Race car lettering

[racerhead]

Hello Todd,
My name is Bruce Deveau and I'm speaking as someone who is getting out of hand lettering race cars...mostly because I don't have time anymore, but also because I broke my wrist and can't letter any more. But I can shed some light on the situation.

Over the years more racers have gone with vinyl mostly for cost and convenience. There is also a trend in recent years of wild paint jobs that have little or no lettering, particularly on dragsters. But there remains a portion that will always prefer paint. These will be the high end customers who will tend to spend more. You will need high end skills regarding design and techniques, such as gold leaf and airbrushing.

it will also help to be close with those who are painting the cars. Many painters are dying for a good letterer/striper to finish their work. You will be expected to work crazy hours and work under pressure because the lettering is usually the last thing to get done before going to the track. The chassis guy will take years; the engine guy will have all the time in the world; the paint and body will go on forever; but the letterer gets the pressure. Most of your work will be in conjuction with designers (if you are not designing yourself) and painters. There is also a market for window numbers.

You will also benefit from spending time at the track. Most racers will want to know you are trustworthy before giving you their pride and joy.

Hope that helps. you can send me a PM if you have more questions.

Bruce

[Mark Callanan]

Originally Posted by racerhead

Hello Todd,
My name is Bruce Deveau and I'm speaking as someone who is getting out of hand lettering race cars...mostly because I don't have time anymore, but also because I broke my wrist and can't letter any more. But I can shed some light on the situation.

Over the years more racers have gone with vinyl mostly for cost and convenience. There is also a trend in recent years of wild paint jobs that have little or no lettering, particularly on dragsters. But there remains a portion that will always prefer paint. These will be the high end customers who will tend to spend more. You will need high end skills regarding design and techniques, such as gold leaf and airbrushing.

it will also help to be close with those who are painting the cars. Many painters are dying for a good letterer/striper to finish their work. You will be expected to work crazy hours and work under pressure because the lettering is usually the last thing to get done before going to the track. The chassis guy will take years; the engine guy will have all the time in the world; the paint and body will go on forever; but the letterer gets the pressure. Most of your work will be in conjuction with designers (if you are not designing yourself) and painters. There is also a market for window numbers.

You will also benefit from spending time at the track. Most racers will want to know you are trustworthy before giving you their pride and joy.

Hope that helps. you can send me a PM if you have more questions.

Bruce

Bruce
Is my car done yet?

lol

[Allan Dame]

Originally Posted by racerhead

Hello Todd,
My name is Bruce Deveau and I'm speaking as someone who is getting out of hand lettering race cars...mostly because I don't have time anymore, but also because I broke my wrist and can't letter any more. But I can shed some light on the situation.

Over the years more racers have gone with vinyl mostly for cost and convenience. There is also a trend in recent years of wild paint jobs that have little or no lettering, particularly on dragsters. But there remains a portion that will always prefer paint. These will be the high end customers who will tend to spend more. You will need high end skills regarding design and techniques, such as gold leaf and airbrushing.

it will also help to be close with those who are painting the cars. Many painters are dying for a good letterer/striper to finish their work. You will be expected to work crazy hours and work under pressure because the lettering is usually the last thing to get done before going to the track. The chassis guy will take years; the engine guy will have all the time in the world; the paint and body will go on forever; but the letterer gets the pressure. Most of your work will be in conjuction with designers (if you are not designing yourself) and painters. There is also a market for window numbers.

You will also benefit from spending time at the track. Most racers will want to know you are trustworthy before giving you their pride and joy.

Hope that helps. you can send me a PM if you have more questions.

