[Shiny]

I revisited my dash tach graphics adventure. I tried to match the font online and failed. There are sites that "image match" like I show in pic. Close but not really close enough when compared to the original.

I also attached the "master" I generated by editing/touching up a photo. I never followed through but had identified a print process I thought would work on the curved surface. I think originals may have been "pad printed" but I don't know. I found some thermal- or pressure-transfer material that worked with inkjet somehow and had a white "ink" but don't remember the process...

There are commercially available "labels" for gauge graphics but not much for Pontiac that I recall.

Anyway, reproducing dinosaur graphics is interesting.. thanks to OP for bringing it up and to others for sharing.

[turbo69bird]

That’s as good or better than the one I bought for my car. It’s not the same as originals I’ve seen textually, yours is.[/QUOTE]

[dataway]

I think somewhere I've seen software that "corrects" things to be printed on curved surfaces? Makes them look funny when flat, but right when applied to a curved surface .... I don't know, something like that.

[Shiny]

Originally Posted by dataway

I think somewhere I've seen software that "corrects" things to be printed on curved surfaces? Makes them look funny when flat, but right when applied to a curved surface .... I don't know, something like that.

Math guys love that stuff.. but very practical to correct optical distortion. I can't justify commercial image processing software but have found GIMP to provide a very powerful set of tools for free. I don't do much of that stuff but if I want to play with an image, it's fun.

GIMP has, for example, a tool that will "spheroidize" an image.. basically project it to a spherical surface. It would probably do what you are describing.

Cell phone cameras tend to have a lot of distortion in the optics. I speculate they use similar processing to reduce it.

[gto4ben]

Would any of you know the original R59 warranty sticker length and width dimensions? My latest decal attempt is to make a reproduction R59 battery look like a service replacement from the dealer in the 70's. Based on NOS web photos, I think the width is 5" but the height is eluding me because of the camera angle. I attached a preliminary one to gauge the size and I think I'm very close.

[Verdoro 68]

Not sure on the width, but it looks like the original label uses a condensed font. You’ve got something more modern and rounded on your reproduction (also used a different decender on the g). Off the top of my head, it looks like the original could be Univers Condensed Bold.

[mrennie]

Originally Posted by dataway

I've always wondered why a person can't just bed scan, or hand scan originals into a bitmap and touch them up pixel by pixel rather than trying to match fonts etc. ... basically just take a digital "picture" of an original and go from there.

Been doing just that to recreate the cruise decal. Takes a lonnnnngggg time. Still have to clean up the arrow and the border.

Will share when I finish.

[GT182]

Originally Posted by Verdoro 68

LOL - that one might be a Day 2 addition. I'm guessing it was placed next to the "ass, grass or cash: no one rides for free" sticker.

I'd like to have a couple of those "ass, grass or cash: no one rides for free" stickers. For nostalgia reasons only. LOL

[Held for Ransom]

Originally Posted by GT182

I'd like to have a couple of those "ass, grass or cash: no one rides for free" stickers. For nostalgia reasons only. LOL

I don't remember cash being one of the choices.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/203694592870

[Held for Ransom]

Originally Posted by kingbuzzo

good idea boss...i could really use one of these

https://www.ebay.com/itm/273182255283

Even better...
https://www.ebay.com/itm/393022727391

[gto4ben]

Thank you. I'll try it.

[GT182]

Held fer Ransom.... yeah you are right.

I probably could have had a variation. I know some places didn't like selling the original. I know the ones I had didn't look like the one on eBay, so.....

[kingbuzzo]

Lol perfect

[vertigto]

I remember it as 'Gas, grass or ass... nobody rides for free.'

[GT182]

No, it was "Ass, Gas, or Grass... Nobody Rides for Free". Held for Ransome has it right.

[Verdoro 68]

Lol…one of the more pertinent debates on here. Thanks for the correction.

[gto4ben]

Originally Posted by Verdoro 68

Not sure on the width, but it looks like the original label uses a condensed font. You’ve got something more modern and rounded on your reproduction (also used a different decender on the g). Off the top of my head, it looks like the original could be Univers Condensed Bold.

Thanks. Univers Condensed Bold was indeed a better match.

[Jeff Hamlin]

Anyone ever try one of the repro water slide companies?

https://www.bedlamcreations.com/cust...rslide-decals/

[Verdoro 68]

Originally Posted by gto4ben

Thanks. Univers Condensed Bold was indeed a better match.

Awesome. IMO, fonts can really make or break the perceived authenticity of these things. It helps to know a little bit of type history to know what they had available back then vs. the digital fonts of today. I see a lot of Futura variants and some Franklin Gothic (like the tire pressure decal in the first post) on GM underhood decals from the '60s.

Some repros get this in the ballpark, but most punt and use Helvetica or worse Arial (which came out in 1982). The originals were also hand set so the spacing is all over the place compared to how a computer would lay them out.

Original emissions decal vs. reproduction.

[Shiny]

Originally Posted by gto4ben

Thanks. Univers Condensed Bold was indeed a better match.

The battery label looks great. You obviously invested a lot of time.

And I agree, it's tough to match historical fonts and processes used before WYSIWYG software was available. Thanks to Verdoro 68 for offering some guidance.