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Restoring an emblem
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fireguyfire
Posted 2017-08-18 12:44 PM (#546476)
Subject: Restoring an emblem


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Posts: 169
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Location: Cochrane, Alberta
Just finishing up the full restoration on my 1956 dodge regent. Wanting to renew the emblems from the front grille and rear trunk that have the knights helmet in the middle.
There is a hint of silver foil peeling off of the back around the perimeter, and I have found new ones online that have the silver borders, with red and black inserts in the middle; they look pretty sharp when new.
Mine are basically clear plastic with a bit of silver foil remaining.
How have you guys restored this type of emblem in the past? Is back painting them with model paint the best way to go?
The originals almost look like they had some sort of decal applied to the back as they have incredible detail.
Suggestions would be appreciated gents!
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fireguyfire
Posted 2017-08-18 12:49 PM (#546477 - in reply to #546476)
Subject: RE: Restoring an emblem


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Posts: 169
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Location: Cochrane, Alberta
here is how mine look now.



(IMG_1205.jpg)



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Attachments IMG_1205.jpg (425KB - 117 downloads)
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fireguyfire
Posted 2017-08-18 12:52 PM (#546478 - in reply to #546476)
Subject: RE: Restoring an emblem


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Posts: 169
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Location: Cochrane, Alberta
And heres how I'm guessing it should look; as you can see by the detail on it I believe there was some sort of decal applied to the rear of the clear plastic emblem.



(images.jpg)



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Attachments images.jpg (9KB - 122 downloads)
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Powerflite
Posted 2017-08-18 2:54 PM (#546483 - in reply to #546478)
Subject: RE: Restoring an emblem



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I had an emblem in similar shape from a '57 Chrysler that I painted from the backside. It looked pretty miserable afterward, but was better than what I started with. The problem isn't the detail, the problem is you are dealing with 60 yr old plastic. If you want it to look great, you have no choice but to buy a new one. But really, you have nothing to lose by trying to paint it so go for it!
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C-300
Posted 2017-08-18 2:58 PM (#546484 - in reply to #546476)
Subject: Re: Restoring an emblem


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Yours has a crack down the center of it. There is no decal, the detail is cast into the back of the plastic. It's then back painted and plated. You need the third one from the top of the following list. Not cheap, but their work is always amazing.

http://www.emblemagic.com/dodge.htm

Aaron

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ronbo97
Posted 2017-08-18 2:58 PM (#546485 - in reply to #546483)
Subject: RE: Restoring an emblem


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If you go to an art supply store, they sell paint pens with tips of varying sizes. You can play around with a bright metallic silver to see what happens. I found that the problem is that the old plastic is cloudy. So you won't be able to restore it to new. But you can make it look a bit better.

Ron

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C-300
Posted 2017-08-18 2:59 PM (#546486 - in reply to #546476)
Subject: RE: Restoring an emblem


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This:



(56DodgHd.jpg)



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Attachments 56DodgHd.jpg (24KB - 140 downloads)
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fireguyfire
Posted 2017-08-18 5:03 PM (#546494 - in reply to #546476)
Subject: Re: Restoring an emblem


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Posts: 169
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Location: Cochrane, Alberta
Thanks for the tips fellas; for $250 US each I'll just try and fix mine up to look better than they do now which shouldn't be hard. Think I'll use the Maguire's plastic polish on them first to get them bright and clean again; should work as it did wonders on the tail light lenses that look brand new again.
Then I will float some gloss enamel paints onto the back and see how it turns out.
I will post up the results.
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56D500boy
Posted 2017-08-18 5:35 PM (#546500 - in reply to #546494)
Subject: Some hints on Back Painting a cracked plastic emblem



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fireguyfire - 2017-08-18 5:03 PM Thanks for the tips fellas; for $250 US each I'll just try and fix mine up to look better than they do now which shouldn't be hard. Think I'll use the Maguire's plastic polish on them first to get them bright and clean again; should work as it did wonders on the tail light lenses that look brand new again.
Then I will float some gloss enamel paints onto the back and see how it turns out. I will post up the results.


I have just been doing this with my 56 Dodge Custom Royal. You want to do the back painting with model paint, e.g. Testors (or the like) *FIRST* (BEFORE you do any gluing). I used silver, red and black liquid and gold spray and a very fine brush. Leave the emblem in the chrome surround. Start by loosening the two screws that hold the emblem into the surround a bit and then push the two halves together and then tighten those two screws (to minimize the crack gap). Then do the back size painting, starting with the red black and silver. Paint up to the crack but NOT into it. Check for coverage by holding the emblem up to the light and noting where you need to add more paint. Keep going until you don't find any light coming through the red, black and silver areas. After that let them dry. Mask off the metal and then spray the back side with the gold spray paint, several light coats, check for light leakage and respray as needed. Only when you have finished with the painting and things have dried do you want to go for the clear epoxy or glue that you have chosen. You might want clear epoxy both on the back and front to fill in the crack. Don't use too much.

When the glue has set up sand the front side with very fine (e.g. 2000 grit wet and dry) sandpaper. Then polish with brand name plastic polish. Then wax.

I have done the back painting on one of my emblems (see below) and have a cracked one like yours that I am going to follow my steps above.

If you end up buying, DO NOT buy from George Laurie in Australia. I paid him in October and am STILL waiting for product.

This one had NO black and very little red before I started back painting:



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fireguyfire
Posted 2017-08-18 6:53 PM (#546503 - in reply to #546476)
Subject: Re: Restoring an emblem


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Posts: 169
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Location: Cochrane, Alberta
56D500; great info; exactly what I was looking for.
A couple of questions for you; is there a reason you didn't glue it back together first before painting? (I too have 1 good one and 1 cracked one).
And also, because all of my paint is gone, can you tell me what areas are silver? I know the "star" burst below the helmet is silver, but is anything else on the emblem?

Great job by the way; I hope mine turn out as nice as yours!!!

Edited by fireguyfire 2017-08-18 7:04 PM
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56D500boy
Posted 2017-08-18 7:05 PM (#546505 - in reply to #546503)
Subject: Re: Restoring an emblem



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If you glue it back together first, you won't be able to get the paint in areas along the crack that need paint. Paint first (but don't get paint in the crack), then glue.

The silver that I found was in an outline "groove" near the outside edge of the emblem. YMMV.

I think for yours I would gently peel out some of the loose metallic bits before I painted.

Check your velocity email.

Dave F.

Edited by 56D500boy 2017-08-18 7:07 PM
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fireguyfire
Posted 2017-08-26 12:05 AM (#547052 - in reply to #546476)
Subject: RE: Restoring an emblem


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Posts: 169
1002525
Location: Cochrane, Alberta
Using the recommended techniques I have painted my rear emblem which is not cracked; its not factory perfect but I am extremely happy considering the starting point.Now to do the front one!

Edited by fireguyfire 2017-08-26 12:07 AM




(IMG_1221 (1).JPG)



(IMG_1244.jpg)



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Attachments IMG_1221 (1).JPG (474KB - 164 downloads)
Attachments IMG_1244.jpg (455KB - 129 downloads)
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56D500boy
Posted 2017-10-05 6:37 PM (#549840 - in reply to #547052)
Subject: RE: Restoring an emblem



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Todd: Looks real good considering the price. Much better than the one's I ordered and paid for from George Laurie a year ago and never received

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