ive wanted to put something on the door of the 69' but i dont want it to be fake. i found out the other day while talking to my dads boss and good friend, that his company started in 1968 (Elrod Fence). i thought cool it is the perfect year to do a logo. so ive found and old cup holder with the old logo and phone number (still had letters in it) and was jsut wondering howmany other people did this. put a company logo on the door without it being a car shop.
If its done well it would be pretty cool, It would be as if you found one of their discarded vehicles and brought it back to life.
I like the looks of a truck lettered for some business. Like most who have done this, I chose a car-related business. Henrietta the '38 Ford pickup is lettered as a shop truck for Drake Motor Co., local Ford dealer from 1928-1956. Phone 13, their actual phone number back in the day. If you want a non-automotive business, check your local library for old city directories the vintage of your vehicle and look for businesses that no longer exist. Or invent a fic***ious business, complete with a slogan: For a garage: "We do open hood surgery." For a muffler shop: "Our work is exhausting but we do it for you." For an exterminator: "We have a license to kill."
Sounds great! I say go for it. I would find a print shop to make you a template, then paint it yourself. You can use a slightly wet rag to weather the enamel (just drag the rag across it in the locations that would be beaten the most by sun/weathering) before it sets to give it a bit of a patina-looking effect. Have fun, and post pictures!
If I ever run across another '64 - '66 Chevy C-10, I'm going to replicate the shop trucks that my grandpa, my Dad, and my uncles had in the Denver area during that time. The business still exists, but is now focused considerably different than the electric service business it started out as. It'll basically be a tribute truck to the memory of my late grandpa, but also to show a bit of history of the company.
I have a '50 F1 that I intend to have lettered with my father's drilling business. He was a drilling contractor here back in the late '40s into the '50s. I want it lettered with the same style as what his trucks were back then. My first memories in a vehicle were with Dad in an old Ford truck so this whole idea is a tribute to his memory.
http://www.elrodfence.com/images/header3.jpg the red lettering in the corner is about what it will look like. i asked and my dad says that it has looked like that since day 1. so iguess that was opretty easy. he also told me that they have truck number tags (little number in the rear corner of the bed). so i think a little research is instore.
god i hope not. he thought it would be cool. (even though the first truck they had was a 64 flatbed c10)
The guys at the local parts house, and my local speed shop have helped me out quite a bit with my truck, giving helpful tips and getting me parts when i need them, lending me tools, etc. My plan is to through them some props by putting their company logos on my truck. I think they'll love it.
My bigger concern is being h***led by DOT... I've decided to go logo-less to be sure no one confuses my 'shop truck' with a commercial operation that needs additional inspection or fees. Some business types could cause more of that than others so it might be wise to think through the implications some. In my case I'm building to pull a trailer so the last thing I want is to look like a real transportation company.
A smart company would have its logo trademarked. If it's a small mom 'n pop type place, they may not. You'd be wise to get permission from them, regardless. Point out that it'd be free advertising for the business.
Might look cool but you should look a little deeper into this. A friend of mine has a '41 Ford P-up and own his own tire shop. He looked into painting his shop logo on the doors. Well guess what, the "old car" insurance does not allow business logo's permanently affixed to the vehicle. He can put magnetic signs on his truck (good thing it's steel) but no painted logo. Seems the truck will be considered as a "commercial vehicle" in the eyes of the insurance co. and therefore not qualify for specialty insurance.
Just a couple thoughts. If I owned a business and someone, even a close friend wanted to put my company name on his vehicle, I would probably decline the offer. Not because I wouldn't be thrilled by free advertising, but that whatever he decides to do in that truck from that day forward reflects on my company. There are other reasons to letter a vehicle. The fellow who bought Jim "Pops" Markley's A Pickup in Tulsa had Markley Trucking lettered on the doors when Jim p***ed awhile back as a tribute. Something like that might work for you and you would have a reason other that being trendy.
Here is a possible alternative - put the logo on a magnetic-type sign that can be put on at the car show, and taken off when on the road. I know several cop car restorers that have done this with their black-and-whites. In OK, you can not run a former cop car with permanent decals, even if that style is no longer used by that municipality or county. Light bars fall under this law, too. You can have both the door insignias and light bars on a restored cop car, but only in a parade, or at a car event. So, if you want to replicate a business design, that might be an option for you. This is what I plan to do with the door art for my one-of-these-days C-10 Chevy.
I know this is an old thread, but I plan on doing this as well, although mine will be a tribute to my Grandfather and his brother's company, the company is long gone, but I think my dad and aunts would really like seeing an old truck with the old company logo on the door.
I'm still thinking about putting "fake shop truck" on my doors just for fun. That's not meant to be a jab, I just think it would put me square in the middle and get laughs out of both camps!
we need to find somewhere called "naddareel"(pronounced not-a-real),so that someone can paint "naddareel hot rod shop" on their door.
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