Racing Decals from the 70s

[Travel'n Man]

Just in case you need some for your garage -

SIGNPAST | Vintage Reproduction Signs

http://www.economysigns.com/decals.html

Edited July 5, 2013 by Travel'n Man

[TomoHawk]

So far, my collection includes:

NGK Spark Plugs

Sunoco Gas

Castrol Oil

Bridgestone Tires

K & N Air Filters

wagner Brakes

Federated Auto Parts

Eibach Springs

Tokico Shocks

(9 total)

I think I have the major items covered. Did I miss anything? Car stereo decal? (JVC Audio)

Edited July 5, 2013 by TomoHawk

[TomoHawk]

After dwelling on this for the night, I remember that the Topic is Racing Decals from the 70s,and it might look a bit odd to have a modern 'sponsor' at a vintage-type event, so I'm considering having two sets of decals on hand (with a magnetic backing.) One set would be the actual, modern products you use on the car, and another set would be the vintage equivalents.

So what would you consider to the the equivalent ( from the mid-970s) of:

[TABLE]

<tbody>[TR]

[TD]Product[/TD]

[TD]70s Brand[/TD]

[TD=width: 109]Current Brand[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD]Oil:[/TD]

[TD]Castrol[/TD]

[TD]Castrol GTX[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD]Spark Plugs:[/TD]

[TD]Champion[/TD]

[TD]NGK[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD]Ignition:[/TD]

[TD]Accel/Mallory[/TD]

[TD]Bosch[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD]Intake manifold:[/TD]

[TD]Edelbrock[/TD]

[TD]Nissan? [/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD]Cam:[/TD]

[TD] Isky[/TD]

[TD]Nismo? [/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD]Brakes:[/TD]

[TD]Raybestos[/TD]

[TD]Wagner[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD]Springs:[/TD]

[TD]MOOG[/TD]

[TD]Eibach[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD]Shocks:[/TD]

[TD]Koni[/TD]

[TD]Tokico[/TD]

[/TR]

</tbody>[/TABLE]

Feel free to suggest better examples.No, the vintage stuff isn't even close to the modern ones, but it's just for fun & looks

[TomoHawk]

OK, now for the best part, making the decals...

Has anyone successfully made decals, and found a good way to make them yourself? I think an inkjet printer would work, with a waterproof decal substrate.

How would you deal with the way the ink fades in the sunlight? Is there a waterproof ink? Should you overcoat the decal or laminate it?

BTW- If you're going to "Google" this procedure, make sure you refer to stickers and not decals, as decals are the water-borne things to stick to your plastic car or airplane models.

Edited July 6, 2013 by TomoHawk

[Carl Beck]

There really wasn't reward money in SCCA racing back then - arguably.

No money from SCCA for sure - but the Datsun Competition Department did offer cash rewards for winners driving Datsun's. As I recall it was like $25.00 to $50.00. {$145.81 to $291.61 in inflation adjusted values}

As it relates to a discussion of "Decals":

There are two or more "types" of Decals involved here as well. There are General Advertising & Promotion Decals that are handed out to the public. Then there are "Racing Contingency Decals".

To get the Contingency Rewards offered by a sponsor; a Racer had to win, or in some cases finish in the top 3, and had to have signed up with the Sponsor for the Contingency Money. When he did that he would received the "Official Contingency Decal" for his car, and it had to be on the car as raced to claim the rewards. These Contingency Decals were just slightly different than all the others..

FWIW,

Carl B.

[26th-Z]

Yea, Van MacDonald got money from Datsun occasionally back then. We were all racing British cars and mildly jealous. Kendall Oil had a program and we got free oil. Champion spark plugs had the same sort of deal - all through the local distributor - so you had to know the guys. Goodyear gave tires out to a very select few, usually 'qualifying' tires, but you had to give them back. We knew the Goodyear guys pretty well and had access to Formula Ford qualifying tires at a reduced cost. It was great for us as the tires had only one heat cycle on them. Brand new Goodyears were $50 a corner back then which was fairly expensive for us. SCCA events were closed to the public back then. I think they still are; you have to be a member to get in. So the decals we got were the decals to put on the car. I guess there were promotional decals at pro events, but I was racing most of the time (back then) so what we got went on the car. For pro events, you had to finish in the top three of your class to qualify for contingency money.

If you look at pictures of 240 Zs from the early 70s, like Brock's or Sharp's car, there weren't more than three decals. Brock had the Simoniz deal but Sharp just had Kendall, Champion and Goodyear decals. I don't recall ever seeing anything more than a Champion decal on Don Kearney's car. Back in those days, the big sponsorship conversation we hear so much about didn't exist. I would say from about the late 70s forward was when sponsorship became part of the road racing sport. Up until then, it was all private / personal money.

[TomoHawk]

An example of what was said:

There are a couple "BRE" logos and the Datsun, but only the SIMONIZ is big. The other promotional stickers are pretty small, and they are not in a prominent place, behind the rear wheel.

What is that decal with LEE on it, just behind the wheel?

Edited July 6, 2013 by TomoHawk

[TomoHawk]

Does anyone know what the sticker that has LEE on it is from?

OH- It's LEE eliminators. It's an Ohio company that markets performance products.

Edited July 9, 2013 by TomoHawk

[TomoHawk]

I have another new question for you racer guys...

What would you think is the difference or "value" between a new reproduction sticker, and an original, NOS or 30-year-old, sticker? Would you pay the extra money to get an authentic one from the 1970s, or save a little money and get a shiny, new one from a reproduction vendor?

I know that some people, at a car show for example, turn their nose up to anything "old" because they can't appreciate authenticity, but I'll bet you there are some decal sellers out there with some good, original, ones in storage, and would be happy to sell it to you, for a fair price.

[TomoHawk]

After making up a few of the magnetic stickers, I put a few on the car, and took a step back to look. One thing that was a little odd was that the entire car wasn't painted up like a race car, so would you still put a few of the stickers on it still?

I think the only thing missing would be a large white spot (a magnetic one) with a number on it.

[riceburner]

Here's a couple from my car, bit of a JDM theme going on.

I like these guys.

Mr. Horsepower:

[ATTACH=CONFIG]64309[/ATTACH]

Thrush Mufflers:

[ATTACH=CONFIG]64310[/ATTACH]

I like 'Mr Horsepower'

[TomoHawk]

Your engine must run on icewater, because they should fall off or turn brown from the heat under there.