Bruce

I agree That we need good old fashion Craftsmen Like Bruce to keep the tradition going...Harder and Harder to find someone willing to do it..This is an artform and Bruce is one of the best in the business !!! Hands down ... As I am a painter and have worked with Bruce from design to the finished product on countless cars I only wish that I had even one tenth of Bruces ability... So A BIG YES from me on getting the brushes out...LESS Sticker CRAP MORE Art work
Allan

[Toddwell]

Originally Posted by Allan Dame

I agree That we need good old fashion Craftsmen Like Bruce to keep the tradition going...Harder and Harder to find someone willing to do it..This is an artform and Bruce is one of the best in the business !!! Hands down ... As I am a painter and have worked with Bruce from design to the finished product on countless cars I only wish that I had even one tenth of Bruces ability... So A BIG YES from me on getting the brushes out...LESS Sticker CRAP MORE Art work
Allan

You are right Allan...Bruce is without a doubt an exceptional artist...I've been living in the Midwest almost all my life, and have been familiar with his work since I started lettering years ago.
Most of the people I know that can letter have gotten out of it because of the futility of trying to compete with vinyl sign shops that do work at lowball prices.
I guess I was hoping that at some point people would realize that you really do get what you pay for when it comes to this kind of work.
Thanks for the input Allan!
Todd

[Allan Dame]

Originally Posted by Toddwell

You are right Allan...Bruce is without a doubt an exceptional artist...I've been living in the Midwest almost all my life, and have been familiar with his work since I started lettering years ago.
Most of the people I know that can letter have gotten out of it because of the futility of trying to compete with vinyl sign shops that do work at lowball prices.
I guess I was hoping that at some point people would realize that you really do get what you pay for when it comes to this kind of work.
Thanks for the input Allan!
Todd

Thanks Todd
Wish you were closer to me up here in the northeast could be a lot of fun and Bruce would be the first one here to watch over us...LOL
Allan

[Shaun Quill]

Hey Todd,
I'm in the Trucking business and i still always go with hand lettering. I just think it looks better and projects a better image. Also any lettering or striping on my racecar i get hand painted, although I use vinyl for the windows since paint doesn't last on them.
Best of luck

[herbjr]

I would rather have the real thing over vinyl. I have never known a good sign guy to go out of business unless he just quit. Take your brush and go to the track on test and tune night with business cards, your work will speak for itself.

[Steve Stockton]

Todd,

I happen to be just north of Menomonie and paint a race car or two a year. It might be worth getting together and seeing if we can work together sometime.

[Jeff Lee]

We have an ice cream truck on the side. It has a '50's vibe to it. I started out looking for a vinyl lettering job as I couldn't find a hand striper at first. After getting what I thought were outrageous quotes for vinyl, I picked up the local track paper and found a guy advertising there. I called him up and was happy with the quote for two panels. After he started, I immediately recognized the kid was good. So I had him do the two remaining panels. I traded a 4.30 limited slip for an 8.8 out of my Explorer plus around $500 for all the work. Couldn't be happier and the customers notice the quality. Most can't believe hand lettering looks so good and that it can even be done anymore.
Stick with it. I doubt you'll ever go hungry!

[Toddwell]

Originally Posted by Jeff Lee

We have an ice cream truck on the side. It has a '50's vibe to it. I started out looking for a vinyl lettering job as I couldn't find a hand striper at first. After getting what I thought were outrageous quotes for vinyl, I picked up the local track paper and found a guy advertising there. I called him up and was happy with the quote for two panels. After he started, I immediately recognized the kid was good. So I had him do the two remaining panels. I traded a 4.30 limited slip for an 8.8 out of my Explorer plus around $500 for all the work. Couldn't be happier and the customers notice the quality. Most can't believe hand lettering looks so good and that it can even be done anymore.
Stick with it. I doubt you'll ever go hungry!

Thanks for the positive input, Jeff.
Used to live in Glendale, then Phoenix, doing airbrush tees and stuff in various suburban malls, and then the Arizona State Fair the last year I lived there.
Having grown up in NE Minnesota just a few miles from the Canadian border though, the heat just wasn't for me.
(Every winter, I wonder why I moved back here.)
Todd