The all important stripe question

[mwmorph]

Alright, so I ordered a 2013 GT in Grabber blue but I'm conflicted on whether I should get White or Flat Black stripes on it.

I'm currently leaning towards the 1970/2013 Boss stripes obviously without the 302 Boss logo and the 5.0 badge still on the fender, but what does everyone else think? Obviously anything over the top is out with the glass roof, but does anyone have or see Grabber Blue cars with white or black stripes often? Is White too loud of a color?

Up here in Alaska, I've yet to really see a Grabber Blue mustang with stripes (or a Grabber Blue mustang at all) so I have no frame of reference.

Window sticker attached for reference, I know it's basically Boss 302 price, but instead of almost no discount, I got $6k off MSRP.

Stripes will hopefully look like this:

 

[Zivic]

looks fine either way, but I wouldn't get the boss stripes unless I owned a boss

 

[mwmorph]

I know and that's one of the issues I have with it, but I've always loved hood and hockey stripes from the ones you see on the Camaro to the 1970/2013 Boss stripes. I really don't want to do it to deceive people, it's just that I think those are the best looking stripes I've ever seen on a mustang. I'll be getting stripes custom made without the Boss distinguishing features. I'm hoping the chrome 5.0 emblem and the lack of the Boss 302 logo on the stripes is enough to set it apart from the true Bosses and not cause confusion/derision.

 

[manimal]

I like the flat black but the white would look good with those rims.

 

[mwmorph]

I like the flat black but the white would look good with those rims.

I have the gunmetal rims from the track pack, not the boss rims, otherwise it'd be too close of a copy of the boss.

These wheels:

 

[manimal]

ah sorry reading skills at 8am for me are lacking.

Would still go black.

 

[Ferzerp]

looks fine either way, but I wouldn't get the boss stripes unless I owned a boss

This. Don't be the guy who makes his car look like the one that performs better.

 

[JulesMaximus]

I think the stripes are too over the top and kind of played out. It just screams "HEY, LOOK AT ME!!!" in my opinion.

 

[JulesMaximus]

I have the gunmetal rims from the track pack, not the boss rims, otherwise it'd be too close of a copy of the boss.

These wheels:

Do you think that license plate means he's an AZN guy who eats a lot of rice?

 

[Ferzerp]

What's wrong with Race Eater? He eats races.

 

[slugg]

White with blue looks great. It's a bit more sophisticated than the black, in my opinion. They key, though, is to just get SIMPLE stripes. Just get something down the middle of the car. No text, no designs, and no stripes running all around the car. Make sure it's fully continuous; get the part over the windshield, past the trunk, etc. Don't get a half-assed stripe job like everyone else.

 

[JCH13]

White. Stripes are a highlight on your car, usually to show off the lines of the car, white on blue looks awesome. Flat black is what you paint something when you want to hide it... it makes the car look broken up rather than highlighted.

 

[Childs]

If you are financing, why not spend the extra $6k and get an actual Boss? But back to the topic, white doesnt look that bad:

when I was looking for reference images, I came across a mustang forum and this pic in reference to grabber blue:

:biggrin:

 

[TakeNoPrisoners]

I have the gunmetal rims from the track pack, not the boss rims, otherwise it'd be too close of a copy of the boss.

These wheels:

Rice Eater, classic.

 

[Ferzerp]

Some cars just need a stripe, others can get by without it. Mustangs look fine in a solid color, but Challengers need the stripes to look right.

Picture this solid orange (yuck)

 

[Childs]

Some cars just need a stripe, others can get by without it. Mustangs look fine in a solid color, but Challengers need the stripes to look right.

I disagree! lol

 

[SpatiallyAware]

I vote no stripe.


Mainly because they aren't *that* difficult to add later if you get bored of the plain look.

 

[herm0016]

i like the black. always loved a deep blue with gunmetal/black. you can always get it without and design your own stripes. may be much more unique. I did my own pin striping and end treatments on my pickup and people seem to really like it.

 

[Throckmorton]

I would get no stripes. You can put on your own vinyl ones, or have a shop do it, and they'll be removable.

