Opinions Please:Vinyl [Archive] - Grand Am Owners Club Forums

Zephyr

07-28-2007, 07:06 PM

My dad is a printer and can do just about anything he wants with vinyl so I want some opinions. I want to put some vinyl lettering on my mirrors. It is an SE so the mirrors are black, and my car is silver, so first:
-What color(s) should I consider(Basic colors, I wouldn't really want to order an entire roll of a special color just to use it once unless its cheap)?
-What word(s)?
-Grand Am
-Pontiac
-Zephyr(I'm planning on getting custom plates that say the same)
-Other things

Also, does anybody know the name of the font that Pontiac uses? Or else what would be a cool font? What would be a good size so it's readable but not obnoxious?

Something having nothing to do with this: I want to replace the original interior lighting(the overhead lights, the one in the center and the ones in the rear-view mirror). Would this be hard to do? Should I get some LED lights or do you think a different color would be cool?

Thanks for your opinions.

03graystone

07-28-2007, 08:00 PM

my honest opinion, vinyl can make a car look cheap very fast. i mean i have seen nice graphics done professionaly, only judged by the colors and style of it. but i personally wont use vinyl, exceptfor maybe a windshiled banner or back window sticker (usually have one for a while, then change it.)

Bouchie11982

07-29-2007, 09:21 AM

i would go with grafxwerks vinyl.....they are our sponsors so i get alot of my stuff from them

XoticGA

07-29-2007, 09:50 AM

Be easy on vinyl... for the most part my theory is.. if there isn't a designated spot for the vinyl (arrow head, bumper inlays etc...) be cautious with it.. It's cheap enough and easy enough for anyone to put on, which makes it easy to get out of hand...

I have a bit of vinyl on my car, but I tried not to put it just anyplace.. With the exception of my GAOC love :D

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v315/xoticneon/Calendar%20Shots/IMG_0469.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v315/xoticneon/Calendar%20Shots/IMG_0471.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v315/xoticneon/Calendar%20Shots/IMG_0464.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v315/xoticneon/IMG_0195.jpg

nineteen88ga

07-29-2007, 10:39 AM

The only vinyl I have on my car is my car club logo, webaddress and an I <3 cops decal...and they're on the glass and not huge and out of place looking. Vinyl on paint went out of style with body kits..actually it was never cool. :lol:

03graystone

07-29-2007, 12:19 PM

x2 on that opinion. honestly im glad some of you ask first before doing anything and regretting it. we cant tell you what to buy but we can sure warn about makin rash decisions.

GarciaNY

07-29-2007, 12:24 PM

Originally posted by XoticGA
Be easy on vinyl... for the most part my theory is.. if there isn't a designated spot for the vinyl (arrow head, bumper inlays etc...) be cautious with it.. It's cheap enough and easy enough for anyone to put on, which makes it easy to get out of hand...

I have a bit of vinyl on my car, but I tried not to put it just anyplace.. With the exception of my GAOC love :D

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v315/xoticneon/Calendar%20Shots/IMG_0469.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v315/xoticneon/Calendar%20Shots/IMG_0471.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v315/xoticneon/Calendar%20Shots/IMG_0464.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v315/xoticneon/IMG_0195.jpg

sexi, where'd you get that stuff if you dont mind me asking?

ancona46

07-29-2007, 12:33 PM

vinyl is made for siding not a car

GtAudioFreak

07-29-2007, 03:20 PM

I disagree. You have vinyl overlays on your headlights don't you?

http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g253/grandamgtblk99/After%20Detail/Picture117.jpg

http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g253/grandamgtblk99/After%20Detail/Picture111.jpg

http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g253/grandamgtblk99/After%20Detail/Picture090.jpg

Zephyr

07-29-2007, 03:26 PM

Well maybe after all of that negative feedback on vinyl I may rethink it. I was not planning on going overboard at all, just was thinking about putting something on the mirrors. My dad is good at it, so I know it wouldn't look to bad, but I will still think about it a lot before I do anything.

Thanks guys!

ancona46

07-29-2007, 04:48 PM

i wasnt talking about small vinyl things like overlay or arrowheads i mean like big tacky graphics and that stuff

Nighthawk243

07-29-2007, 05:32 PM

Used in moderation, and placed tactically, vinyl can look good. (See GTAudio's car above).

