Removing pinstriping and "Riviera" side emblems?

Albert, my stripes are also painted, as was the dealer name on the trunk.

Bone, maybe I should have said, I've heard the cities are extremely competetive with each other. Wasn't referring to gang stuff at all.

My pinstripes were painted on also, owner before me had a body shop buff them off. I wouldn't recommend doing that on your own unless you've had lots of practice. You can still faintly see them if you look at the car just right. All you guys taking emblems off and I'm planning on adding some Gran Sport emblems to mine...

When I was sanding down my 1/4 panel to repaint in my auto body class, I found the pinstripe was under the clearcoat and didn't sand down until I got through all the clearcoat.

My pinstripe wasn't factory, it was done at a dealer here 2 yrs later, along with the stupid Sig Edition emblems I'm going to remove.

I don't think there was such as factory pinstriping. Didn't they do it as a dealership option?

Its on the window sticker of the wifes 99. According to the window sticker its painted.

Bert

AA wrote:

I don't think there was such as factory pinstriping. Didn't they do it as a dealership option?

I did not want to make a big deal of it because it did not seem worth it. However, IIRC most if not all Rivs came with a factory painted pinstripe. The pinstripe was wither always standard or was standard after a certain year. May have been optional on the early ones - I dont' really know.

Inevitable repairs/repaints often wipe out the factory stripe, if only because people get a lot of money for painting pinstripes. I know one sign painter who takes pinstriping sublets from the local car dealers. He gets $200 [from the insurance companies!! That would be $1,600 for a 4-door car and fenders!?!] to repaint a pinstripe on one door or fender - IF the car had them painted on from factory. At this point not that many do. BMWs come to mind as one car that does.

I noted with interest that when I had my Riv "freshened" this past fall, the body shop did the work for a reasonable price. I gathered that one appeal was just to have the Riv in their shop - a big, proud American coupe. It looks perfect at arm's length. It was nice to see the shop owner (Tom Box) grin when he presented the 'freshened' car to me. The sign painter also cut me a break on re-doing the pinstriping, although I did not succeed in convincing anyone to re-do the clear coat over the stripe - I will probably do that this spring, although I gotta get some special paint cleaner to prep it or else it might fish-eye when I coat it.

My guess is that many Rivs bought used have been repainted for some reason. Maybe just the front clip to get rid of the road rash. On mine, I know the hood and fenders were repainted separately - I suspect it got traded in due to a deer hit but am not 100% sure. There are some top-notch collision centers in this region that will pretty much dis-assemble/rebuild wrecks. Don't remember their names, but IIRC there is one in Syracuse that is world-famous in certain circles. Might be Sam's auto body. Their "daily bread" is earned repairing wrecks, howver they also manufacture the bodies for Zimmers.

Anyway, it's entirely posible to rebuild a car such that the rebuild is about undetectable, except if one knows details like painted pinstripes and other trim. For instance, IIRC all Rivs were delivered new with the plastic on the rocker panel/running boards in gray plastic. I see several members' cars with the running boards painted. Again, I did not think any of this was important enough to start a debate about - but while we are on the subject seems OK to comment.

Albertj

Personally, I do not care for the pinstripe and as I am repainting my whole car over time it will not have the pinstripe when I am done.

Fair enough!

I dislike tape stripes, except if they have a feature such as they are made of scotchlite and help people see the car inteh dark. I would get clear tapestripes of scotchlite - can't see 'em in the day but hit 'em with headlights and they show up...

Painted pinstripes are OK.

Albertj