Online Logo Database

[fjb]

Has anyone considered scanning all the typical button logos and icons in the MKII, and creating an online database of them here? As someone restoring the interior of a 1984 Supra, this would come in quite handy for recreating some of the faded/scratched/scraped logos (for example, the foglight switch), in my Supra. These could also be used to create decals to use in restoring the switches.

Or would this create some kind of copyright problem? I haven't noticed any copyright symbols on my switches, but maybe the circle-C has also worn off with time. :)

Taking this to the next step of course, is producing a decal sheet for some outrageously low price, and including all the common logos/icons on one sheet.

[dogstar]

if anyone could get me the logos and such, i might be able to access a good laser printer and decal paper, although id prefer to use rub on dry transfers, as they would last much longer and be more durable.

all in all, id prefer to use a stencil where possible, as properly applied paint will generally last longer.

[fjb]

What format do you want? I can take digital photo's of various parts, and send you the JPEG files if you want. That would require some scaling before printing though. Maybe I should photograph them next to a metric ruler to make that easier?

[dogstar]

if you do take jpegs, putting a ruler next to the switch/logo would be good, along with noting how big it should be when reduced.

itll be a bitch of a project, but i havent had a good excuse to install psp7 in a while... ;) :)

[fjb]

I'll take some shots this weekend (probably better to do this in natural daylight) and post them here. Some of mine are pretty faded though. If Chris (CJSREDPRA) is prowling in here, would you consider posting a shot of that pristine fog light switch you were bragging about? :)

Other logos/icons/parts:
Rear Windshield Wiper Switch
Cruise Control Switch
Rear Window Defogger Switch
Outside Mirror Adjustment Control Switch
Door Lock
Rear Hatch Release Lever
Fuel Tank Release Lever
Engine Compartment (painted) and Internal (decal) Fuse Box Diagrams
Dashboard icons/logos - "Automatic Air Conditioner", temp. guage, etc.

Am I missing any? Oh, I suppose the shifter knob could be considered one, but this is a little plastic (or vinyl) stick on emblem in my car (but still original, and in great shape).

[CJSREDPRA]

Problem.....

Don't have digital camera, nor the means to post pictures from here.

Anybody else have a good fog switch that they can use??

If anything, it's mostly the foglight switch, the rear window wiper switch (84 - 86) and the power doorlock switch (82 - 83) that get's worn out the most.

[SilverMk2]

Here's the mirror switch;

http://www.pbase.com/image/24863744/large

and here is the fog light and wiper switch;

http://www.pbase.com/image/24863939/large

HTH

[fjb]

Very nice fog light and rear wiper switches! Thanks for the links.

There is a little wear on the fog sw., but it shouldn't be too hard to clean up.

[SilverMk2]

There is a little wear on the fog sw., but it shouldn't be too hard to clean up.

Yeah I did that cleaning it with armor all. Its no surprise they don't last long. One good wipe with a cloth does it in. I've done it more than once now :mad:

[dogstar]

thanks :)
im just gonna steal the font and do it all in brilliant white, which wont be 100% correct, but itll at least give me someplace to start when i start fooling around with exact sizing.

what im going to try and do is get a whole sheet of foglight logos printed, and cut it up and sell each logo off at cost.
if it goes well, ill try doing other ones... if i end up selling 3 fog light logos and have 47 left... well, nuff said, i dont make that much money ;)
might take a bit longer this way, but depending how well it turns out, we can call it a trial run.

are the foglight logos different for 82-83, and 84-86?

ive got a fairly nice mirror here, maybe ill try doing that one too.
the 82-83 door lock switch would be nice to have also.
maybe do a sheet of the three console switches...
just thinking out loud at this point

[CJSREDPRA]

To my knowledge, the fog logo's are the same from 82 - 86.

[Flyin' Hawaiian]

Looks like it's just Arial bold, and for the "mirror" arial narrow. What I'm wondering is how you're able to "print" this onto your plastic parts. Are you folks just printing to clear plastic sheets, or having a vinyl shop cut the letters (did this for a year, I don't think they'll stay on very long)? I know you can have it silkscreened back onto the plastic, but that would be a ton of work and almost as expensive as buying new switches!
So, fill me in here on the secret process you folks are using!!!

[dogstar]

well, im not sure yet, i was thinking either wet transfer decals, which arent horribly durable :S
or dry transfers... also known as rub on transfers.
ive found them to be fairly hardy, and reasonably chemical resistant, and best of all, cheap.

if it is arial, theres an even better solution for the lettering... Letraset, they make sheets of dry transfers, cheaply, and easily avaliable in art and drafting shops.

the toughies are gonna be things like the lil pictograph of the foglight.
things like that, im going to try and get some flex paint and some blank dry transfer sheet, mask out the design, and then its spray and pray.
custom dry transfers like this can usually be made relatively cheaply, and in MASS quantities, and its basically the same thing theyd do if you took it to a shop that does made to order sheets.

the problem is, if the paints mixed wrong, it either wont adhere to the transfer film, itll adhere too well, or itll flake off when you bend it to apply the transfer to the part.

im gonna talk to a couple people this week and see what i can do about getting this done via other methods.

