Reproduction labels?

[JLPurcell]

Jerry, the photo I posted is what the original decals on a 5/72 car look like. I guess you can decide how '"flat gold or reflective gold chrome" they look to you. None of the reproduction under hood decals I have seen, either gold or silver, (including those from Banzai) look exactly like the originals. I'm not sure if the original materials are no longer available or if people just haven't found the right source to make good reproductions.

-Mike

Mike, That is interesting. I hope some others join in this discussion. I may owe this vendor an apology! He says that this is the original material and he got the last of the available material from the original supplier in Japan. Anyone?

[CDM]

Going all the way back to the Z car program when I started reproducing paint code and radiator stickers Mike and I have tried to figure out whats correct. Mike having been a Nissan master mechanic and having been around the cars a lot more than myself was much more intune with what was correct so I got out of the sticker business and told him I would purchase his correct stickers. I have to say though we learned a lot trying to figure out the cars and what is correct because the japanese materials are very different from what is available here. This includes some of the vinyl used in the seats and door panels and plastics in the steering wheels and rear panels. I have to wonder if the decals under hood could have been on foil originally and the heat turned them to a flat color along the way but as I believe someone already said Chrome or gold foil is very hard to read and would not really make sense. I just checked 3 Hoods and they all have the smog decal and it is flat silver material. Please remember that some of us and maybe it is just me would hope to make the car as good as or better than it was when it was new and if there was crappy materials used I would prefer not to use inferior quality items even though the cars will be taken care of infinitely better now than they were in their earlier life.

Les

[HS30-H]

When I questioned the vendor he said that for the 72 this is correct and that he was able to get the last of this material from the original manufacturer in Japan.

No offence to you or the vendor, but I would suggest that unless you are dealing direct with Nishi san from 'Revive Jalopy' in Japan then your 'vendor' is very unlikely to have been dealing with the OEM material manufacturer / supplier.

One observation I would make is that I've seen both gold and silver backgrounds on Nissan maintenance stickers, depending on the application and period of manufacture. I've also seen all sorts of patination / discolouration which - over a 40 year odd period - can make such stickers look very different to how they must have looked when new. I would trust MikeB's example for the manufacture date period he has shown.

[JLPurcell]

No offence to you or the vendor, but I would suggest that unless you are dealing direct with Nishi san from 'Revive Jalopy' in Japan then your 'vendor' is very unlikely to have been dealing with the OEM material manufacturer / supplier.

One observation I would make is that I've seen both gold and silver backgrounds on Nissan maintenance stickers, depending on the application and period of manufacture. I've also seen all sorts of patination / discolouration which - over a 40 year odd period - can make such stickers look very different to how they must have looked when new. I would trust MikeB's example for the manufacture date period he has shown.

No offence taken. I am just trying to verify the correct background material for the under hood labels for my car. This vendor saw pictures of my car and contacted me to tell me that the car emission label was incorrect and that I also should have a inertia label. I ordered a set from him and this is what I received. I can only remember two of the labels originally being on a chrome base material the paint code and the rear tire cover alignment arrows. The Chrome look, as Les said, makes for hard reading of fine print. I took issue the material of the labels as well as the content of the tool stowage label. The vendor stands by his labels. Now I am looking into the vast resource of knowledge this site affords. So Z senseis speak and enlighten me! Please!

[JLPurcell]

Received a call from the vendor who supplied the labels and he was not happy with my thread although he has not read it. I tried to explain that there is access to vast knowledge on this site and I was trying to verify the correct application for my car. I explained that in the long run someone here will be able to explain the different label content, materials and time line. That is what these discussions are for. I hope we can continue to openly and freely discuss and inquire about such things without offending or receiving such calls. I have always supported the vendors who help us bring our Z’s back to their earlier glory. jlp