag dark blue metallic if I can get that paint from the dealer. Not coded for routine availability. I think the stripe sets it off nicely and am not at all enamored with the factory stripes all down the sides. Check out Rick Crawford's to see the effect. His is Sapphire Blue with a red stripe, I think.
db
Doug Baker

My recommendation is do what makes you happy. Believe it or not, there is a rule of thumb to pinstripping. In my almost 20 years in the car business, I've found that most people kind of follow it, but still personalize the stripes. The rules are not written in stone, but are nice to know when making your final decision. If you want to follow the rules, they are as follows:
1)The stripes should be the same color as your interior
2)They should end 2 to three fingers from each end of the car. (Mine ends 4 fingers from the front & 5 from the rear)
3)It should pinch in the front and stay open in the rear.
Regards, Benji
benji

Hey Benji... I had no idea there were "standards" or "rules of thumb" for striping but that makes sense of course for any type of craftmanship. Thanks for your thoughts. My interior is black so I will think that option through also.

Ken
Ken Shaddock

Ken
Not at home during the week these days so will post a pic of my car with the red pine srripe down the side on the week end.

You can always pull of pin striping so you can try a few colours and see which one you prefer.

Rick
Rick Crawford

Somehow I doubt if I had a black interior I'd go with a black stripe OR my 86 XJ6 Slate Grey with blue interior...had a nice light silver stripe not a blue one my 87 XJS has a fawn interior and silver pin stripe on black exterior.. The stripe should complement the exterior color not IMHO mimic the interior color. Then again someones keeping JCWhitney in buisness!
JT White

JT,
I happened to have black pin stripes on my TR that matches my black interior and they look good. I buy parts from JCWhitney and they are a very good company. And yes, I do keep them in business. So that you don’t offend other Triumph people here, you might want to keep your opinions to yourself. This is a good website for all of us to get help. This is not a place to degrade companies and people who are trying to help. Keep it clean.
Tk Marino

er, I don't think I was keeping it "dirty" have fun with keeping JCWhitney in buisness...I don't like to wait 4 weeks or pay exorbitant shipping charges for items (not a "degrade" as you put it, simply fact)plus black pinstripes would look good on a white, tan or yellow car and I'm sure many others. I don't think your the moderator here and I don't think you'll have any luck "chasing" me off. I'm here to have fun, share info and to get help. I've a good rapor with benji and most of what I said was in reality and tongue in cheek. I'll continue to share my opinions freely and I'll not worry the least about offending YOU, I would say based on what I've just seen that is a particularly easy task. If you don't like me or my posts...it's easy...don't read them. If you are a "moderator" you should seriously consider turning the job over, your accusations are unfounded and your "clean" comment are also unfounded. If you are also a moderator and you feel I've broken some rule then feel free to ban me (not that a "ban" could really stop anyone from coming back here) CHEERS!
JT White

Rick... did you do your own? A local here wants $75 to do it. Ken
Ken Shaddock

Ken, modern pin striping is easy if your not going to "paint" it...most modern pinstripes will "form" into the paint and give a nice finish and still allow movement early when lying it. Using a thick painters tape as a template will give you a nice line to follow. $75 isn't bad but I think most "car" guys (and ladies!) can accomplish a fine job themselves and save a bundle in the process. $75 for actual "one shot" paint stripe job is an excellent price, most stripers using a striping brush make it look easy...I used to do it back in the day but I've little patients for it now.
JT White

JT... the $75 was for the peel and stick stuff not paint so basically for the man's time and talent. I did not check into hand painting. The painters' tape is a good suggestion. Maybe I'll practise on my daily runner especially if the stuff can be peeled off again.

Do I need to strip all polish/wax off in the area of the stripe? I use "Liquid Glass" polish (from Teaneck, NJ) on my vehicles and suspect it may be tough to remove.
Ken Shaddock

JT,
Good response, BTW. Discuss the differences/pro/con of peel and stick and painted on stripes. I had planned painted on. My neighbor has done a lot of striping on his 40 Ford Coupe and uses a tiny air brush with a lot of masking and templates and some wiht special "striping" brushes too. I just figured to mask and paint. What am I missing? Thanks.
db
Doug Baker

