Lining up graphics on window

[Tony Rome]

I can't believe i haven't faced this until now, but I was doing a minivan window the other day and having a little issue lining up the the (rectangle) graphic in the window.

So (against my advice) the customer wanted a rectangle sticker in the window (I recommended perf) but the window is tapered and there is no straight edge to measure or line it up to as everything
was tapered.
I thought about a level but I don't know if the van was sitting on level pavement.

I feel so dumb that I can't figure this out, what am I missing (besides a few brain cells)?
Thanks!

 

[Johnny Best]

You can't use a level, you might have to just eyeball it by sticking it on with masking tape and stepping back to look to see if it lines up. Adjust till you think it looks good.
Many discussions on this over the years and this was the best advice given.

 

[equippaint]

Try using the rocker panel. Cars have a rake to them, if you use a level it will be higher in the front relative to how the car sits.

 

[Tony Rome]

You can't use a level, you might have to just eyeball it by sticking it on with masking tape and stepping back to look to see if it lines up. Adjust till you think it looks good.
Many discussions on this over the years and this was the best advice given.

Man, that's crazy, that is exactly what I ended up doing and I was like, this can't be right...eyeing it up, lol.
So you can't use a level because the car is probably on an angle, is that why?

 

[Tony Rome]

Try using the rocker panel. Cars have a rake to them, if you use a level it will be higher in the front relative to how the car sits.

Oh, OK you answered that question. Well at least I was pretty sure of all these answers I just thought maybe I was missing one ting, lol.
Thanks!!

 

[Johnny Best]

The level will make it look crooked, eyeing it up will be close enough but measure off a bend or line on the truck to double check.

 

[Tony Rome]

Thanks Again guys!

 

[Bradley Signs]

If you want it to look right, eyebola it! if you want it level, hook your tape to the bottom of a door.

 

[bob]

If you want it to look right, eyebola it! if you want it level, hook your tape to the bottom of a door.

What he said. Level doesn't mean much on a vehicle. Just eyeball it. When you get it right on one side then you can measure what you've done and make the other side match it. Or just eyeball both sides. Looking right has little to do with being level or square to some point not on in the immediate vicinity of the window.

 

[GaSouthpaw]

The eyeball test is usually best for this. That, or find a "dominant" line (could be molding, pinstripes, something) and compare to your graphic. Since your eye is follow that line, having the graphics line up with it is normally a safe bet (though I had one customer insist I install their graphics level- and I always use a laser level for my alignment- so his graphics looked like they were sloped, even though they were perfectly level to the ground).