Correct Stripes for a 73 Mach 1

[pschafer]

Hello all,

I hope you can help me. I am finishing up a two plus year restoration of my 73 Mach 1 I've had for almost 35 years now and have a ton of issues with the new stripe kit I purchased. I also have a Ford stripe kit I purchased in the mid 80s which I would love to use but they are not very sticky anymore so that is why I bought a new set. They are Ford Licensed but there are plenty of differences between the two sets. Please see the 4 pages I have attached and you will see what I mean. 

Am I being too picky here but in these days of digital scanners and high-resolution cameras, etc., that these can't be an exact match to my old Ford set. It would not be hard to do at all. 

Any thoughts on this and suggestions on who makes the most correct set would be greatly appreciated. Or anyone with original stripes still on their car that could send along some pictures, would be a great reference for all of us with 73s. 

Thanks very much.

 

[Carolina_Mountain_Mustangs]

I do have an original 73 Mach 1 that has not been touched. I will put some tape with dimensions on tomorrow and take pics for reference.

 

[NG8264723]

I like the eaelier stripes! I put them on my wives 73. If it's not concours who cares?

 

[Hemikiller]

Don't ya just love aftermarket parts? The original could have shrunk a bit over time, but I doubt that much. The extra length on the side stripes was merely to wrap around the edge of the fender and door seam. The rest just looks like some very sloppy work to me.

Who was the supplier for the not-so-accurate-reproductions ?

The Graphics Express image looks like your Ford set, but no idea if that's what they supply or if it's an image they used.

http://www.graphic-express.com/1973-mach-1-mustang-trunk-lid-stripe-kit.html

 

[jowens1126]

im just the opposite, lol I like the 73 side stripes, the 71 rear stripes and the 72 sprint hood stripes. I have all of them on my 71 lol.

 

[Carolina_Mountain_Mustangs]

Did you ever get a resolution to this or do I need to take some pictures and get some measurements?

I would think you could send your originals to one of the graphics suppliers and they should be able to scan and make exactly the same.

 

[secluff]

pschafer, I'm sure others here can relate to what you've just experienced with your stripes. Sure wish the repo people would take their hands out of our pockets long enough to listen to our complaints. It's not that some parts, stripes, etc are off a little, some fit so poorly they might as well be for a dump truck!

I have not had any problems with the NOS stripes drawing up any, just the adhesive side of the tape drying out if not stored properly. Have a friend who restores Fox Mustangs and said he had some similar experiences with the repo 79 Pace Car stripes not fitting good, colors off, and the stripes actually shrinking after only a few months after installation.

David's suggestion of having your NOS stripes scanned and printed by local sign shop is something I've done in the past. Another friend of mine had a 70 Torino Cobra that had been trying to find a set of "Snake on Wheels" decals for his fenders. None of the repos were correct as the colors and size were always off. We were able to get a NOS set I had that the adhesive had dried out scanned and everyone was happy in the end.

Being picky? Don't think so. After a restoration of over two years for a car you've owned 35 years, the "Crown Jewel" would be the stripe installation.

 

[pschafer]

pschafer, I'm sure others here can relate to what you've just experienced with your stripes. Sure wish the repo people would take their hands out of our pockets long enough to listen to our complaints. It's not that some parts, stripes, etc are off a little, some fit so poorly they might as well be for a dump truck!

I have not had any problems with the NOS stripes drawing up any, just the adhesive side of the tape drying out if not stored properly. Have a friend who restores Fox Mustangs and said he had some similar experiences with the repo 79 Pace Car stripes not fitting good, colors off, and the stripes actually shrinking after only a few months after installation.

David's suggestion of having your NOS stripes scanned and printed by local sign shop is something I've done in the past. Another friend of mine had a 70 Torino Cobra that had been trying to find a set of "Snake on Wheels" decals for his fenders. None of the repos were correct as the colors and size were always off. We were able to get a NOS set I had that the adhesive had dried out scanned and everyone was happy in the end.

Being picky? Don't think so. After a restoration of over two years for a car you've owned 35 years, the "Crown Jewel" would be the stripe installation.

Thanks all. No resolution as of yet. I have a few emails out there and I am waiting for some answers about having someone copy my set. 

