Guide to stripes and decals

Having an original unrestored car I have been asked many times for the sizes and positioning of the stripes and various stickers on the car, so thought I would post up a guide which might be of use to those restoring a car, or wondering about any missing bits.
I must add though, as these cars were built by humans not robots it's just as my car left the factory in 1983 and not necessarily how every car left.


The side stripes and rear tailgate stripe were black on all cars apart from Helios Blue and Black ones when they were silver.

The Wider part of the lower stripe as you can see sits just on the crease in the bodywork, and wraps around the door and the door aperture. It is 45mm wide, there is then a gap of 15mm and the bottom stripe is 8mm.



The tailgate stripe often missed off in a restoration is 7mm wide and sits 4mm from the bottom of the hatch.


On Black and Helios cars there was also a silver stripe which sits below the  waistline trim, as my car doesn't have this I can't measure, unless someone out there has one they can?

On the tailgate there is this 

and boot sticker with all option codes and vin Details

In the drivers door aperture these
.

this alternator one is a copy as the old one wore out, but sits just as off centre as the original did.

this one is a copy, again sat where the original was.  P

Wow, cracking idea Rich!

Your savings members days of painful headaches mate and money into the bargain!  

One of the best threads I've seen in ages. 

Please add to FAQ's!! 

Dano said

One of the best threads I've seen in ages. 

Please add to FAQ's!! 

Thanks Dano couldn't find a FAQ for bodywork other than the How to guides, but Pinned it to top section of the Bodywork & Interior forum for now unless you think it's better elsewhere?

lhasadreams - perhaps we could have a bodywork FAQ section please.

Two to go in up to now - the spec codes found in the boot and RichardHall 's sticker and decal thread (this one!!!!)

Ta

That information may be true for a 1983 GTi and even just this car but not every Mk1 or GTi.

The spec of the stripes and decals changed many times in the lifetime. eg there are 2 specs of silver stripe, different paint code stickers, engine stickers, tyre pressure stickers and petrol grade stickers.

Do you have record of any that you could post up Rajan? It would be most helpful. 

Very useful - good post!!

Dano said

Do you have record of any that you could post up Rajan? It would be most helpful. 

Tyre pressure - depends on year, and wheel/tyre combo obviously!
Paint code - sticker fitted to S1 on boot floor (along with quality check sticker)
Options  - sticker only fitted to S2 (S1 in manuals)
Valve tool - only on 83 big blocks
Bar code - S2 only
Petrol sticker - depends on engine and year
High voltage - only seen on TCI engines
Side stripes - 2 versions one w grain, 1 w/o

There are also stickers for the seat belts, fan, servo, front panel…

Excellent, thanks RichardHall

Thanks too dubboy

Rich - the black GTI pick I guess has changed as it's showing the front end, not the tailgate?

Hairyarse said

Excellent, thanks RichardHall

Thanks too dubboy

Rich - the black GTI pick I guess has changed as it's showing the front end, not the tailgate?

Hairyarse  Andy I did the front pic to show the silver side stripe below the waistine trim as is the clearest I could find to show the size and where it starts.

Oh yeah sorry Rich - I had tailgate stripe in my head!!

I'll read it properly next time!!    

what does the bar code relate to?

It has the VIN number on - not sure why it's there, it's only a paper sticker not really designed I don't think to be that long lasting, but could be to help track the car during the build/delivery process possibly?

Excellent post! Thanks Richard

It's funny what you wake up thinking about isn't it? Today it's these stripes and stickers!!! 

walt and kaykay3 are 2 people who have unrestored cars that I know of so we need photos from their cars as well. Oh and the VW display cars at the AGM. 

One on the ign. coil on my 83 gti.

I think there should be stencilled numbers on either the rocker cover or cam belt cover of the earlier big blocks. Not sure what it relates to though. I thought it was to do with tappet clearances the motor was set to at the factory but I'm sure Rajan will put me right!

I also found this on the back of my front disc cover, its very similar to the numbers mentioned above……



Again what it relates to I have no idea!!