The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop Really don't want to destroy this old door signage. Ideas?

I finally brought home my 46 2-ton, and I'm getting some real work done.

The problem is, on the driver's door, there's some original, professionally hand painted signage, and I really don't want to destroy it. It might actually be from the original owner, as I found a 1956 business calender (same business as the door) in the glove box, with the December 1955 still attached.

I was thinking I could carefully remove the section and replace it, but That might damage the paint. I thought it might look better if I replaced the door entirely, and made a decoration of the original door. Maybe donate it to a museum.

S.G. Jones Shelling and Trucking

Why do you want to remove it? To repaint under it? It may have to just stay on and work around it. I think I would clear coat it before trying to tape on it to mask it. I'm sure others here will have some input and ideas. Talk to a good resto shop and see what they would do.

I'm sure the intent her is to keep it ORIGINAL......but I've seen some photo's taken of original stuff and the good artist of today can duplicate it pretty dang good. In the end the choice is yours. Its only original once so you may want to keep the door and replace it?

We have a bolter here who has a "gallery" of old Door art. I think it's woody that does it........I'm sure someone here has that link.

EDIT: here is the link. Enjoy.
http://www.pbase.com/czechman/door_art

I'd like to simply get a whole new door. I'm fixing her up so I can use her for some work, so I'm planning to repaint the whole thing.

If I had the money for a new door, I'd make this one into a wall decoration. Personally I think it would look better if the whole door was intact.

Maybe I should put a protective coat on and leave it as is. Maybe even tint the windows for a Jeepers Creepers look. What would work to protect old paint (and rust) like this?

I bought this truck a year ago and parted it out. I saved the door art as square panels cut from the doors. I have not done it yet but intend to frame one and hang it in my garage.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/advance-design_parts_co/8130553000/in/set-72157631870734114
http://www.flickr.com/photos/advance-design_parts_co/8130525329/in/set-72157631870734114

I think in paying homage to the truck, you could take photos and a template of the door art now, and get it redone by a good pinstriper/sign painter after the truck is painted, assuming you're painting it?

Get a new door and have it painted at the same time as truck. Leave original door on the truck with new paint job and drive and see how you like it. If you don't, put matching paint door on and make wall art, a garden gate or display it in the back at car shows. There is a chance if you put clear on it, it will react with old paint or you won't like the gloss. Try a little wax on it, not the rub hard kind, use the no rub kind, to see if you like it and it does not rub off the hand lettering. Try on a small corner of door first. Can't view your link.

I'm thinking I'll get a new door. There's a car themed restaurant near here that might like to display it. I've met the owner and apparently not all the stuff and cars belong to him. He has an all original '66 Chevelle SS up on a drive-on lift that he is basically storing for someone. So I might be able to talk him into displaying it for me, that way if the place closes I can get it back. Maybe even get him to help buy a door. Doubtful, but the worse he can say is "no".

I'm planning to repaint it similar to "Export Blue", so the red will clash, but I plan to make my own signage to look like this. I'm lucky enough to know a guy in town that does hand painted signs.

In case anyone is wondering, the passenger side door lettering is all gone, just the faded general layout.

That's the idea, to clash. Retro, show off the old with the new, art nouveau, very avant-garde. Dig? Nowadays weird is cool at truck shows. A nicely painted truck, dime a dozen. Nicely painted truck with one original door? Priceless.

You just gave me an idea. Actually, an idea I had a while ago but had forgotten. I could clean up and shine one half, but leave the other half the way it is (with protection, of course). I'd even go so far as to carry the theme to the inside, maybe even the engine, frame and wheels.

The real trick would be to park in such a way that people would see the old side, but when they circled back they'd see the shiny side. Or pass someone turning from a side road, then when they go to pass, confuse the crap out of them.

Guess it would be like the scene in "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" near the end in Wonka's office, where everything is in half.

You go boy!

I would have carefully masked around the painted sign to paint the door and the rest of the truck. Then I would have sprayed clear coat on top of the painted sign to protect it.