Hi All
I am the owner of a 1976 F-150 Ford factory special version - Bicentennial Edition; this was a special option package sold only in 1976 and is apparently pretty rare.
More info about this model here: Patriotic ads: The Ford F-150 gets Bicentennial fever | Autoweek

I am repainting and restoring this truck, I am the 2nd owner. It has a 460/C6/2WD Custom trim level, factory A/C, factory bed rails, factory bed liner, long bed - truck is ALL ORIGINAL and runs great

. Very good condition overall.

The question: the fleetside body panels contain a truck-length vinyl graphic as part of the option appearance group; the graphic occupies the same space as the basic "race track" accent body style on these generation trucks. Originally, the gold shown here was real Gold Leaf, not paint! (Gold was $35 an ounce in '76.)

Obviously, after 38 years, the graphics are faded and need replacement/removal.

I love the truck but am very reluctant to spend $3K - $4K+ to remove the old and replicate the vinyl graphics (what I have been quoted by vinyl guys) - I can't sell my wife on that expense and yet I think maintaining the original look has possible value. Another alternative is to strip the vinyl and recreate/paint the graphics which some have suggested I do.

The easy observation from purists to make here is "keep the original appearance at all costs," but that is easy to say if you don't have to pay the tab. I would be happy stripping the graphics and going with a conventional tuo-tone or single color design because the truck would still look good and be fun to own.

Your thoughtful opinions please?

 

Ford sold replacement stripe kits years ago but I checked and no dealer or obsolete supplier have any (just for reference, the cab stripe kit is p/n D6TZ-1320000-A and the 8' bed w/o tool box set is p/n D6TZ-9920000-A). It probably wouldn't matter anyway. These stripe kits had a shelf life of about two years, after that the glue degrades and basically the stripes stick the the mounting paper and it will not peel off.
As much as I like keeping things original, especially something as "obvious" as the bicentennial stripes, in this case it doesn't make economic sense. The bicentennial edition, while uncommon and unique, isn't worth that much more than a standard edition truck.
I would pick a color I like and do a nice repaint. If you feel the truck would be too plain you could two tone it. The roof molding to split the color is reproduced and relatively cheap, Dennis Carpenter has it, along with the clips for something around $50.00.
The racetrack trim, besides being horrendously expensive wasn't used until the '77 model year.

Nice looking truck BTW and welcome to FTE. Lots of good people here.

 

Before you give up on the graphics, get a long roll of tracing paper and make a tracing that you can later turn into a stencil or provide to a vendor who can make the graphics for you. Take lots of well-lit photos to get the colors recorded too.
If this or any other graphic can be done as a vector drawing on a computer (using Adobe Illustrator, for example), there are printers that will render the graphic to material that can then be applied to your repainted truck.This is the same technology that is used to plaster grotesque advertising all over cars.

 

Along the lines of what Flowney said, the vinyl quotes were likely to do each individual stripe/detail with cut vinyl layed on the white paint. If you were to go to a sign shop that has a large format digital printer, they could make you a "wrap" that will be one piece of vinyl with the graphics printed on. This way you wont have to trace the graphics, they just take a digital picture of the truck, then adjust it on screen for colors, proper length, height, etc. The trick here will be getting the white printed background of the wrap to match the white paint. But I would think the cost to do it like a wrap would be far less than cut vinyl.

 

Here's an example of the standards you'll need to meet in order to have good quality vinyl graphics produced for you: https://www.fastsigns.com/Project-Se.../File-Transfer
I searched on "vector file to vinyl graphic." to find this example among many, many others.

 

I don't think it would add any more value than a nice paint job without graphics. Its cool and factory, but not more valuable. When selling the truck you would have to find a buyer who likes the look of those stripes. Finding a buyer who likes blue/white tu-tone would be much easier.

Still a pretty neat option ford offered. I never knew about it!

 

Hi John and welcome.

That is a nice looking truck. Don't think I have ever seen one like that in person, and I live in the land of "salt my road and i'll shoot you".

If you like it dressed up and want to keep it that way I would explore your options. Check out what it would cost to recreate it in paint, the crazy custom paint jobs you see now days I would bet they'd consider that an "easy" job. Good paint would probably last longer and look better than the vinyl anyway. What ever you do, make sure to photo document it well first for future reference.

 

nice truck! I really dig the color combo, love the seat.

 

What a cool truck! I think it's great you're trying to preserve this Bicentennial Option Group truck.

David

 

I have a Bicentennial Edition. I took it to a sign place that does vinyl wraps. I was told it would around $4000 to duplicate the stripe for both sides. That was almost two years ago. No, I still haven't done it. I am trying to see if there is another less expensive alterative. I do want to keep the original look, so do not want to have it painted on.

 

Looking to purchase a bicentennial ford! Please help guide me to one. Been on the hunt. Heck I'll even hand out my number to help. 423-424-8560. Have cash in hand!

 

Those ideas with the stencil and photos sound good. There was one of those that belonged to the parts guy locally. Only one I ever seen back then. The Olympic Fords are hard to find specific parts for too.

 

As another option.....make a tracing and take measurements of the decal and take pictures etc...also take measurements in regards to location on the truck as well.

I didn't want a decal for my explorer stripes so I had my body guy paint the explorer strips on. No decal was used. The cost wasn't horrible. I also had him paint the FORD letters on the tailgate in red as well vs. the stickers/decal.

My .02.

Later, Shortbox4x4

 

Its a personal choice... I would probably clean up the paint or re-paint as original and save up for the graphics. Original for a special model is fun... even if no great value right now.

If you have not already, suggest you check with Phoenix graphics. I used their stuff on a hot rod and well pleased.