Topic: 1969 Mach 1 tape stripe

[cjc]

Who is everyone using for replacement 1969 Mach 1 tape stripes. I see them priced all over the place and with most of them being FORD licensed. Is there a quality difference between vendors? Are some stripe kits better than others? Any advice is appreciated.Thanks

[SAcobra427]

I have run into this twice myself now and have seen a few pics or cars with this same problem, someone out there is making 69 stripe kits where the thin gold stripe in the center of a black/gold stripe is not running straight with the black part, it is very noticeable when you step back and look at it. It starts out ok at the front edge of the door but then rises up as it goes across the center area of the door and comes back down. I dont remember where I had bought them so my advice to you is to lay then out first and look at how straight the thin center stripe is within the wide center stripe. Its extremely annoying to put the stripe on perfectly straight only to have something still look off. I have only noticed it on the black/gold ones, not the gold/white and red/gold for some reason

[J_Speegle]

Remember that Ford licensing does not in general have anything to do with quality.

IMHO there is normally a difference between makers of product or there would not be a reason for recreating the wheel. Some times it's - "We can make it and sell it cheaper" other times " We can make it better/more correct"

Haven't purchased any recently so no suggestions from me at the moment

[Raven R Code]

Marti auto.com has the best fro. What I've seen. They apparently own the originally tooling for the stripes kits and what they did is contract a graphic company to "run the presses". But right now they are looking for a new vendor because the place they used got out of the business. The reflective angles and color(gold stripe) are as good as original. I will be getting a red stripe as soon as they get going again.

[J_Speegle]

Just as a side note -I saw long ago a factory document discussing a problem Ford was having with the supplier of the 69 Mach I stripes early in production with the reflective properties of the stripe material.  Don't believe this has been studied not documented on production vehicles but thought this thread was the proper place to at least broach the subject for possible future discussion

And before someone asks I never got a copy of the letter (saw it in the mid 80's while going through a stack of Ford documents at a friends dinner table) or I would have posted it with this post 

[Raven R Code]

About the stripes.......anyone have details on correct installation/ placement for 1969 Mach 1 stripes?

[J_Speegle]

About the stripes.......anyone have details on correct installation/ placement for 1969 Mach 1 stripes?

Can't recall for certain (sorry just got back from waiting for 2 1/2hr to get some tires rotated   but believe there is an illustration or two in the 69 Assembly Manual - likely the Body one.

[jtboss302]

I checked the assembly manual on stripe placement and it doesn't give info on where they should be placed....how far up the door from the lower body line or whatever.  If anyone has a measurement that would be awesome

[SAcobra427]

Sorry, dont have an exact measurement but the last rear 1/4 panel piece that goes around the side marker light has to of course go around the light so I always started there and came forward with it.

[jtboss302]

Thanks SACobra, that helps a bit    If anyone can take a look at their car and give me some measurements for the areas in the picture I'm posting that would be great.  Basically measure from the bottom of the stripe to the body line along the bottom of the doors at the front and the rear of the door and then the spots just behind the rear tire   I really appreciate the help folks and hopefully this helps others in the future

[Brian Conway]

From the door bottom to the stripe bottom 7.5 ".  From the body line aft of the marker light to the stripe bottom 1.5" and forward to the wheel well 2.75" from the body line to the lower stripe. 

[jtboss302]

Hi Brian, Thanks for the info - just what I needed.   Was that 7,5 measurement on the doors the same at the front and back of the door?

[Harry1003]

Hi,
I find this in my files:
Sorry for the wrong order :-)
Greetings!
Harry

[Brian Conway]

In reply; No the 7.5" measurement is not the same front and back.  It is actually 7 & 9/16" at the front and 7 & 7/16" at the rear.  Might be interesting to get another set of numbers ?  Brian

[jtboss302]

Thanks guys,  Harry,  I actually have that edition of MM, I have all the MM magazines dating back to 1986.  I used to have a directory of all the how to articles but it got lost on my old computer.  Thanks much, I will use the MM info and Brians info and get started.  I need to see if I can get a rear deck lid stripe without the MACH 1 in it as from what I can tell the early cars didnt have the MACH 1 in them and my build date is Dec 30 1968  I wanna be a close to original correct as possible