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The Pleasure of Pinstripes

Walking the fine line of detailed painting

If you think of your unadorned vehicle as an empty canvas, then this is the article for you. Even though pinstriping and car graphics rose to new heights with hot rods, customs and lowriders, the concept dates much farther back than even the automobile. Ever since man has ridden on wheels, he's added his own distinctive touch to the conveyance, starting with wagons and even extending to horses if you consider American Indian art.

But, this is the 21st century, and while car art is still done by hand, vinyl graphics are becoming increasingly popular. We'll start with the artists and then see if you want to try your hand at the vinyls.

The only way to delve into the realm of auto artists is to talk to one. Lil' Louis, who operates a shop in San Bernardino, CA, started with model cars, graduated to drawing pictures of real cars, and then began embellishing tire covers for Jeeps owned by his Dad's friends. By 14 he was the Tire Cover King and he's never looked back. His background is similar to an elite group of pinstripers and car artists. The key, he says, is first the creativity, a skill that can't be taught; and, second, is a very steady hand, neurosurgeon steady.

Precision Prep

Prep work for pinstriping is the same whether the work is done by hand or with vinyl: all the wax, road dirt and grease must be removed and the car cleaned down to the paint. The worst contaminant is spray-on tire dressing that invariably ends up overlapping onto the fender. The paints Louis (his real name is Louis Check) uses are enamels that have been around since the 1930s; the same formulas with the exception of lead content. The consistency of the paint "can't be explained," Louis says. "It just has to flow nice." The brushes are loaded about half way up the bristle so there's flexibility in the brush.

Line of Sight

Pinstriping can change the perspective of the vehicle. "If a guy comes in with a truck that hasn't been raised or lowered, it doesn't really matter where the striping goes," Louis explains. "But if it's been lowered, the lines should go low on the truck; if it's been raised, the lines go high. You put the pinstriping where you want the eye to go." The same goes for the horizontal perspective. If you want to lengthen the perspective of a horizontally challenged car, the lines are extended from stem to stern.

Hand Vs. Vinyl

When vinyl graphics were introduced, Louis thought he would be doomed to dinosaur status. That hasn't been the case, but he does point to their advantages. "Vinyls have become very sophisticated," he admits. "And the line work is always perfect, where with hand-painted work, there's always some slight imperfection."

Aside from the bragging rights of having the work done by hand, hand-painted lines present a smooth paint surface while the vinyls tend to have wax buildups at the edges. Plus, vinyls, by their nature, are squared off, while hand-painted work can begin and end with a distinctive flourish.

Applique-tions

Now, to vinyls: There are a number of web sites with catalogs and instructions to give prospective do-it-yourself stripers a good start. Striping vinyls are available in a range of configurations, from double thin stripes to two-inch solid stripes, in 150-foot roles. As we mentioned earlier, preparation is the same whether you do it or a pro does the job. Here's an example from Custom Auto Trim and Graphics.

After you've used a solvent wax or tar remover, wipe the area with a clean, lint free cloth and rubbing alcohol. The final wipe is with a separate clean cloth dampened with water. The test for "contaminant free" is if your finger drags along the surface. The application fluid is a simple solution of water, a half squirt of liquid hand soap (not dish washing liquid) and one teaspoon of rubbing alcohol combined in a spray bottle.

You can use masking tape as a guide for the striping and/or to hold the stripe in place. The striping tape comes encased in a release liner on the adhesive side and transfer tape on the non-adhesive side. The release liner allows you to expose the adhesive on half the width of the stripe to make it easier to apply.

Now, you're ready to pull the release liner off half of the striping. Spray the application fluid to both the vehicle and the adhesive side. This allows you to properly position the graphic without it sticking firmly to the car surface. Position the tape, starting from the center, and squeegee with overlapping strokes to push out air bubbles and the application solution. Then repeat with the other half of the graphic.

Squeegee the striping with firm pressure then pull off the transfer tape. Pricking with a pin and pushing the air out can remove any trapped air bubbles. Once the transfer tape is removed, lightly squeegee over the graphic one more time. Trim the graphic back 1/8-inch from doors and fender breaks with an Exacto or single-edge blade. Wipe any remaining solution away with a clean, dry cloth. Stand back and admire your work.

Cost may be the determining factor as to which way you choose to customize your car. The price of a simple pinstriping job from a pro runs from $100 to $300. The vinyl graphics, in 150-foot tolls, cost from $20 for a narrow double-stripe to $95 for the two-inch thick stripe. At those prices, just about anybody can afford to walk the line.