Who makes the best re-pop tank decals?

[billyb]

Several sellers of these decals around.  I may be painting a blue green sandcast soon and want to know the best quality decals to do it right.  I'm guessing NOS are not an option...

thanks!

[markb]

I've used Reproduction Decals up in Canada.  Here's a link:
http://www.reproductiondecals.com/default_frameset.html?hon_content.html~main
You'll have to call them to order.  They don't (or can't) list Honda stuff. 

[Steve Swan]

If the goal is "restored like original," I don't believe decals are correct for use on sandcast/K0 tanks.   From the factory, the gold/black striping was laid by hand.  Someone let me know if I'm mistaken.

First hand experience, these long decals are not very easy to lay flat on the compound curves of the tank's surface.  They're even more difficult to keep flat while applying clearcoat; clearcoat creates teh tendancy for the decal to lift.  The last challenge is laying the clearcoat over the decal and not leaving a "step" that is visually obvious nor easily felt when running fingertips over the clearcoat covering the decal.

Reproduction decals are fine quality.  If laid perfectly and covered with a profesisonal clearcaot they are gorgeous.

[Riccardo]

I know well reproductiondecal production, but i've experience for other brand(kawasaki).
But a decal under the clearcoat can create a step under the hand.
Yes, a agree at 100% with Steve: the original stripes was laid by hand, very artigianal!

[billyb]

So let me get this straight - Honda didn't use decals?  I can see the gold being paint, but even the pinstripes are hand painted?  That seems pretty unusual to have someone hand pinstriping a production run. 

I have the same concerns about the clearcoat lifting the decals - I've had problems with that in the past.  It seems to vary based on the material/adhesive used for the decal, and the brand of clear that's used.  My painter was using PPG paints for a while and it was a problem with some decals.  He's now using a different brand of paint (forget the name - not House of Kolor) so I may just order an extra decal from Reproductiondecals as a tester on another part first.  My painter could use enough clear and do the sanding to ensure there's no 'step' over the decal.

Do the Vic World bikes have hand-laid pinstriping (no tape/decal)?  I never saw mention of a paint code for the gold color anywhere when I looked at paint code conversations.

[Steve Swan]

Hi Billy,

You got it.  

Sandcasts and K0's gas tanks had handpainted gold/black striping.  

K1 tank striping was still painted on, but did appear to be more of a mass production appearance; perhaps a template was used to paint on the stripes by that time.......?  Quite a few of us have seen original sc/k0/k1 tanks with no decals.  

1972 was the first year the CB750 has decals.  I bought a K2 new, April 72; i can remember the disappointment of seeing decals.

During this era, hand striping on tanks, fenders, tool boxes (and earlier) was still the norm.  Decals were just beginning to come into popular use; generally only used for registered trademarks, instuctions of use, etc.  Bridgestone harkened to an earlier era, their badges on metal sidecovers were riveted.  The British took great pride, advertising into the late 70's their striping was hand painted.

If i recall correctly, Vic has his black/gold stripes painted.

[billyb]

Well I appreciate this info guys.  With this in mind, I'm going to order the reproduction decals and give to my painter so he has a pattern/color to go for, and ask him to do it by hand and see how we come out with it!  I still haven't seen any suggested paint codes for the gold so if anyone has thins info that would be great.

Thanks again!

[markb]

I've had three tanks painted by Vic's painter and he uses decals for the stripes.  That's the way he does them for Vic too.  Vic supplies decals to him from his own source.  I supplied the Reproduction Decals version which are slightly different, but according to the painter are plenty good.

[Steve Swan]

Thanks for your reply, Mark !  Always the best to hear first hand experience !

[billyb]

Yes thanks a bunch for the info.  I ordered the decals from Reproduction.  My painter said he could do it by hand but it doesn't seem worth it - this will be a rider not a show bike. 

[billyb]

Update - I really wanted to have the stripes painted so I bought the gold paint from Don Dirtbiker who I bought the rest of the paint kit from.  anyways, I bought the Reproduction decals to be used as templates and my painter said he can buy some stuff that's made specifically to mask off pinstripes so they are even and he feels like he can do it by hand.  We will see!

[kp]

Thanks for the feedback. Keep us posted KP

[billyb]

OK so my painter is done with the tank.  he painted the stripe and the black pinstripes - all paint on the tank, no decals/stickers at all.  It looks wonderful.  I was amazed.  He used the Reproduction Decals as templates and paint from vintagehondapaint.com (botht he candy blue green and the gold - the black pinstripes are just gloss black).  So anyways, a good painter can do the stripes and they look great and there is no step under the clear.

If I knew how to upload an image I would.  But I'm obviously too stupid to figure that out.  At any rate, it just looks like a NOS tank - really nice.  You'll see it on ebay soon.  This has been a fun project and I've learned a lot about early CB750s.