MOTOR CITY THEME

Our Custom Car Show Boards are printed directly onto a closed-cell polyvinyl chloride (PVC) sheet with a matte finish to reduce glare. Our ink is noted for its outdoor-oriented specifications, and is UV cured to improve bonding, fade resistance, and will not de-laminate. These materials are highly resistant to moisture and often used for semi-permanent outdoor signage. Each Show Board is custom cut to the shape of your vehicle on its background with accompanying design elements.

Our plastic corrugate easel is permanently mounted to the back of the show board, and is designed to be weighted on the bottom to improve stability in wind. It folds flat for easy storage; the collapsed depth of the board with easel is less than one inch.

Our heavy duty and weather-resistant carrying case is recommended to protect your show board from scratches in transport. It is made from durable and water-resistant 600-denier polyester canvas material, commonly used for duffle bags and back packs.

MEASUREMENTS (Board graphics area only)
36“ board… 36” (at tallest) x approx. 24″ (at widest)
24“ board… 24” (at tallest) x approx. 18” (at widest)

MEASUREMENTS (Board and attached easel when folded and collapsed)
36“ board… 36” (at tallest) x 29 1/2” (at widest)
24“ board… 24” (at tallest) x 20 1/2” (at widest)

GREAT SHOW BOARDS START WITH GREAT PHOTOS

At Show Cars Illustrated, we take pride in making sure your vehicle looks the best it possibly can. Every picture we touch is manipulated in Photoshop to remove the background, and make sure the colors represent your car’s paint as closely as possible. At no additional charge we also remove small imperfections such as insects, scratches, minor reflections, and cleaning/finishing tires.

Since photo quality can vary widely, we reserve the right to request alternative photos if it appears those submitted won’t adequately represent the paint work on your vehicle. To aid your photo selection before submission, please review the example below and the SCI Photo Tips that follow!

DIGITAL RESTORATION SERVICES

The visual quality of your main vehicle photo is extremely important to creating a great Show Board. We may contact you to request higher quality photos if those provided are blurry, low resolution, or if the vehicle appears degraded by shadows or severe reflections. If other photos are not available and cannot be retaken, we’re happy to offer digital restoration services for $125. For this service you will also be provided with a high-resolution digital file of the restored photograph along with your Show Board.

PHOTO TIPS - IT'S EASY AS 1-2-3

The most important element on your Custom Show Board is a great quality main photo. Low-resolution digital or degraded hard copy photos will not reproduce well, so we strongly encourage submitting only high-resolution, clear, and fully-focused images. If you don’t have professionally taken pictures, here’s a few Do-It-Yourself tips from our resident auto photographer!

1 – SHOOT AT THE RIGHT TIME OF DAY. The best light to capture the lines and details of your vehicle is 1-2 hours after sunrise or 1-2 hours before sunset on clear, sunny days. Park with the driver’s headlight pointed toward the sun to get direct light on both the front and driver’s side. Always shoot with the sun to your back, but try and position yourself in a way to minimize casting a shadow on your car. Even in bright sunlight, turn on your headlights!

2 – WATCH OUT FOR REFLECTIONS. Beautiful, shiny paint reflects just like a mirror. Find an open space in a large parking lot near a field. Avoid areas with buildings, trees and poles that will reflect onto your vehicle, and avoid parking on grass to minimize green casting on paint. Remember your mission: Show off the curves and lines of the car! Reflections are the spoiler of body design.

3 – FILL THE FRAME. Regardless of the kind of camera you have, fill the frame as completely as possible, but be careful not to clip off either end of the vehicle. If using a smartphone camera, TAKE THE PHOTO HORIZONTALLY, NOT VERTICALLY. This will fully utilize the resolution of your camera and capture as much detail as possible at the largest size.

COMPOSITION: When shooting the main photo for your Custom Show Board, take a few frames standing, a few crouching down slightly, and a few more kneeling. Shoot first at a 45-degree angle to the side of your vehicle, then shoot taking a step or two in either direction. These minor shifts in angle can make a huge difference in showing the lines of your car.

PRO TIP: If you have a tripod and professional DSLR camera, you might consider shooting a few minute before sunrise or a few moments after sunset. This softer light can work for some vehicles, but is best accomplished with professional-level gear.

HOW DO I FIND IMAGE RESOLUTION?

Mac users

Find the image file in your Finder, right click the image and select Get Info. A pop-up window will open with the dimensions of your image displaying in the More Info section. The dimensions show the pixel height and width of your photo.

PC users

On a PC, right click on the image file, look at Properties, and then view the Summary tab.

iOS/iPhone

Here's one free app - there may be others:
DPI - Dots per inch

Android

Here's one free app - there may be others:
Photo Compress 2.0

COPYRIGHT
You must own the rights to the image(s) you submit for the creation of Show Car Illustrated products.

©2016-2020 Media Cafe Online, LLC

1 – Select one of our Styles as the starting point for your Custom Show Board. Your photos and spec information can be uploaded at the time of purchase, or if you need time to get your information together, you can always upload at a later time. If you’re not sure which photos are best don’t hesitate to send along more images – we’re happy to help with selection! Although digital files provide the best results, you can also mail photographic prints to us at: Show Cars Illustrated, 767 E. Main St., Suite 8080, Flushing, Michigan 48433

2 – Once we receive your photos and information, our graphics team then modifies the style layout, elements and colors to best work with your vehicle. We choose custom fonts and digitally enhance your photos to ensure that your Show Board is both totally unique and visually stunning.

3 – Because of the high level of detail and customization involved, we require your approval during the proofing process. We’ll send a PDF proof for review before production. We ask for your careful review of all text information and images. This is the time to make any needed corrections, and we won’t produce the board until all issues are resolved.

4 – Once we receive your approval, we’ll produce the board and get it shipped out to you. Our shipping is UPS Ground, and ships out of Michigan.

HOW LONG DOES THE PROCESS TAKE?

You should receive your Custom Show Board from Show Cars Illustrated in 2-3 weeks, if there are no significant proofing delays. We're happy to work with you to meet specific deadlines when possible, please let us know if you have an upcoming show date and we're happy to work with you.

Available online for your Custom Car Show Sign

Need vehicle manufacturing details for your show sign? Linked below are some great resources to help you get started.

Classic Car Database
Specifications, Part & Services, Museums & Clubs for Antique, Classic, Vintage and Muscle Cars

Complete Catalog of Cars Since 1945

Thousands of cars with detailed specifications, comprehensive technical and performance data. VIN search available.

GM Vehicle Information Kits
An extensive collection of GM vehicle information

Show Cars Illustrated has compiled these resources to make it easier to find facts to create your custom car show board.

Please closely examine your Show Board immediately upon arrival. If the shipping box appears to have damage, please take photos of the damaged, unopened box and then clearly photograph any damage appearing on your Show Board. Please fill out our Shipping Damage Report and we'll take it from there. There is no need to contact the shipper.