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Old Nov 22, 2021 | 08:40 AM
  #1  
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Small press on letters

A while ago a member here started a resto on a 70 W30 which I was following but then he stopped for some reason and not sure what happened? He was doing some great work and I looked forward to his updates. If anybody knows what happened you can PM me.
Anyway he restored his fuse panel with new lettering and I would like to do the same but I'm having trouble locating a source for the small letters. Does anybody know what sizes this lettering is and where to get?

Old Nov 22, 2021 | 09:19 AM
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ditto,i also could use some. could it be a stencil with white paint?
Old Nov 22, 2021 | 09:24 AM
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I bet you can come up with some pressure transfer lettering from Hobby Lobby or office supply stores. I used to relabel the control panels of flight simulators with them and then cover with clear lacquer paint.
Old Nov 22, 2021 | 12:58 PM
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My machine can cut down to 3/16" with no problem. Might do smaller with a new blade.
Old Nov 22, 2021 | 01:43 PM
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Originally Posted by oldcutlass
I bet you can come up with some pressure transfer lettering from Hobby Lobby or office supply stores.
^^^THIS. Google dry transfer lettering white
Old Nov 22, 2021 | 01:53 PM
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A stamp with the rolling alpha letters (roll the letters to make the word) with correct colour ink could be used. Find the correct font size letters.
Old Nov 23, 2021 | 08:24 AM
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Scrappie I called M&H Electric inquiring about the lettering you wanted. They don't have it and didn't know where it would be avalable except from a source that specializes in transfer lettering as some have already suggested.

Knowing that every car presents differently, I sort of appreciate the wear my fuse box shows, but you and others may not agree.



Old Nov 23, 2021 | 09:10 AM
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I think thats great if you can read the letters clearly and have no issues. The problem is if one wants to restore or repair a fuse panel and in doing so removes the markings, then what do you do? Some might say you should be buying a new wiring harness anyway but in some cases that may not be an option or desired.

Last edited by scrappie; Nov 23, 2021 at 12:10 PM.
Old Nov 23, 2021 | 11:14 AM
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And make sure you abbreviate “ignition” correctly! (see photo in original post)
Old Nov 23, 2021 | 11:36 AM
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Can anyone measure the letter height? I can match the font and spacing, and am willing to experiment. If I can cut them, each marking would be pre-spaced so one does not have to lay each letter individually.
Old Nov 23, 2021 | 12:12 PM
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Originally Posted by bccan
And make sure you abbreviate “ignition” correctly! (see photo in original post)
that too!
Old Nov 23, 2021 | 01:04 PM
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When I was restoring my latest fuse panel all I did to clean up the lettering was use a super fine point detail paint brush and some white paint and fix the spots that were worn. Came out real good and crisp but it took a real steady hand and worked under a magnifying glass.
Old Nov 23, 2021 | 01:29 PM
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Originally Posted by tnswt
Scrappie I called M&H Electric inquiring about the lettering you wanted. They don't have it and didn't know where it would be avalable except from a source that specializes in transfer lettering as some have already suggested.

Knowing that every car presents differently, I sort of appreciate the wear my fuse box shows, but you and others may not agree.


I don't mind a little wear, and every car does present differently, but I don't think I've ever seen yellow striped fuses used on a GM A body at least up to 1972. I could be wrong...
Old Nov 23, 2021 | 02:08 PM
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Originally Posted by mrolds69
I don't mind a little wear, and every car does present differently, but I don't think I've ever seen yellow striped fuses used on a GM A body at least up to 1972. I could be wrong...
i only had white and red striped fuses on my 70.
Old Nov 23, 2021 | 03:26 PM
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I guess I've never paid attention to a colored stripe on a fuse in an automobile. It's interesting to note the fuses are consistent: White = 25A; Yellow = 20A; Red = 10A
Old Nov 23, 2021 | 03:41 PM
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Oh...absolutely Norm, there were blue striped fuses, purple striped fuses, etc. But as far as I know, not on GM A bodys...maybe after 1972. Maybe earlier on Caddies, 'vettes, big cars, GM pickups, Canadian cars...I don't know. Only red, white and clear on A bodys, I think. A good MCACN or OCA judge would spot that in a nano second.
Old Nov 23, 2021 | 04:05 PM
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OM Gosh. I don’t ever recall seeing those colors but may have and never realized it. I owned a 1967 442 from 1969 - 1973 and a 1972 442 from 1976 - 1981. I’m surprised I never noticed. That’s cool.
Old Nov 23, 2021 | 04:18 PM
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The pressure transfer letters I used in college as a graphic design major were Letraset.
They had sheets of any type in any size you wanted.
Another name was Chartpak I think?

Try them out!
-peter
Old Nov 23, 2021 | 04:22 PM
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I know Norm, it is cool. I think it started around 67..definitely by 1968. If you look at like a bit later Caddy, it's like a rainbow of color. The flashers are really interesting, too. Those were color coded and there were a LOT of them. My 69 442 as a green 175 Signal Stat because it only has 2 tail bulbs (plus the others) that flash in an emergency. It all depends on how many bulbs flash. The load on the flasher changes the speed. Anyways, I just don't want people to look at that pic and grab a yellow brush because they think it's how they were. Been there, done that!
Old Nov 23, 2021 | 04:35 PM
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In an interesting side note, I went to High School (St. Edward) in Elgin, IL in the 60s. One of my classmates was Steve Bussman, i.e. Bussmann fuses inventor family. His father was one of the Bussman Brothers from St. Louis or his Uncle was - can’t recall. Anyways, when the Bussmann’s sold their patent to McGraw-Edison (McGraw Electric, Elgin, IL), that’s where Steve’s dad worked. They were quite well off. Just a side story, no significance other than us guys in H.S. found that pretty cool in the smallest of unique ways.
Old Nov 24, 2021 | 03:41 PM
  #21  
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Originally Posted by pappy
Can anyone measure the letter height? I can match the font and spacing, and am willing to experiment. If I can cut them, each marking would be pre-spaced so one does not have to lay each letter individually.
Here is a measurement as best I could get. Interested to see what you come up with. Looks like 3/32" for small and 1/8" for the larger font?




Last edited by scrappie; Nov 25, 2021 at 04:28 AM.
Old Nov 25, 2021 | 05:31 AM
  #22  
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Amazon Amazon
$7.84
.Font sizes 1/16", 3/32", 1/8", 3/16".

I can't barely read my lettering at all so I may give these a shot. Thanks for the thread.
Steve


Old Nov 25, 2021 | 08:02 AM
  #23  
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Looks like 3/32 on the smaller letters and maybe just under 1/8 on the larger ones, so that set from Amazon might get you by.
Old Nov 26, 2021 | 09:36 AM
  #24  
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Originally Posted by mrolds69
I don't mind a little wear, and every car does present differently, but I don't think I've ever seen yellow striped fuses used on a GM A body at least up to 1972. I could be wrong...
My car came to me with a few colored fuses in the fuse box. When I refreshed the box, I used all new AGC fuses, and I used glass paint to replicate the stripes for white(25a), clear (20a), and red (10a). However, over the past year the clear paint stripe has clouded in appearance. The camera iPhone wants to make the clear fuse band appear yellow when it is photographed, which I guess is due to the cloudy clear paint, poor lighting, flash etc. To my naked eye the 20a fuses do not appear yellow, only a little hazy where I appled the glass paint stripe.
Old Nov 26, 2021 | 09:51 AM
  #25  
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I don't think I've ever seen color coded glass fuses in any of these old cars.
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