Hi guys
I been lurking around for a while, reading old posts & learning what I can. Now I'd like to ask for some advice & opinions.

I have a 60's/70's vintage Autolite Tune-up cabunet/service desk that I bought a year ago. The same type that was used in the Shell station I worked at as a teenager. The cabinet is very solid but, as I'm sure many of you know, the paint on these was never what anybody would describe as high quality. I've decided to restore it.

The original finish is a hammered dark grey or black on the cabinet body & a plain white finish with graphics on the doors. I don't think I will have a problem finding a bump & paint guy to apply decent paint to it but I have concerns about the graphics.

I would like opinions on whether I should have them try to paint around & preserve the graphics? The graphics appear to be some kind of silk screening. Has anyone here recreated these kinda of graphic & is it a viable option?

If anyone has knowledge and/or opinions on this your input would be greatly appreciated.

Welcome to oldgas. For me if the piece is in good condition I just clean them up and if needed clear coat them with a satin finish to protect them.

Your's appears to be in good condition and a good cleaning just might be the ticket. I prefer original or restoration when ever possible.

A number of Ebay Sellers; sell different Autolite decals... If you don't find a version you like; maybe someone can "custom" make a decal for you? (I would think that someone would/should have a license from Ford/Autolite; to recreate and sell the Autolite decals)

If the cabinet were mine, I would first get a few decals and then repaint the cabinet...

(Maybe because of my age, I don't hold such cabinets in the same regard as those from the 1920s-50s.... These cabinets were massed produced, not very sturdy, rusted through in a short amount of time... For the most part, they were a "throw away" unit. Get a few years worth of use out of them and then replace with another flimsy cabinet....)

Painting around decals is a pain in the butt, I'd find new decals If you can. Bet they are out there, shocking how often decals are already made by someone.

Can be recreated by taking a high quality, straight on camera image, and bring to sign shop. Or better yet maybe they can scan it if you take the doors off. That's not a cheap option though, having them made.

If you decide to save decals, need to mask them carefully with fine edge tape, same quality used for painting pinstripes. Put down tape and cut it by holding it down square with a razor blade against the surface and then pull the tape. When all done need to clear coat like mentioned above. This will only work with the car logo as its a square decal.

I agree with Bob. Those are kinda new for me also .But it comes down to what YOU want.. If it was mine I would clean it up and sell it and get a old one.:)

Agree with you, but it's still cool. I'd repaint it and not be worried about authenticity. Looks like a fun cabinet to customize.

X 2

My father had this unit (above) and another that went on the wall. This unit was put in his station and the wall unit was taken out to the house we were building. Good memories 1974-76

It should be pretty easy to get those images recreated, just do it as a slide decal rather than a sticker and it will look more original in my opinion.

Like others I seriously doubt any major advantage/disadvantage value wise from keeping or replacing the images and repainting the cabinet.

BTW, the car image is a standard one seen on several different advertising pieces so finding a good graphic to go from shouldn't be an issue.

PM sent

Paul, I believe you are mistaken about "the Car Image" on the decal. As that image, is of the 1967 Ford GT40 Mk III Coupe that won at Le Mans and again won Le Mans in 1968. (marking the third year in a row that Ford won Le Mans over Ferrari)...

The image was owned completely by The Ford Motor Company for advertising purposes (and I believe still is).... Even Carroll Shelby, the creator of the Ford GT40's; had to ask permission to use that image....

The reason Autolite was able to use the image... Is because it was a Ford Motor Company Product from 1961 until 1973....

Get a very good camera (Nikon/Cannon) and take very close up pictures of the images. Make sure they are high revolutions.

Then have T-Way make you some decals, you can clear coat over the decals and make them look better then the originals.

Jack Sim

Bob, I didn't look real close at the car, GT40, do like those. I doubt he'll have trouble with infringement or finding someone to make decals for him. Seems like no one asks me about that anymore, I think as long as it's for your personal use they don't bother you, if you start selling them, especially online, that's when could have troubles depending on how protective the company is. I know Harley and coke are super protective, not sure about Ford, but recreating what was on their originally should be fine. Maybe no one is making these for sale because of ford, could see that! Paul

Did a quick search, there's some repro stickers of the gt40 but they may be too small. Quite a few on eBay. Hopefully you can find one the right size. There's some very cool light up clocks with this image, wouldn't mind having one of those. Great, another thing I want to collect now!

Search for Ford Autolite Ad or Advertising and you'll find images of the graphic on clocks, magazine ads, etc if the original on the cabinet is damaged beyond simple repair.

I want to thank everyone for so graciously taking time out of your day to respond to a new guy looking for opinions.

I appreciate everyone's input here and understand the collector mindset many of you have. Older, rarer, original finishes are more desirable and have much better investment potential....I get that and embrace it in most of my collecting activities which include a 50 gun firearm collection and a collection of a dozen or so antique electric fans. However, my collecting activities in regard to petroliana have another focus. I am collecting memories. I'm only interested in specific items that were a part of my everyday work life when I was a kid pumping gas in a Shell station.

I've already attempted to clean the cabinet, tried polishing compound...the paint is just not there. The cabinet looks much better in the picture than it does in reality. A lot of surface rust bleeding through. I've already made the decision to restore the cabinet, the condition just does not fit the memory I have of the cabinet back in the early 1970's when the cabinet I remember was relatively new. I figure the restoration will cost me maybe $500 to $1000.....much more than the cabinet is worth. It's like this....I'm 61, retired and have reached a point in my life where I can afford to indulge myself.

Really the only issue is the graphics. The Autolite/GT 40 graphic appears to me to be screen printed & not a decal or sticker. If I can't preserve the graphics, my next choice would be to recreate the them with screen printing. Decals or stickers would be a last resort. I have not checked with local screen printers yet but I will. I just thought maybe some of you here might have had some experience here with the process.

Here's a few more pics that maybe better show how bad the surface rust is and a couple extra just because everybody likes to look at pics. LOL

Tod, let us know how it goes. I've never used the silk screening process on a restoration but it's crossed my mind before as a possible approach!

I too don't really care for the look of decals, and I used to do elaborate stencils so I could paint on logos. I still do that but pretty rarely now. I realized that if I get a high quality decal and bury it in clear, it's really hard to tell its even a decal at all. You might be surprised! The trick to it is to put the decal on with no bubbles at all because the clear will magnify it. Also put on generous amount of clear after a first light coat (to avoid edge interactions between clear and decal). If your silk screening falls through its a viable backup.

Here's a recent pump with a mix of buried decals and painted pinstriping/graphics, it's hard to tell which is which. http://www.oldgas.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Main=93203&Number=565934#Post565934

Thanks Paul for passing on your experience with decals, I will definitely keep that in mind.

Also thanks to Robert77 who graciously sold me a set of stickers he had. I feel confident now moving forward on this project at least having the stickers to use as a last resort if the silk screening doesn't pan out.

Any idea what a cabinet like yours is worth? I have a buddy that has one in a little better condition that he wants to sell, but doesn't know what to ask. Thanks in advance. J R Patton Tribune, Ks.