Well, after a couple of beers, I decided to start removing the ratty, old pinstripe on my wagon. Its coming off pretty good with WD40, my fingernails, and a rag, but it is pretty slow.

Pretty sure I will replace it with similar black, 2-line stripe in the same location, but I plan to add some "flare" at the back end with a 'Mako' (as in shark??) design and the addition of 'sport' (I have the Sport version of the 6 wagon) near the front. I also plan to add what is known as 'mini strobe' pattern right behind the V6 logo on the front doors and on both sides of the Mazda logo on the back hatch. I had thought to add a Mazda6 logo on the sides near the back, but think it will look too busy with the 'Mako' design at the end of the stripe, so I scrapped that idea. I think it should end up looking pretty good!

I'm still on the fence as to pay someone to apply it all or try to do it myself, so any advice on that matter would be appreciated. From the on-line sources I have watched, applying pinstripe is about like anything else; if you take your time and get it set up right, things go pretty smooth and easy. I guess alot will have to do with how much someone will charge me and how much free time I can manage to put together in the next couple of months...

I will try to remember to take some pictures before I get all the old stuff off so you all can get the before and after of this project...

 

UPDATE! Met with a guy who runs a mobile service and came to see the car at work... He will get the materials and do the whole job for $100! I was looking at almost $80 just in materials, so this was a no-brainer. He showed me a metallic silver stripe that looks pretty bad a$$, so I'm going with the same design but in the silver instead of the black.

He also reminded me that the old stuff comes off much easier when it is heated... I guess I know what I will be doing during my breaks (it is baking hot here ).

In two weeks I should have the new look ready to be revealed...

 

Sorry I didn't see this thread sooner, SG.
For $100 I'd do it myself. Pin striping is pretty forgiving, especially when it's thin as you are describing. If you screw it up the first time it will allow you to pull back a section of it and start again.
Try a citrus based adhesive remover, or tar and bug remover and a plastic scraper for the old stripe. It will still take removing the top layer for the remover to work properly and some elbow grease to get it off. The remover will still have to get to the adhesive and w/the vinyl in the way it won't as it should.
Remember to wash and wax the entire area when done, because the remover, especially the WD-40, will remove the protection layer as well. Some bug and tar removers have wax built in though... such as Turtle wax B&T.

 

The $100 includes all the materials. His source of materials must be alot cheaper than mine, because I was looking at at least $80 in materials alone... Still I hear you on the forgiving aspect. Everything I watched "told" me it was pretty easy... but, for the money, this way I know it will get done right. Plus the guy had a van load of styles and colors, so I could play around with different things until I got just what I'm going for. Try that looking at color palettes on the web! I'm going to watch/help the guy so next time I will be able to do it myself.

I have all the old stripe off. Came off pretty easy once heated (sun bake) and with a little elbow grease on the old adhesive. One thing I noted is that under the old on both front quarters, I can still see where the stripe was. It isn't residual adhesive, it looks more like paint fade where the stripe didn't cover. It is only on the front quarters... I know there was some re-painting done on the front after the previous owner got gravel spray in her first week of ownership, so the stripe "shadow" could be the result of the non-factory paint. I was also thinking it could have something to do with the heat from the engine... Any one have any thoughts on this?? Since the new stripe will likely cover it, I'm not to worried about it. I also thought I could try and buff some of it out, but any ideas would be appreciated. Thanks!!

 

I have removed a lot of pinstriping, the best so far way to remove it is to use an extension cord and plug a hair dryer in and heat it up and pull it off, it helps release the glue and keep the glue on the pinstripe itself when pulling it off. Using WD30 or anything else just makes a bigger mess in itself.

 

I just got the project done and I must say that it looks BAD A$$! I really think pinstripe is a design feature that is over looked... Hell, most cars don't have any stripe at all and they really could benefit from something (in my opinion). I will get some photos taken and posted if I can figure out how to post them... I got to get the car cleaned up - I had it all sparkling clean, parked it under the trees in the shade to keep the paint cool and the damn squirrels crapped all over it and thru half eaten berries on it. Stupid tree rats...

 

PIX, please!!!? Lots and lots 'o' pics.....

 

Well...? Where are da' pix, Mang?