The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop Any tips on painting the letters on my tailgate?

I just finished shooting a coat of paint on the bomb before the winter hits after por15-ing some surface rust. Running out of daylight, i just painted over the tailgate CHEVROLET letters, which had been red before, even after i masked the whole center area around those letters last time i "painted" the truck. (the faded black paint left unpainted sort of made the red letters stand out, with new black on the rest of the gate. Anyway, I want to repaint the letters red to match the wheels and pinstripes. I want to spray it on, not brush it, but i need to figure out how to mask it off to do that. But i'm pretty sure just using light masking paper would let overspray in around the loose paper. Any body have any ideas how to accomplish this? Or is there a pre-made cut out for that? I used some thin masking paper the other day and 'etched' over the letters with a pencil, sort of like they do with tombstones to get the letters off of them. I figured I could try to cut them out and then transfer that to a heavier paper or light cardboard as a stencil. But with the raised letters I'm not sure how the edges would look. Anybody have any better ideas on how to mask off those letters on the tail gate? Thanks, Lee

I think some of the vendors have stick-on stencil material. That would make things a lot easier. You do know that on your truck, painted CHEVROLET letters were not stock, right? But go for it if that's what you like.

[on edit] They sell decals, but you might be able to use them to paint the letters first, apply decals, paint the body color and then peel the decals off to reveal the lettering color underneath.

[Another edit] I've made some window decals from a clear plastic static cling material. Possibly that could be used for stencils that would stick on the base coat after it's dried to keep the spray from getting underneath. I haven't tried using it for painting, but it might be worth looking at.

I used masking tape and went around each letter took a while but was a little easier as only had to do gmc

Here is a link to how I do the lettering on Coke machines, I also did my tailgate this way. It comes out really nice and appliance enamel wears like iron and does not fade.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/advance-design_parts_co/48283691406/in/album-72157631866985745/

Mostly what is sold today are white stick-on "decals". These look ok when you apply them, but if you live where the summers are hot, you'll be better to cover the white decals / rest of the tailgate with a layer of clear catalyzed urethane. Once upon a time, an adhesive stencil sheet could be bought from GM, but that hasn't been available for 30 years or so. It was pretty neat. All you had to do was carefully apply it, mask around it and spray white or whatever color you wanted.

I did it the way the coke cooler was done ,you just have to be careful taking the tape off as the paint will be thick on the tape in the low spot and can peel Off with the tape .I have yet to figure out if it is better to take tape off when paint is wet or to wait for it to dry both ways you have to be patient

I pull tape within 5-10 minutes, I let painted areas dry after I finish them overnight before working over them or covering them. I am very careful around freshly painted areas. The nice thing about a tailgate is there is lots of room to work.
This tailgate paint is now 8-years old.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/advance-design_parts_co/48303707737/in/album-72157631866985745/

Just dawned on me that in a few weeks I'm getting a used computer-assisted cutter which is currently equipped with a router appliance and which can also accept a laser cutter. I wonder if a laser could cut the individual letters (from wide masking tape). Can't imagine why not.

As for de-masking, all the paint I've used gives you a time when it is safe to remove masking tape and not risk edge bleed. Most catalyzed urethane I've used lately is 4 hour mask time, but on a breezy day with low humidity, you can lower that to 3 hours.

I have a friend who has the equipment to do vinyl wraps (a printer that will also cut out shapes.) I think that would work to make a stencil for all the letters in one piece. Once painted the vinyl could be carefully peeled away. I'll have to talk with him. I don't plan on painting the letters on my tailgate, but we might be able to come up with a stencil for others to use.

Yeah, that's what I've been trying to locate. Either a stencil that would lay flat on the gate either magnetically or adhesion, so that no overspray could get around it and could then be easily removed. I went ahead and ordered some vinyl letters to fit, but I'd rather paint it. No worry about mismatched reds or the eventual fading and edge peeling of a decal. The roller idea is a possibility, too. But a stencil would be a time saver and give the ability to shoot the paint on, which would be smoother. Thanks, guys!

A lettering shop can find the font if decal not available already, paint letter color,place decal paint body color, in my case red, peel then clear all if two stage,Pat

My wife has a Cricut vinyl cutter. She makes all kinds of letters, images and cutouts for her quilting and signs. She has made me a couple of stencils.
Perhaps there is someone close with one of these machines.

Well, I got the vinyl decals and put them on today. It looks decent, but the supposedly 'exact reproduction' leaves a little bit to be desired. Right off the bat, the C didn't seem to stretch far enough toward the two ends on the right side. A few of the letters fit well but had overlap along one side or the other, causing it to slope down on the raised edges. This looks especially bad where it appears on inside curves like the top of the R, the center of the O and a few other spots. http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL1373/13685773/24611517/414482806.jpg
http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL1373/13685773/24611517/414482804.jpg
I used the soapy water mist idea, and it made it easier. (I still don't quite get how the adhesive could get good adhesion with soap, even after it dries. Seems it would form a shield between the adhesive and the steel.) I thought about trimming the excess with an exacto knife - for about 5 seconds. That sounds like something I could really screw up. It also seems that any overlap that doesn't fit tight do to curves or hanging over the edge will be a trouble spot later. Anyway, it's on and it looks better, but as soon as I find some sort of adhesive or magnetic pattern to put over and paint, these are coming off and the paint is going back on. One point I'm happy about is the red letters match the Krylon Banner Red paint that's been used on the wheels, interior and the taped pinstripes on the fenders. Thanks for all your help on this guys! http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL1373/13685773/24611517/414482803.jpg
http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL1373/13685773/24611517/414482803.jpg

Got a picture?
[on edit] nevermind, you were adding them as I was posting. Looks good, especially from far enough away.

