GT40 stripe question...

[Captain Obvious]

Hiya folks, I'm slowly picking away at a Fujimi Ford GT40...

My question is, would the stripes and/or numbers have been painted on the 1:1 car, or applied in vinyl (or other material)? Just trying to figure out if, when the time comes, I should apply clear over the decals or decals over the clear...

The body as it sits right now...Testors Italian Red lacquer over white primer, not yet cleared or polished:

Thanks in advance for any input!

[Ace-Garageguy]

Racing stripes were usually painted in those days. I was there.

[Greg Myers]

although the early Shelby Mustangs had some vinyl stripes

[Cato]

Painted.">

[VW Dave]

although the early Shelby Mustangs had some vinyl stripes

My understanding was that the stripes were all painted, but the letters & numbers in the rocker stripe were decals

[Greg Myers]

I seen 'em with my own eyes ( Le Mans stripes, the BIG ones ) when we'd go look at the Cobra and Shelby's at Pueblo Ford in Tucson (mid sixty's) painted steel station wagon wheels too, no mags, Greg Kolasa talks about it in his new book, "Shelby Mustang Guide 1965-1970"

Edited March 24, 2013 by Greg Myers

[Ace-Garageguy]

Die-cut ('kiss-dies' were employed by companies called 'converters', whose business it was to produce series-runs of finished goods from self-adhesive tape-stock, a technique still used today) vinyl graphics were available for limited-series-produced vehicles (like Shelbys) and dealer installed trim (optional) packages. The rapid CNC cutting ability of custom-vinyl-graphics (that you can get from any good sign shop today) didn't exist yet in the mid '60s, but wide striping tapes were available in colors from suppliers like 3M. White vinyl meatballs and generic numbers / letters for classes were also available, but most of the old (un-restored) racing cars I've personally seen had painted stripes (though I put white vinyl 'racing' stripes on my '65 Mustang in 1968).

Edited March 24, 2013 by Ace-Garageguy

[Art Anderson]

Racing stripes were usually painted in those days. I was there.

On race cars, through at least the late 1960's,. such as racing stripes, racing numbers and such were generally painted on, as the concept of laser-cutting self-adhesive plastic film, such as vinyl, had yet to come on line. However, secondary sponsor logo's (like Goodyear, Firestone, Shell, Champion) were printed either on glossy heavy paper stock, or made as decals then applied to racecar bodywork.

On production cars, however, once racing stripes and other graphics became popular in the muscle car era, the idea of having to mask off body panels in order to paint such trims quickly fell out of favor, and printed Mylar graphics came into use quickly,. but that of course was for mass production.

Art

[Greg Myers]

As in any modeling effort dealing with an historic rendition of any one vehicle , wise be the modeler to do his research,as the memory doth fade. http://www.racingicons.com/gt/1031_1047.htm