Tech editor KJ Jones sneaks...
Tech editor KJ Jones sneaks a peek at the gold-and-silver graphics on Project Boss 340. Props go to Tirrell "Cochise" Lazada-Smith of Raceskinz for creating the hot, new look for our drag-race '90 LX; also to Mike Smith (Raceskinz) and Rob Pitts of Norm's Auto Body, for laying it down on the Boss' body.
The feeling we're experiencing right now is déjà vu, as we've definitely been in this position before. We're fast approaching the drop-dead, cutoff date for completing Boss 340, our '90 drag-'Stang project car (our plan was to complete the car and have it ready to race in the PSCA's Street Car Super Nationals event at The 'Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway). We found ourselves in the exact-same position that we were in a few years ago (with getting Project T-top Coupe ready for Drag Week)-not quite done, and it didn't look like we were going to be done in time for a Nov. '09 debut. However, despite falling short of our target, trust that Boss 340 will be finished in early 2010, and it will be an awesome race car. There's no doubt about that!
As we explained in last month's report on Boss 340 (our '90 Mustang drag-car project powered by a modern-day, Boss-style engine, with Cleveland heads, EFI, and nitrous), designing and applying custom paint and graphics for a race car is not a wham-bam, done-in-a-day deal. The entire process takes time, especially if you want the end result to be something that you and the designer/painter/graphics guy will be proud of, when your 'Stang makes its dragstrip debut.
Colorization begins with a...
Colorization begins with a basecoat on Boss 340. Graphics will be applied over a Deep Black foundation, sprayed on by the crew at Dura-Glo Paint & Body of Van Nuys, California. The 'Stang looks so good in the basic color, we're tempted to call it good and run it just like this.
After hours of filling, sanding, filling, sanding, more filling, and did we say...sanding...to ensure its body panels are nice and straight, our project Pony is now at a point where its Raceskinz-designed, (BASF R-M Onyx HD Series) Super White, Mars Gold Metallic, Silver and Viper Red stripe scheme can finally be laid down. Yes, the car's "color," which is the name Raceskinz co-owner, Mike Smith, has given Boss 340's paint and graphics scheme, is being applied with paint as opposed to adhesive vinyl. We initially planned to set the whole car up with a custom vinyl wrap, but learned that by using paint, the Boss' finish will be much more durable than vinyl; the colors will be a lot sharper, as well.
Yes, we're now taking the concept and making it real, transforming our 'Stang's shell from primered and dull to fully painted and decked-out with custom stripes and lettering. Pay close attention to the details. We will show you how Raceskinz uses the computer to generate easy-to-manipulate, adhesive masking templates. The masks allow graphics specialist, Rob Pitts, to spray the colors in their designated areas on the Mustang. In the end, using masks will make our freshly painted Boss look exactly as it does in the rendering created by Mike's brother, Tirrell "Cochise" Lazada-Smith, and more and more like the race car we envisioned.
Sanding...a lot of sanding...seems...
Sanding...a lot of sanding...seems to be a part of every aspect of auto body and paint work. While aggressive-grit (lower-numbered) sandpaper is used during the pre-paint stages (to knock down high spots and even out body filler), Raceskinz uses fine-grit (higher numbered) paper to reduce the "orange peel" and rough areas on each coat of painted surface.
Measurements are taken from...
Measurements are taken from the ground (or a flat surface) to tape stripes that are applied to the Mustang's body. Plotting the points for ground-to-graphic, and ground-to-graphic-to-additional-graphic distances on a vehicle is technically known as "registering" the graphics.
The tape helps Mike visualize...
The tape helps Mike visualize where the adhesive mask for the car's stripes will be attached on both sides.
Once the simple, straight...
Once the simple, straight lines of Boss 340's graphics scheme are outlined on the car with tape, Mike then takes the measurement references and plots them against the rendering using a CAD program called FlexiSign Pro, which sizes and scales the artwork for the paint masks.
Mike and Ray Baregas review...
Mike and Ray Baregas review the FlexiSign Pro data one final time. The file also controls the graphics cutter, which actually prints the masks for stripes and lettering in the Boss' paint job.
While our 'Stang's Boss 340...
While our 'Stang's Boss 340 logos are being painted on, all of the project Pony's sponsorship graphics are being produced in vinyl. "Since sponsorships and advertising on race cars is subject to change so much, you really don't want to get into painting the sponsor and contingency logos on a car," says Mike. "We're going to have a mix of exact-color and ghost-style source stickers on the Boss, which will present well with colors in the car's graphics scheme."