[CELICA GTS]

When you get around to making those "decals" tell me how much you want for them..etc....I have 3 foglight switches awaiting a logo.That way If one wears down prematurely I'll alwys have a backup :lol:

[fjb]

Likewise, let me know when you've got the decal sheets.

You know, this is really an issue of *safety* ... it is very important to know what that switch is for, especially for those of us who've been driving the car for 20 years! :)

[dogstar]

haha, progress is goin kinda slowly... the job hunting thing kinda takes precedence, but ive been puttering around on it in the evenings.

should have something put together in the fairly near future though.

[fjb]

haha, progress is goin kinda slowly... the job hunting thing kinda takes precedence, but ive been puttering around on it in the evenings.
should have something put together in the fairly near future though.
Hey dogstar - thanks for taking the point position on this project, oh great thread leader! :lol:

No problem or hurry for me anyway, I have plenty of things to fix in my ongoing efforts to restore and improve my 84. But I really like this idea I had. (I have to pat myself on the back for something. :) )

P.S. Hmm, if I were to quit doing everything else, read every article on this site, and post at least 10 replies per day, I might catch up with you in 6 or 7 months! This makes for 43 posts (and counting) for me. Good job keeping us all informed, no way could I keep up with your level of activity! :)

[dogstar]

ah, youll catch up some day... lol, i go in fits and starts...

im making slow progress, as i said, but i just got a job, and im tired as bugger, so im gonna be working on it this weekend, ill try and post up some art, if i can get it finished to my liking.

from there, i take it to a graphic artist to see what would be the best media to use for the decals.

and after that, another update with options and pricing, hopefully. :D

[fjb]

By the time I get to 1000 posts, you'll be at least to 5k! Is there another hidden rank name for that one??? I've set it to "Get A Life" on a forum I run! :lol:

Looking forward to some decals, but don't wear yourself out with all that new work ... save some energy to spend all that new cash on parts and such!

[RedP85]

Isn't there any P-touch that could have a .bmp downloaded to, or P-Touch PC printer that would do ? Just an idea...if it exist.!

[Donn29]

so what happened? i scould use a sheet or 2 with all the different logos. id pay 10 bucks to have it sent in an envlope too

[dogstar]

heh, 10 bucks is funny...

i apologize for my lack of action on this, but the last actual quote i got was something like 20 bucks a sheet, if i bought 20 sheets.
for a "miniscule" run like 10 sheets, it went up considerably, something like an extra 4-5 bucks a sheet.

since that quote, i havent had time or enthusiasm to mess around talking to the small number of printers in my area who would be willing to take on the project.

feel free to continue it at your leisure.

[Donn29]

do you have the pics or whatever you were using? id at least be doing this for myself if no one else wants them. id be glad to take over. anything anyone has would be appreciated

[dogstar]

the pics i have were posted in this thread, they arent mine.

i havent been able to find minty switches in any supra ive seen in alberta or i would have gotten photos.

[Donn29]

well the links dont work now. do you or SilverMk2 have them still?

[CELICA GTS]

Whats going on with this project?..any one want to try to take this one on? I'm just kind sad that it just kinda died :cry:

[dogstar]

as am i... i wish i had the time and money to commit to it completely.

i even had an artist volunteer a discount for his time to draw up the files for printing, but he was also quoting me 65 bucks a sheet for printing them.

at this point in time, its a bit too ambitious for me, and for the graphic skills i have.
if anyone cares to take the time and make autocad files of the lettering and switches, id be willing to have another go at finding reasonably priced printing options.

[CELICA GTS]

Well If I can start creating the logos I think I may have a source to print them up...maybe we can make it a group buy for the Celica supra.com store? Here's the company I was looking at and since its only one color it should'nt be that bad. opinions? thoughts? http://www.ambientgraphics.net/color_transfers.asp

[onephatcrackaII]

hmmm... can't we just photoshop what we need by looking at the books and stuff?

all your looking for is pics of logos right?

what kind of logos on which items?

[CELICA GTS]

hmmm... can't we just photoshop what we need by looking at the books and stuff?

all your looking for is pics of logos right?

what kind of logos on which items?


I guess they could photoshop The logos that we're going for are the foglight and wiper switch and plastic pieces and go on the door armrests for the window switches

[RedP85]

We should start by listing what we need:
1A: Foglamp switch ON: logo
1B: Foglamp switch OFF: OFF

2A: Rear Wiper ON: ON
2B: Rear Wiper: logo
2C: Rear Wiper INT: INT

3A: Left mirror: L
3B: Side mirror: MIRROR
3C: Right mirror: R

4A: Hazard switch: HAZARD
4B: Hazard switch: logo

5: Door lock: DOOR
.....................LOCK

6A: Override: OVERRIDE
6B: ON: logo ON
6C: OFF: logo OFF

7A: A/T mode: NORM
7B: A/T mode: PWR

Am I missing any / any error ?

[dogstar]

photoshop is fine, except it wont do what most printers need...

they want autocad files... usually in a a .dxf format, at least up here.
that way they toss it into their plotting program and it cuts the material in whatever pattern is on the file and bingo bango, your done.