DIY Rally Stripe Graphic Installation Tips (wet install)

[slacker]

I wanted to post to this thread- I did the stripe install myself. I've done vinyl installs before, but NOTHING this big. I was scared at first, but I went by a dealer and saw them install the stripes on a yellow 1SS, so I felt better once I watched.

Few tips from someone who did it:

1. - Use warm soapy water- I emptied a Windex bottle out (it was almost empty) and filled it with warm tap water- dropped some dish soap in there, about 5-8 drops. You can make it too soapy, just enough to cause bubbles inside the bottle when you shake it. Clean the areas real well that you are putting the stripe on- I used windex to get a real clean, grease free surface.

2. - Make sure the car is cool- don't do it in the sun. I did mine early morning, about 86 degrees inside the garage, at home. Also, when you finish, leave it inside for the day- you don't want to pull it right out into the sun, it can cause bubbles to form if it's not completely set up (I pulled mine out after I was done to check it, and a few started to appear in the thin stripes)

3. - Use a hard squeegee. The kit doesn't come with one, but you need the right type. I'll try to take pics of the one I used and put it in the thread. Sorry, I didn't take pics during the install, but the video attached really helps.

4. - Start at the back- remove the spoiler first, 6 bolts and 1 push clip that holds the spoiler. I used pliers to pinch it together and get it off. I located the stripes in the center, measured from side to side, and installed the trunk kit first. It was easiest, and will give you some confidence to do the rest. Make sure you work all the bubbles out as you go- now is the time to get them out, once you peel the backing off it's much more difficult. Make sure you check it from every angle- it helps to have the right lighting (if you note in the video, it's a paint booth with excellent lighting). Work from the center out.

5. - Let it sit about 20 minutes before you attempt to pull the clear mask off. Start peeling at the corner where the rounded corners are on the stripe. Peel the backing off at right angles, and work slow. I used a micro fiber cloth to soak up the excess water/soap while I pulled, and to push the thin stripe down as I went.

6. - Reinstall the spoiler, and apply the stripe that goes on that part. I left the mask on while I did the front. You have to make sure you position it far enough forward to wrap around the spoiler at the front, and the stripe shouldn't go pas the top edge of the spoiler. I had mine a little to far back, but it doesn't look bad.

7. - The hood is the most daunting. Use the experience you learned from the back stripes to do the front. I didn't even mark the centerline of the hood- I didn't need to. The rear of the stripe is cut to be applied 1/8 inch or so from the edge of the hood. What I did was line up the back edge of the stripe- I never measured or even had to adjust the front. If the back edge is right, the front falls right into place (it did for me). Use a TON of soapy water on the hood and stripe- do the left and then right side, and leave the pre-mask on while you are doing both. It has alignment marks on it that will line up with each other. Again, all I did was line the rear up- the rest lined itself up with no problems.

7.5 - forgot to add, I laid the strip on the edge of the hood with the paper side up, and peeled off the backing. If you have sprayed the hood down with water first, the plastic pre mask side sticks pretty good to it, and you can pull that paper backing off easily- make sure you spray the sticky side down real well with soapy water, and spray the hood again. You have to have enough soapy water to be able to slide the vinyl around to position it. You can never have too much soapy water on it, that will keep you from messing up the vinyl.

8. - When I did it, I did it a little different than the video says- I did the sides first, then the flat part. I worked from the center of the side toward the rear first, then did the front. I did take the advice from the video and pulled the corners to remove the fingers- that worked well. Once I got the sides reasonably done, I did the flat part next- it was the easiest, but you have to make damn sure that you get all the bubbles out when the pre-mask is on. I missed a few spots, but ended up working it out with a micro fiber cloth. In 2 spots I had to take a razor and make a small hole to release some water that wouldn't work it's way out, but the small slits I cut dissappeared with pressure from the micro fiber cloth.

Hope these tips help those who are on the fence about doing it themselves- it took me about 1.5 hours start to finish, and I did it by myself, with no helper!

[HTWLSS]

Originally Posted by slacker

I emptied a Windex bottle out

Do not use anything that contains an ammonia based product.

Clean the surface with denatured alcohol and use a brand-new spray bottle that hasn't been used for any other chemical.

[slacker]

Originally Posted by HTWLSS

Do not use anything that contains an ammonia based product.

Clean the surface with denatured alcohol and use a brand-new spray bottle that hasn't been used for any other chemical.

Good advice- it actually wasn't windex, but bleach and water in a bottle- it was an old windex bottle though.

[HTWLSS]

Originally Posted by slacker

Good advice- it actually wasn't windex, but bleach and water in a bottle- it was an old windex bottle though.

