In a recent thread we discussed what the old lettering or decals were, and how applied.

www.acmoc.org/bb/showthread.php?21969-St...ally-be-the-question

I have some information and suggestions on how we can accurately record and reproduce the old original printing. The old decals were for many years Water Transfer decals, or Water Slide Decals, produced by Decalcomania, Dave Tallon has stated that this company was a supplier back as far as 1914, and the document I am posting shows them being used as recently as 1957.

As mentioned in the other thread, water transfer decal paper is readily available, and can even be used in your Ink Jet Printer. Here is just one supplier as an example, www.decalpaper.com/ and as noted on the web page water slide paper is also available for Silk screen printing as well, which may be the best printing method.

Now how to record and and transfer the old decals accurately. I think that a hand held scanner such as this one,

www.amazon.com/VuPoint-PDS-ST470PU-VP-Co...=8-1#customerReviews

might just be the answer to accurately recording without distortion, the old decal or whatever is printed or painted on the machine. Even if all that is left is the outline it should be enough, with all the available easy to use computer graphics programs available to properly reproduce the original. Then you can simply print out an accurate decal or send the data to your local printing shop that does silk screen printing, and have them do it. And you will have the data to do it again.

The Cat decals are not the only ones we often want to have just like they were as new, but often the dealers, contractors, and other decals as well.

A camera can be used, but distortion will be an issue, getting as far back as you can and using the zoom will help to minimize the distortion.
The decals available from the club could themselves be scanned and used as a starting point for proper decals. For all time and money we put into some of our restorations, it may be the way to go.