Just recently we completed a job to customize a 2015 International Navistar with a full graphics package. This week we got to work on a 1997 International Navistar 28′ box truck and the differences couldn’t have been greater. When the truck showed up, we noticed a number of challenges. The box had been decaled prior and instead of removing the decals, someone painted over them, with latex house paint. The box had a fair amount of surface damage and the rear door was degraded to a point that panel vinyl wouldn’t stick. Oh, and did I mention the 4,000 surface rivets? We also had a design that was created for a 24′ truck, had visible layers and areas that the graphics were distorted. Sounds like a typical job for Optimum Signs.
We started with the design. Our designer had to take the existing design and clean it up by removing the visible layers, adding over 4′ to the design, cleaning up the colors, and removing the very visible distortions. It took over 4 hours working in Adobe Illustrator to make all this happen. Once we had a design that would work, we moved into production. On a truck like this we use 3M vinyl and laminate to ensure a solid application and a long life on the wrap. It was really interesting that on the day we started the installation we had the air conditioning running and on the second day we were running the heat! As with any install, the surface of the vehicle is the single largest cause of failure for a wrap. Contamination by dust, wax, bugs, or anything that would come between the vinyl and the vehicle can cause a failure. With the latex house paint we really didn’t have a good surface to adhere to so we broke out the rubbing alcohol and the power washer. Now we were ready to apply the vinyl. It took a solid two days to get all the panels in place and lined up perfectly. We then went back and heated EVERY rivet and squeegeed the vinyl around the rivets to make sure that they wouldn’t tent. This took 4 team members two days to complete. After they finished with the rivets, we did a rivet-by-rivet inspection to make sure we didn’t miss anything and that every one was done to the Optimum standard. The back door was in rough shape but we had a design that we needed to deliver on. The decision was made to reverse the design and instead of panel vinyl to use cut graphics. We basically took the design elements and turned them into decals so we could work around the areas of the door that were in rough shape. Overall this was a tough install due to the condition of the truck. But even with this challenge, our team maintained the standards that we embody: first rate quality on all jobs.
If you happen to have a fleet of vehicles or just one, please call Optimum Signs at 262.289.9481 or email us at info@optimumsignswi.com for more information.
