| Author | Message | ||
     gordon le feuvre New User Username: triumph Post Number: 5 Registered: 7-2012 |
I seem to recall a factory bulletin that lists different coachlines and part numbers of tape available from Crewe, does any one know? | ||
| Nigel Johnson Prolific User Username: nigel_johnson Post Number: 110 Registered: 12-2008 |
The only coachlines I've seen were painted. Mike Bond, Service manager at Crewe tells the tale about the chap that painted them. He could have a conversation whilst walking along the car. I'll see him tomorrow night so I will ask. Regards, Nigel. | ||
| Jeffrey McCarthy Grand Master Username: jefmac2003 Post Number: 374 Registered: 5-2007 |
This has been discussed elsewhere before, and without wanting to re-start a discussion about what people feel comfortable with when it comes down, after all, to their own car; here is a piece of current company .... um, ... what the Americans would call, I think, marketing. Most long haul truckdrivers know someone who can do this apparently. Some for even less than the $1000 I've been quoted ! Enjoy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZ37QC2xFkQ | ||
| Paul Yorke Grand Master Username: paul_yorke Post Number: 943 Registered: 6-2006 |
Hi Gordon, what are you after? Styles and sizes or lines? Have you got any sign writers locally? It's hard to find somebody to hand paint them but stick on lines never looks quite right. Perhaps they were masks you are thinking of - paint the lines and then peel the masks off? A vinyl sign printer can usually cut/print them out. | ||
| gordon le feuvre New User Username: triumph Post Number: 6 Registered: 7-2012 |
I know of Corniche with no lines on, car has been repainted at some time, am therefore trying to find info for 1. thickness of single line 2.where does line start on front wing and finish on rear. I seem to think that apiece of masking tape would have been stuck vertically at either end, then a coachline tape would be stuck on and centre removed to allow a line to be painted on by any average bodyshop painter. Thsi was because Crewe knew that the skilled coachliner they employed would not be available in the field. Hence my preious comment re:Shadow Service Bulletin. | ||
| gordon le feuvre New User Username: triumph Post Number: 7 Registered: 7-2012 |
Hi Nigel, I remember Mike Bond, i think? He took over from Ernei Bates at Crewe Servive Centre. He may/maynot remember me. I live in Jersey. I hope he recalls the Bulletin regarding coachlines that I have been going on about. It was a Shadow(SZ) bulletin issued to the dealer network from Crewe. | ||
| Omar M. Shams Grand Master Username: omar Post Number: 316 Registered: 4-2009 |
Interetsing video Jeff. The Dubai car thing was of special interest to me. The garage where I had my Wraiths painted (in Dubai) paint the lines on. They cheat a little. They buy ordinary stripes that are the mirror image of what they want to achieve, then mask off the excess and spay paint the centre sections. when the paint is dry, they remove the stuck on coachlines and masking and hey presto - painted on coachlines. If I wanted a brushed stripe, they would be more than happy to do that as an alternative to spraying. Why use a brush when you can spray? It gives a better finish. | ||
| Jan Forrest Grand Master Username: got_one Post Number: 439 Registered: 1-2008 |
Similarly it used to possible to buy a masking tape which had a central portion that could be removed by 'tearing along the perforated lines' thus revealing a narrow gap through which you could paint with a narrow brush or even spray - with more masking of course. I've not seen it on the shelves for many a year, but I wouldn't be surprised if it was still available. When (?if?) the weather warms up a lot more I'll be doing quite a bit of work on my Shadow's paintwork which will entail the replacement of the coach lines. I'm seriously considering using a plastic stick on line much as some RR/Bs appear to carry from the factory. | ||
| Paul Yorke Grand Master Username: paul_yorke Post Number: 944 Registered: 6-2006 |
Gordon, I think they taper off like a Shadow, not flat like a Spirit. 1.5 mm lower and 1 mm upper at a guess. I'll see if I have any pics. Jan, I don't think any cars had a stick line on from the factory! Best get a 3 piece masking line made at a vinyl sign writer. The masks on a reel are almost impossible to find and are often too thick. If you can't find one I can ask what our local one would charge for a set. | ||
| James Feller Prolific User Username: james_feller Post Number: 261 Registered: 5-2008 |
no crewe car ever had 'stick on' coachlines. they were always 'handpainted and applied ontop of the clearcoat ( which seems a bit silly to me, if you clearcoat over the top they are protected better from the inevitable 'polishing away factor) You could have what you liked from factory. In the main it was fairly common to have a twin coachline on most vehicles or indeed a single one too I have seen. Paul is correct re the size or thereabouts. The Corniche coachlines finshed as Paul states at an angle at the ends if a twin coachline was ordered. Now I will destroy a few 'myths' some people have about these "handpainting masters with camel hair brushes and french chalk"......its absolute tosh that the coachlines are applied 'freehand'...no human being would be able to run a good straight continuous coachline down the side of our cars...then run another freehand under it with perfect gaps...let