If you use it to basically cover the entire side of the car, then you'll probably get called rice, and be compared to the people who drive those kitted out Neons. ("Vinyl adds 50bhp... lolz")

ga5speed02

07-29-2007, 05:42 PM

Originally posted by Zephyr
My dad is a printer and can do just about anything he wants with vinyl so I want some opinions. I want to put some vinyl lettering on my mirrors. It is an SE so the mirrors are black, and my car is silver, so first:
-What color(s) should I consider(Basic colors, I wouldn't really want to order an entire roll of a special color just to use it once unless its cheap)?
-What word(s)?
-Grand Am
-Pontiac
-Zephyr(I'm planning on getting custom plates that say the same)
-Other things

Also, does anybody know the name of the font that Pontiac uses? Or else what would be a cool font? What would be a good size so it's readable but not obnoxious?

Something having nothing to do with this: I want to replace the original interior lighting(the overhead lights, the one in the center and the ones in the rear-view mirror). Would this be hard to do? Should I get some LED lights or do you think a different color would be cool?

Thanks for your opinions.

tenspeed

07-29-2007, 07:52 PM

Jake, you're getting it free. Get it made, put it on and peel it off in a couple of months. Maybe you can sell some to your friends and make some cash for your dad.

Go with Zephyr, it's unique. Anybody can buy a emblem, Pontiac or Grand AM vinyl.

Zephyr

07-30-2007, 02:19 AM

Thanks Tenspeed. I may think about it.

Hey, is that "tenspeed" readable when your headlights are on at night? Would it be illegal to put a small darker wording on your headlights that would look kindof cool as long as it didn't block out too much light.

EDIT:
OMG Tenspeed I just noticed in your sig "stereotypes are a real time-saver". I love that, did you see that at theonion.com ?

OH, and BTW, I was never thinking about doing anything big or gaudy. I just want some small things that might look cool and make my car a little unique.

Shadow-D

07-30-2007, 06:14 AM

I don't like a gaudy looking car. Vinyl, if done right, can look real good but if done wrong can look like $hit. I would say less is more but I'm looking at making some changes to my car as we speak. I'm thinking about doing the fender stripes & adding something to my eyebrow. I am doing the overlays on the badges and maybe a few small things. My biggest thing is I don't want to copy another member's car that is in my same town.
You are getting it "free" so I would say try a few things, start small, then stop when you like it.

XoticGA

07-30-2007, 06:26 AM

Originally posted by GarciaNY
sexi, where'd you get that stuff if you dont mind me asking?

Thanks :D

Grafxwerks ftmfw :D

tenspeed

07-30-2007, 12:43 PM

Originally posted by Zephyr
Hey, is that "tenspeed" readable when your headlights are on at night? Would it be illegal to put a small darker wording on your headlights that would look kind of cool as long as it didn't block out too much light.

EDIT:
OMG Tenspeed I just noticed in your sig "stereotypes are a real time-saver". I love that, did you see that at theonion.com ?

The "tenspeed" glows when the lights are on and hardly noticable in the daytime. I got the idea from the ebay "Grand Am" headlight decals. I think the "stereotypes" thing came from a T shirt site. I never have an original idea so if you steal it from me, you're stealing it twice (I stole that saying from Don & Mike).

carfreak666

07-30-2007, 12:53 PM

Originally posted by tenspeed

Go with Zephyr, it's unique. Anybody can buy a emblem, Pontiac or Grand AM vinyl.

Lincoln has a sedan in the market called Zephyr.. For people who don't know you it may come across as Lincoln wannabe... Just my 2 cents.

But if you decide to go with it.. I like what Tenspeed has done with his... That's a great location for something like that

sudden_impulse

07-30-2007, 04:51 PM

The only place I would really place vinyls are the back window and the c-windows (the windows farthest back on the side that don't roll down). At this point I have a banner saying Grand Am, it's pretty close to body color, and about as far up as possible, which means I can't even see much other than the very bottom of it in my rear view mirror. A GAOC logo will probably go at the bottom of the back window, but it needs to be ordered first.

http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n134/sudden_impulse/DSCN0596.jpg

ga5speed02

07-30-2007, 05:59 PM

Originally posted by carfreak666
Lincoln has a sedan in the market called Zephyr.. For people who don't know you it may come across as Lincoln wannabe... Just my 2 cents.

