Vintage commercial vehicles are fully restored before hand lettered by Brian Robertson in Dundee.
Restoration of Harry Lawson’s 1930s Albion flat bed and 1960s Atkinson eight-wheel tanker lasted several years.
The original vehicles were dismantled to their chassis before mechanical and electrical work repaired and replaced components. Interior and exterior panels were either refurbished or replaced. Whilst dismantled, each vehicle’s bodywork was thoroughly cleaned, degreased, and sanded before the restorative painting began. Doing so enabled thorough attention to all of the hard to reach places when the vehicles were assembled again.
Both the lorries’ cabs and bodies were prepared by filling, sanding and smoothing the panel surfaces.
Following the preparation stage, solvent based primer was brushed onto bare surfaces before hand painting a full oil based undercoat. Sanding between coats achieved a smooth finish before at least two coats of oil based gloss on top. Three different colours: green, red and white were carefully cut in around the cabs and bodies.
The lettering and graphics had to be authentic to evoke the lorries’ heritage accurately. Old photographs of Harry Lawson’s fleet were examined and memories were stretched to determine the sizes, positions and typefaces used. Scaled patterns were then drawn before transferring onto panels around each vehicle.
Green backgrounds on the sides, as well as the front and rear domes on the tanker were primed, undercoated and glossed before signwriting.
Most of the lettering on both of the lorries is 23.5ct gold leaf.
Once the gold leaf was gilded, shadowing and effects were hand painted, as well as the traditional buckle graphic often seen on vintage commercial vehicles. The cabs and bodies were also pin striped, accentuating the curves and corners of the panels. This stage really brings the vehicle’s character to life.
Finally, at least two coats of high gloss yacht varnish are brushed by hand plus wet and dry sanded between coats. The varnish adds depth to the paintwork as well as protecting the lettering and graphics underneath. Due to the thorough preparation in the initial stages of refurbishment, both vehicles gleamed again.
Both lorries have won awards at commercial vehicle displays across the northeast of Scotland.
Visit here to see more refurbishment projects.
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