[Tigers] Request: Engine Tag Stamping

Sat Mar 14 10:04:50 MDT 2020

Dave

                You are very correct about the Vin plate Font.   Brian Glenn wrote an excellent article about this and explains how serif and sans serif fonts were both used on the tags.   I believe Pressed Steel stamped the vin # and paint code then Jensen stamped the engine #; 2 different processes.

I have a set of 1/8” steel stamps, probably from Harbor Freight made in China, which are about the correct size.

Some of the stamps look similar to the original but not all of them.

0 - is not open enough

1 - does have a flag

2 – is not open enough

3,5,6,9 – are not open enough

The same goes for the letters; some look close others are too tight.

The Calibri font this email I’m typing with is similar to the original but I have not examined this font closely enough.

I have not explored the Font the Cleveland Foundry may have used on these decals.   Ford Corporate seemed to like Franklin font.

I’m of the opinion the Cleveland Foundry stamped and applied the valve cover decal.   It was part of their Export engine process and accounting process.

It would seem to me there is a typewriter somewhere that has the correct font.

I believe the Cleveland Foundry used something like a typewriter for this but the decals were most likely on a ribbon for production purposes.

It might be necessary to have stamps laser cut to precisely match the original font style, size and strike depth.

Ron Fraser

From: Dave Munroe <dave at munroe.ca> 
Sent: Saturday, March 14, 2020 10:23 AM
To: Ron Fraser <rfraser at bluefrog.com>; Mark L <CoolVT at aol.com>; Jeffery Randall <jefferyrandall at gmail.com>; Tiger Net <Tigers at autox.team.net>
Subject: Re: [Tigers] Request: Engine Tag Stamping

Ron;

As you may recall, my Tiger came to me minus the VIN tag. (Eventually TAC'ed at the 2010 TE/AE Annual Event in Rockland, Me.)  No doubt it is running around Mass. attached to an Alger with incorrect rivets.

Ever since, I have been searching the Globe for the correct font type and size, to  no avail. To complicate matters, having found and studied many many B382XXX VIN plates, it is clear there was more than one set of fonts used, often on the same VIN plate.

It also appears that the font stamp styles may have been unique to the U.K., because of all the vintage stamps I have found on the internet from North America, none are close to those used to stamp our Tiger VIN' and JAL Plates.

If the engine plates were stamped in U.S. or Canada, the chances of finding the correct fonts should be much better. 

If anyone ever comes uo with a set, I am sure I am not the only one who would pay dearly for a chance to "rent" them to replace my original plate.

Dave in Nova Scotia

B382000450LRXFE 

Sent from my BlackBerry — the most secure mobile device — via the Bell Network

From:  <mailto:tigers at autox.team.net> tigers at autox.team.net

Sent: March 14, 2020 9:54 AM

To:  <mailto:coolvt at aol.com> coolvt at aol.com;  <mailto:jefferyrandall at gmail.com> jefferyrandall at gmail.com

Reply to:  <mailto:rfraser at bluefrog.com> rfraser at bluefrog.com

Cc:  <mailto:tigers at autox.team.net> tigers at autox.team.net

Subject: Re: [Tigers] Request: Engine Tag Stamping

The big question here is about the original Font for this decal.

What style Font?

What size Font?

I have no expertise in this field so no help there.

It would be nice if someone can identify the original Font or a Font that is very similar.

It is very possible that is just a typical machinist’s stamp set something the Cleveland Foundry normally stocked.  

Ron Fraser

From:  <mailto:coolvt at aol.com> coolvt at aol.com < <mailto:coolvt at aol.com> coolvt at aol.com>
Sent: Friday, March 13, 2020 7:56 PM
To:  <mailto:jefferyrandall at gmail.com> jefferyrandall at gmail.com;  <mailto:rfraser at bluefrog.com> rfraser at bluefrog.com
Cc:  <mailto:tigers at autox.team.net> tigers at autox.team.net
Subject: Re: [Tigers] Request: Engine Tag Stamping

Any locksmith shop should have punches they use to stamp keys.  Not sure how close they might look to what you need.

Mark L

In a message dated 3/13/2020 7:27:52 PM Eastern Standard Time,  <mailto:tigers at autox.team.net> tigers at autox.team.net writes: 

Go to harbor freight and buy a set of  punch stamps, use a piece of tape to keep the line straight and go for it. 

    Jeff

On Fri, Mar 13, 2020 at 7:18 PM Ron Fraser via Tigers < <mailto:tigers at autox.team.net> tigers at autox.team.net> wrote:

Randy

                Its possible but don’t know for sure – the Cleveland Foundry may have used a war surplus dog tag machine for these.

I’m just throwing that out there for the possibility.   Ford made war produces and they all needed tags so some sort of war surplus machine is possible maybe one Ford already had on hand.

Ron Fraser

From: Tigers < <mailto:tigers-bounces at autox.team.net> tigers-bounces at autox.team.net> On Behalf Of Randall Antosiak via Tigers
Sent: Friday, March 13, 2020 3:49 PM
To:  <mailto:tigers at autox.team.net> tigers at autox.team.net
Subject: [Tigers] Request: Engine Tag Stamping

Hi Tiger People -

I want to replace my worn engine tag.  I got a fresh tag from Rick, but the problem is that I cannot find a way to stamp the new tag with the engine info.  Anyone have a solution?

Thanks,

Randy

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