My race car's graphics

[Z3_GoCar]

Well my car's comming along, it should be running soon and I'll be ready to race. Soon I'll have to make it look fast too. I stopped by a custom car graphics shop in Bakersfield and have started work on a vinyl stripes package. Here's what I was thinking of:



and from the front:



note that the lower strip on the front picture is actually reversed from what I'd really like. So comments??
Thanks,

James

#70 ITE Z3 2.8l

[Chris Wire]

I like it, but I have some questions:

1) Isn't that the old Martini Racing Porsche paint scheme?



2) Is it illegal to put Porsche livery on a BMW?

I'm hoping it's not illegal, since I have already found the Porsche scheme I intend to "borrow" for my Mazda. Hey, it's flattery right?

I say go for it!

[Z3_GoCar]

Hey Chris,

Actually this is my inspiration:



classic IMSA BMW CSL, so no I'm not repeating Porsche livery :P

James

[Speed Raycer]

Pete Knese did a very nice job replicating the IMSA look on his ITA 325. I forget what his name is on here but his website is www.theknese.com

Personally, I think you're onto something with the side elements, but the middle stuff on the hood and trunk looks like it detracts

[Z3_GoCar]

PeteK, yeah he's been posting recently in the BMW forum. Thanks for the link to his site, he painted the graphics, I'm going the vinyl route as it'll be easier to repair. Also, he's missing the light blue, but still looks excellant .

James

[sstecker]

but the middle stuff on the hood and trunk looks like it detracts
[/b]

agree.. maybe make the middle stripes without the space between them like the porsche model, have the light blue go around the grill work,other colors end at grill. possibly have the light blue coming down the edge of the hood finish at the grill.

like the old photo with spectators right at the gaurd rails


and found the ultimate bmw tow vehicle - diesel pusher

[JLawton]

Those are very cool graphics!!

But.....(and I don't want to poop on any one's parade) The cooler they are, the harder they are to fix after an "incident"!!!!

[Z3_GoCar]

Thanks, that's why I'm going with vinyl and I'm even considering having a spare backup graphics package made up so I can spray-spray the Artic-silver then slap on a new grahics and I'm looking good in less than a month. However, I'm hoping to avoid the rubbin-is-racin, but I understand how it can turn into a real hair-ball real quick. How's your rebuild going are you back on the track??

James

[JLawton]

Again, I hated to bring up the negative but ask me how I know!!

Rebuild went great.............Thanks for asking. But I'm running into all sorts of "new car bugs". Now it's overheating..... Oh well, that's racing!!

[RSTPerformance]

PeteK, yeah he's been posting recently in the BMW forum. Thanks for the link to his site, he painted the graphics, I'm going the vinyl route as it'll be easier to repair. Also, he's missing the light blue, but still looks excellant .

James
[/b]

James-

Personaly IMO I think paint is easier to repair... Vinyl will be expensive and if you were to have an incident it hopefully would only be a small section. You will then have to cut up small sections of vinyl and place it in. Having lots or even a few sections really doesn't look good unless you are 25' or so away. Also over time you get pealing, especially with multiple patches.

What we do now is... When we get the cars painted we get extra spray cans made with the exact same color. This is great for matching small areas when you get little dings. Tape off the other colors so that you don't get overspray and fade in a patch, generally using a body line and or break in body panels. The paint not only conforms to any lefft over dents/dings better without bubles but it also repaints and helps prevent rust (a little). The paint isn't as "glossy" but it is vertually unnoticeable.

Just my suggestion from our experiences. Do what you are MOST comfortable with!!!

Raymond

[JWiley]

As both a racer and a graphic designer, the biggest problem I have with most car graphics
is that they are just too darn "busy". NASCAR is a perfect example of massive graphic overkill, with the multitude of sponsor logos competing with what are generally garish color schemes. As with most
all forms of design, simpler is always better!

James, my specific suggestions to you would be:

- Leave off the striping on the sides and the oval outline around the number, or
at least make the oval a solid color with the number overlayed.
- Go with a bold, readable font for the numbers.
- Leave off the stiping on the front "bumper"--will look better and not need to be
repaired as you bump-draft to the head of the pack!

Good luck!

James Wiley

[Z3_GoCar]

Hey Raymond,

I'll consider the paint route, but I've commited money to the vinyl for now. I know that it's not set in stone yet.

James,

While I understand that keeping it simple is important. The car's solid metalic silver, and while I realize that's the historic German national GP color, the only thing more boring would be a solid white car. This brings me back to the 70's Batmobile CSL's as they came in a choice of two colors, white and silver, but with the ///Motorsports stripes. I see your point though on the bumper stripe, but I'm not sure how I feel about bump drafting, especially as it's been harshly punished as illegal contact in SM, even between team-mates.

[Z3_GoCar]

So based on the input I went back a did a revised version of the IMSA stipping:





a couple of points, the number pads are round, they just look oval because of the susposed perspective, and white. As white is really close to silver, and I don't have a white marker or pencil I had to do some thing to differentiate it from the surrounding silver, thus the red outline, although I'm considering keeping the red outline too. Also, my purple marker died so I had to use a similar colored pencil. Any comments or suggestions?? Thanks,

James