How would you fix the Chevrolet badge on an 87 tailgate?
 

It seems my big "CHEVROLET" badge on the back of my 87 has given up the ghost and let go. Luckily I saw it before I drove it somewhere and it broke completely off. One of the metal pins that fastens it to the tailgate broke, so now it will only hang by one side. I took it off to refurbish it and fix the issue.

What do you think is the best method of repairing this? Should I take it to a welding shop and have them tack me some new bolts on? I don't think glues or tapes of any kind would work out, because there is a plastic gasket that goes between the metal badge, and the tailgate itself. Any ideas would be appreciated. Pic below of what I'm talking about:

https://i.imgur.com/ZDdO40t.jpg

Re: How would you fix the Chevrolet badge on an 87 tailgate?
 

They are not metal pins. The entire emblem is plastic. Probably be best just to get a new emblem.

Re: How would you fix the Chevrolet badge on an 87 tailgate?
 

Re: How would you fix the Chevrolet badge on an 87 tailgate?
 

Definitely the way to go, with the new emblem. I got one for myself awhile back.
While I had the tailgate band and emblem off, I took the time to clean & polish up the tailgate band before installing the new emblem.

Re: How would you fix the Chevrolet badge on an 87 tailgate?
 

i used black silicone and taped it in place until the silicone died you cant tell trick is to use just enough not too much

Re: How would you fix the Chevrolet badge on an 87 tailgate?
 

Since it still looks good, I would forgo the gasket and use 3M automotive trim tape. No need for a gasket if you've got the tape between it and the metal.

Re: How would you fix the Chevrolet badge on an 87 tailgate?
 

Came here to say this.

K

Re: How would you fix the Chevrolet badge on an 87 tailgate?
 

Mine is metal just like the one in the link. Maybe they started using plastic ones later, I dunno. You can hear the metal when it falls on the ground. I believe it's aluminum. Only the gasket is plastic.

https://www.autometaldirect.com/amd-...n-p-23512.html

Maybe I'm missing something here, but the back of the badge is concave. You'd need a flat surface to guarantee that tape would work. I have used that tape on several different things and it works great. But in this case you'd only be able to put it on the very edge of the emblem, which would be pretty weak.

Re: How would you fix the Chevrolet badge on an 87 tailgate?
 

It's pot metal. You can't weld it. It will melt.

Re: How would you fix the Chevrolet badge on an 87 tailgate?
 

Earlier tailgate emblem. Top photo, that is the metal (pot metal).
81-87 tailgate emblem. Bottom photo, that emblem is plastic. It always has been. When I bought mine, it was a NOS GM part. It’s plastic, just like the fender emblems.

Re: How would you fix the Chevrolet badge on an 87 tailgate?
 

I don't have that style badge, but I do think all the metal badges are pot metal, so no welding. I think you could epoxy the pin back on, or even use super glue with a little baking soda mixed in. And then I would use the trim tape. I would cut it to fit inside the concavity and build it up with enough layers so that it just protruded enough to stick to the paint without raising it away from the panel. I don't think I would trust just the pin or just the built up tape, but together I'll bet it'll stay on. Especially because it still has the one good pin.

Re: How would you fix the Chevrolet badge on an 87 tailgate?
 

I work for Auto Metal Direct and can confirm, '81-87 has always been plastic for the tailgate lettering. Only '73-80 was metal. There's not really a good way to repair these or attach them with tape since they're hollow on the backside. It's best to just replace it with a fresh emblem

Re: How would you fix the Chevrolet badge on an 87 tailgate?
 

That’s what I was trying to explain, that the 81-87 style is plastic, and best to replace it.

Re: How would you fix the Chevrolet badge on an 87 tailgate?
 

If any of you have a real nice tail gate badge except for the clips broken and it will never be able to be used on a tail gate again ,,send me a pm with pictures of it and a price for shipping it to 83686 and I might just buy it from you .

Re: How would you fix the Chevrolet badge on an 87 tailgate?
 

Mine's metal. It's the top one. That first truck I posted is not mine I just grabbed it from google. Didn't realize that much of a difference. This got me curious and I called the previous owner (2 owner truck including me) and he said his dad backed into something way back when, and apparently they had to replace it. Even he did not notice that the emblem was wrong afterwards. So I guess I'm not the only one...