But if you decide to go with it.. I like what Tenspeed has done with his... That's a great location for something like that

accually the Zephyr was a Mercury from late 70s early 80s

the same as a Ford Fairmount we had a Zephyr when i was like 3. i rember it. it was white and had red interior

03graystone

07-30-2007, 06:29 PM

im sorry, i just have to throw out there that i COMPLETELY see no point at all to putting decals of the car make and model on the windows. i just dont understand it. not talking shit, but i cant stand nor undrstand it, and if someone can please explain it to me i would appreciate it.

Adam88

07-30-2007, 07:47 PM

If I was going to put a decal/vin on my side mirrors, only few I would consider would be "Objects in the mirror are Mustangs" "Objects in the mirror will soon become smaller"

cweaver06

07-30-2007, 09:44 PM

Originally posted by ga5speed02
accually the Zephyr was a Mercury from late 70s early 80s

the same as a Ford Fairmount we had a Zephyr when i was like 3. i rember it. it was white and had red interior

Lincoln had a Zephyr for a year...2006 model I'm guessing. Now it's the same car, renamed as an MKZ.

Zephyr
http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r266/cweaver2006/lincoln_zephyr_15_16984.jpg
MKZ
http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r266/cweaver2006/Lincoln20MKZ.jpg

GtAudioFreak

07-30-2007, 11:45 PM

I know I've had my car called many other things. Mainly Grand prix, mustang and even called a GTO once. I used to have a banner that said Grand Am but I decided to take it off. I'm sure other people have had their cars called other things than Grand Ams, especially those who have their car debadged.

Zephyr

07-31-2007, 11:19 AM

Well, I am aware that Lincoln, Mercury, and Ford have had a car named Zephyr, but that is not where I got it and I am not trying to copy them. Besides cars, several commercial trains and boats are named this also if I am not mistaken.

I got the idea from the Red Hot Chili Peppers song "The Zephyr Song" and I really liked it. Zephyr can be a blimp, but again that's not really what I was going for. The dictionary definition is something like, a soft westerly breeze. It is from the Greek god Zephyrus who was the god of the west wind.

I just kind of like the word and its meaning. It is unique and that is why I like it.

I may try the thing in the headlights and see if it looks good. I may try the thing on the mirrors and if it looks bad I will take it off. I don't want my car to look tacky. If I decide to do this I will post pictures when it is done.

Tenspeed, I wasn't going to copy the stereotypes thing I was just wondering if you were into theonion.com but I guess not. The t-shirt is right here:

http://store.theonion.com/stereotypes-are-a-real-time-saver-p-80.html

Thanks for everybody's help.

ga5speed02

07-31-2007, 12:05 PM

yea i think it was a lincon in 2006

wasnt a Zeppelin a blimp? not a zephyr

tenspeed

07-31-2007, 12:18 PM

Originally posted by ga5speed02
yea i think it was a lincon in 2006

wasnt a Zeppelin a blimp? not a zephyr

Right you are Mike. The early air ship called a Zephyr was from the late 1890's and was renamed Avion or something like that. It's where the word avation came from. Japan also had a smaller motorcycle called the Zephyr.

cardude007617

07-31-2007, 12:32 PM

wasnt there a train too?

sudden_impulse

07-31-2007, 01:51 PM

Originally posted by 03graystone
im sorry, i just have to throw out there that i COMPLETELY see no point at all to putting decals of the car make and model on the windows. i just dont understand it. not talking shit, but i cant stand nor undrstand it, and if someone can please explain it to me i would appreciate it.
The reason we put the decal on is because in our school, there are a half dozen different GAs, and being different is something Cody and I wanted to do with the car. The people at our school, all they do to their GAs is tint and maybe some cheap subs, nothing else. Plus, it was something cheap we could do to get better aquainted with vinyl application.

Zephyr

07-31-2007, 08:49 PM

Originally posted by sudden_impulse
The reason we put the decal on is because in our school, there are a half dozen different GAs, and being different is something Cody and I wanted to do with the car. The people at our school, all they do to their GAs is tint and maybe some cheap subs, nothing else. Plus, it was something cheap we could do to get better aquainted with vinyl application.

Where in Minnesota are you and Cody at? What school?

curtisjade1

07-31-2007, 10:46 PM

Blackhawk

07-31-2007, 11:38 PM

Jake, were in Mora, about 70 miles north of the Cities. The school is Mora High School (nice original name). Where are you from in MN? I believe I asked this in another thread but you didn't answer.