How close do the stickers resemble the originals?

They are 100% clear, and they are vinyl, just like original Hasbro decals.  If Hasbro used "paper" decals, then I will as well.  However, my "paper" decals are not paper.  They are still vinyl, just white.

 

Do they run?

Absolutely, 100% no.  Some haters on the YOJOE boards have repeatedly directed people away from my stickers because they are said to run.  Maybe a few years ago, when I used a different vinyl and did not spray them with acrylic sealer, they might have run.  I recommended to buyers they spray them but people choose not to listen and this complaint likely developed from one bad experience someone had.  If you doubt my veracity at all, go back to my sticker home page and watch the video of them being rubbed under running water with no running.  Any statement made by anyone that my stickers run is patently false.

A lot of times you change stickers color from white to black.  Why?
You can't print white unless you have a special printer, and this is my part-time, tiny little side business I run alone.  I hardly have the capacity to afford such a printer.  White also doesn't show up too great.  A lot of people complain about this as they say they want "realism".  What these people really want is something that looks EXACTLY like the originals, which I have already said does not apply to my decals.  Allow me, as a 12 year army veteran/reservist, to shatter your perception of realism with GI Joe.  It isn't.  And if the decals were realistic, they'd be all black, because the only spray paint we (the U.S. Military) letter on vehicles with is black.  For slightly more work, you can achieve a white effect by following the directions that are shown on each of my sticker pages.

How do you do it?

I scan either cruddy stickers or a complete sticker sheet and I completely re-create them.  These are not scans.  Re-creating the sticker from scratch assures (A) solid colors--a scanner picks up all the fading differences--and (B) perfectly sharp edges of all shapes--think of the Skystriker's eagle circle.  Because all my stickers are totally solid colors, I can also easily change colors to accommodate customs.

How much work is it to put them on?  Are they cut out?

The vehicle should be clean, but simple soaking will loosen old dirt and stickers.  It takes about 30 minutes to properly cut out a set of Skystriker decals, but that's because it had so many.  Then the time to apply them, which naturally takes as long as it would if you bought it brand new.  I did my first Skystriker in about an hour.  I place these very close together so that when you cut them out with a straight edge and exacto, you cut the sides of all the stickers at once and make it easy on yourself.

How do I know they are for me?

Your target vehicle will be dramatically enhanced IF the stickers are worn or very dirty, or if you just don't think they look right.  Vehicles with no stickers, or new vehicles where you don't want to use the stickers (FUNSKOOL) are prime candidates.  I recommend at least a little experience with customs or model building. And if you are a chronic complainer, you will inevitably be disappointed.  These are not meant to be PERFECT.  They are an affordable yet authentic-looking alternative.  If you want absolute perfection, then spend the time and money tracking down that perfect set of 1983 Skystriker decals.  Still, 95% of my customers have applied these and said they are top notch and that they look incredible.

What are the drawbacks?

Because I completely re-create them, there may be slight differences.  I mean slight.  We're talking you have to hold the originals next to the fakes and really look.  The re-creation process eliminates haziness, clouding, unclear writing, etc.  The colors may not be an EXACT match, but with old toys having faded, can you ever truly be sure of what was the original intended color?

 

How do you clean the vehicle prior to application, to remove the old grime?

There are numerous ways to do it, but I have always done a three step method.  I used paint thinner to get the residue off, and I'd let it sit on the sticky areas for a while.  Then I'd dunk it or scrub it with soapy water to get excess dirt and the paint thinner off.  Finally, if the vehicle needed some lustre, I'd Armor All it.  Wipe off whatever armor all was still wet with a paper towel before sticker application.