Steve,
I built one of these a couple of years ago and I still had that problem. It was a bit frustrating to buy a new kit and finding that Your decals were trash. Anyway what I finished doing was painting the strips on.
Here are the links.
http://i23.photobuck...T40/model_2.jpg
http://i23.photobuck...T40/model_1.jpg
Adding to what You have said, Way up to 68 or 69 model darts the lug nuts on the passengers side screwed turning to the left instead of the regular screw on turning to the right. Wow, If I remember that I must be old, right??
Hey, it too late for a april fools joke!!!!
All jokes aside, now if You can make the 15x3 inchers for the front and sell them as a set it would be AWESOME!!!!!
This is at the stage where I stopped working on mine. But seeing yours come along and You pointing out the same problems I was having, made me open the box again and decide to finish it, Thanks Scale-Master!!
Buy yourself a gallon of degreaser from Costco or Sam's, the type that comes in a black gallon. ($3.00) Drop the model in it a couple of days and it will start to break apart by itself. Use gloves, this stuff is strong. You can see the degreaser can be used to strip paint also.
If You have a Costco or Sam's warehouse near, try getting the degreaser that comes in a black plastic gallon. This stuff will tear your skin up, so use gloves with it.. It only cost something like 3 bucks.