FORD Tailgate letters

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Apr 11, 2004 | 09:39 PM

abe

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From: Central PA

FORD Tailgate letters

How do you guys paint the letters on your '53-'56 tailgates. I know they sell the stick on letters but they only come in black, white, and some other colors. I have mine cream (or sungate ivory to be exact) to match the grille. My body man first painted the letters cream, then taped them off and then painted the tailgate my Meadow Green. It is not the beat job as one can imagine. Someone said since they are raised you can block paint them. Has anyone done that and how does it look?
thanks, the letters look good from a distance but up close you can see it is not perfect.

Apr 12, 2004 | 06:34 AM

billsco

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From: Buffalo, Minnesota

I'm by no means a paint man, but I was perusing in the paint and bodywork sections of FTE a couple of months ago when someone asked a similar question. I was surprised to learn the consensus was to first paint the tailgate the color you want the lettering to be, then paint the entire tailgate again in the body color. You then sand off the lettering to get the coloring.

I would redirect your question to that forum or do a search before you act on my recollection though. I only read it once and it was a while ago.

Best of luck.

Apr 12, 2004 | 10:56 AM

cheinz46

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From: Illinois

You could make a "rubbing" of the leters, transfer the rubbing outline to stencil paper, cut the letter out of the stencil, tape the stencil to the tailgate and paint.

Apr 12, 2004 | 01:16 PM

abe

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From: Central PA

Thanks, both good ideas. I thought of buying the stick on letters in white and then painting them or using them to cover the tailgate letters when I repaint the tailgate green.
abe

Apr 12, 2004 | 04:05 PM

cheinz46

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From: Illinois

If you buy the stick on letters and use them to mask the tailgate when it's being painted, removing them might remove the paint on the letters. The stick on letters would make and excellent pattern for a stencil though.