- Jan 2, 2006
- 5,008
- 113
Well, after thinking about it for a while, I figured I had a little time on my hands recently and I did a little side project for a member here, so I figured I might look into making some decent decals for G-body Olds and make them available.
So I wasn't sure what I needed to do because if I was going to do it, I'd need something that I could plug into and get the process a bit more automated. I ended up obtaining a small plotter/trimmer machine. I got for virtually free at a nearby neighbors garage sale. I had to fix it, there was a spring in it that broke, so I got a new little mini-spring and jiggered it up to fit and viola! It works. It's not very big, but it's big enough to make most of the decals I wanted to do. Kind of a PITA to set up right, but I think I got it.
The idea behind all of this is that 99% of the decals you can get from the various vendors out there are about 75-80% correct. Some more than others. The fonts are usually wrong, the stuff isn't the right size, or colors are just WAY off. I'm not going to pop off and claim my stuff is perfect, because it's not. But I can say it's a whole lot closer to what was on the car when new. Most of the stuff I'm doing, I'm doing for me. Because it fits MY cars. But while I now can make a slew of the same ones, why not make them available for others? Everything is laser printed on mylar decal material, which is extremely resistant to moisture, cold and heat (-20 through 300 deg F). Been very durable where I've used them. Peel and stick for most of them, except the HJ brake valve label.
Let's see what we got available so far:
85/86/87 442 Emission labels for the top of the fan shroud. I can make other ones for Y engines and 3.8L if you have a decent picture of one. $8.00 shipped to lower 48.
Brake master cylinder codes for Cutlass. KL is the norm for most. DK was used in 1985 for a period of time. They also used KL as my gray 85 build sheet shows it. Weird. Also the CD4 (pulse) wiper motor decal that goes on the cover. 84-88 G-body. An "RT" code Catalytic Converter decal that goes on the bottom of the converter on the outside shield with the holes. This may burn off over time as that cat gets hot AF. But, here it is anyway. Your choice, $2.00 each shipped.
And to top it off, a brake combination valve "HJ" code for the majority of 78-88 G-bodies. This one is not a decal. It goes on the front of the combination valve and held in place by the rubber cap. It's made of heavy, waterproof cardstock with a clear laminate on the front, very similar to the original. This one is $3.00 shipped. It takes a bit more time to do.
Here's a couple of pics to show where some of them go:
Interestingly, if you had a G-body that got shipped via Canadian Transport, it likely will have, or had, this little maple leaf blue decal in the door jamb somewhere. Also, a late 86-90 VIN 9/Y distributor part number decal located on top of the distributor coil cover, 1103677. $2.00 each shipped.
1985 442 FCH Federal ECM coded label, comes in two parts. Originals were paper. Which dissolved when they got wet. One part went on the ECM itself, the other half was stuck on the evaporator housing. These suffered horrendously over the years. They're made out of mylar now, so it won't matter. $4.00 shipped.
Location pics:
I'm also working on some other junk.
In the works are decals for the 85 442 carburetor. Yes, Virginia, there are 3 different decals on an 85 442 carburetor assembly. I've only finished the one for the back so far.
Also, I'll be doing an "OR" coded gas tank code which is located on the filler neck. I got one of these from one of the vendors, I can't recall which one. But it was paper. WTF. And the font didn't look exactly right to me. So...
ENGINE decals located on the driver valve cover for 85 and 87 442.
85 and EARLY 86 442 (and 85/86 VIN Y) distributor part number decals. They're the same style as the currently available later 86-90 VIN 9/Y distributor part number decals. Just different part numbers.
84 and 85 Parker/ACDelco A/C hose assembly p/n sticker located on the "muffler" behind the compressor. These were date coded, so they'll have to be made to order perhaps.
1980 ONLY Trunk Jacking Instruction decal. 81-88 were the same, and 78-79 were slightly different. NONE of the decal places out there have one. NONE. They lump it in with the 79.
And.....probably some other crap I can't think of at the moment.
So I wasn't sure what I needed to do because if I was going to do it, I'd need something that I could plug into and get the process a bit more automated. I ended up obtaining a small plotter/trimmer machine. I got for virtually free at a nearby neighbors garage sale. I had to fix it, there was a spring in it that broke, so I got a new little mini-spring and jiggered it up to fit and viola! It works. It's not very big, but it's big enough to make most of the decals I wanted to do. Kind of a PITA to set up right, but I think I got it.
The idea behind all of this is that 99% of the decals you can get from the various vendors out there are about 75-80% correct. Some more than others. The fonts are usually wrong, the stuff isn't the right size, or colors are just WAY off. I'm not going to pop off and claim my stuff is perfect, because it's not. But I can say it's a whole lot closer to what was on the car when new. Most of the stuff I'm doing, I'm doing for me. Because it fits MY cars. But while I now can make a slew of the same ones, why not make them available for others? Everything is laser printed on mylar decal material, which is extremely resistant to moisture, cold and heat (-20 through 300 deg F). Been very durable where I've used them. Peel and stick for most of them, except the HJ brake valve label.
Let's see what we got available so far:
85/86/87 442 Emission labels for the top of the fan shroud. I can make other ones for Y engines and 3.8L if you have a decent picture of one. $8.00 shipped to lower 48.
Brake master cylinder codes for Cutlass. KL is the norm for most. DK was used in 1985 for a period of time. They also used KL as my gray 85 build sheet shows it. Weird. Also the CD4 (pulse) wiper motor decal that goes on the cover. 84-88 G-body. An "RT" code Catalytic Converter decal that goes on the bottom of the converter on the outside shield with the holes. This may burn off over time as that cat gets hot AF. But, here it is anyway. Your choice, $2.00 each shipped.
And to top it off, a brake combination valve "HJ" code for the majority of 78-88 G-bodies. This one is not a decal. It goes on the front of the combination valve and held in place by the rubber cap. It's made of heavy, waterproof cardstock with a clear laminate on the front, very similar to the original. This one is $3.00 shipped. It takes a bit more time to do.
Here's a couple of pics to show where some of them go:
Interestingly, if you had a G-body that got shipped via Canadian Transport, it likely will have, or had, this little maple leaf blue decal in the door jamb somewhere. Also, a late 86-90 VIN 9/Y distributor part number decal located on top of the distributor coil cover, 1103677. $2.00 each shipped.
1985 442 FCH Federal ECM coded label, comes in two parts. Originals were paper. Which dissolved when they got wet. One part went on the ECM itself, the other half was stuck on the evaporator housing. These suffered horrendously over the years. They're made out of mylar now, so it won't matter. $4.00 shipped.
Location pics:
I'm also working on some other junk.
In the works are decals for the 85 442 carburetor. Yes, Virginia, there are 3 different decals on an 85 442 carburetor assembly. I've only finished the one for the back so far.
Also, I'll be doing an "OR" coded gas tank code which is located on the filler neck. I got one of these from one of the vendors, I can't recall which one. But it was paper. WTF. And the font didn't look exactly right to me. So...
ENGINE decals located on the driver valve cover for 85 and 87 442.
85 and EARLY 86 442 (and 85/86 VIN Y) distributor part number decals. They're the same style as the currently available later 86-90 VIN 9/Y distributor part number decals. Just different part numbers.
84 and 85 Parker/ACDelco A/C hose assembly p/n sticker located on the "muffler" behind the compressor. These were date coded, so they'll have to be made to order perhaps.
1980 ONLY Trunk Jacking Instruction decal. 81-88 were the same, and 78-79 were slightly different. NONE of the decal places out there have one. NONE. They lump it in with the 79.
And.....probably some other crap I can't think of at the moment.
