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Need a Retro Font for lettering a Vintage 1950s Studebaker Pick-up...

Sven

New Member
I'm looking for some font recommendations--preferably something widely available, maybe free. The lettering needs to look like old hand painted/vintage lettering of the era.
 

Billct2

Active Member
Letterhead Fonts, but they ain't free.
Depends on the type of business, lots of stuff back then was just plain Sans Serif or Egyptian.
Really the best way to do it is handlettering, that way it's authentic and can be aged to match the finish on the vehicle if necessary.
 

OldPaint

New Member
i hope YOUR NOT GONA PUT VINYL ON IT!!!!!!!!! really, it would just look like crap!!!! we have guy in the local car club, 1952 ford panel wagon......HE PUT VINYL picture of him on it((((((( really dumb lookin. if you dont paint, find someone who does....if the guy decides t put the truck in shows, he will lose because VINYL IS NOT PERIOD......of the truck. go look at PERRIER TARDOFFS WORK
GOOGLE NEW JERSEY STYLE LETTERING.
this guy is in your area.
https://www.facebook.com/bert.quimby
 

Sven

New Member
It's for a flower shop. I think the guy is using the truck for deliveries. He asked for vinyl lettering.
 

Jillbeans

New Member

Vinylman

New Member
Why not cut a vinyl MASK, if you can't hand letter cleanly. Then use One Shot lettering enamel, and brush it through the mask. Give it about 20-30 minutes to set up, and CAREFULLY peel away the mask.
 

visual800

Active Member
Why not cut a vinyl MASK, if you can't hand letter cleanly. Then use One Shot lettering enamel, and brush it through the mask. Give it about 20-30 minutes to set up, and CAREFULLY peel away the mask.


Putting one shot on it is about as bad as vinyl! It would be cool to put 1/8" waterjet cut polished aluminum on it
 

spawk

New Member
its Pierre Tardif

i hope YOUR NOT GONA PUT VINYL ON IT!!!!!!!!! really, it would just look like crap!!!! we have guy in the local car club, 1952 ford panel wagon......HE PUT VINYL picture of him on it((((((( really dumb lookin. if you dont paint, find someone who does....if the guy decides t put the truck in shows, he will lose because VINYL IS NOT PERIOD......of the truck. go look at PERRIER TARDOFFS WORK
GOOGLE NEW JERSEY STYLE LETTERING.
this guy is in your area.
https://www.facebook.com/bert.quimby


i think his name is pierre tardif
 
I have a simple sans serif font I created referencing hand lettering from that time period. I needed it for a job and couldn't find the font I needed so rendered it myself. Message me if interested and I will see if I can post an example (I'm on my phone at the moment).
 

Joe Diaz

New Member
If you really want to make it appear vintage, I would recommend a basic sanserif style lettering... Perhaps on an arch. Many old work trucks were lettered this way. They were basic. Heck having a drop shadow on them was considered an upgrade in those days. Really vinyl is going to kill the retro look though. Having real paint strokes and that not so perfect shape is key, if you are going for that style. If it were our job, we might even talk the client into making it look distressed and aged, which would look awesome on that type of vehicle.
 

John Butto

New Member
old signpainter

Since I am an old signpainter and back when you lettered a truck like that, they were not vintage and you did not have all the great software, fonts availability and machines you have now.... so go with the truck's logo and brush script from then, does not have to be the script I show, could be more fancy, and go from there. And on another note, a guy would bring his truck in at 8am and want it back right away so that is why all the same look in a certain town because of that was the fastest and profitable way and it seems to still be that way.
 

Pat Whatley

New Member
And on another note, a guy would bring his truck in at 8am and want it back right away so that is why all the same look in a certain town because of that was the fastest and profitable way and it seems to still be that way.

Heck, I'm right down the road from the DOT office. At least once a week I get somebody in the shop who is pissed off I won't lettering their truck while they wait for it.
 

S'N'S

New Member
I don't do paint, I'm a vinyl jockey...a friend of mine who is a brushy did this for a guy who owns trucks and wanted an old style weathered sign. The blotchy paintwork on the vehicle is original, faded and repaired over the many years it was in use......This was a farm fresh ute pulled straight from a shed, cleaned and signed, I think he done a pretty good job. Might give you some ideas.
 

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