Best Way to Apply a Challenger Hood Decal

[twist]

I need some suggestions on what is the best way to put on a 70 hood decal. I am on my third decal and I want it go on right this time.

The first one I tried to put on I used soapy water and it stuck like crazy and ended up with wrinkles and just a mess right from the start.

The second one I used a spray glass cleaner (Sprayway) and that let me slide it around and get it where I wanted it. The second one looked great until I peeled off the last 12" near the hood's leading edge. It seems the hood has a slight peak in it and the decal just did not want to lay down on it right. I had lots of bubbles and a couple of wrinkles on just the last 12". Mad - oh yea!!  Especially since the big area of the decal laid out soooo nice.

Well, I now have my third one and would appreciate any tips you might have for me. BTW - I am using 3M decals that seem to be made well.

Thanks, Mike

[MEK-Dangerfield]

Talk to me Mike.

Look at my avatar. That is MY work. Hey, I'm shocked too.    Use one tablespoon of Dawn dishwashing soap, to a gallon of water. This is way more than you need, but the mixture is right. Put this into a spray bottle of some sort. Trim all the excess paper from around the edges of the stripes, down to 1/16 of an inch. Lay the stripes on the hood to where you want them. With masking tape, mark 2-3" areas as guides along the outer edges. Now the fun begins. Wet the hood with the soapy solution. Peel back the inner cover on your stripes and soak them down good. Go back and soak the hood down again. Now lay the stripe down. You should have a few minutes of adjustment, unless you are doing this in 80* weather (not recommended). Obviously you are doing one side at a time, but you need a squeegy to work the water out from under the stripes. Work from the inside out. Keep working. When you think you are done, wet the outside again with soapy water, and squeegy some more. Let it dry at this point. It could take 15 minutes, or more depending on the temperature. When you feel like pulling the outer layer cover off, do it at a sharp 180* angle so the stripes don't lift up on you.


  Good luck. Seriously, I can do this in 30 minutes if you drive on over here.   


   Mike   

[MEK-Dangerfield]

Ooops, another thing... Make sure the area is nice and clean. After washing it, go over it several times with a non-lint rag and alcohol. You want to remove any wax and contamintes this way. I used an old T-shirt.


  Mike

[AMXguy]

The first thing is to get the positioning perfect an make plenty of marks with an erasable marking pen so you can find the right place in a hurry. do it wet and don't worry about the little bubbles, they will go away just like they say.

 I learned how to do it by watching a pro who got mine on perfect the first time. he charged me $60 and it was worth every penny. it's cheaper to get it done right by somebody who knows what they're doing than learn by buying 15 of them in my opinion.

[DoNotChallengeHer]

I pay someone else to put mine on.  

[hemiken]

  or i show a bit of leg

[Chryco Psycho]

I pay someone else to put mine on.  

That is what I would do 

[Aussie Challenger]

I pay someone else to put mine on.  

     The quickest and smartest way.   

 

or i show a bit of leg

          I'm going to have nightmares with that thought Ken.   

[twist]

Thanks for the tips on how to get this one on right.

I would like to check out having somebody put it on for me, but I am not sure where to find such a person. I asked a local body shop, and they have no idea. What would you look up that might have somebody that can apply decals? Maybe a sign shop?

[73Chally]

Do you have any Ricer type tuner shops around you?  With the number of stickers they put on there cars, maybe they would like to do a real car for once.

[twist]

Do you have any Ricer type tuner shops around you?  With the number of stickers they put on there cars, maybe they would like to do a real car for once.

 

[MEK-Dangerfield]

Where are you located? I can do it for you. 

[twist]

Where are you located? I can do it for you. 

I really wish I was closer to you, but I am up in Massachusetts near Vermont. Too bad, but thanks for the offer 

[73Chally]

Whereabouts in Mass?  I'm not up there any more, but I know of a shop in Uxbridge (SE Mass).  They're pretty pricey, though.

[HemiOrange70]

Look in the yellow pages for a letterall or pinstripe'graphics company. They do this all the time. I feel your frustration. I have used windex with success, but being on your third decal......