Signwriting

[ProtoTipo]

Note the brush painted lettering on this panel:
Alitalia
As it should be on a proper period car. No computer robot cut vinyl.

[john]

Time moves on, Chris!
I guess good old fashioned signwriter's still exist.
All my old rally cars were hand lettered back in the early 80's, but let's be frank, who would go down this route today?
Especially if you are using the car and could very well wipe off some expensive hours of painting in seconds.
I take it you are teasing us? You are not suggesting that any replica is much the less for sporting cut vinyl graphics?
Can you do hand lettering?

[ProtoTipo]

I take it you are teasing us? You are not suggesting that any replica is much the less for sporting cut vinyl graphics?
Can you do hand lettering?

Hi John,
It does take ages to do, and yes, I can do hand lettering, and did so back in the 1980s and on a lot of competition cars.
I do think it's very important that genuine cars from the period should have period features. I like to see this on cars like this ex works Stratos and others.
Signwriting is a pain, and yes, there's no wonder people use self adhesives, but stick on letters are not authentic.
This Lotus 80 can often be seen at historic events in this country. Apart from the Martini stripes, which are masked and spray painted, all the other logos and lettering are hand painted with a brush and a pot of paint. It would be a crime to get rid of this feature for convenience.

[ProtoTipo]

Here's a good example of how a livery should look:
David Sutton built a new Mk2 Escort for Ari Vatanen on the 1981 RAC Rally. This was so Vatanen could clinch the 1981 World Rally Championship.
The car was used on that one event only, which it survived fully intact and then preserved. Today, the car is an exhibit in the nation motor museum at Beaulieu.
Here are some recent photos of the hand painted lettering on the above car:

[StruanR]

My Simca was hand sign-written by Canterbury Motors in the Chrysler Dealer Team colours for many years.
Caught a barbed wire fence on one stage which scratched the logos. It was not too popular although we were 2nd fastest on the stage...

[davehanman]

This image was taken at Publi Auto in back in 1976. The chap shown writing this car, Vinicio Mais, now runs Publi Mais in Turin, and will be sign-writing a works car later this year

[ProtoTipo]

This image was taken at Publi Auto in back in 1976. The chap shown writing this car, Vinicio Mais, now runs Publi Mais in Turin, and will be sign-writing a works car later this year

Now that's what I call a level of authenticity! 'Looks like the same man on page 135 of the Curami book.
Very apt, for a works car.

[john]

Oh yes, agreed, genuine period cars should be properly lettered in the time honoured fashion.