Gerryattrick

Hi,

I have an 89 MS Racing Pro Comp XT that I'm planning to renovate. Bought it for $8 earlier this year as a spares/repair bike.



Knew nothing about the bike other than it looked good but I've found out it's got a bit of history and want to do a decent job on it.

I want to have decals made and am having trouble sourcing them in the UK. Does anyone have pics that I could use to make the top tube, head tube and US flag decal, or a copy of a catalogue.

Any help would be appreciated.

dminor 

Fascinating. Had no idea that Malcolm Smith/MSR got involved in bicycles. Ran into an intersting thread with a bit of history (not on that partiular MS Racing bike) here:

https://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=497583

. . . but then I guess you knew that, huh? In your searching, look for Alpinestars references, Roger Malinowski, Bernie Schreiber and others. You've piqued my curiosity now.



Whoa - - a treasure-trove in this thread:

https://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=116406

Plus, you may get some useful contacts for your project. Please keep us updated periodically as it goes and good luck.

Gerryattrick

I've managed to get the poor condition decals off the bike and I'm going to use my limited photoshop skills to try and make some decent jpegs out of them that I can use to get decals made up. This will take some time, but when I'm finished I'll send copies of the jpegs to anyone interested.

dminor 

If you end up creating decent jpegs, would you like it taken one step further and have Illustrator (vector) files made? I'd be willing to help.

Gerryattrick

Thanks dminor ,

I'm not very technical but I think I understand that vector files are more suitable for graphics production, so once I manage to complete the images I would be interested in your offer. It will be some time though before they're ready as things are a bit hectic at the moment as I'm retiring in a month and doing a lot of work on sorting out my business records and tax matters.

dminor 

No worries. Any time you are ready. Even though I do graphics work every day for my job, I still love it. And it's fun to do things out of the ordinary.

Gerryattrick

Hi Dminor,

Can't send you a message as I don't have enough posts yet, hence the reply through the forum.

Don't know if you remember me but early last year you replied to this thread and kindly offered to convert some jpegs to vector files to help me get new decals made up.

Well after a long delay (too many bikes on the go ) I've finally completed the jpegs of the decals and am having the bike powdercoated.

Does your offer still stand to convert the jpegs to vector files ( the company who will be doing them for me mentioned either .ai or .esp files)

No problem if you can't do them, especially since it's so long since the original post. I must learn to finish one project before I start the next!

Thanks,

Ray

alpadam

hello, found your post. curious to know if you finished this renovation. I have the CRII frame, currently going through the same process of reproducing decals....

dminor 

I missed Ray's post and never helped him . Truly sorry about that. PM'd him to see how things turned out. Hopefully he'll reply back.

Gerryattrick

Thanks alpadam & dminor for the interest (dminor - many thanks and I will message you)

Because of the usual problem of too many projects, some technical problems, and my usual lack of any sense of urgency things have slid a bit. But I've now got my act together and made some progress. The frame has been powdercoated and I've got all the components I need to put it together in a broadly period-correct way. Good decals would be the icing on the cake.

Here are some pics of the frame and the draft down tube decal.

Alpadam, I'd be interested in comparing any work you've done on the decals

dminor 

Haha, a lot of image that will almost need to stay as pixel-based file file - - if the resolution is high enough. Let me know what your file's native resolution is and you may have reproducible quality as-is.

alpadam

Hi, sorry for not getting back to this thread. Your image looks good. I have just finished tracing the decals off my crII frame. Next step is to scan and begin the painful transformation to something printable.... Certainly have a project on my hands now .

dminor 

BTW, I am working on them. Retracing the made in USA one right noe inIllustrator. Tedious but it's going ok.

alpadam

Ok, cool, i have it traced on tracing and scanned... My plan is to use a graphics guy to do the illustrator bit as i would have to buy illustrator or stay in the office Late!!

Btw, am on retrobike too, like you. Saw your posts their.

Who resprayed your frame? I was gonna eventually send it off. Need a vable routing brazed bak on the toptube too, . Didnt see that missing when i bought it! True novice!