Thanks! The problem using the bronze edged ones is the texture of the silver is not the same as the old style. It is flat smooth, where the old ones are rough. I think the easiest solution is to have two decals for each letter, or sets of letters. The 1st would be the main letters made out of the textured silver, the 2nd would be the red or gold (depending on style required) border. This border could then be coated with a glitter coat and then applied over the main letters on the panel. The whole could then get the lacquer coat. We'll see what happens.
This is going to be a worsening problem so the OP is right to get stuck in to try and solve it......for all of us. I've turned up these people and they seem to know about the different glittery edges in the decal/number board kits they make: http://www.tapeworks.com/DUCATI Pages/7000.html Also, I've always found Ducati SpA Customer Service to be exemplary. Why not email Italy, they'll call you back and with some good old British charm we may learn more...... OE contractors would be helpful so that we can approach them directly?
Bringing this old thread up and wondering if there was any luck in finding the decals . Here’s a pic of the decals on my 94 strada she’s a one owner totally original uk bike
I’ve got exactly the same decals (reddish glittery borders) on my SP3 (1996). They are 100% authentic as the rest of the bike.
Restarting an old thread; my SP3 side panels are OEM and due to age, starting to crack around the bottom DZU clips. Having loooked around I figured even if I found a good set they would have 'aged' and likely suffer the same issues, so I bit the bullet an purchased new OEM set (upper/lowers, both sides) as they are still in stock atm. Decals look horrible as they are the later gold/silver colour combo. Did anyone manage to find a supplier who could reproduce the original early reddish/glitter & silver decals?
Dunno if it would help, but my painter does all his own decals. Perfect copy in Illustrator, then laser cut plastic masking film, then the decal airbrushed any colour you want. The results I've had are indistinguishable from the real decals.
Cheers. Trying to source some NOS early decals atm, and if I get lucky I will repaint the new fairings. Pretty sure I won't though... :-( Might be worth speaking to your painter to see what he says as I would prefer the original look.
I'd be extremely wary of buying NOS decals, they have a shelf life after which they're useless At an age the glue from the decal migrates through the backing paper and become either difficult or impossible to separate. The same happens with the pre space paper where the glue from that becomes very difficult to separate from the decal. Water can work to separate the two layers if the pre space is paper based but the decal itself will need a to have the glue removed after. I'd recommend buying new good quality replicas.
I do wonder how viable NOS ones might be? That said I have found some OEM NOS ones of the correct era according to the vendor. I have bought a couple of sets on the basis that it is worth a go... so fingers crossed. I will keep the thread updated when they arrive.
You may be lucky, if they have been stored well and they are cast material and not calendered vinyl it might be fine. But the issues I pointed out have happened to me over the years, just thought I'd give you a eyes wide open experience.
