I recently picked up subject kit at a show. The decals are in rough shape yellowing and some water stains. What can I do to restore them? Also any suggestions for any replacement options.
Hello!
In such cases I always recommend to scan them, redraw in CorelDraw or something like that and custom-print them again - posibly refining them in process. I don’t thing a replacement is an option on such a rare subject, unless they are pretty generic. Scanning them and posting on the forums would definitely help to give you any more pointers. Good luck with your project and have a nice day
Paweł
I have that kit, and even if the decals were new, they were pretty crummy. The “gold” is not very gold at all. I found a dry transfer set of gold lettering in a style that is pretty close to proper. That has taken care of the lettering. For the striping I am trying to use a gold fine point marking pen on decal paper. It is going to take a little practice making lines of constant width and sharp edges, but I am working on it.
Scanning the kit decals and trying to reproduce them will not make a decent gold color. The available inks in an inkjet printer just do not reproduce metallic colors well enough (metal colors have a particular sheen- directional reflectivity- that inkjet inks just do not have. Those old fire engines were kept in pristine condition, so blaming the lack of that sheen on weathered service just doesn’t cut it with a kit like that 
Hello!
Don - that’s why I recommend printing the decals by a dedicated company that has the service. They do the metallic colours pretty good. Here, let me give you an example - what Decalprint of Germany can do with silver colour:
The “Anytime” inscription and the “notes” are printed as silver. I didn’t try the gold, but I don’t see why it wouldn’t be just as good!
Thanks for reading and have a nice day
Paweł