Team Stripe

[souzape]

Folks, I need some help with the dimensions for the single team stripe used on 289 cars across the front of the cars extending from fender lip to fender lip just in front of the hood opening (like on the 64 Sebring cars for example). Are they the same width all the way across or do they flare at the ends?

Old Phil

[nolastyankee]

Phil,
The stripes are 6" wide at the center of the car. The short answer to your question is that in the original Cobras some stripes flared at the ends and some did not. There is no true correct answer.

Here's the long answer and the reason why... The issue is all in the question of how you measure the stripe gap and what you reference the gap to. For example, if you look down from the top of the car do you want the lines to look straight and equal distant (this is how I set up our car) or do you want to have a 6" gap between the tape lines? This is not actually the same thing as the stripe goes over the fender...The middle of the car is easy.

The gap can be measured as 6" on the car surface perpendicular to the tape line, or 6" using an imaginary line taken vertically off the stripe edge similar to coutour lines on a map. Both of these will result in a slightly different look with the latter creating lines that flare on the car. Because the stripe going over the fender is so incredibly hard to figure out, many painters angle the team stripe into the wheel well so that the flare never becomes an issue. You will also find that the wheel wells on our car are not parallel so you will have to lay out each side a little different to get a consistent look.

Bottom line, I will tell you that I spent about 4-5 hours laying out the stripe on our car and worked hard to maintain the right appearance with only secondary concern to the 6" dimension.

[RJacobsen]

Hi Phil, I have this Drawing (can't remember from where) of the different views of an FIA car. The stripe on this one (looking from top down) is the same width all the way accross. hope this helps.

[nolastyankee]

The above drawing is a perfect example of the challenge in laying out the team stripe across a Cobra's fenders. The picture is two-dimensional showing a consistent width line.

However, on the car what would happen is that a consistent width 6" stripe looking straight down would have a width that is greater than 6" on the surface of the car due to the angle. Consider that the angles of the nose, fender, and wheel well are very different and that your surface width would vary with this example. The most typical viewpoint of the car is from the ground so the surface reference is what the eye will percieve as 'straight'.

Laying out stripes lengthwise on a Cobra is marginally easier since there are fewer contours. Consider, though, that the original car's stripes increased in width at the middle of the car so the eye would percieve them as 'straight' over the length. It's all about what 'appears' straight!

[pgermond]

Hey Phil,

Are you planning on striping your car?

Younger Phil

[RJacobsen]

If you have a rotating lazer level that could be suspended above the car and aimed straight down you could then just follow the line with your layout.

[souzape]

Thanks guys...this is exactly the type of input I was looking for. Some ******** backed into the nose of my car and did some superficial damage which will require painting. The grey I used to paint the car has a very subtle flake to it so blending the touch-up is going to be a problem. I have also recieved numerous little rock chips on the nose since I do drive the car regularly. Applying the teamstripe will provide a natural "break" in the finish so that I don't have to paint the whole front clip and will make future touch ups easier.
Thanks again.

Phil (elder)

[pgermond]

Phil (elder)

And most assuredly, wiser