204 MADE TO MEASURE...

Negotiations with Colour Create have been ongoing. Kevin, their Production Manager, has been sending me updates on the design we are looking for. His latest message was requesting confirmation of the car's measurements, so Lisa and I went with a tape measure and a scrap of paper.

He estimated the dimensions based on the car schematic I sent him, and to be fair, his estimates were almost exactly right. The bonnet graphic needed to be a little longer, the boot one a little smaller, but not by much

The side graphic was hard to measure as it lines up with the bulge of the wheel arches, which are difficult to pick out close up. We added a few more millimetres to the length of the side graphic to allow a little wiggle room, as we agreed that the best approach is to print a big, flat rectangle, offer it up to the car, and then trim it to fit the design.

We also asked if they could create a smaller sponsor graphic for New Start and Bust Rallies, as well as a number graphic for the bonnet. We measured the parts of the car that they would be stuck to and sent the details over to Kevin.

With a decent idea of what we need now passed to Colour Create, I asked if they could give us a price.

I've pre-set my face to stunned, puckered up my sphincter and have crossed everything - fingers, legs, eyes - in the hope that they don't come back with a figure in the region of the Argentinean national debt!

If it comes back as costing too much to print on the magnetic sheet, I'll ask for a price for just the images printed on polyeuathene and see if I can source the magnetic sheets elsewhere, then stick and cut them ourselves. Surely that will save us a few quid?

Let's focus on the positives, though. The company can do the design; they have started work on it - result. As we measured the car, we got an idea of what the design will look like, and it is really effective - result. There is space on the car for the additional logos, and as they are small, flat rectangles, they should be simple to produce - result. Lots of positives...