 

[leper84]

If you park in a garage, or park outdoors but don't plan to keep it more than ~5 years, get the black stripes.

If you park it outdoors and might keep it longer than 5 years don't get stripes at all.

Vinyl stripes look like s!*t when they've been weathered for a couple years.

Don't get the white stripes. GJ on the track pack.

 

[mwmorph]

Thanks for the comments everyone, it's given me something to think about. I personally think that mustangs do need stripes but then I am mentally stuck in the past. A muscle car with 4 pack carbs packed in a shaker hood is still the epitome of cool to me.

This car was a emotional decision over a logical one. I live in Fairbanks, Alaska so I got the boss radiator/coolers, unheated recaros, glass roof and 19" summer tires out of sheer stupidity. It got to -45F last winter I was here.

If I do get the stripes, they will be vinyl and made custom by a graphics shop locally. I've been talking with someone about it already.

If you are financing, why not spend the extra $6k and get an actual Boss? But back to the topic, white doesnt look that bad:

<snip>

when I was looking for reference images, I came across a mustang forum and this pic in reference to grabber blue:

<snip>

:biggrin:

I know it did cross my mind, but I like the idea of the Torsen and Recaros which would have expanded the price difference even more. As a general rule, I personally believe if I cant put at least 50% of a car's MSRP as a down-payment, I shouldn't be buying the car at all. The difference between $36 and $44 is $8k, about 20% of the total price of the car.

That and Boss cant have the glass roof.

i like the black. always loved a deep blue with gunmetal/black. you can always get it without and design your own stripes. may be much more unique. I did my own pin striping and end treatments on my pickup and people seem to really like it.

That's probably a mistake on my part, the pics I linked were not representative of the actual color, Grabber Blue is much more light, sky blue in sunlight. The first is a Grabber Blue indoors which makes it look unrealistically dark. The second is actually a different blue, I just used the picture as an example for the wheels and changes for the 2013's standard rear tail lights and blackout panel.

This is more representative of the real color:

If you park in a garage, or park outdoors but don't plan to keep it more than ~5 years, get the black stripes.

If you park it outdoors and might keep it longer than 5 years don't get stripes at all.

Vinyl stripes look like s!*t when they've been weathered for a couple years.

Don't get the white stripes. GJ on the track pack.

Do you have any examples? I don't get to see many cars with vinyls on for any extended period of time up here, but then 80% of vehicles here would be EPA/NHTSA classified as a truck.

 

[cbrsurfr]

My dad had 2 Mustangs with stripes. 2010 Grabber Blue w/ Black and a 2009 GT500 Gray with Black. The Ford installed stripes on the GT500 started peeling on the trunk after ~6 months. Ford wouldn't replace it because the car had been involved in a frontal accident. I would get whatever stripes you want professionally painted on. It will look better and last longer.

Black does look good on Grabber Blue. White not so much.

More photos of the Grabber blue here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jjr329/sets/72157628251198503/


misc 033 by JJR329, on Flickr

 

[Ferzerp]

My current stripes are vinyl from the factory. I don't expect they'll last overly long. There's already a blemish where something scratched one a little.

 

[Ronstang]

If you are not painting the stripes on and then clearcoating over them to make them part of the top coat then don't even bother with stripes. Vinyl stripes look like shit and the sun takes a toll on them rather quickly. They also make waxing your car more of a pain in the ass.

When I paint stripes on a car you can't even feel them. They are "captured" within the clearcoat and washing and waxing is no different than any other car. Plus they look better and last the life of the paint. Have you ever seen a bug stain on a stripe, especially white that won't come off? Yeah, they look like crap rather quickly.

The whole secret to tricking out any part of your car is to always make it EASY to maintain the good looks. You don't want to be polishing things every week to keep the look and you don't want to have to worry about everything because then you spend all your time fretting and sweating instead of enjoying.

 

[cbrsurfr]

Forgot about my own car... Went with painted instead of the usual vinyl. Soo much better looking.


IMG_2949 by JJR329, on Flickr


IMG_2933 by JJR329, on Flickr


IMG_2938 by JJR329, on Flickr