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Maine
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Joined: September 21, 2010
Posts: 150
Location: Maine
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 Posted: Tue Mar 03, 2020 7:03 am Post subject: Decal or Letters |
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I am putting new paint on my Vanagon top should I put Westfalia letters on or a decal?
Last edited by Maine on Tue Mar 03, 2020 7:29 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Glenn 
Mr. 010
Joined: December 25, 2001
Posts: 76901
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| Posted: Tue Mar 03, 2020 7:13 am Post subject: Re: Decal or Letters |
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What was it from the factory?
In the muscle car world, the factory did vinyl decals, but i've seen many resto mods where the stripes are painted and they look upscale.
Decals can be easily removed, but paint is more permanent.
In the end, it's whatever you prefer.
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Glenn
74 Beetle Specs | 74 Beetle Restoration | 2180cc Engine
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bobbyblack
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Location: United States, Iowa
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| Posted: Tue Mar 03, 2020 7:45 am Post subject: Re: Decal or Letters |
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If it were mine to choose, I'd go with a decal. I'd also go with the authentic looking one with the curved "L" and not the reproduction one that is completely WRONG that has a corner in the lower left of the angle on the "L".
Here is the wrong one:
https://www.gowesty.com/product/made-in-usa/2404/westfalia-pop-top-decal
Here is the right one, at least visually:
https://www.busdepot.com/255070732
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'87 Westy 'Flossie','86 Westy 'R1','86 tintop GL - Subi2.2 'J2','83.5 stock tintop L 'ZoomBus','74 Karmann Ghia, '63 Notch |
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Jake de Villiers
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Maine
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Joined: September 21, 2010
Posts: 150
Location: Maine
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| Posted: Tue Mar 03, 2020 9:31 am Post subject: Re: Decal or Letters |
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That's why I asked!! Thanks Bobby |
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Squidfish
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| Posted: Tue Mar 03, 2020 9:55 am Post subject: Re: Decal or Letters |
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Never noticed that on the GW repro, wow.. that looks bad compared to the original style "L".
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1985.5 - Vanagon Westfalia Weekender Wolfsburg Edition - LH8U - "Penny"
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bobbyblack
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Location: United States, Iowa
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| Posted: Tue Mar 03, 2020 10:20 am Post subject: Re: Decal or Letters |
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| gonewesty4good wrote: |
| wow.. that looks bad |
Not only that, but GW has been told multiple times by multiple people over multiple years that theirs is wrong. And, still, they sell them. Just another reason I've been holding off buying from them on as many occasions as I can. Im only a stickler on the little things. And the other things too.
-bobby
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'87 Westy 'Flossie','86 Westy 'R1','86 tintop GL - Subi2.2 'J2','83.5 stock tintop L 'ZoomBus','74 Karmann Ghia, '63 Notch |
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brainscience
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Location: Sacramento, CA
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| Posted: Tue Mar 03, 2020 10:26 am Post subject: Re: Decal or Letters |
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As far as I can tell, both the sharp L and curved L were used from the factory. I have seen the sharp L on two vans (90 and 91). Both had the original Westfalia decals from the factory. Best to look at the fading of the pop top to determine which was original to the van, the surface under the original decals will be noticeably brighter. |
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bobbyblack
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Location: United States, Iowa
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| Posted: Tue Mar 03, 2020 10:31 am Post subject: Re: Decal or Letters |
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Hmm, now I have to look at original 90-91 brochures to see this for myself, new info to me, and I have to KNOW its true to repeat it.
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'87 Westy 'Flossie','86 Westy 'R1','86 tintop GL - Subi2.2 'J2','83.5 stock tintop L 'ZoomBus','74 Karmann Ghia, '63 Notch |
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bobbyblack
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dlb154
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| Posted: Tue Mar 03, 2020 10:55 am Post subject: Re: Decal or Letters |
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I recall looking to buy 1990 Westflalia a few years back and the pop-top had both curved and sharp corner "L" - Front and back decals were different.
