Dash lettering

PostPost by: saildrive2001 » Thu Mar 19, 2009 5:58 pm

I know this has been discussed before but I am still looking to refinish my dash with the correct size & stlye of font.
I have purchased from one of our group a transfer type font sheet with all the words required for a dash rebuild but the letters are not the correct size font. They are definately smaller than the original. I know that the original was a Microgramma bold extended font & I thought it was 10pt. but i think that is too small.
Has anybody been able to locate a Letreset type sheet of the correct size & style?
If anyone still has an original S4 dash I would appreciate if they could carefully measure the height of the letters so that I can confirm the font size. I foolishly striped my dash without measuring the font height.
I do know that you can get vinyl letters from the usual suppliers but I think they are too thick & would require too many coats of varnish to cover them.
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PostPost by: andyelan » Thu Mar 19, 2009 7:22 pm

Hi Keith

I've got a sheet of Letraset in front of me which I bought years ago and is an exact mach for the Lotus font

Its sheet no. 683 (US order no 54-12-CLN) and it states:-

didot 10pt MICROGRAMMA BOLD EXTENDED
usa.pica 12pt (EUROSTYLE BOLD EXTENDED) NEBIOLD

The difficulty will be, I'll bet you can't get it anymore.

If you do get a sheet, the problems are, replacing the text using individual letters is really difficult to get looking right if the dash is still in the car. Also, the new letters will be bright white against the old one which will have faded with age so it won't look very good unless all the text is replaced together.

Hope this help
Andy
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PostPost by: saildrive2001 » Thu Mar 19, 2009 8:12 pm

Hi Andy,
Those are the fonts & point sizes I have written down that were used but I wanted to confirm I had them correct. You are right the problem is that Letraset doesn't exist anymore & the Co. that bought them doesn't list Microgramma anymore.
I am reveneering the dash so will be replacing all the letters.
After posting I did have thought that here in Canada we can get an Avery clear mailing label (8663 inkjet) that is very thin & sticky backed so that might work if I can get the correct font on my computer.
Keith
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PostPost by: msd1107 » Thu Mar 19, 2009 8:30 pm

http://new.myfonts.com/fonts/urw/microgramma/
Sells the font in many formats.


http://www.linotype.com/89986/microgramma-family.html
Linotype owns the trademark, and all the original artwork and bezier curves. I know during the 80s, I licensed many Linotype typefaces and made HP downloadable fonts from the outline data. I don't remember if I did Microgamma.

Bring it into your computer and print out the labels you need.

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PostPost by: andyelan » Thu Mar 19, 2009 9:53 pm

Hi Keith

If I've worked out how to add attachment correctly here should be a scan of some letters, print them at 150ppi and they should come out actual size. Just one thought, do check the font isn't listed as 12pt Eurostyle Bold Extended. That's what it was in the catalogue when I bought it.

On the subject of dash restoration, here's a before and after shot of the one I did for my Europa Special

Regards
Andy
Attachments
Untitled-Scanned-01b.jpg and
Untitled-Scanned-02a.jpg and
Untitled-Scanned-03a.jpg and
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PostPost by: saildrive2001 » Mon Mar 23, 2009 6:04 pm

Just realized that my idea of printing on an Avery transparent mailing label won't work because inkjet printers don't have a white ink capability.
Good idea but no prize.
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PostPost by: msd1107 » Mon Mar 23, 2009 9:45 pm

Get paper that matches the color of your dashboard and print the legends in white.

Or create a background that matches the color of your dashboard and print the legends in white.

If you really want to be fancy, take a picture of your dashboard and use that as your background.

Ink jets are likely to be more expensive than laser printers. Its probably least expensive to go down to your local Kinkos or user printer kiosk and print it out there. Fixed cost. They may complain about the amount of background color, but, so what?

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PostPost by: TimButDim » Fri Apr 03, 2009 1:00 pm

This may be a bit late now but there's a guy on ebay who I got mine off of, have a look at this:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... 0382580406

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PostPost by: saildrive2001 » Fri Apr 03, 2009 1:47 pm

Thanks Tim for the info & no it's not too late. Is the system similar to the old Letraset dry transfer lettering?
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PostPost by: TimButDim » Fri Apr 03, 2009 4:48 pm

I've not actually used them yet (pick up my replacement dash tomorrow!) but I'm fairly sure they're self-adhesive stickers from the look of them and description that the seller gave.

If you ask again in a few days I can give you some more info on the results!

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PostPost by: saildrive2001 » Wed Apr 15, 2009 8:12 pm

Hi Tim,
How did the lettering for your new dash go? Does it look like the correct size & style?
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PostPost by: TimButDim » Thu Apr 16, 2009 12:05 am

saildrive2001 wrote:Hi Tim,
How did the lettering for your new dash go? Does it look like the correct size & style?


I've still not fitted it, in fact you can see the problems I've been having getting the old dash off in another thread!
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PostPost by: 45bvtc » Thu Apr 16, 2009 10:09 am

Try Arial Black: a True Type font in 9.5-point size.

I carefully created my own dashboard lettering (1971 Lotus Elan Sprint) using CorelDraw and then gave the file to a local graphics company (Staffordshire Signs and Graphics): they produced a self-adhesive/cut set of dashboard lettering, which I then applied to the original dashboard.

The original dashboard lettering, where remaining, was removed carefully using a fine T-cut.

I can Email a photograph of my own dashboard lettering as applied.

I can Email my own dashboard lettering file (for the Elan) to anyone interested: the file format will be CorelDraw 6 and/or as a Word Document. Enquiry can then be made to a local graphics company.

CAUTION: the graphics need to be created using a vector file format so that the lettering can be cut accurately: bitmap type graphics will produce a feathered edge.
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