08 Hood upgrade...stripe question

[AbsolutHank]

I bought an OEM 2008 Hood from kcobean in October that I'm going to be installing on the car shortly. I'm planning on doing the stock width 2006 stripes. I'm also planning to repaint the front bumper to repair a few rock chips and scrapes underneath, and then install ClearBra in the spring.

With that said, would you bury the stipes in the clear on the hood and front bumper, or paint them on top of the basecoat like the factory? I'm leaning towards burying them, as the ClearBra will probably install easier, and it'll be easier to maintain/polish/wax etc.

Just want everyone's opinions...

 

[FLATOUT]

I covered mine with the clear coat to get rid of the ridges. I then laid clear bra on top.

Now get off the web and go do a Christmas burnout or something

 

[Cobraken]

Stock Gen 4 stripes have ridges

 

[bluesrt]

Clear bra ***** down n around the strips n you will never know its on there

 

[bmw2nv2000]

Hey Ryan, I would match the other factory stripes on your car. It will give your car a more factory look and feel. Just my .02

 

[texas_venom]

I install film for a living. I have always thought the Gen 4 stripes were pretty poor. They should have been wet sanded and cleared over making them smooth. Applying a clear bra over factory stripes is difficult as there will be a small gap between the high edge of the stripe and where it lays on the paint. Sure you can heat the film and depress it into the groove but not matter how much you work the film it will not lay perfectly in there. I would recommend clearing over the stripes... then applying film. Will look much better that way and be MUCH easier to maintain.

 

[Nine Ball]

I painted mine just like the factory stripes, clear bra just has an extra cut line between colors, no biggie.

 

[AbsolutHank]

Tony...were the tape edges comparable to the factory stripe "height?" I'm afraid a local guy is going to have a much taller edge than the factory...

 

[plumcrazy]

either way its not stock for your car so id bury them.

 

[Garron]

It is a much better paint job if you clear over the stripes. They don't chip or flake, you can buff them, If you are pulling the clear bra up you don't have to worry about pulling up an edge.

Garrett

 

[georgethedog]

either way its not stock for your car so id bury them.

What Plum says!

 

[redtanrt10]

Ryan, the factory dodge way is less expensive and the ridges make the clear bra to lift and gap. Smooth to the base paint is much cleaner and the clear bra will look much better. When you clear bra the nose have them do the area in front and behind the hood vents. You'll see that those vents work and if your don't you're gonna see rock chips. Since your looking for opinions, I would recommend that your taper the hood stripes and keep them out of the '08 hood vents. (the picture below has '06 width roof stripes that taper). Buy another facia and keep the stock pieces for resale. good luck, Mike

 

[Hirkophoto]

Mike your car looks cool with those tapered stripes.

 

[PDCjonny]

Mike your car looks cool with those tapered stripes.

Thats what the factory should have had on the 08's and '09's.
Mike's stripes look great. I never felt the stock skinny stripes looked right or fit the car.

 

[Camfab]

+ one for what Plum said.

 

[redtanrt10]

Mike your car looks cool with those tapered stripes.

THX Scott, here's a stripe comparison picture with your car (before you stole it from Carlos!)

 

[ViperPWR]

I'd go clear over the strip.

 

[georgethedog]

I'm still pissed you beat me by a couple hours on buying this...

Just messin' with ya. Good luck. I would certainly love to get a hold of a used Gen 4 hood someday.

 

[AbsolutHank]

Thanks for the opinions guys. Gonna talk it over with my painter one more time before I make the final decision.

Paul, I would have driven there and paid more before you could have beat me to it! lol It was a tad early for me, but too good to pass up, particularly being 40 miles away!

 

[georgethedog]

Good luck with your stripe decision. Make sure to post pictures. Oh, there will be another hood coming along sometime. Have fun!!!

 

[bmw2nv2000]

Hey Ryan, No way I would have cleared over stripes up front and factory raised edge stripes on the rear of my car. My last viper had stripes added and they where under the clear, my current 08 has factory raised edge stripes and an any regular joe can tell the difference in the two by looking especially if one car has both types. I would be afraid that too many people would assume the car was repaired badly. Guess Im just too picky to mix it up like that.

 

[Supratt6s]

That red and silver looks sooooooo gorgeous! I cannot wait to get mine back!

 

[Nine Ball]

Hey Ryan, No way I would have cleared over stripes up front and factory raised edge stripes on the rear of my car. My last viper had stripes added and they where under the clear, my current 08 has factory raised edge stripes and an any regular joe can tell the difference in the two by looking especially if one car has both types. I would be afraid that too many people would assume the car was repaired badly. Guess Im just too picky to mix it up like that.

That was also my thought. I want the front and rear to match. My painter that did the hood was able to make the stripe look factory painted. Yes, we all know clearcoat over stripes visually looks better, but not unless the entire car is done the same way.

 

[georgethedog]

That was also my thought. I want the front and rear to match. My painter that did the hood was able to make the stripe look factory painted. Yes, we all know clearcoat over stripes visually looks better, but not unless the entire car is done the same way.

Yea, guess I agree. The thought did not enter my mind for some reason (age). I would have the painter try his best to match the rest of the car.

 

[Smog Dog]

That was also my thought. I want the front and rear to match. My painter that did the hood was able to make the stripe look factory painted. Yes, we all know clearcoat over stripes visually looks better, but not unless the entire car is done the same way.

Also agree. I would match the rest of the stripes.

Bill

 

[Coloviper]

You will figure it out! I went with raised on my 08' Hooded 06'. Looks great! I will say that you will want those big fat, through the vent stripes up front though. I have them on my car and they look real good. That way if you sell the car you still have factory width stripes up front to match your old hood, then sell your 08' Hood seperately. Definitely looks better, but that is IMHO.

 

[Cobraken]

I can feel the raised stripes through the clear bra on my '09 coupe.