Labels and Stickers

Discussion in 'Station Wagon Memorabilia & Toys' started by Stormin' Norman, Nov 7, 2007.

  1. Stormin' Norman

    Stormin' Norman Well-Known Member

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    My car came with all the Engine Decals and warning labels in Spanish, since it was built in Mexico, but they were pretty ratty after 28 years, so I scooped what I could from the 1978 donor (2-door Fairmont) and made new ones on the PC. I've got Corel Print House, one of my own that uses the MSPaint driver code libraries (DLL), so that I can draw moveable bezier curves and a few other tweaks and MS Paint (standard with Windows). I did them in English, with the Ford font styles, and found a few Mustang sites that carried quite a few repro shots.

    But, my Mexican beauty came with the radiator fan cowl with nothing on, so I used the one from the other car "Caution Fan", and I didn't have the Jack Instructions label on the tire cover, which was bowed and grimy, so I made a new cover, from 5/15" hardboard (masonite) and gently, slowly peeled off the donor's Jacking Instructions, after making a complete one in my own 'Paint' program.

    MS Paint had some easier erasing features and I was too lazy to set up and run the scanner (its a big one for engineering drawings). Plus the Jacking label is made from a mylar-type paper with self-adhesive.

    Had I been patient, I would have discovered that the woodgrain vinyl kit from JC Whitney came with a Pattern paper roll with a printable, self-adhesive, made for exterior paper. Anyway, the original came out great and I was able to reuse it, but I'll bet that any hardware store has plain white mac-tac stuff that you can cut up in printer-size sheets and print your own repros on the inkjets.

    Some of the labels:

    1) Danger/Peligro Air Conditioner
    2) Glove box sticker telling you which Maintenance Schedule you should use in the Owner's manual (Mine is Scedule B)
    3) Jacking Instructions for the tire cover.

    4) I had the Engine Code on the newly rebuilt 200 cid engine, so I made a clean one.

    5) The mother of all labels to reproduce is the Emissions/tuning spec label used in many US states. On the 6 cyl, it was washed out with gasoline and gawd-knows how many wiping cloths, but the trick was the striped background. MS-Paint to the rescue. Once you do one angled stripe you just select, copy, paste, place (watch the location count on the bottom, after you switch to measuring in inches, unless you understand pixels) and then drop it. Then repeat the process again. I've got to find some white mylar for that, and then clear-coat it.

    6) There are others like wiring harness labels, but I didn't bother. The shop manuals have the harness circuit ID, even in the Haynes manual, and for all the times that you have to get down and read that, I just used masking tape and wrote down which wire circuits were in each bundle (tailgate lights, tailgate wiper, heated tailgate glass, rear speakers, taillights and signals, trailer circuit, etc.)

    It'll never get entered in a car show for authenticity of restoration. It's just to make it easier to maintain and repair.
     
    Last edited: Nov 7, 2007
  2. wagonmaster

    wagonmaster Administrator Staff Member Moderator

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    I like those touches!
     
  3. Stormin' Norman

    Stormin' Norman Well-Known Member

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    I did it for the new generation of high-tech mechanics who've probably never seen an old-style coil or distributor!:evilsmile:

    Actually, my wife wanted to know the English terms.
     
  4. Roadking41A

    Roadking41A Well-Known Member

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    How hard would it be to make some that says my truck and car is emissions exempt? :evilsmile:
     
  5. Stormin' Norman

    Stormin' Norman Well-Known Member

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    Don't need a sticker, just a siren and orange lights on the roof!:rofl2:
     
  6. Roadking41A

    Roadking41A Well-Known Member

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    I wish :rofl:

    But I'll have to pass smog after I move.:banghead3:
     
  7. Stormin' Norman

    Stormin' Norman Well-Known Member

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  8. Stormin' Norman

    Stormin' Norman Well-Known Member

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    You want to check these sites out on vin numbers:

    http://www.woodyg.com/fairlane/codeshome.html

    http://www.boss302.com/legal.htm

    Mine is kind of wierd because the car was built in Mexico, which raised a lot of red flags when I crossed into Canada. I was given a special import document and a full owner history (only one owner). But it didn't jive with the American system, except that I also have the matching Mexican Government car ID tag on the rear dogleg, with the Mexican Govt Seal stamped into it. Nor does mine have the rivetted tag inside the windshield. It made it a bit harder to get it registered for plates and insurance, but it all passed. Our VW New Beetles all come from Mexico, so when we moved in, the systems had adapted for the extra info. Mexican States use 3 letter abbreviations, and plant locations are named differently.
     
  9. Stormin' Norman

    Stormin' Norman Well-Known Member

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    The car is a 1979. The owner's manual is in Spanish, and I've got a 1978 owner's manual from the 1978 donor car, so I don't know if it would be illegal to post the Spanish version for any Spanish speakers or owners of Spanish Ford models (It's Fairmont specific), once I get the scanner connected (Spring time-ish). Any interest or need?
     
  10. That Hartford Guy

    That Hartford Guy Mopar no more.

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    That is easy. Just go to a junkyard and get some "DIESEL" emblems off of an old Caprice Estate or Custom Cruiser wagon.
    :rofl2:

    Back in the early 90s when it was realized that Diesel engines in GM cars were troublesome, the old joke was if you wanted a cheap anti-theft device just slap a "Diesel" emblem on the back of it. LOL

    Connecticut used to have emmisions exempt stickers for the windshield of Diesel cars. I owned a used 1980 Diesel Sedan DeVille at the time. I of course had removed all the Diesel emblems as I didn't want people to realize I paid 50% off because it was a Diesel. But that ugly Diesel exempt sticker gave it away. One day a DMV inspector was at my office and I remarked that my exempt sticker was about to expire and I thought it was rediculous that I had to drive over and get in the testing line just to get an exempt decal. He said :"Why bother? Scrape it off, it's not like you will get a ticket. The car is a diesel. You only get fined if you don't have one if it is a gas engine." So I scraped it off. The next day the service manager noticed my decal was gone. It told him what the DMV inspector said. He rolled his eyes and said, "That may be true, but a State Police officer passing you won't know you have a diesel until after he stops you. Do you want that inconvienence? Do you ever stop for one beer after work? Do you want him to smell beer on you then?"

    The next day I went back and asked for a new Diesel exempt sticker. LOL
    :pub:
     
  11. Roadking41A

    Roadking41A Well-Known Member

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    Great Idea I'll have to see if that will work on the state I'm planning to move to.
     
  12. Stormin' Norman

    Stormin' Norman Well-Known Member

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  13. Stormin' Norman

    Stormin' Norman Well-Known Member

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  14. Stormin' Norman

    Stormin' Norman Well-Known Member

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    All Brand Official Car stickers (Showcar Points)

    I hit a goldmine! This firm makes reproduction Automotive Factory stickers (from the rad to the trunk) to put the final touches on a Classic show car.

    I just clicked on Ford and they go back to 1936 up to 1976. But every major brand and model is there. It's a must see! Even the original Pinstripe kits!

    http://www.phoenixgraphix.com/index.htm

    They make all the repro Flame decals that some movie cars wore:
    http://www.phoenixgraphix.com/custom.htm

    They consult and supply to the Movie and TV industry, as well:
    http://www.phoenixgraphix.com/famousclaims.htm
     
    Last edited: May 26, 2008

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