Pin stripe question

[rjbaren]

I still have the original paint on my 73 TCS.  The pinstriping is still there but very dull.  Can I put new pin striping over the old pin stripping?  Should I consider removing the old pin stripping first, or should I just leave it alone?   

[4129R]

Is the pin striping painted on, or stuck on?

Unless you have the dimensions, or mark where the stripes were with masking tape before you take them off, it is difficult to get them in the right place on bare paintwork.

[rjbaren]

The pin stripes are stuck on meaning tape, and they all are still there.  I am pretty sure if I remove them, it will be evident where they were.  But I don't want to remove them, because I don't know if I will be able to do a nice replacing them.
So, I am wondering if anyone has just retaped over the original pinstripes and how it came out.   

[Bryan Boyle]

I still have the original paint on my 73 TCS.  The pinstriping is still there but very dull.  Can I put new pin striping over the old pin stripping?  Should I consider removing the old pin stripping first, or should I just leave it alone?   

On lotus-europa.com in the documentation menu selection under Miscellaneous (or my site, lotuseuropa.us in the tech manuals menu mirror of lotus-europa.com) is a PDF of a painfully complete set of photos and measurements to restripe the TCS, either give to your pinstriper if you're going for painted stripes (which some have done and it looks nice, if not totally 'factory original' if that matters to you) or, using 3/16" gold pinstripe tape, how to lay it yourself.  But, I think the best results would be if you removed the original rather than just lay another layer of tape over close to half a century old hand-applied vinyl tape.

[dakazman]

  I will agree with Bryan, remove the old.
    First do an overlay template with some clear mylar, mapping the exact location. Use the overlay to transfer the new tape.
  Another question? Has the car been cleared coated over the tape? that is a tedious job and be prepared to repaint, witch may be easier to complete the desired task.\
  dakazman

[rjbaren]

I don't believe the car has been clear coated over the tape.  I think I will find some 3/16" tape and practice the round corners and see how it looks. 

The paint on the car is not very pretty.  A lot of chips, scratches, gouges, and areas where touch ups have been attempted that are very evident by the previous owner(s).  Looks like a chemical or two have been spilled on the paint in a couple of places with a little reaction.  From 20 feet it looks OK.  I thought the pinstripe rejuvenation maybe an inexpensive and maybe an easy way to improve the appearance a little bit.  I don't want to repaint the car as it's only "original paint" once.