Bleach and ammonia is an even worse mixture!
Don't ever mix those, even if it's a rinsed-out bottle.

-Your friendly, (but still nagging) internet mom

[slacker]

Originally Posted by HTWLSS

Bleach and ammonia is an even worse mixture!
Don't ever mix those, even if it's a rinsed-out bottle.

-Your friendly, (but still nagging) internet mom

LOL, yes mom. Just so you know, I ran with scissors when I was getting ready to do it.

I'll go to my room and re-read Moby Dick in punishment. I will say, my stripes look PEFECT....compared to every other Dealer installed car I've seen.

Hopefully a moot point now- GM is going to install them all.

[HTWLSS]

Originally Posted by slacker

Hopefully a moot point now- GM is going to install them all.

Argh, I SO wish our stripe package could have been factory installed. See, we have the LPO hockey stripe and it sits here in a flat box in our living room uninstalled because our dealership is in a very rural area of NE Oregon that doesn't have anyone who could have installed our stripes. I need to figure out how to get them installed and invoice it through the dealership so the installation is paid for out of the money we paid for our stripes. I understand Chevrolet/GM reimburses for it, but haven't all the particulars in place to work it out with our dealership.

A factory install would have eliminated all of our stripe angst.

I'm glad yours are installed and that they came out nicely. I hope we can get ours on before we get to the big Camaro event in Ohio in a couple of weeks!

[slacker]

Some advice (mom) on how to do it- I do work for dealerships all the time, painting stripes on vehicles off site.

First, find you a good sign shop in your area- someone that makes vinyl signs or whatever. Call around if you have to, or even call a neighboring Chevy dealership that is selling Camaro's. Even though you are rural surely there is someone within an hour or so that is selling Camaro's and installing stripes. Do it soon, while the installers doing them have fresh experience with it.

Once you get a quote, contact your salesman/manager you got the car from and let them know how much it will cost. They either open a repair order in the service department or body shop, your installer takes the invoice to them to get paid. It's "charged to the deal" and you get your stripes.

Good luck getting your stripes. Any competent sign shop should be able to do this work- hell, I did it using my Kentucky Chemistry set.

[Xmicro_SS]

Originally Posted by hiway61revisted

although its ok to do a wet install, most exp installers will do it dry, and get it right the first time and take alot less time too

I highly doubt it. There is some stretch involved at the outer sides, not going to happen dry without 6 arms. Dry install of vinyl is the best adhesion possible, but Wet install with proper product is just as good as DRY (or damn close). I have been installing vinyl for many years as well.

Rapid Tac, although not as good as dry install, will promote MUCH better adhesion than soapy water. It does not give you as much time to fuss with graphics because it dries faster than soapy water, but in the long run you will be better off. I would add, buy Rapid Prep and Rapid Tac over alcohol and soapy water. I use those products regularly and they are EXCELLENT!

[mgratton]

Looking for new owners to get together or maybe club in the Palm Beach County area if interested please contact me. mgratton1313@yahoo.com

[HTWLSS]

Originally Posted by slacker

Some advice (mom) on how to do it- I do work for dealerships all the time, painting stripes on vehicles off site.

First, find you a good sign shop in your area- someone that makes vinyl signs or whatever. Call around if you have to, or even call a neighboring Chevy dealership that is selling Camaro's. Even though you are rural surely there is someone within an hour or so that is selling Camaro's and installing stripes. Do it soon, while the installers doing them have fresh experience with it.

Once you get a quote, contact your salesman/manager you got the car from and let them know how much it will cost. They either open a repair order in the service department or body shop, your installer takes the invoice to them to get paid. It's "charged to the deal" and you get your stripes.

Good luck getting your stripes. Any competent sign shop should be able to do this work- hell, I did it using my Kentucky Chemistry set.

Thank you! We're not rural, but the dealership we bought from is. See, we're 20 miles west of Portland, OR and our selling dealership is 350 miles away in the NE corner of Oregon (all the way across the State) in Enterprise. There weren't any installers in the NE corner of Oregon, so we decided to get them installed locally by a guy that has done them for a dealership in Portland. I'm not sure how they can invoice through our dealership in Enterprise. I may be able to submit the invoice after the fact. Not sure, and still working through those details.
The stripes get installed this Thursday by Stripe Line.
I very much appreciate the advice and will see what I can do. We may have to eat the installation charge, but maybe it'll work out.

[chuckyab]

this can be done dry

[cuspid]

I used 3" wide painters tape to get my spacing right. Big help

[calbert1999]

This is a really good video. I tinted my lights, and bowties using video instruction, definately takes some time but the wet method is really easy to do.
I wish I could find instructions on how to do the rally stripe continuation kit for the rear spoiler.