I need a engine

[pd]

From Wiki :

Different variations of decals include: water-slide or water-dip; and vinyl peel-and-stick. A water-slide (or water-dip) decal is screen-printed on a layer of water-soluble adhesive on a water-resistant paper, that must first be dipped in water prior to its application.

Upon contact with water, the glue is loosened and the decal can be removed from its backing; overly long exposure, however, dissolves the glue completely causing the decal to fail to adhere. A peel-and-stick decal is actually not a decal as described above, but a vinyl sticker with adhesive backing, that can be transferred by peeling off its base. The sign industry calls these peel-and-stick vinyl stickers vinyl-cut-decals.

Pete .

[oil-lamp]

But if you put a water slide decal under a clear coat they dont come off either too where a vinyl one would be subject to spilled gas.

[pd]

Good point , Reese .

Pete .

[Ricks]

The ones Sonrisers made for my Sportsman are the vinyl they wrap cars in.  I doubt that a little gas is going to hurt them.  James, what say you?

[Sonrisers]

I would always recommend the vinyl...of course, that is what I am able to make. Vinyl Like I made for Rick is for a Sportsman and is printed and covers the whole side panel of the tank. Vinyl for an automatic would be cut. looks nice, but there are some draw backs. It leaves small edges that are easy to catch when wiping or cleaning with a rag, but I always figured I could just remove and replace if I have problems. I have spilled gas on mine, and not had any probs yet. If you go the water slide route, I think I would clear coat over them b/c they would lift if gas was spilled on them.

[socalsimplex]

What if I went the vinyl route and clear coated over it? Planning on powder coating my frame black and paint the tank and fenders a variation of regal red.

[Sonrisers]

Vinyl is gonna be thicker than water slide. You could clear over it, but you would want to test to make sure the solvent in the clear isn't gonna break down and lift the vinyl. The vinyl I use for cutting decals is a 7 yr sign making vinyl. The vinyl I use for printed material is car wrapping vinyl that would also be laminated and is a little thicker than the sign vinyl. Never clear coated, but I would want to test each vinyl before I took the chance of ruining a good paint job. My wife did try to clear coat over the sign vinyl for a plaque she was making for a cust, and it lifted and ruined the vinyl...but I think she tried using a laquer based clear from rattle can. What decals are you looking for? We have started designing the automatic decals, but haven't finished them up yet. If I were to make some, I could sent you some of the same vinyl used to test with.

[Sonrisers]

Here is a pic of the decals I put on my tank 2 yrs ago. They are just something I designed and cut right b4 I went to Portland to get something on the tank. The original decals would look just like the original. These are 2 layers of vinyl, 1 white and 1 black, the originals would also be 2 layers b/c they are 2 colors also. Would recommend cutting the vinyl for the automatic decals using the thinner vinyl.

[socalsimplex]

What about the older tank decal  (wings)? I have a 52 but i love that style decal. I have a local shop that said they could do it in vinyl, but I dunno if theirs could be cleared either.

[Sonrisers]

We have made the winged decal on a larger scale, but it could be made smaller to fit a tank. It would have to be printed on the thicker vinyl b/c of all the different colors and smaller details.

[socalsimplex]

I'm letting a local sign shop take a crack at it. I gave them one of the bad ones I got off of eBay for reference. We'll see how they do. They said it definitely looks doable.