It does look good and I may do the same. I wonder if the decal is similar to the the vinyl wraps. I applied some simulated carbon fiber to a few trim pieces on another vehicle a couple of years ago and I used a little heat from a hair dryer to get them to form the inside and outside corners. Worked perfectly and their still adhered today.

Looks good to me

We both custom paint or use decals for letters. On either we bury the lettering in clear and sand so letters can't be felt when finished. For decals it is best to dry spray the first clear coat and let it completely cure to prevent any raising around the edges. Once buried in clear it is impossible for the decals to raise, bubble, or curl.

[img]https://i.postimg.cc/vg6FDZbR/IMG-4161.jpg[/img]

Thanks for the compliments, fellas. And Kevin, that's my usual line to anybody who tells me the truck looks great. I tell them it's my 60' truck- from 60' it looks real nice. But the closer you get, the more flaws you can see. (Had this happen twice yesterday when I drove it to the hardware store. It has a long way to go before I get it back to it's former glory, but I've got a house and shop to build before that gets done.

Phil, that's a great idea! I'll get out there this morning and try that. Hopefully the spin to the store and storage unit (which is all white gravel) yesterday didn't coat the adhesive on those 'extra material spots' to the point of now not sticking. Thanks, that didn't even occur to me.

Evan, I absolutely concur with the idea of covering the edges of the decals! I even thought about ordering some of the edge sealer from LMC, especially after the decals that I put on the front hood emblem a few years ago have started curling in on the red pin strip sections now. But, like I said, I trust the paint, which had lasted the 8 years I've had it without much fading and no peeling or cracking, so I'm still going to paint it asap. The way my luck goes, that might be when I dismantle the truck to "do it right", after my shop building is done. Per the clear coat, since it's (supposedly) flat black paint that I shot it with, the clear coat would look a little off on that section. I'm still a little miffed that the Rustoleum flat black that came from the quart cans is more of a satin instead of flat. I've painted it with rustoleum flat black rattle cans twice in those 8 years, when needed, and it always dried flat. I even tried a test spot on the inside of the tail gate after the paint dried, spraying the rattle can paint over a small spot to see what happened. The spray can dried flat, as always. But 2 weeks after I shot the qt cans, it's still shining. Which is a shame, because the one thing I like about the really flat black is it tends to cover up mistakes. The satin look shows everywhere my cheap Graco gun left picket fence marks from it's pulsing problem. (No speed or volume controls on the bottom of the line gun I bought.) Thanks again everybody! Lee

I just did my tailgate following some of the ideas above. I bought a set of decals from one of the vendors and then:
- painted the center panel of the tailgate Arctic Beige (the letter color)
- after several days, I applied the white decals to the letters
- painted the tailgate and over the decals with body color (black)

I tried to peel off the decals shortly after painting but the adhesive was just too strong and I couldn't do it without messing up the black paint. I then waited about 5 hours when the black paint was half-cured and less prone to damage; I had to fight the adhesive but managed to get the decals off okay. I have a couple of small areas in the "O" I need to touch-up the line. I added a "handle" to each decal by putting a slit in it and then sliding a small piece of tape into it so I'd have something to grab; this was somewhat helpful. I think I had read somewhere that you should weaken the decal adhesive before applying them by pressing them against your denim jeans first; I don't remember where I read that but it now seems like good advice.

I'll try to post a few pictures. I'm using single stage Tamco paint.

Steve

Looks good.

Most good results take some effort, which you found. Warming the decals a bit with a heat gun would help soften the adhesive. Have to be careful not to burn the paint, though.

Looks good, Steve!

This was simple if you can put the letters on strait.
Paint the letter area the color you want then let cure.
Install letters. Classicparts (1947-53) Tailgate Letters - Black - Chevy $8.95
Paint base coat.
Remove stickers.
Clear coat.

Looks good. I'm still awaiting the laser cutter, and when I do am going to make from wide masking tape letters which can be applied over the tailgate letters, then masked and painted...pretty much the same way the GM mask used to work, but each letter (or two) will be cut on its own. The gizmo I have can't travel far enough to make the entire thing in one pass.

Does anyone have a 47-53 Chevrolet Truck brochure/document that shows the tail gate lettering?

I cab only find a 1954 document - the lettering is body color.

I don't think that animal exists. I don't believe that the factory painted the lettering in 47-53.

Thanks, Kevin - that was/is my belief, too.

Nonetheless, painting the letters provides a nice appearance/contrast.

I just finish installing my red letter decals, an idea I borrowed from showme. Like his letters, mine didn’t quite fit but, again like his, there only temporary until it the truck gets a real paint job. A little heat from a hair dryer helped ease the corners. Overall, I like the results.

GM should provide the letters to us for free. Advertising should be paid for!

Dealerships which had body shops on site would paint the letters for customers who wanted it done. I was told that was why their parts departments had the adhesive masks on hand. The last time I bought one was around 1978 and I think I paid either $6 or $8. It was packed between two pieces of cardboard and folded in the middle. The package was blue/tan. Couldn't tell you why I remember that, but I do. I never saw a single one which was painted anything but that ivory (whitish) color used for the pin stripe, however. Wish they still had these. They worked like a charm.

"Dealerships which had body shops on site would paint the letters for customers who wanted it done."

Dealerships could also special-order a variety of painting/paint-options on an ordered truck (at no extra charge).

Does anyone know whether or not GMC letters were factory painted?

I don't know if they were or not. I do know the fire department in our village bought a GMC pickup and it arrived all one color that fairly well matched the other fire engines. The dealership painted the GMC on the tailgate for that truck and also brought in a fellow from another town who painted the name of the fire department on each door. That was very impressive. He painted it by hand and it included upper and lower lettered arcs with the name of the village in the center. Hopefully guys with that sort of talent still exist in today's world.