You can get one here:

https://www.autometaldirect.com/amd-...n-p-23512.html

Re: How would you fix the Chevrolet badge on an 87 tailgate?
 

bennylava thanks

Beings I do not have a tail gate band and know of no one close by me with one on their truck to see in person ,,then I do not know how the two parts connect together ..meaning the Band and the lettering .. you have shown me this lettering advertisement,,, I could buy just the lettering and use screws to fasten it the tail gate .. I believe that would really look good on my dark brown gate..I need to see the lettering and find if it can be bolted to the tail gate properly so it would stay ,,any more help would be appreciated ,, pictures would even be better. from anyone reading this ..

Re: How would you fix the Chevrolet badge on an 87 tailgate?
 

This won’t work. The studs on the emblem are not long enough to go thru the tailgate. They are meant to attach to the tailgate band, then the tailgate band gets attached to the tailgate. I’ll see if I can find some pictures to explain.

Re: How would you fix the Chevrolet badge on an 87 tailgate?
 

So this is the backside of a tailgate band. There are holes, I marked them in black. This is where the emblem studs come thru the band, and there are access holes to attach speed nuts to the studs on the emblem. There are holes all down the backside, because the backing is universal for all the different emblem placements. Like the GMC emblem would go on the other end.
The places I marked in red. There are weld nut clips that slide onto to back. Then there are holes that are drilled into the tailgate itself. Screws are used to attached the band to the tailgate. The screws are longer because they pass thru the thickness of the tailgate to reach the nut clips on the band.
Hopefully this makes since.
But just buying an emblem, you will not be able to attach it directly to the tailgate.

Re: How would you fix the Chevrolet badge on an 87 tailgate?
 

Now that makes more since. Because the picture you grabbed from Google is the plastic emblem for the 81-87 Band, not the metal emblem for the earlier band. I would have thought that the previous owner would have noticed that right away, because I don’t believe the stud placement isn’t even the same on the 2 Emblems. I’m pretty positive I noticed that one time when I had the emblems off a couple of tailgate bands, when I was cleaning & polishing them. But that’s been awhile ago.

Re: How would you fix the Chevrolet badge on an 87 tailgate?
 

thx T So , what I would be looking for is a good tail gate band along with a emblem that has a stud or studs broke off ? Then it would be up to me to figure a way to make a new stud and therefore able me to fasten the embem to the band .and the band to the tail gate ?
Another question is ::: Is the emblem with the letters all hooked together CHEVROLET or are they on a backing board with the letters ?.. (my lack of another way to say it )

Re: How would you fix the Chevrolet badge on an 87 tailgate?
 

Is yours plastic?
This one has 3 of 4 studs yet.

Re: How would you fix the Chevrolet badge on an 87 tailgate?
 

Even without seeing a lettered Emblem up close ,, I still think a person could drill out the studs that will enable a person to run a screw through the stud on center and on into the tail gate metal and have a nice looking tail gate no one else has ..if a stud is broken off then improvise something that looks good or does not show and make it work.. Now ,, are there any of you that have a real good looking emblem that they would sell to me for a darn good price

Re: How would you fix the Chevrolet badge on an 87 tailgate?
 

Papa ,3m emblem tape will hold it on there, it's been holding my fender emblems for yrs, those studs were broke off as well

Re: How would you fix the Chevrolet badge on an 87 tailgate?
 

thx that's my answer ,,now to find a real nice one. pick and pull around here is not where I will find one..

Re: How would you fix the Chevrolet badge on an 87 tailgate?
 

I had to use a couple of layers of tape, but it works

Re: How would you fix the Chevrolet badge on an 87 tailgate?
 

Mine are broken on my fender emblems also. I got them both with 3M tape on the back, just need to decide if I’m actually going to put them on the fenders.

Re: How would you fix the Chevrolet badge on an 87 tailgate?
 

I have one, I just can’t figure out where it’s at. No studs, they all broke off. I even have a tailgate band. I believe it’s a 81-87 Chevy. I bought it off someone local, to cleanup and resell, but haven’t done it yet. It’s in a box out in the garage. I’ll have to get it out and take some pics for you.

Re: How would you fix the Chevrolet badge on an 87 tailgate?
 

[QUOTE=TKCR;9064775]I have one, I just can’t figure out where it’s at. No studs, they all broke off. I even have a tailgate band. I believe it’s a 81-87 Chevy. I bought it off someone local, to cleanup and resell, but haven’t done it yet. It’s in a box out in the garage. I’ll have to get it out and take some pics for you.[/QUOTE

Ok thx ,,.. get it out ,,,clean it up and send me some pictures ..Tina I need to see some up close pics so I can decide if it looks OK with just the letters or the whole thing will look good on my tail gate ... ( it has to be cheap in case it does no work ) lol

I got a brand new tail gate leather badging for a 71-72 Chevy Truck still in the box ,,it would not fit ,or I might of put it on my truck. I need to sell it as it just sits up in the shed loft all safe and all .

