Note: These threads are old. I managed to restore these Sun Automotive Equipment threads from backups that I had made several years ago.
Hope you like them -
This was a test to see if the procedure could work. If it finally works, then most all my Sun machine panels can be totally restored to like new condition without going through expensive silk screening.
A fellow Sun restorer contacted me a few months back with the idea of using waterslide decals to restore the lettering on old Sun machines. I agreed to give it a shot. He sent me some decals for the experiment.
Here is the test case. I refurbished the electronics in this unit several years ago, but could never get the lettering on the corroded panel right.
![](http://i357.photobucket.com/albums/oo18/goodfellow_2004/1160/PICT0282.jpg)
![](http://i357.photobucket.com/albums/oo18/goodfellow_2004/1160/PICT0420Medium.jpg)
First I straightened the sheet metal and then sanded/stripped the panel down to metal --
![](http://i357.photobucket.com/albums/oo18/goodfellow_2004/1160/PICT0421Medium.jpg)
![](http://i357.photobucket.com/albums/oo18/goodfellow_2004/1160/PICT0422Medium.jpg)
![](http://i357.photobucket.com/albums/oo18/goodfellow_2004/1160/PICT0423Medium.jpg)
Next, I layed down five coats of Rustoleum "Apple Red"
![](http://i357.photobucket.com/albums/oo18/goodfellow_2004/1160/PICT0424Medium.jpg)
Now comes the hard part. These decals are very fragile, and my preliminary tests with some scrap cutting showed that they were too fragile to position and drag off the paper when fully wet. To remedy that problem I sprayed the top of the decal with two light coats of clear rattle can paint -- that stiffened the decal up a lot.
![](http://i357.photobucket.com/albums/oo18/goodfellow_2004/1160/PICT0425Medium.jpg)
![](http://i357.photobucket.com/albums/oo18/goodfellow_2004/1160/PICT0427Medium.jpg)
I used a pencil eraser to drag the decal off the paper backing -- that worked better than my fingers, and made final positioning much easier.
![](http://i357.photobucket.com/albums/oo18/goodfellow_2004/1160/PICT0426Medium.jpg)
The first decal applied successfully!!! :wow:
![](http://i357.photobucket.com/albums/oo18/goodfellow_2004/1160/PICT0428Medium.jpg)
![](http://i357.photobucket.com/albums/oo18/goodfellow_2004/1160/PICT0429Medium.jpg)
All decals applied -- this is tedious work!! Glad I had a few adult beverages to calm the nerves :beerdrnk:
![](http://i357.photobucket.com/albums/oo18/goodfellow_2004/1160/PICT0430Medium.jpg)
![](http://i357.photobucket.com/albums/oo18/goodfellow_2004/1160/PICT0431Medium.jpg)
Now I'll let these decals dry thoroughly for a few days, then use pinstriping tape to make the OEM border outlines (as in the original), and finally bury the entire set in five or six coats of heavy clear paint. That should work -- maybe?
If all works out as expected, this will be the way to go for restoring intricate panel work.