Correct engine timing decal insane rebuilding experiment (request for comments)

[fizeus]

Hi,
I recently ordered an Original engine timing decal and it still sit on my desk because, even if OEM, I saw that newer are very different from original decals (and not period correct).

The font is *really* different and also finishing has changed because original decals were gold glossy, newer are satin.

Here you can see a "newer" original decal reproduction


while here is my ORIGINAL (really tired!!) decal, period correct, and with glossy finish


So I decided to open up my Illustrator and FontLab and I started to rebuild the original typeset font in fontlab and the entire decal in Illustrator.

The whole process required about 30 hours and now I need your comments because my eyes are tired.

I'm also planing to find someone that can print the artwork on a glossy golden metal sheet ...

Here you can easily compare the original decal (first), the "fusion" between the original and the "rebuilt" (second), and the "rebuilt" alone (third) on a standard gold background (glossy gold is quite impossible to be reproduced with illustrator).

Can you please comment... how does the font seems like ?
do you see any kerning or spacing errors ?
how does it globally seems ?




Thanks in advance

[Trackrash]

Amazing job. I was just using Publisher, you did great work.

Do a search, there was someone doing repo decals on this board many years ago.

[Mark Salvetti]

Wow, great job. Car-Bone seems to be the go-to for repro decals, but it doesn't look like they offer this one, and the gold decals I can find on their website look more like the satin finish than your original shiny gold (which looks like real gold leaf, like on a spacecraft).

If you want to nit-pick, the only thing I see different in your repro is the capital "O", as in "O.T.". Your "O" is slightly more oval than the original.

Mark

[Jameel]

Beautiful work. Google around "gold mylar sticker" or "gold foil sticker" and you'll find some printing houses that do the work. I've printed a bunch of stickers for sale (my Marken Weltmeister stickers came out wonderfully--you can find them if you poke around in my old posts) and for my business. A few things I've learned. Don't just upload the artwork and hit "buy". Get in contact with a real human so you can discuss exactly what your expectations are so they understand. All the sticker printers have a sample pack they will send you, but be specific that you want to see the gold foil examples, not just the material, but an actual sticker they've done for someone else using the actual material. Hope it goes well!

[SalParadise]

Wow, someone has finally done it. I ordered two sets and they looked really cheesy like the one you ordered. I wasn't even going to put them on, now you should sell yours and do everyone a favor by doing so. Yours looks really great. It amazes me that those cheesy ones have been selling for so long. Great job, seriously I would offer them.

[1979-930]

The O.T. at the end of the first sentence looks a little different.
The font seems to small and the O is more oval than round like the original.
And the numbers for the 5* and 900 are correct but slightly thicker lines than the original.

Originally Posted by fizeus

Hi,

Can you please comment... how does the font seems like ?
do you see any kerning or spacing errors ?
how does it globally seems ?




Thanks in advance

[fizeus]

WOW !! So many replies ! Thank you all for the support !

I'll try to reply everyone using just a single post.

Originally Posted by Trackrash

Amazing job. I was just using Publisher, you did great work.

I preferred using Illustrator 'cause it has many advantages over Publisher and also the output file format seems to be preferred by most printing services.

Originally Posted by Mark Salvetti

Wow, great job. Car-Bone seems to be the go-to for repro decals ... and the gold decals I can find on their website look more like the satin finish ...
If you want to nit-pick, the only thing I see different in your repro is the capital "O", as in "O.T.". Your "O" is slightly more oval than the original.

Mark, I agree with you Car-Bone seems to offer just satin finish decals.
Anyway I think I'll drop 'em a mail to see if they can reproduce the "correct" finish and print my decal.

Also, I agree with your comment ... and it's not a nitpick ... it's exactly the type of comment I'm asking for !
I'm just working on a more correct "O" following your suggestion.

Originally Posted by Jameel

Google around "gold mylar sticker" or "gold foil sticker" and you'll find some printing houses that do the work. ... Get in contact with a real human so you can discuss exactly what your expectations are so they understand.

Jameel, I followed your suggestion but at "first sight" google reports printing services that use gold finish paper.
I'm just in contact with two local professional printing services... and they are sourcing for gold glossy sheets, aluminum based (not paper-based) with the correct thickness (approx 0,4/0,5 mm) ... I'll post results as soon I get news.

Originally Posted by SalParadise

... now you should sell yours and do everyone a favor by doing so...

Well ... I' didn't imagine someone can be interested in... but ... it could be an idea !!
At the moment I'm more focused on producing the "most correct" decal as possible ... Let's see the results ;-)

Originally Posted by 1979-930

The O.T. at the end of the first sentence looks a little different.
The font seems to small and the O is more oval than round like the original.
And the numbers for the 5* and 900 are correct but slightly thicker lines than the original.

1979-930 you and Mark Salvetti pointed me to a *really* important detail.
The "O" and the "T" really needs to be fixed. Also your comment about numbers is right!!!
Probably also "T" "E" "S" "TV" are too fat ... Don't you think so ?

