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It isn't known which sign painter first took to four wheels, although it could well have been Winslow Quince on his horse-drawn wagon. What is clear is that trucks, vans, cars and trailers have served the trade for many years. In this follow-up to the piece on sign painter bicycles, you'll find some of the rides that craftspeople around the world are driving today. Most of these are lettered within the constraints of the available panels and windows, but others (like this one and this one in Los Angeles) have been customised to really ram home the message. Vintage VehiclesFirst, let's take a look back. While archival photos of sign painter vehicles appear to be rarer than those of shops and work in progress, some do exist. Vehicles for Pearce Signs ( still trading), O.B. Fields Signs, and an anonymous duo posting with their ride. There's even a book, Van Writing Up-to-Date by W.H. Coates, that features lettered vehicles for Oldham Sign Service in Leeds, UK. (Thank you to Rob Metcalfe for sharing this.)  Oldham Sign Service vehicles from the 1949 edition of Van Writing Up-to-Date, first published in 1937. And, jumping forward a bit further... Maurie Barker of Barker Signs decorating his vehicle in Australia in 1964, and Stan Wilkinson's daughter posing in front of his van after he took over Giles the Sign People in Wokingham, UK. And then Australia in the 1980s... Larry Stammers' 'signmobile' from the 1980s. Larry StammersMelbourne, Australia "This is my Holden Gemini panel van that I painted over 40 years ago, and the original felt-tip artwork. I was hooked on the Letraset book, and the lettering here was based on Serif Gothic Heavy and Avant Garde Gothic."
Signvision Melbourne / @signvision_melbourne Shane Mc MullenHampton, Victoria, Australia "It was the early 1980s and I’d just finished my signwriting apprenticeship. I was 21 years old and decided to travel around Australia with this F100 and the 22 ft (6.7 m) Viscount caravan.
"We (me and my then girlfriend, now wife of 35 years, Sally) spent four years on the road working, travelling thousands and thousands of miles, signwriting in lots of small country towns in the Australian Outback.
"From Broome to the famous Birdsville Pub, all parts of Gulf country including Cattle Stations, and lots of towns in Queensland, The Northern Territory and Western Australia, we were never without work as most towns rarely had a signwriter pass though.
"The long wheel base F100 was a terrific reliable workhorse as we could carry all our trestles, work plank, paints and sign equipment, including a Honda XR 500 Trailbike."
Shane Mc Mullen / @shanemcmullen0 Rory in the back of Cameron Gordon's 1980s ride. Cameron GordonPerth, Australia "This is my old ute [utility vehicle] that I had in the late 1980s and into the 1990s, along with my dog Rory. I wish I'd kept it; it certainly got noticed around Freo [Freemantle]."
Cameron Gordon / @cg_signage
Keeping it ClassicJust like painted signs, old cars age gracefully. These have been further enhanced with fresh paint and gold leaf.  72 years old and enjoying a new lease of life. Colt BowdenMcMinnville, Oregon, USA "This 1951 Ford Panel Truck was originally owned by the US Navy. I picked it up two years ago, stripped it down completely and took it apart, and had a friend help do some metal work. I repainted the whole thing, reassembled it, then finally added my signage."
Gold Hand Signs / @goldhandsigns  Fern the Ford and "trusty sidekick" Cowboy. Details from Hire Hand Signs' 1969 shop truck. Jess Marsh WissemannSunderland, Massachusetts, USA "Fern is a 1969 Ford F100. I bought her to be my shop truck in the fall [Autumn] of 2019, and it was the best decision I ever made! She’s the best little truck, low to the ground for a short gal like me, reliable, easy to drive, simple to fix and maintain.
"The bed has plenty of space for materials, and I can fit everything I need back there, including scaffolds and ladders and everything for murals to window gilding jobs.
"She’s also a great advertisement for my business, and has become a local celebrity—folks seem to recognise her everywhere we go!
