ReproLabels: Popy Dairugger DX / Matchbox Vehicle Voltron I

[dudleydrulert]

Today the ReproLabels website was updated to include something new and different -- Reproduction labels for Popy Dairugger DX and Matchbox Vehicle Team Voltron (Voltron I)!

I created these labels myself, based on digital scans of unapplied Popy Dairugger DX decal sheets, sent to me by another member of this forum. (I'll let that person speak up if he or she chooses to do so. I don't know whether that person wants to come forward. Needless to say, without those scans, these labels would not have been possible.)

To give some background... Popy Dairugger DX, also known as GB-72, came with labels for all 15 vehicles. These labels were not sold with Matchbox Vehicle Team Voltron / Voltron I -- probably because the Dairugger-based text decals would have been confusing to kids who knew only of Voltron.

I recreated each of the Popy Dairugger DX decals using Adobe Illustrator. Because I wasn't able to find a matching typeface for the text decals, I had to "trace" each letter to match the original typeface as closely as possible.

In addition to recreating the Dairugger decals, I made additional decals so fans could "upgrade" their Matchbox Vehicle Voltron toys. Each Dairugger-themed text decal now has a Voltron-themed counterpart. As an added bonus, the Voltron-themed decals include the name of each vehicle's pilot.

The ReproLabels site's images are intended for use as instructions for applying the decals; however, the image for the head vehicle is not on the site at this time. I will email ReproLabels and ask them to fix this. In the meantime I'll also upload the images to this thread.

Note: My understanding is that the labels will be printed on the same easily removed, clear vinyl medium that was used for the test sheets that I used. From my experience the labels can be removed without damage to your vintage toy. (The labels themselves don't survive being peeled off of the toy.)

This was my first experience making custom decals. I hope you enjoy them as much as I enjoyed making them!

[dudleydrulert]

Here are the full-size "instruction" images:

Air Team 1 / Kurugger 1 (Voltron/Dairugger's head)



Air Team 2 / Kurugger 2 (Voltron/Dairugger's upper torso)


Air Team 3 and 4 / Kurugger 3 and 4 (Voltron/Dairugger's right upper arm and left upper arm, respectively)


Air Team 5 / Kurugger 5 (Voltron/Dairugger's chest plate)


Sea Team 6 / Kairugger 6 (Voltron/Dairugger's middle torso)


Sea Team 7 and 8 / Kairugger 7 and 8 (Voltron/Dairugger's right upper leg and left upper leg, respectively)


Sea Team 9 and 10 / Kairugger 9 and 10 (Voltron/Dairugger's right lower leg and left lower leg, respectively)


Land Team 11 / Rickrugger 11 (Voltron/Dairugger's lower torso)


Land Team 12 and 13 / Rickrugger 12 and 13 (Voltron/Dairugger's right lower arm and left lower arm, respectively)


Land Team 14 and 15 / Rickrugger 14 and 15 (Voltron/Dairugger's right foot and left foot, respectively)

[Mr. Ginrai]

Very nice! I will definitely check these out.

[dudleydrulert]

Thanks! I hope you like them!

[xtrlowz75]

Where do we go to get a set? site? I have a Kikoucatai Dairugger that I need some decals for.

[Mr. Ginrai]

May 3, 2014 0:52:40 GMT -5 xtrlowz75 said:

Where do we go to get a set? site? I have a Kikoucatai Dairugger that I need some decals for.

ReproLabels. $14/set

[xtrlowz75]

Ah, thanks bro. I will have to snag some. I really only need the detail ones. Mine still has all the name/worded decals on the vehicles, but a few could use new worded plates hehe.

[magengar]

Just curious, I wonder how those would look an the Miracle's VV figure!

Those decals look really nice. They would made old Popy gokins look good as new!

zozo-mag

[dudleydrulert]

Thanks for the kind words!

I'm open to making equivalent decals for the Miracle Production MA-01, but making these decals involves several iterations of design, in order to ensure that each decal fits as well as it possibly can. The process of applying and removing test decals over and over again would almost certainly result in chips and scratches in the paint on the die-cast parts.

If someone has a "junker" MA-01 that they would be willing to donate to the cause of making a set of decals, then I'll make them.

[magengar]

Well.... according to WEP, We All have "junker" MA-01's!


zozo-mag

[superdaddyco]

May 8, 2014 3:29:06 GMT -5 magengar said:

Well.... according to WEP, We All have "junker" MA-01's!


zozo-mag

Ooooooooooooooooooo SNAP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[dudleydrulert]

:lol:

[magengar]

by that remark, I meant that WEP is totally pissed off that we managed
to have the MA-01 even though they tried hard to keep it out of the U.S. but failed.
Technically, they called the MA-01 an "illegal" item... so to speak.

I'll wait until all that heat and smoke clears with them, then later on I will
go on Facebook as an anonymous person and flaunt my MA-01 in WEP's face
like da crazy troll beeitch that I am!

zozo-mag

[dudleydrulert]

I got what you meant. I own an MA-01, and I very much like it.

[magengar]

Same here.... it's the largest fully-diecast figure in my collection right now,
with my DX Maz in 2nd place.

zozo-mag

[MegaPrime316]

Are there any plans on making or customizing this set to work for the Miracle Productions Voltron?

[dudleydrulert]

May 7, 2014 22:34:42 GMT -5 dudleydrulert said:

I'm open to making equivalent decals for the Miracle Production MA-01, but making these decals involves several iterations of design, in order to ensure that each decal fits as well as it possibly can. The process of applying and removing test decals over and over again would almost certainly result in chips and scratches in the paint on the die-cast parts.

If someone has a "junker" MA-01 that they would be willing to donate to the cause of making a set of decals, then I'll make them.

[B-]

Id be VERY interested in the decals for Miracle Voltron.

[repairtechjon]

Very cool set of labels, to give any version of the old toy that Japanese DX look.
Thanks for putting the huge amount of effort into getting the details right. I can only imagine how tedious that is, going letter by letter, but the results came out good, and a cheap price in the end.
I'll likely get a set of these to support this, and have to put on a Matchbox.

I also blurped this info over on the MA-01 thread in the modern forum section so it doesn't get missed, and interest in re-sizing a set, can be discussed there.

[dudleydrulert]

I would gladly make a set, as I stated before.