The seller was the original owner, or so he claimed. He said the decals were original but never noticed they had different Ls... |
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Glenn
Mr. 010
Joined: December 25, 2001
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| Posted: Tue Mar 03, 2020 11:01 am Post subject: Re: Decal or Letters |
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Not sure if it changed over the years but the current logo on their official website has a curved "L".
Upper right on their website.
https://www.westfalia-mobil.com/
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Glenn
74 Beetle Specs | 74 Beetle Restoration | 2180cc Engine
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kamzcab86
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| Posted: Tue Mar 03, 2020 11:13 am Post subject: Re: Decal or Letters |
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My '90 still sports its factory lettering and both front and rear L's are rounded. If any vans have a square L, that decal was most likely replaced.
As for the OP's question, I'm probably the only one confused because the letters themselves are decals.🤔
| Glenn wrote: |
Not sure if it changed over the years but the current logo on their official website has a curved "L".
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It hasn't changed. It's always been a round L.
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Maine
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Location: Maine
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| Posted: Tue Mar 03, 2020 11:30 am Post subject: Re: Decal or Letters |
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| kamzcab86 wrote: |
My '90 still sports its factory lettering and both front and rear L's are rounded. If any vans have a square L, that decal was most likely replaced.
As for the OP's question, I'm probably the only one confused because the letters themselves are decals.🤔
| Glenn wrote: |
Not sure if it changed over the years but the current logo on their official website has a curved "L".
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It hasn't changed. It's always been a round L. |
My intent on the question was should I do individual letters or a decal (which I assumed was all the letters together). The decal would avoid trying to get each letter straight with the others. |
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campism
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| Posted: Tue Mar 03, 2020 11:45 am Post subject: Re: Decal or Letters |
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I expect you can get cutout vinyl letters on a strip so they do not have to be individually applied. Bike industry stickers have been like this for twenty years.
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Abscate
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| Posted: Tue Mar 03, 2020 11:49 am Post subject: Re: Decal or Letters |
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Either one, as long as it is pronounced DECK-al and not DEE-cal.
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MsTaboo
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| Posted: Tue Mar 03, 2020 11:58 am Post subject: Re: Decal or Letters |
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Low milage unmolested European Westy Joker. Inner edge sharp, outer round
You can look at my gallery for a closer look. Page 10
Replacement letters
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Zeitgeist 13
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| Posted: Tue Mar 03, 2020 12:24 pm Post subject: Re: Decal or Letters |
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Speaking of decals, what's the difference between a Joker and a Club Joker?
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Glenn
Mr. 010
Joined: December 25, 2001
Posts: 76901
Location: Sneaking up behind you
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| Posted: Tue Mar 03, 2020 12:32 pm Post subject: Re: Decal or Letters |
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| Maine wrote: |
| kamzcab86 wrote: |
My '90 still sports its factory lettering and both front and rear L's are rounded. If any vans have a square L, that decal was most likely replaced.
As for the OP's question, I'm probably the only one confused because the letters themselves are decals.🤔
| Glenn wrote: |
Not sure if it changed over the years but the current logo on their official website has a curved "L".
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It hasn't changed. It's always been a round L. |
My intent on the question was should I do individual letters or a decal (which I assumed was all the letters together). The decal would avoid trying to get each letter straight with the others. |
Unless you are anal and meticulous, I would go for the single decal over individual letters. This way you have the correct spacing between letters.
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Glenn
74 Beetle Specs | 74 Beetle Restoration | 2180cc Engine
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Kirsche Wasserboxer
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| Posted: Tue Mar 03, 2020 1:07 pm Post subject: Re: Decal or Letters |
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| gonewesty4good wrote: |
| Never noticed that on the GW repro, wow.. that looks bad compared to the original style "L". |
Ugh, now I have something else to obsess about on my Westy. I have the wrong L decals. 
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