FOUND: Coca-Cola CSS-64 Stylestar - looking for 'menu' card

[TexasGreek]

Was hoping someone knew of a good source to find a soda "menu" that slips behind the plexiglass panel and lists the beverages stocked inside of the Coca-Cola CSS-64 Stylestar (pictures below). The guy I bought the machine from spray painted the entire inside of the cabinet white: bottle stack, panels, even the wiring. He also painted over the bottle door springs and handle. Just got the replacement springs from sodajerk in the mail today, but still looking for the replacement door handle.

Also want to change out the 'weatherstrip' around the bottle door as it looks a little cruddy and I'm aiming toward a clean look. Unfortunately, I do not see the handle for the css-64 available on sodajerk.

[tkaz]

I don't know if anyone is reproducing the menu, but I'm sure it is something that might be able to be done in Photoshop or something like that.  What kind of media is it on, just paper or card stock?  If you can get a scan of it and email, I'd be willing to take a crack.

[TexasGreek]

Tkaz, thank you for answering. The online dealer who sold me the machine advertized using the first photo you see, with the vintage classic soda 'menu' that you see in the photo, but ended up delivering a different unit than what is pictured. No, I was not happy, but when considering the fact that I wired him x number of dollars with no bill of sale, he could have scammed me and never showed up. He actually drove here from Alabama to deliver it.

The menu card I received instead is the one pictured below. I immediately replaced the cheesy price decal with a more fitting one shown in the picture, but now I need to replace the menu card. The classic menu appears to have the ovals that are actual holes, windows, with a card backing where labels can be attached. I am not a Photoshop person. I am more than happy to compensate you for your Photoshop services (Do you have a paypal account?). I have already purchased a bunch of vintage classic soda cards that I can trim down to fit inside the ovals. The card appears to be grey or silver in color, based on the photograph. The insert card in there now measures 6 inches wide x 5 inches tall.

As a side note, and not to appear ungrateful for this awsome site, would there be any way for the administrator to increase the allowed size for uploaded photos? It's not like it's 1996 anymore, and it actually takes several attempts to get the photo down to the size required for 100 kb. I suspect this is the reason many people do not upload photos. It is frustrating when someone brags about how great his machine looks yet there are no photos. Just a friendly suggestion.

[TexasGreek]

Well I finally found someone online who was selling an original menu card from a CSS-64 Coca Cola Stylestar. This one was pretty weather beaten, but I consider myself lucky to have come across it considering it is now over 50 years old!. My next step was to learn photoshop since there was a bit of cleaning up to do. Scanned the original card at 4800 dpi, then got rid of all the dirt, creases and stains while trying to remain as true to the original as possible by not altering or changing a thing. I have attached the photo below:

[MoonDawg]

       Your weather-beaten cardboard is in better shape than any of those in the  late model Cavaliers that I have owned.
       Your copy is excellent, you may want to take it to a print shop and reproduce a couple dozen more. I'd buy a few.

[Jim]

Nice work ! ! !

[TexasGreek]

      Your weather-beaten cardboard is in better shape than any of those in the  late model Cavaliers that I have owned.
       Your copy is excellent, you may want to take it to a print shop and reproduce a couple dozen more. I'd buy a few.

I appreciate the compliments from both you and Jim. It took me most of the day because, pixel by pixel, I wanted to maintain as much of the original appearance as possible. Photoshop is a fairly smart software and good at anticipating what you want to do once you start using it. I must say I'm darned proud of the results, as much time that I spent, down to the last detail. Sprite could be slightly darker though. Still have a long way to go replacing many parts on this poorly restored machine, but this was a start. This machine pales in comparison to my professionally restored Vendo 39, but this one's 60's appearance really appeals to me and I intend on restoring it down to the screws over the next several months.

[ajf5577]

They look great! I know how much time this takes. You might want to take Glens advice and see if a print shop can print them on a semi gloss plastic sheet or whatever the original medium is, then offer them for sale. It won't be $ millions but everyone out here appreciates someone that can recreate a need.

[TexasGreek]

I will print some. The original was printed on glossy cardstock. My restored one shown in the pictures was printed on glossy paper. I remember from personal experience that print shops can get touchy about reprinting 'copyrighted' material, so I was careful to print it in the customer work area, as they would have needed to print the carded one behind the counter. I want the cardstock though as what I have here is just a work-in-progress sort of thing. I wonder if I will have any problems with them getting a few cards printed.

[ajf5577]

This thing is 50 years old so I doubt if you'll have any trouble. If the clerk says anything, go to another printing store.