How To Lay Out Stenciled Graphics

MuscleCar’s Project Business Time went from a stock Dodge Dart to being a full-on pro-streeter with a massive blown HEMI, 10-point cage, big-n-little wheel and tire combo and of course, some custom body mods. To tie it all together, Tommy and Mank laid down a righteous slathering of PPG Willow Green paint and then topped it off with some sweet HEMI lettering and semi-gloss black on the hood. This project has gone from mundane to insane. Seriously, there is 3 feet of blower hanging out of the hood of an alarmingly green muscle car. It just doesn’t get much better than that.



Step 1: Preparing the Vinyl
The graphics need to be straightened out, and heating up the vinyl is an easy way to have it take the shape you’re wanting. We had a set of vinyl stencils made for the lettering, but before we place them on the hood, Tommy put them under a light to warm them up. This helps keep them from curling while they are applied.



Step 2: Taping The Surface
While the vinyl is heating up, the hood was taped up to set the position of the stencil. We want the lettering to be uniform on the car, and these details are what will make the difference in the final look.



Step 3: Laying Out The Stencil
Finally, the stencil was laid onto the hood and carefully positioned.



Step 4: Finished Product
As good as this looks, it isn’t going to stay like this.



Step 5: Sanding The Surface
Why is Tommy sanding the clear? Because the black needs a scuffed surface to stick.



Step 6: Painting A Black Coat
With all that killer color on the outside, the engine bay needed some fresh black, so we sprayed that first, and then the hood was closed and the topside was blackened. This is true black, no other tints were added.



Step 7: Spraying On Semi-Gloss
A semi-gloss clear was sprayed over the black and left to cure. Then we could slowly peel away the masking. If you just grip it and rip it, you can separate the clear or peel away the color altogether, and that would suck.



Step 8: Final Finish
The final finish of the paint is seriously cool. It’s just about Business Time for some street action!