I still choose to think that thinner is better and that the ideal would be to have a Letraset sheet with all the various permutations so as to save the need to spell out each word letter by letter with the obvious chances for an amateur to fall into error!!
Consequently I have written again to Letraset and have suggested that they need to do a bit more than fob us off to their none too user friendly web site. I have also told them how many hits there have been so far on this topic and that it is time for them to decide whether or not to be a bit more helpful
I agree with you Bill, I don’t want to put on too many coats of varnish to cover the lettering. Too thick a coat is as bad as too thin a coating, plus I like to do a sanding between coats which you can’t do with the thicker lettering, until you have put on enough coats to cover it.
I also as memtioned earlier found the Letraset web site very difficult to navigate, keep us informed about their response to your e-mail.
I think that Peter might also have the answer in his previous posting, do you have any ideas about costs involved Peter?
Following up on Peter’s suggestion, if there is to be made by letraset or anyone else a sheet of words and symbols we need to ensure that we have a comprehensive list of what is needed.
For example the list from Peter misses VACUUM which my +2 had originally for the knob which raises the lights. I also have a CIGAR.
The sheet I bought from the US (with the clear sticky stuff) also had some omissions.
Does someone have a master list to which we could all add if necessary?
Regards, Bill
Bill has a very valid point in the need to have a complete listing of the required wording !
I took mine form a picture of a new dash for a +2 S 130/5 (like mine) and it is as far as I know correct However I am negotiating with a company to make some of these ( It must be the Masochistic steak in me ) and then make them available to restorers and owners alike.
So if anyone has a ‘Complete’ listing then lets have it I have added Bill’s Vacuum & Cigar to mine as attached but lets see if there is anything else ? The keen eyed amongst you may notice there are now 6 sets on the sheet 3 Helvetica and 3 Universal, this is in preparation for being the ‘original’ for the negative being made up at the suppliers as 6 on one sheet is better than 4 for the same postage and packaging etc
I have printed of the original sheet I made up and have to say the difference in Universal and Helvetica is minimal but the Universal probably will get my vote although it does make the text slightly longer for each word.
Hi Bill,
please find pictures of my dash, with the number of coats you will need plenty!!, the person who guided me does restoration veneer work for a living and he was right. Having the 10+ coats the dash stands up to a bit of abuse when you are fitting all the gauges and trying to fit the dash back
With the letraset if you want to go down that track I have a sheet that I can post to you (PM me with your postal address).
I have an advantage with my car being an early one the dash lettering is at a minimum.
PS doing the dash is the easy part! getting every thing to work before you put the dash back in is the “fun” part!, This has been one of the most frustrating projects I have done on my Lotus.
The original dashes (for the S130 at least) had arrows for positioning the heater sliders next to DEFROST and INTERIOR. They don’t seem to be on the new dashes…
The original dashes (for the S130 at least) had arrows for positioning the heater sliders next to DEFROST and INTERIOR. They don’t seem to be on the new dashes…
Peter,
I have a very old Letraset catalogue & it shows Helvetica in three styles, light, medium & bold. What have you used in your proposed sheets, I don’t think it is the bold? Looking at some photos in various books I still think that Microgramma Bold Extended is what was used on an S4 dash. Unfortunately when I removed the cracked veneer I didn’t save a piece with the lettering on it, stupid me.
Microgramma Bold Extended is “supposed” to be the same as Universal Bold Extended so this is what I have used in one set.
The other set is Helvetica bold extended, I have to say they are both really close to the original, The Universal probably getting my vote due to being a bit ‘stronger’ !!
I was interested to see the arrows on the dash, mine doesn’t have any and I think its original ? on a +2S 130/5 1974 car (I think it depends on what was in the parts bin at the time really) however MINE has PULL at the side of the light switch and the rotation arrow but NO Vacuum
I have found some left/right & up & down arrows + circular rotation ones to add to the sheet before finalising with the manufacturer of these dry rub down transfers, SEE ATTACHED for all’s perusal
I have ordered Universal 10pt bold extended and Helvetica 10pt bold extended, I have to say to the naked eye on a computer screen there is VERY little difference and the person who spots the difference on a dashboard would have to be a ‘geek’
No Idea really of the cost yet as although the preliminary price has been agreed with the supplier, a final cost including the ‘negative’ which I have to pay for but he retains (for any future orders from ME only) and to include P&P has yet to be agreed once he has done the first run !
I’m not going to be looking at making a huge profit though as I don’t do it for that its a love of things old auto wise that makes me spend time and effort to do this type of thing !
Dear Peter M,
Have you ordered Letraset lettering and if so can you tell me what is included. Perhaps I could put you in funds to send me a couple of sheets if you could be bothered. It would be very good of you and of course I would insist on contributing to your initial costs.
Regards, Bill.
I have now received my first batch (depending on the demand) of 10 sets of dash wording and symbols etc as per the PDF attached to this topic above by me. (+2 dash wording X 6 + symbols.pdf)
IE: all the wording and the up / down, left / right and turning arrows, I have had a look at them against my dash and the lettering is close enough to the original not to be noticeably different to the eye as far as I’m concerned.
They are rub down transfers similar to lettraset but completed words so the problem of alignment is much simplified.
To cover my set up costs including the negative which has to be made initially prior to any printing run they sets will be ?15 (gbp) + P&P which will be no more than ?1 no matter how many sets you want
So email me or reply to this post and let me know if you want some, I will get more made if there is the demand, but to be fair to the initial buyers they will be at the same cost as these ones.
Hi Peter…I’ll take 2 sets if that’s OK. As there’s a postal strike on here at the moment, Paypal will be the best payment option if that’s OK with you…I’ll add the 4% commision to the ?15 + ?1 of course!!
Mark
However I am negotiating with a company to make some of these ( It must be the Masochistic steak in me 
) and then make them available to restorers and owners alike.
I have added Bill’s Vacuum & Cigar to mine as attached but lets see if there is anything else ? The keen eyed amongst you may notice there are now 6 sets on the sheet 3 Helvetica and 3 Universal, this is in preparation for being the ‘original’ for the negative being made up at the suppliers as 6 on one sheet is better than 4 for the same postage and packaging etc 