[MBAtarga]

I would think that someone with Photoshop skills (not me unfortunately) could probably take the image of the original and add some transparency factor to it - and "float" it over your version, or vice versa - to compare them easier.

Edit: I detect a difference in the capital G's on the first row. It looks like your G versions look more closed than the OEM? Maybe it is the font thickness?

[rokemester]

I know an old school printer in Cleveland, Ohio that can do specialty printing like this. The shop is run by two old time printers who really know their stuff. How many do you want to print once you are satisfied with the art?

[Cairo94507]

Wow! Incredible work and attention to detail. Great job.

[florio]

Originally Posted by MBAtarga

I would think that someone with Photoshop skills (not me unfortunately) could probably take the image of the original and add some transparency factor to it - and "float" it over your version, or vice versa - to compare them easier.

Edit: I detect a difference in the capital G's on the first row. It looks like your G versions look more closed than the OEM? Maybe it is the font thickness?

I can do that, new one's in red, old behind. The resolution of the reduced images on the web sucks, though:

[fizeus]

Florio,
thank you for your help.
At the momenti I'm working on an 800% digitally scanned image. The problem is not only the contrast between the background (gold) and the characters (black).

The characters (font) has to be consistent with others (I mean same spacing same thinkness).
I'm really tring to get the closer font as original.
Yesterday it took about 2 hours to fix the capital G (of K.G. and Germany) as already suggested by MBATarga user.
O and T has been already fixed as suggested by Mark Salvetti.

I'll post update as soon as possible (but I plan to post a version with correct 5, 9 and 0 as suggested by 1979-930 pelican)

[ADDvanced]

As someone that uses photoshop and illustrator for a living, I'm questioning how this took 30 hours. More like 1. 2 tops.

[fizeus]

Hi all again,
I'm here to post final version of the decal.

As many of you suggested Numbers has been redrawn from scratch, and the same goes for Many capitals letters (Like "G" "O" "A" "S")
Also lowercase letters has been revised and now they should be look more consistent among them.
Letter spacing has been corrected just a little because in the original version Porsche has probably used hard characters with poor spacing.
I also totally redrawn the Porsche Logo, now it look very similar to the original decal logo (ornament inside the logo are now thinner)

Please feel free to post/give additional suggestions.... they are welcome !!!!

I'm still waiting for gold polished aluminum example sheet from the serigraph ... I hope the will arrive soon !!

P.S. Some fellow Pelican has told to be interested in obtaining a copy of the decal ... I just have a question ... Can those "repro" decals be released without infringing Porsche copyright ?

[frankc]

If it helps you at all, here is a scan of the label from my '73 911TV. As you can see from its condition, I would be very interested in your (correct) reproduction.

Also, check the spacing on the 't/min' and 'giri/min' as they seem to be slightly off to me.

Btw, I see that you are in Italy - is your 2.4T a TV?

[fizeus]

I frankc,
Thanks for posting your... Interestingly the types color seems more black than mine (mine goes to green, and probably has faded).
Mine is an italian car and to be exact is not a T but a TV (with Zeniths).

I've no problem to share with other pelicans my decal but I still have to print 'em and above all i have to find the correct metal sheet with right finish.

Btw, I' m also planning to reproduce all ths engine bay decals... But I think this will require some time.

[frankc]

Hi fizeus,

The difference in color may be due to me increasing the contrast at bit before posting to make it easier to read. I can send you the untouched photo if you would like.

Also, I sent you a PM regarding a question on your TV.

[mcv1954]

fizeus, it's not gold glossy sheets, aluminum based (not paper-based) with the correct thickness (approx 0,4/0,5 mm) ... It's brass and 0.2mm thick, I was having the same problem sourcing the material as I'm going to make the whole set

And I agree, editing 3 characters should take maybe 20 minutes (or less), not 30 hours, I also use Illustrator

[fizeus]

mcv1954 thank you for your reply.
I also agree with you that editing a character requires 20 minutes ... and I'm becoming familiar with Illustrator (even if I always loved the old Macromedia FreeHand).

I seize the moment to post updates.
The engine decal is finished and now it's *really* *really* similar to the original.
I'm working on the other decals (3 of 5 are completed and are 99% matching to the originals).

Are you sure original decals are brass-made and nor aluminum-made ?
If they were brass, shouldn't they appear really oxidized especially if you consider that they "lived" in the engine bay?

Using dremel I wire-brushed mine and they revealed a "aluminum-white" metal under the gold surface.
Can you please comment about ?

Thank you in advance


P.S. I think we both are in the same boat... sourcing the material ... at the moment I have many different samples but none is acceptable !! :-(
i tried to

[mcv1954]

Since I haven't found the anodized aluminum I looked for brass shim material, it's the closest I've found, it can be varnished (clear), I've already made some tests and it looks very good so far.

Freehand started with Aldus

The fonts you're working with are computer generated, in those times they were printed by a typesetting machine, they have to be adjusted