Old school truck lettering

[1958 F.W.D.]

Now if you REALLY wanna make your truck look sharp, get the lettering done in old-school burnished gold leaf.......

[Mackdaddy2030]

Looks great!!!! Do you have to put a seal coat over it?

I also thought about having mine airbrushed.

[Patdbossct]

Thanks everyone for all the contacts about the hand lettering !

[mrsmackpaul]

nothing looks better than brush work and some colour everyone seems to have white with stick on letters these days

I must be getting old

Paul

[mowerman]

wow nice job...bob

[41chevy]

I Horan, Island and a few single trucks here on L.I. are still paint. There was a woman doing the striping, lettering and gold and silver leaf name Thea. She learned from her father. She stripped a few of my vehicles a few years ago. I went to a Rat Rod / Rock a Billy Show and there was a few stripers there. Seems thats the group preserving the art. Paul

[jackb61sx]

Speaking for my trucks the B-61 that we did in hand laid gold leaf and The Superliner which was all painted only just did a couple of good coats of Mothers Cannuba wax and hand rubbed it on to protect the lettering on the doors.

[1958 F.W.D.]

Mackdaddy, the gold leaf on the FWD has a clear vinyl overlay applied to it. You really have to look hard to see it. The old school way was to apply a clear finish which would have to be re-applied every few years, but the clear vinyl overlay is damn near indestructible.

[Tom Gardner]

I've been lettering trucks in New England since 1973, lettering many fleets through the years.

[h67st]

29 minutes ago, Tom Gardner said:

I've been lettering trucks in New England since 1973, lettering many fleets through the years.

 

 

Mr. Gardner, that is some fine looking paint work on that truck. Glad to see people like you keeping the craft going.

[hurstscrambler]

Are you still lettering, or retired?   A friend of mine used to use a guy name Carl Klouse (I'm sure the spelling is wrong).  He was on the north shore of Mass, but I believe he got sick and retired.  Andy

[BillyT]

That's beautiful work! Most of that style lettering is found in New England and the east coast all of the refuse and construction fleets in New England,Jersey and New York seemed to have the gothic style gold leaf lettering at one time! Very classy!

[Truck Shop]

                                         My dad had a sign shop from 1948 to 1983. I learned how to freehand letter and pinstripe working with him. He did some of the best bomber nose art during WWII.

                                         When he left the service in 46 he worked for Seagrave in Ohio gold leafing fire trucks till late 47. He was a pro with gold or silver leaf.   We lettered hundreds of

                                         truck doors, his lay out was just chalk no tape and normally the customer wanted script. I remember a customer asking why we didn't follow the chalk lines in the

                                         lay out-my dad replied the chalk is  only to make sure the spelling is correct before lettering. He passed away in 83 I lettered truck doors for a few more years then gave it up. 

                                         Some damn fine lettering in those pics above.

 

                                          Truck Shop