Re: How would you fix the Chevrolet badge on an 87 tailgate?
 

How are you going to deal with the back of the emblem having precious little area to apply the tape? Cause looking at those from the late 80's trucks, it looks like there's very little contact area for tape. Just saying because your emblem might be only attached weakly, and may fall off later.

Re: How would you fix the Chevrolet badge on an 87 tailgate?
 

You have a valid point , I am waiting to see what Tina has with photos ,,as I have never seen a emblem in person,, I will be looking at drilling a smaller hole through the studs (if possible) and use decretive screws to mount it to the tail gate .. I might find that the emblem is fragile and will not screw up tight ,, I might find that there are not enough studs to mount it up tight .. I might find that my idea is so well liked that I have shot myself in the foot with getting one for myself,, who knows ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,I can only decide that by me seeing what I have to work with,,,,,,,,,,,I just thought it would look real nice with just the emblem with the my paint of my tail gate showing throught around the lettering.

Re: How would you fix the Chevrolet badge on an 87 tailgate?
 

That’s why I had said in the previous post, that I’m pretty sure that can’t be done. I have seen the emblems, the backside. What I have to show you is the tailgate trim itself, with the emblem already on there. I can’t find the emblem itself, the one that had the studs broken off. And I wouldn’t want to take the emblem off the tailgate trim, because the studs will break trying to remove it. I’ll try and get it out today and get pictures. I’ve just been crazy busy, but I will make time today.

Re: How would you fix the Chevrolet badge on an 87 tailgate?
 

I'll save you the problem of digging out the tail gate badging,, I am going a different route ,,

Re: How would you fix the Chevrolet badge on an 87 tailgate?
 

:metal:

Re: How would you fix the Chevrolet badge on an 87 tailgate?
 

I think you could fill in the emblem with exterior liquid nails. Maybe help it out by giving it some scratches with 80 grit. That would give you a flat surface on the back of the emblem.

But then you kinda need something hard to stick the tape too. So it's probably best to make a new (tougher) plastic gasket to replace the old one. Glue it to the emblem when you use the liquid nails. Now you can use the original holes (that you transferred to the new gasket) to do alignment so you can be sure it's on straight.

And you could put some bolts through the new plastic gasket, so now you have a much better way of attaching the emblem than GM originally provided. All of this would have to be done with the aluminum tailgate band off, of course.

Re: How would you fix the Chevrolet badge on an 87 tailgate?
 

Great Idea .. I will copy this and keep it for guidence if i ever get a used tail gate band ..

Re: How would you fix the Chevrolet badge on an 87 tailgate?
 

Ok, now I’m confused. I said I have a tailgate band. And I did also have just the emblem without studs, but that I can’t find. So are you interested in the tailgate band? Mine is a GMC , but it is a nice band.
I took a few pics of the backside also. The ones with the screw, that’s how it attaches to the tailgate. The round holes all along the back, that is how you access the studs on the emblems. That part is universal, so any of the emblem studs can be accessed. Or if you do what your planning, trying to screw into the emblem. I suppose anything can be done with some ingenuity.

Re: How would you fix the Chevrolet badge on an 87 tailgate?
 

thx Tina .. that does show me a lot I did not know .. I do have a Chevy ..does the GMC emblem have two holes to get to studs or 3 ? I am guessing that the Chevrolet band has more holes as ,,,,,,,,isn't it the whole name spelled out CHEVROLET ?

Re: How would you fix the Chevrolet badge on an 87 tailgate?
 

The CHEVROLET is on the other side (passenger side) as well. You'd have to drill holes for that and then do something about the holes for the GMC (driver's side)

Re: How would you fix the Chevrolet badge on an 87 tailgate?
 

Good to know .. I will look around some for a used tail gate badge and that I can see it in person off a truck so I can decide if it can be done and still look good before I buy one .. my truck is not all dressed out with the Scotts Dale Pkg.. but I do have the chrome around my wheels and I thought it might look pretty sharp with the tail gate letters on it ..we'll see

Re: How would you fix the Chevrolet badge on an 87 tailgate?
 

Looks like your band has some dents in it, in pic #2. Small, but still visible.