Is a Ford mustang stripe done with plotted vinyl or knifeless tape?

[Steve Morgan]

Simon,

I used to make some of what you need for a client. The lower side stripes were in the style of the racing GT40’s of the late 1960’s ie; 2 narrow outer stripes with a broad centre and a bit of text towards the front, so a little more complicated than yours, all cut and applied with application tape without any problem. In the end all I cut on the plotter was the door section with the text (left and right hand), the rest I cut by hand on the bench in 3/4 metre lengths and cut off pieces as needed.

The bonnet and roof bits came from America and were fitted by the client with application tape so I can’t comment but I would be inclined to use a wrapping vinyl without tape to help go around the subtle curves, some careful measurements needed though; nothing worse than slightly off centre out of parallel lines :smiles:

[Martyn Heath]

Cut from vinyl with app tape. Using knifeless tape for straight lines is a pain in backside

[Simon Worrall]

Just in case it is not too clear on my pic here is a close up of the lines…

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[Steve Morgan]

Simon,

Similar to the stuff I did, I still think I’d cut it on the bench and or the plotter as I described.

[Martyn Heath]

I say first option is vinyl cut, but have you thought about printing? i did exactly the same design on a lotus, yellow stripe with a black pin stripe to the edge and i printed this as had to colour match. Obv vinyl will look better but print would be another option

[Robert Lambie]

I did this Mustang back in 2005, looks easy but wasn’t!
The problem is basically keeping the lines straight in the middle equal spaced apart, but also negotiating the curvature of the vehicle. Hard to explain, even harder to fit it "correct".

That was 12 years ago, nowadays, using the likes of Knifeless Tape or Wrap-Cut it would be much easier and faster.

Accurately Line up the tape, apply a solid panel of vinyl and cut back through it with the tape.

I did this one in Oracal 751c

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[Pane Talev]

Cut stripes. No need for vinyl cutting tape. Pay special attention on the back (top of my photo). Shape of car will dictate where vinyl goes and that didn’t look good on mine and I had to re-do it. So, measure but also use your eye to make sure looks good.

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[Simon Worrall]

Thanks for the replies, there seem to be many opinions on the best way to do this job.

Martyn I like the idea of printing the line! I reckon we could do it for much less money that way!
There is no reason it wont look just as good, supposing we can match the colour…

Using knifeless tape on the larger group of lines would involve eight perfectly parallel strips all along the body length..

[Alex Crosbie]

The difficulty you’ll have is the centre gap being so tight that on areas where you have a compound curve (front bumper especially) that you’re two lines will be virtually touching.
I would speak to the client advise them and make your life easier by having a bigger gap, any fluctuations in spacing will be less noticeable then.

In your situation I would always cut on the plotter.

We did similar on a GT35O recently but print and cut with application tape as the client wanted a white stripe with red outer pin stripe.

I wish I was better with knifeless tape but I know I’d be there all day trying to get all the lines parallel and I’m not that keen on the cut line I get with knifeless tape