How to add retro color in less than two hours, for less than $100

We have always liked how those classic Porsche stripes sit on the side of the car. Even though they have roots in the ’60s and ’70s, they still look good today and add a classic look to a newer Porsche

While Porsche sells these stripe kits, they cost hundreds of dollars. There are several sellers on eBay who claim to have similar stripe kits. We rolled the dice and gave eBay seller Icelugs (98.3% positive feedback) our $78.95 and decided to see what would happen.

What happened is that a few days later a box containing the stripes arrived. Different colors are offered, but we went with classic white. Would it be too bright or look good against our Guards Red?

The stripe kit came with instructions, but installation is fairly basic. First, make sure there is no grime or grease or debris in your paint. Using a clay bar and buffer is the best way to guarantee good results.

[Quick, easy detailing tips for your next cars and coffee]

Use body wash (Prep-Sol and Prep-All are common brand names) to clean the backs of doors and in your door jambs. Any place the tape stripe will touch needs to be clean.

From there, decide where you want the stripe. About a quarter to half an inch above the door’s bottom edge is a common place for these types of stripes.

The tools you will need include a pair of large sharp shears and/or a razor blade, a soft plastic squeegee to flatten out the decal, and a level or straight edge to keep the stripe going straight. You will also need a heat gun or hair dryer.

Personally, on most cars, we don’t feel a level really works since you are usually following a line and not trying to keep the stripe level to the ground. We found an 18-inch plastic ruler in our toolbox that worked like a charm.

And you will need a spray bottle with soapy water in it. Dish soap works fine, and a little goes a long way. You are looking for a bit of lubricant and not a bubble bath.

Start by using your squeegee to make sure the stripe is firmly attached to the backing. On a flat surface, just go over the entire stripe kit (one piece at a time).

Once you are sure that your stripe is attached well to the backing, you can peel the paper off the sticky face of your stripe. A helper can make dealing with long pieces easier. If you think you are really good at this, try it outside in a brisk wind.

Next, liberally spray both the area on the car you wish to stripe and the stripe itself with the soapy water solution.

Then place the stripe in position. You should be easily able to slide it around.

Once you have it where you want it, use your squeegee to work the water out of the stripe and make sure the stripe is firmly attached to the car. It will not stick until the water is removed or dries naturally.

Careful use of a heat gun can aid this drying process. Overuse of a heat gun will ruin your stripe at best and, at worst, damage your paint.

Once you have the stripe relatively dry, you can start to remove the backing that is covering your stripe. Pull back and not up.

Start at your edges and wrap your stripe around and into your door jamb. Again, judicious use of a heat gun here will aid in bending the film and helping it stick to the back of your door or inner fender well.

With the large center section in place on your door, use your straight edge to make sure your front and rear fender pieces line up nicely. Repeat the process on these areas and cut any extra with a razor blade or scissors.

[How to create a livery using die-cut stickers]

We were thrilled with the results and, while perhaps a bit bright and tacky, we love the look of our 911 with these stripes.

Besides, at less than $100 and two hours of work, we can quickly remove the stripes with no damage to the car and very little damage to our wallet if we change our minds.

More like this

Comments

Displaying 1-10 of 13 commentsView all comments on the GRM forums

You'll need to log in to post.

Sponsored by