"I named her after my great grandma Fern, who was quite a character, and for the colour of course. This is Boxwood Green, and it’s the original paint finish so I’ve been hesitant to paint on her! Instead, I chose to build and paint farm-style side rails, since my background is in farming and I live on a farm—seemed like a good option until I get the guts to paint on the doors!
"The rails are cedar gilded with 16 karat pale gold, and hand-painted. I did a directional burnish on the gold block to give the lettering some dimension, and a cast shadow to make it pop.
"Fern gets me all across New England for jobs from spring through fall— everywhere from the Hudson Valley to Cape Cod! In the winter she hibernates in the garage to stay safe from the corrosive road salt they use here in the cold north."
Hired Hand Signs / @hiredhandsigns Hans Geyens' convertible Saab. Hans GeyensLeuven, Belgium "Style over comfort is my motto, and this is my 1988 Saab 900 turbo convertible, which still rolls like a royce. It's not really a van, but can fit a ladder and everything else I need.
I decided to paint it this way after Helsinki Letterheads and its car-culture. It's all done in 1-Shot paint and engine-turned gold leaf."
Sidio Moderne / @sidiomoderne  The name is Ninette (ma coquette Fourgonnette). Work in progress, and details from Pieter Snijders' Renault 4 F4. Pieter SnijdersArnhem, The Netherlands "The van is a 1982 Renault 4 F4 ‘Fourgonnette’ which means ’small van' in French. As a young boy I used to dream about having an old car to paint on, but my lack of knowledge of car mechanics always held me back. Also, I always thought I wanted a big American car, until I came across this French cutie—it fits much better with me and Bold Statements.
"I bought her a year ago after she had been well-preserved in a shed near Strasbourg for the past 12 years. The paintwork was still OK, and the mechanics were all running smoothly.
"I could immediately picture it: cream side panels with my logo, and gold leaf lettering on the rear window. And of course a sun visor and whitewall tires. Not authentic, and maybe a bit cheeky, but that is just what I like.
"At that time I was also lucky to find Retro Rides, an old-timer garage where club members learn to do their own maintenance. It has been so much fun to do, not to mention the joy I have driving around in my little old paint tin, which goes by the name Ninette (ma coquette Fourgonnette)."
Bold Statements / @BoldStatements.nl  Providence Painted Signs' first shop truck. Shawn GilheeneyProvidence, Rhode Island, USA "This was my first shop truck, a 65 Chevy K10 Fleet-side short bed. With a 292 straight 6. It sat in my uncle's yard for 20 years. I bought it off him for $800, spent six months rebuilding it, and brought it back to life around the same time I started Providence Painted Signs.
"I got it running and lettered it up, but sold it a few years back and bought a boat—one can only have so many toys!"
 Providence Painters Signs' current ride, and shop dog Gladdy. "This is my current shop truck, a 69 Ford f-250 Ranger camper special. I bought it in Montana and took it 2,000 miles home as the test drive."
Providence Painted Signs / @providencepaintedsigns Cal GillespieMelbourne, Australia "This is Katie, my 1988 Suzuki Jimny with wood grain."
Killing Time Studio / @killingtimestudio Timothy BrennanPhoenix, Arizona, USA "This is a 1990 Mitsubishi Minicab, Right Hand Drive (JDM), 3 cylinder, 660 CC engine, 4 speed manual, 4x4 with locker. It is a common style of Kei Truck from Japan which I bought in 2018 and have done quite a bit of work to it since.
"It’s the perfect rig for around town gigs, and is definitely a head-turner. It's such a fun little truck that makes me smile every time I drive it."
