Wood graining, signwriting and coach painting of a vintage ERF lorry.
After nearly twelve months of working on the vintage ERF wood graining project, I was almost finished, when the workshop door opened, “Rob, I have got a visitor and he wants to look at your work, do you mind?” Not at all “Wow, that is nice, blimey it is all painted on. When I first saw it, I thought the whole cab was made of wood. You have painted all this on by hand? Yes, all by hand. “Wow, unbelievable; how do you get the woodgrain effect then?” Obviously, the preparation first, then I brushed on the ground coat. To achieve the correct woodgrain effect, the ground coat colour is crucial, so I mixed my own. When this is dry, the graining scumble is painted on. “scrumble”. No scumble, spelt S C U M B LE. “Where do you buy this stuff, online?” You can get it online but I prefer to mix my own. “Wow, to think all this woodgrain has been painted on by hand, even the inside of the doors looks like wood too. I have seen signwriting done on old lorries but I have never seen one done like this.” Woodgraining of cabs was once popular, especially on these ERFs. “I take, you have done the signwriting as well.” Yes, this is all my own work. “You have made a real nice job of the signwriting and spraying the lacquer on too.” Thanks. Actually, it isn’t lacquer it is varnish, brushed on by hand. “You are trying to tell me this has been brushed on, but there are no brush marks.” The varnish I was brushed on. “How did you get such a lovely finish?” With traditional coach painting techniques and a good brush. Then the workshop door opened again and someone else entered the building. “Ooh, someone has made a nice job of wrapping that old truck. Mm, I think I will have my car wrapped like that” This cab has not been wrapped plastic. It has been done with paint. “All that is painted on, never, you’re having me on.” It has, I have painted it on. “How did you do it then?”
I do; Genuine predigital age signwriting on vintage coaches and vintage lorries, sign writing on vintage and classic vans; coachlines and signwriting on steam trains, steam traction engines, coachlines on electric trams; coachlines on a Rolls Royce to a Victorian Pram: Done with one pair of hands: Mine.
If you want a signwriter who was signwriting the original cloth style destination blinds, including the public service vehicles they went in; signwriting buses for companies which were once part of our daily lives, now from a bygone era: A signwriter who was signwriting holiday coaches, including name glasses on a daily basis when these now vintage coaches were newly built. Give me a call. If you want a signwriter, who was signwriting British lorries when ERF was still building them in Sandbach. A signwriter, who worked on FODEN lorries when FODEN was still making them in Elworth. Give me a call. To summarise; if you want authentic signwriting done by a self-employed craftsman, with over 40 years of experience doing vehicle livery: Give me a call; whether be it signwriting on your classic van, vintage lorry, vintage bus, a lovely hand painted coachline on your treasured classic car. Even a small job such as signwriting the old-style number plates. Give me a telephone call or email me.
However, if you want a vehicle wrapped in printed plastic, letters making out of plastic, or someone to stick these awful things on. Please do not make contact, as I will not be interested in the slightest.