As for who makes the repo stripes I am a bit reluctant to say but they are from Mustang Market part number SK128. I have also tried to contact other makers of the stripes like Graphic Express and the response I got and I quote... "Sorry Peter I am not going to be any help. The product we sell we have been selling for over 25 years. Not sure how close to NOS they are." So that was a non-answer. Basically we sell what we sell. I also contacted Jim Osborn and they have discontinued the side stripes and only have the trunk stripes available. I also contacted NPD and the guy I was emailing with thought the ones I had were from Decal Magic so those are probably off also. And Scott Drake sells a set but from what I heard they don't make them and so they are probably just rebranded DM or MM.

David, if you could I would love to get a few pictures and some dimensions of the three main problem areas. The decal around the front marker light and the two Mach 1 logos, one on the side and the one on the trunk. That would go a long way in knowing if my older set is correct to an original car and I am not going out of my way to put something wrong on my car. That would be great, Thanks very much!

 

[Carolina_Mountain_Mustangs]

pschafer, I'm sure others here can relate to what you've just experienced with your stripes. Sure wish the repo people would take their hands out of our pockets long enough to listen to our complaints. It's not that some parts, stripes, etc are off a little, some fit so poorly they might as well be for a dump truck!

I have not had any problems with the NOS stripes drawing up any, just the adhesive side of the tape drying out if not stored properly. Have a friend who restores Fox Mustangs and said he had some similar experiences with the repo 79 Pace Car stripes not fitting good, colors off, and the stripes actually shrinking after only a few months after installation.

David's suggestion of having your NOS stripes scanned and printed by local sign shop is something I've done in the past. Another friend of mine had a 70 Torino Cobra that had been trying to find a set of "Snake on Wheels" decals for his fenders. None of the repos were correct as the colors and size were always off. We were able to get a NOS set I had that the adhesive had dried out scanned and everyone was happy in the end.

Being picky? Don't think so. After a restoration of over two years for a car you've owned 35 years, the "Crown Jewel" would be the stripe installation.

Thanks all. No resolution as of yet. I have a few emails out there and I am waiting for some answers about having someone copy my set. 

As for who makes the repo stripes I am a bit reluctant to say but they are from Mustang Market part number SK128. I have also tried to contact other makers of the stripes like Graphic Express and the response I got and I quote... "Sorry Peter I am not going to be any help. The product we sell we have been selling for over 25 years. Not sure how close to NOS they are." So that was a non-answer. Basically we sell what we sell. I also contacted Jim Osborn and they have discontinued the side stripes and only have the trunk stripes available. I also contacted NPD and the guy I was emailing with thought the ones I had were from Decal Magic so those are probably off also. And Scott Drake sells a set but from what I heard they don't make them and so they are probably just rebranded DM or MM.

David, if you could I would love to get a few pictures and some dimensions of the three main problem areas. The decal around the front marker light and the two Mach 1 logos, one on the side and the one on the trunk. That would go a long way in knowing if my older set is correct to an original car and I am not going out of my way to put something wrong on my car. That would be great, Thanks very much!


Will get some pictures tomorrow for sure. One area there has been lots of discussion over was about the front marker light frame and the gap from frame to stripe being painted flat black. Some pictures in showroom brochures show painted black and some do not. I know my car had the area around the marker light and the frame painted the flat black like the hood and the area beside the tail lights. I have seen several original unpainted cars with the black there also. My car was May of 73 so late in the year. I think the pictures in the brochure had some made of early builds as always. I think someone @ Ford sales said they did not like the looks when not painted so they painted them.


If you send me your mailing address in a PM I will do a pencil rub of the Mach 1 lettering on the trunk and the side also. I did that for another member for the hood black and it gave him all the right dimensions.


I could have got a large bed stripe cutter at the Goodwill not too long ago for $40.00 I should have got it.


We had a cutter at lawnmower plant I worked at that they cut prototypes on. Once you have a scanned image you reverse engineer it and should be dead on.


I am sure you can order the material from 3-M to make them. They sell lots of it to cover A and B posts on new cars with.


For sure don't give up on getting the right one. There are lots of sign companies out there with a cutter that can do the job. Once they have the correct ones they could post on eBay showing the incorrect ones and their correct ones and sell lots of them. But if you sell them you are going to need a license from Ford for the Mach 1 trademark. You can make and use yourself but not sell.