alone on the corniche where the coachline is not straight but instead follows the beautiful swage line of the metal. How do i know this I hear you scream..... Well I had my Turbo RL completely resprayed about 12 months ago and of course the twin coachlines were a must to go back on. I happen to be there the day the guy turned up to do it and I did watch in awe at the skill it does take to do this. Out came his small and very fine brushes, his little mini paint pallet, his mixers and thinners...he even had a beard!!! Then with great skill and care he put two fine lines down each side of my lovely Turbo, with as much care and exacting finesse Crewe artisians would have done 23 years ago. It was amazing to behold. BUT ladies and gents....he applied with equal care and skill I might add, some guide tapes prior. These 3M guide tapes were very light and gave him the two perfect spaces to carefully handpaint lines deadstraight down the car. After he was done, he simply pulled the guides off the car sides and wonder of wonders, twin perfectly straight, evenly spaced handpained coachlines. J | ||
| Bob Reynolds Experienced User Username: bobreynolds Post Number: 26 Registered: 8-2012 |
What do you mean by 'Guide tapes'? I assume this is something other than Masking tape? | ||
| Paul Yorke Grand Master Username: paul_yorke Post Number: 945 Registered: 6-2006 |
James , when I'm not on my phone ,I'll write more. But I can assure you that free hand is possible. Totally freehand! | ||
| Michael Hicks Prolific User Username: bentleyman22 Post Number: 102 Registered: 12-2011 |
It is Possabul as a Kid i use to watch my Dad do it with Gold Leaf when i was a kid it was amazing | ||
| Bill Coburn Moderator Username: bill_coburn Post Number: 1475 Registered: 4-2003 |
My Uncle, a child of the eighteen hundreds used to recall a statutory alcoholic named Clary who used to frequent a South Australian pub. When Clary ran out of money he would badger other customers to let him coachline their car, out in the street. I forget the price but quite a few availed themselves of his talent. He used to mix his paints etc as described above and shaking like a palsied jelly, would approach the car; but the minute his hand rested on the panels, he was a still as a rock! And he reportedly did a good job. At the risk of challenging James, I have actually read and may still have a Factory Spares Bulletin detailing stocks of tapes available FROM THE FACTORY to repair coach lines. They realised that in Madagasca, Sierra Leone and the Galapagos Islands coach liners were hard to come by. I have had a number of coach lines repaired which I understand is done with tape and I couldn't fault them. Still the romance of the coach liner is worth preserving as a legend. Years ago I remember Bert Ward showing me a Company picture taken during the Mk VI era, of an engineer bending over with his ear planted on a manual gearbox to assess it for noise. Bert's remarks included an observation that most of the engineers were partially deaf!! | ||
| James Feller Prolific User Username: james_feller Post Number: 262 Registered: 5-2008 |
ok I am always happy to be corrected gents. Im sure there are 'hobbits' somewhere that may be able to do this completely freehand. Again I would stand in wonder as it is very exacting work and as you would all know none of our cars have terribly 'straight' panels or gaps...so even more so the guide tapes are a great 'invention' to make sure the lines are true, straight and sharp. Bob it was not masking tape...it was much finer than that. All I can liken it to was it felt like soft greased baking paper if this makes any sense, it was in a roll and he applied it to the sides of my car. Ironically this was what took the 30 mins or so, the lines took little time at all. This tape was even able to be made to do lines that were not straight, it does not kink so therefore it must be some kind of plastic?? It was not very sticky and essentially just sat on the surface and allowed the guy a small margin of 'overpaint' or error room. In saying this, he was very good and indeed did not seem to 'over run the line'. I reckon the finished result looks brilliant and the lines are very crisp and sharp! Again gents Im happy to be proven wrong however if this 3M product helps these artisians create beautiful sharp lines...what could be wrong in that?  J | ||
| David Gore Moderator Username: david_gore Post Number: 1201 Registered: 4-2003 |
As a matter of interest, U.K./European canal boat restorers are as obsessed as R-R/B vehicle owners about coach lining. The following link contains some useful hints that might be of interest: http://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=46184 | ||
| Nigel Johnson Prolific User Username: nigel_johnson Post Number: 111 Registered: 12-2008 |
Mike Bond wasn't at the meeting last night. But Gary Greenwood, a thirty eight year veteran of the factory, turned up in a Derby Bentley with a Wendover body. The engine was just being run in and he was getting her up to 500 miles so the head could be torqued down and the oil changed. She is very beautiful. Black over cream with Rudge Whitworth wheels. I digress. The guide used on Spirits for coachlines was a wooden pattern they hung on the door handles door handles No stick on lines were done at the factory. Regards, Nigel. | ||
| Nigel Johnson Prolific User Username: nigel_johnson Post Number: 112 Registered: 12-2008 |
Yes Gordon, Ernie Bates was his predicessor. |