If you can't install the stick on pinstripes straight because you're cross eyed like me, then, this is what you do. New car dealerships usually have a person in house that installs a lot of pinstripes. Find this person and offer him cash to install them. It usually takes them about 5 minutes to install. Heck you can have him slap on some different colors to see what looks best. If you catch this person at the right time, you can offer them lunch.
The paint-on pinstripes are nice if you are willing to deal with the hassle of not rubbing them off through buffing.
As for me, I had them tape off the area to stripe, then had it brushed on. (I should have had them airbrush them on rather than paint brush it because some paint bled through the tape edge.) To prevent the stripes from rubbing off, I had them install them before they clear coated my paint. (I know, clear coat was not factory! but it's easier to maintain.) If I had a chance to do it again, I would have had them hand paint the pinstripes.
This summer, I met a guy at a hot rod car show. He told me that he draws them on with a tool called a Beugler Wheel (pronouced bugler) and finishes it with a paint brush. I wish I had them installed in this technique.
benji

JT
Thank you for your comments on JC Whitney. I do not think you said ANYTHING wrong. IMHO you are an asset to this BBS. You have done no wrong and you deserve an applogy.

Tk...first post...I think??? and you give someone heck??

OK enough #$^& disturbing ( I am waiting for Don to make a comment or did I do it for you Don?)

There is nothing wrong with black pin stripping...BUT any pin stripe MUST compliment the colour of the body not the interiour. (Tk you did not say what colour your TR is).

Ken, Yes I did my pin stripping myself and it was the first time I had done this. I think I did a good job and if I recall, it only cost me about 5 bucks. I actually went over to the body shop the day after it had been painted and applied the strip there.
I never thought about having it painted on!

Try it yourself. It is easily found at CDN Tire and if you do not like it, pull it off.
I think red would look nice on your car. I do not think silver would "stand out" enough.
And that is my opinion and I am sticking to it.

Rick
Rick Crawford

Ken,
Looks like your posting wasn't so frivolous after all...So how far above or below the body line are some of you installing your stripes?
benji

Most modern plastic "good" pinstripe will "mend" "form" into the paint after 24 hours and will leave no real "edge" like most sticker kits put on cars in the 70's. This being said they can be removed later but will usually leave a "shadow" of where they were which can be to some extent rubbed out with some compound but will always have some semblance of it in the right light. Alway go over the area with some "naptha" Zippo lighter fluid is the same stuff prior to laying the stripe. The wider the painters tape the straighter/truer the line. I've seen some "trim line" guys back in the day use a chalk line with suction cups to get the line right...there's lots of ways to do it...just do some research, have confidence and have some fun trying different colors.



not bothered by the nay sayer.....you can't please all the people all the time!
JT White

This BBS is a joy and, heck... a brotherhood of car nuts I dare to say. Appreciate the tips and opinions guys. Lord knows I don't always know what I want until I see it.

Ken

PS. I know I want my turn signals to work and they just up and quit. Geez!
Ken Shaddock

Benji
How are ya?

I placed my stripe just above( almost on the crease) of the body line.

Ken it is fair enough to say that, most times,when something electrical stops working, the Prince of Darkness has gone and given you a dirty connection.
try flicking your hazzard switch a few times. A dirty contact there will stop the hazzard and both turns from working. On and off several times might get you back in working order.

Rick
Rick Crawford

Okay I tried that Rick but to no avail. The hazzards work perfectly but still no signal... not a sound. The horn works, the turn signal switch is clean, all wires connected to it, and it works like it should from a mechanical point of view. Maybe the flasher is toast. I do not have a spare. Can I use any old after market flasher with spade terminals?

Ken
Ken Shaddock

Ken
Yes any 3 terminal flasher will work but will not look stock. There is also a unit over by the passenger foot well. Not at home so will respond on the weekend with more detail. If both left and right do not work it is the flasher or flasher relay or the fuse. Try unplug/plug the flasher unit many times to wipe the contacts.

Rick
Rick Crawford

My flasher is two prong (only two wires for the hazzard flasher in the engine bay and for the turn signals under the dash on the passenger side). I just picked up a generic at Crappy Tire and will try tomorrow. Thx RC.
Ken Shaddock

Benji, I'm trying to think of a reason why a rattle can won't work and can't. I'm thinking tape your stripes, lightly sand, clean with acetone and shoot 3 or so light coats. Sound OK?

