Re: Window stickers

[Matt Haas <mhaas@xxxxxxx>]

Here's some more info on fonts and such:

The window sticker from my Rebel was obviously done on two different 
typewriters. The shipping address, last three digits of the dealer 
number,  transportation charges, and final total are very clearly different 
from the rest of the typing. I'm assuming that part of it was done at the 
factory and the rest done at either a zone or dealer office. Actually, the 
lighter text (options and pricing list) looks more like it was done on a 
chain or slug type printer (something that would be hooked up to a 
mainframe). I've worked with these printers before and the font and how the 
letters show up looks to be identical. Also, I just took a look at the 
sticker again and it looks and feels like it may have had tractor feed 
edges on it but since it's almost 40 years old now, it may just be that the 
edges of it are deteriorated from age.

Other typewriter stuff that's common (besides fuzzy letter) is that one 
side or the other of letters (particularly on IBM Selectrics since the 
letters are on a ball) can be lighter and frequently used letters can be 
faint from wear or sometimes plugged a little (most common with uppercase R 
and P and lowercase O and A -- had to clean those out pretty frequently on 
the slug printer I worked with at my last job) from worn out ribbons 
tearing. Also, some typewriters will print some characters lower or higher 
the rest of them on a given line. I don't recall the Selectrics doing this 
in the high school typing class I took but I know the type that use the 
individual levers do this. Another thing that can happen is the bottom half 
of lowercase J's, P's, and Q's and apostrophes can be darker than the rest 
of the typed text since they print outside of the normal strike area on the 
ribbon.

If I were going to try and duplicate the sticker I have, I'd start out with 
a blank form and use two different brand typewriters to fill in the rest. 
I'd probably shoot for a Selectric or daisy wheel for the lighter text and 
a lever type for the rest. I'd bet that you could find a working typewriter 
for not a lot of money or at least find someone who still has one (we just 
got rid of the ones we had at home last fall when mom and dad moved). I'd 
bet there are a lot of them stashed away in schools and churches since 
they're generally very durable devices. I have no idea how easy it is to 
get ribbons anymore but a worn ribbon may not be a bad thing either.

Matt

At 05:17 PM 2/5/2005 -0800, you wrote:
> From: "John W Rosa" <johnrosa@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, you said...
>
> >You're correct that they'd be done on a standard
> >typewriter of the era, thus the 'font' is 'Courier'.
> >[They were typed at the factory-level, not the
> >dealerships].
>
> I don't know about the later ones, but the 64 ones used a sans serif font
> (courier is a serif font), likely off something like an IBM selectric or
> similar (certainly ribboned).
>
> I've uploaded a 1964 window sticker (not Little Car's, sadly) at
> http://www.gwensmith.com/interests/rambler/images/windowsticker6418-5.jpg
> - this will give a pretty good idea of the font, including how distressed
> it is from ribbon printing.
>
> There are a number of font foundries that sell font that are as
> distressed (or more) than what you see on the sticker.  If memory serves,
> I used Vintage Typewriter-Telegram when filling out one for Little Car,
> which was fairly close, font-wise, though not 100% accurate.
>
> Cheers,
> Gwen Smith
>
>  ______^_____^______
> (O|O) =RAMBLER= (O|O) Gwen Smith * gwen@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>  -------------------  www.gwensmith.com/interests/rambler
>  \-<>---|770|---<>-/

mhaas@xxxxxxx
Cincinnati, OH
http://www.mattsoldcars.com
1966 Rambler Rebel
1967 Rambler American wagon
1968 Rambler American sedan
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