Applying body graphics

As more Land Rovers are restored, their original body graphics need to be renewed, and it’s a job that can go right, or very wrong. Ed Evans watches an expert

How to put decals on properly

BEFORE a Land Rover is repainted, any original body graphics have to be destroyed as part of the preparation process. And when the new paint is on and hardened, applying replacement graphics is a testing task – one wrong move, and the whole job is done for.

Graphics aren’t only applied after a respray. They can fitted to any vehicle that has still retained a clean and flat body surface. Retro Land Rover graphics can give a standard vehicle a visual lift or endear a period look, and personalised graphics can change the style of the vehicle, convey business information or advise others of a vehicle’s special purpose.

My own 1989 Ninety shown here lost its original County graphics during its restoration and repaint, and the finished build looked notably devoid of its original character – that is, until a new set was located and applied.

Original Land Rover graphics aren’t easy to come by. They take a bit of searching for, but they are available, and there are also reproduction graphics to be had. After nine months of searching, the graphics used here were bought from a seller in Bulgaria. They went on perfectly and, a year later, their colour is fast, adhesion is good, and they haven’t shrunk, which has been a problem with some reproduction items in the past.

Britpart’s Steve Grant has plenty of experience in applying this type of product, and of course getting it right first time (there’s no second chance with these self-adhesive graphics). So I was happy to leave the job in his capable hands. Here’s how he did it . . .