Rob
rw loftus

Rob, would those not "rub" off in cleaning and waxing? I'd think you'd need to at least clear coat to protect the lines.
db
Doug Baker

Ok Ken, just to give you more options and make your decision more confusing, Rick has his stripes above the body line, I’ve got mine below.
Rob, What a great idea to spray paint the stripes on. However, my question is how well would they hold up through time? Can they chip off? Then again, if they come off, you can buff them off and just paint new ones. I think you may have just opened a new discussion.
benji

Rick... no luck with new flasher. Brain dead at the moment. Will think it through again. I've overlooked something basic I'm sure.

Sorry to mess with the pin stripe discussion guys. I appreciate the input and the fact that I can peel it if I mess up on installation or color choice.
Ken Shaddock

Doug, they might, I hadn't thought of that. I guess I'm just thinking that pinstripes were around long before clear coats.
Benji, If they did chip, which might be less likely if they are thinner than brush on stripes, why couldn't you just mask of the affected area and reshoot, or as you said, redo the whole thing if you are inclined. It's not like it's like changing steering column bush's or anything. This would be physically, maybe the easiest thing you could do to your ride.

Rob
rw loftus

Benji... I'm going to try the black. It really jumped out at me this week when I had the top up every day. I think the black roof makes the black stripe work with the French Blue. Hope it still looks good with the top down. We'll soon see. Will post pics if I get it done soon.

Ken

PS Interior is black too so the stripe may compliment both interior and exterior.
Ken Shaddock

Ken
here is pic of my stripe. I found the body crease made it easy to apply.

Rick

Rick Crawford

And now the back end.

Rick Crawford

of all places (JC Whitney) used to sell the "roller" stripe kit with a jar for paint and a paint roller wheel and a small outrigger guid that one would put a magnetic strip down the side to guide the outrigger....thus making a nice straight pin stripe. Rattle canning them on would be "ok" but the rattle can is no match for properly mixed and atomized spray paint against chemicals, rain, waxes etc.

here's some ideas including the roller kits..

http://www.eastwood.com/pinstriping/brushes-striping-tools.html?srccode=ga100010&gclid=CKuQjKTr9aMCFcdk7Aod8luJ2Q
JT White

Ken
When you do the doors go right across the gaps then go back with an exacto knife and cut it in the center then wrap it around both the edges.

Rick
Rick Crawford

Good tip Rick, thank you. I may have screwed up the doors not mention something else. I looked in Crappy Tire today... no stock of the black single or twinned stripe.

I have assumed that if I want two fine (thin) stripes closed at the front and open at the back like benji had suggested that I buy a twin thin stripe and not run two separate singles.

Ken
Ken Shaddock

I should have added that the shine on your car is superb. Microfibre?

Believe it or not I have just tried using microfibre towels for the first time and I cannot believe the difference. I had been applying polish with terry and buffing with terry or flannel. The microfibre brings the paint and the chrome up a notch or two.

K
Ken Shaddock

Ken
have been using microfiber towels foe a long time now. Much softer than terry. Also do the 3 step Meguiar's system once per year. Still use the little terry spunge pads to apply.

Ken are you going to Bronte this year??

Rick
Rick Crawford

Don't think so and I can't believe I'm missing it again. I'd love to take the car and see you guys. I've been promising a buddy in the maritimes I'd be down for a visit and now that the gkids are back in school I'm going.

Having some work done to the house early next week. If it delays me I'll go and look you up.
Ken Shaddock

Next week I am still in the big smoke for the week but following week I am at home convelesing and planning on putting on lots of miles.


Rick
Rick Crawford

Okay... will talk off line.

Had the Cylinder Head Oil Feed installed today by Brian Cullingford. He also troubleshot my turn signal problem and came to the same conclusion as moi... bad switch so it's on order.

Ken
Ken Shaddock

Ken
Do yourself a favour and keep the old switch.

Usually can be fixed....usually is a dirty contact.


Rick
Rick Crawford

Yep, will do Rick. Tried to clean the right/left/neutral contact with an eraser and Q-tip but to no avail. Frankly it looked clean but I could only see one side. I read in Dan's book that one can drill out the rivet, clean up the contacts properly and reassemble with a peened over screw but... I had smoke coming from mine one day and burned a fuse so there may be more to this.

Ken - Current Host for the Prince of Darkness
Ken Shaddock

This thread was discussed between 28/08/2010 and 10/09/2010

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