Ford actually got sued when they used the GT-350 stripe on the 20 th. anniversary Mustang. I have the letter from the Shelby attorneys somewhere. I bought all of Fords stock in the 80's, 25 sets and been selling on eBay now in fact. In sealed Ford boxes. Shelby had the rights to the GT-350 which is said to be the length of the assembly line and nothing to do with the car, lol. Ford owned the Cobra rights but Shelby the GT-350.


More info and pictures tomorrow.

 

 

[Carolina_Mountain_Mustangs]

Ok just finished taking the pictures and making three rub offs with paper and pencil in the three areas of question. Pictures are here I do not know how to get the scans to the site since it has changed. I will mail you the rub off also.

Just some observations while doing this. There was no great care taken in applying the stripes for sure, lol. They are all over the place. The door stripe did not even get to the end of the door to wrap around any. Makes me wonder if the factory stripes were just one long piece and they put up and cut at the door gaps. Service stripes were obviously in pieces.

So I will scan the rubs in a bit and email them to you There is a grid on the paper either drawn or graph paper so you can print to scale.

Let me know if you need any other info.

And yes that was a NOS Goodyear RWL that sat there and rotted into the ground. The R. fender had been sprayed with lacquer when a friend scratched it on a mail box when I was off on a trip I let him borrow. I wiped some of the dust off for the pics but car has not been washed in 35 years.

 

[pschafer]

Hey David,

Thanks very much for the pictures of your car! It's great to see the actual correct stripes.

Did you get my PM with my address? Just wondering because, as of today, September 13, I have not received them in the mail yet.

Will let you all know how they compare once I get them.

Thanks again, Peter

 

[Carolina_Mountain_Mustangs]

Hey David,

Thanks very much for the pictures of your car! It's great to see the actual correct stripes.

Did you get my PM with my address? Just wondering because, as of today, September 13, I have not received them in the mail yet.

Will let you all know how they compare once I get them.

Thanks again, Peter

I did get the address. I scanned the rub offs and was going to send if you will pm me your email address. I do not know how to load the .pdf files to the site since we have the new format. I will mail tomorrow also.

You will see them in a couple days.

Can you tell by the pictures with the scale up if any you have are right?

 

[pschafer]

Sorry it took a while, I was waiting for the rubbings to come in the mail but I never received them. So I took what you posted and cleaned them up a bit in Photoshop and printed them on a sheet of transparency. It was too hard to see when I printed them on paper. Anyway, I put the stripe on a light table and held it flat with a sheet of glass and then placed the transparency over the top. 

As I suspected the Ford set I purchased in the 80s comes out very close and the aftermarket set is pretty terrible as far as I am concerned. Once again, I just find it so hard to believe that these companies can't find an original set, like I did, and just scan them in and make a perfect copy for us. Why should we have put up with these sub-standard repos when a totally correct set is so easy to reproduce.

Anyway, here is my findings... the first 8 pages are of the scans and them placed over my older set and the last 4 are of the newer set with all the issues. 

Hope this helps anyone else who is looking into getting a correct set of stripes for their 73 Mach 1. Sadly, if you want them right you have to find someone who will make of copy of an original set. Like I am going to do.

And a very heartfelt THANK YOU to David for the invaluable pictures and rubbings.

 

[Carolina_Mountain_Mustangs]

Gosh getting old sucks, lol. I know I got a book of stamps I must have buried them with other stuff will look tomorrow and send anyway.

 

[pschafer]

Sorry I never included some final pictures of the car with her new stripes. These are the scanned in versions that I had made from my set of old NOS. They came out beautifully and actually match in size, shape and color, unlike the aftermarket ones. I'm very happy with the way they came out and Thanks again to David for the pictures otherwise I would still be wondering if I did the right thing or not. These are from the day they were installed. 

 

[Carolina_Mountain_Mustangs]

Glad you got them cut right. Did the company that cut them for you intend to get license and make them for sale? I know the current suppliers do not want to change anything.
Looks great...

 

[pschafer]

Funny I did tell him that to make sure he keeps the pattern, and could make money selling them, they are even on 3M paper. But as far as I know he hasn't. It did occur to me, to purchase a dozen sets and try to sell them on eBay. But I just purchased 2, one extra just in case, God forbid, something happens to a door or fender. 

Thanks again!

 

[pschafer]

Oh and by chance does anybody know the best way to store the extra stripe kit so it doesn't dry out like the NOS one did? It's just in a box in the basement, nothing special...

 

[mpbsr]

Looks great, but now flip the rear spoiler as it's mounted he wrong way.