Emblem/Badge restoration/painting?

[maddog1331]

Hi all, I have a question. I just got a parts truck, and I pulled the fender badges off them (the '8 350' type). They are chrome, but has raised spots and such from age. Anyone know the best way to rework these, or anything that I need to watch out for?

I don't mind sanding them down smooth and repainting them, maybe even customizing them some. I just don't want to damage them overmuch. Any ideas? Will these take paint ok once they are sanded down, or if necessary filed down in the places it has the raised spots? I expect I could use self etching primer on it but I am not sure.

I could always buy new ones, but the point of having a parts truck is to take what is on there and make it work for you

[ChevLoRay]

You don't want to replace them with aftermarket parts? I know it's an expense but compare that expense to what your time is worth.

If you are dead set on "restoring" them, you will have to consider how to fill in the pits in the finish, and then get them ready to be replated. There's two kinds of chrome to consider. The original chrome is available at places that rechrome bumpers, for example. There is another process that utilizes cobalt to produce a chrome finish. If you've seen plastic parts that had a chrome finish on them, that is the process I speak of.

A few issues back, Custom Classic Trucks did an article (Dakota Wentz) about the perils of improper preparation of items for chroming. You'd be ahead of the game if you could find that article and read it.

[special-K]

Pretty much,when repro badges came out it killed the used market,unless they aren`t repopped.The raised spots is pitting and will require re-chroming which will make them really expensive.

[maddog1331]

Hey thanks for the info guys. I don't necessarily have to restore them, but I am definitely going to try to do something with them. My running truck doesn't have any, but has the holes....I expect the PO forgot to put them on when it was painted.

Bear in mind my truck is by no means a show truck, I use it for whatever work I need to do. I probably won't go the rechroming route, but will probably try to get the pits out and maybe do a /yellow/chrome or yellow black color scheme on them. Might turn out like crap, but I am a sucker for trying stuff like that. I like using the old original stuff and making it work for me

[special-K]

I wasn`t sure what you were after.I`d never tell you what you should or should not do.I do things like that.That`s how new ideas come about.
I`ve repainted accents alot.There`s no primer used from the factory.But,if I was painting overall I`d scuff and prime for sure.Pinting yellow with the numbers accented would look cool.The truck`s yellow,right?

[maddog1331]

Oh, I didn't think you were, no worries there I appreciate the advice!

Yep, the truck is yellow (well, ochre) so what you were thinking is what I was planning, or if there is any chrome type paint these days that actually looks like chrome when it dries (I have had bad luck with that in the past, might be my painting skills lol) I might do outer area chrome, the lines area with yellow and the numbers in chrome. I have not done much of this stuff in a long time (probably 20 years ago). We will see what happens.

[maddog1331]

By the way Special K, who or what was East Side Low Life? I have seen that in your sig and have been wondering.

[my67chevytruck]

East Side Low Life (ESLL) was a board member who unfortunately passed away . way too soon..


RIP BRO....

[maddog1331]

Thanks for the info, I hate to hear that. But his memory lives on, you guys are a testament to that.

[UltraBlue71]

Try rubbing them down real well with a 0000 or 000 steel wool pad to see if they have any shine left in them
There are a couple of ways to do the Black areas, I have seen but havent tried the plastic bead in the oven trick, fill the recesses in with little black seed beads and melt em in the oven and the pooled molten plastic will fill everything in nicely and you'll never need to worry about them again.
Or prime them and paint them with a little model brush and wipe up any goof ups with thinner.
As a kid I used to yank emblems off cars in the boneyard and try to restore them.
Good Luck Hope that helps!

[maddog1331]

Thats a good idea ultra. Where do you get these plastic beads? That might make the work a lot easier!

[dfwright]

They sell the plastic melting/forming kits at hobby stores like Hobby Lobby for making plastic stained "glass" and such.

[maddog1331]

Hey cool, thanks!

[UltraBlue71]

http://www.guildcraftinc.com/Product...__584-200.aspx

is what your looking for, Let me know how it works I have a old vette emblem and a few others I'd like to try it to!

[leddzepp]

Repaint them with Testors model paint and a brush if you have a steady hand. I restored all the factory emblems on my 72 3/4 ton truck that way and they came out great.

[71blksuper4x4]

spray paint them with some black lacquer semi gloss, and wipe away the raised chrome areas with lacquer thinner. Easy as that. Trevor