Great Not Good / @greatnotgood.co
The Modern EraHere are some newer hand-painted motors, with a strong showing from the English south coast... Finished side and work in progress from Joe Coleman. Joe ColemanWeymouth, UK The skating sign painter at your service on the side of Joe's Volkswagen Caddy. Coleman Sign & Design / @coleman_signanddesign  Facing off, or falling in love, you decide. Joe Coleman and Rachel E Millar's vans having a moment outside Letterheads at Dingles. Rachel E MillarGlasgow, Scotland Rachel's van was captured here at the Signwriting Festival in 2022, once again in close proximity to Joe Coleman's vehicle... Rachel E Millar / @rachelemillar Liane Barker with her current van, and a detail from the back doors. Liane BarkerBrisbane, Australia Liana resurrected the Art Deco lettering from her Dad's original logotype for Barker Signs' current branding. Barker Signs / @barker_signs  Views of good taste. Sheila McCann DownesCornwall, UK "It may not be the best van, or even best signwritten, but I'm going for the best location prize here in Cornwall!"
Signs of Good Taste / @signsofgoodtaste  Camilla Rose's lucky van. Camilla RosePlymouth, UK "This van has been my work horse for five years, taking me all around Cornwall, Devon, and Somerset. It's called Lucky, in the hope that it's name ensures it doesn't break down or die on me—so far so good!"
Camilla Rose / @camillarosesignwriter It's always Halloween at Spelled Out Signs. Tony FrisellOakland, California, USA "I recently sold my old car but still get to see it driving around town. It started as practising a couple things, and then I just got carried away, like tattoos :)"
Spelled Out Signs / @spelled_out_signs  Clifford the Little Red Truck. Jess DeMossSilver City, New Mexico "My Ford Ranger sign truck, which I call Clifford the Little Red Truck."
Scratch Paper Signs / @scratchpapersigns Patrick PiccoloOakland, California, USA "Perpetual project in progress here…"
Patrick Piccolo / @sign_syndicalist Chris NewmanWeymouth, UK "These are new roofbar signs on an old jalopy, which you don't see much these days."
Signs 'O the Times / @signsothetimesgb
Mixing It UpFrom the vehicles above, the article about bikes also includes work by Joe Coleman, Chris Newman, and Pieter Snijders. Steve Blackwell's Shogun Signs is another multi-vehicle entity, in this case all petrol-powered.  Shogun Signs' 1971 VW type 2. The Honda Tact scooter and VW Caddy. Steve BlackwellBournemouth, UK "My main steed is a grey 2002 VW Caddy. This is great for going long distances and is nice and reliable. It’s quite small but fits my scaffold tower and everything I need.
"I also have a 1971 VW type 2, which I’ve pretty much completely rebuilt since buying it. This is great for when I’m not in a rush, a joy to drive on country roads, and very useful when staying overnight somewhere. I take it to car shows across the country and also run a stall at some shows, selling signs and lettering vehicles.
"Lastly, I have a 1986 Honda Tact scooter, which I painted in the style of the Japanese scooter gangs, with my business name on the front and sides, in Japanese lettering. I can fit this in the back of my other vehicles, which is good when working in London, or other places with expensive parking or emissions charges. I also take it to various Japanese car shows, and use it locally when I don’t have much equipment to carry."
Shogun Signs / @shogunsignsuk
Sign Painters' StarsIn Sign Painters, both Sean Barton and Mike Meyer are working on vehicles during their interviews. More vehicles from Mike Meyer's orange and blue phase. Bob Dewhurst is another of the film's stars with an interesting ride. Thomas Farley (@tgfarley) captured these images of the truck with its 'car-trailer' in tow when he spotted Bob coming home from a job in Tonopah, Nevada.
Rear EndsAnd, finally, here are some that might ease the boredom a little if you were stuck behind them in traffic...  The back window of Charlie Nelson's Volkswagen. Charlie NelsonHastings, UK "This is a 2003 VW T4 transporter. It’s got a rock and roll bed in the back so I can use it for family hols, but can also carry signs up to 4 m [13 ft] long!"
Fundi Signs / @fundisigns Thank you to everyone that kindly shared pictures of their lettered vehicles, and the stories behind them. I'm considering a similar piece in the future about sign shop shopfronts, so feel free to get the ball rolling by sending pictures to sam@bl.ag.
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