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Re-fitting chrome lettering after respray


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I have just got my car back from the bodyshop after a full body off repaint and am attempting to put back the shiny bits. Whilst the letters fit through the boot lid and bonnet holes ok, the paint makes fitting the little letter condoms beforehand impossible.

 

I thought maybe drilling out the holes but don't want to do that as they are nicely protected with paint. Has anyone tried putting the letters in then filling the condom things with glue and simply pushing them on from the underside? I realise they wont come off again without cutting the prongs off from behind, but is anyone doing this really likely to want to remove them? shouldn't think so.

 

It should work don't you think?

Thanks

Charles

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Hi Charles,

 

If you heat the little plastic clips up in very hot water - they should push into the hole without too much effort. Then when you go to apply the letter put a little WD40 on the prong to help ease into the plastic.

 

This has worked for me, but others will probably be along with better ideas.

 

Mike

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Unfortunately the painter has failed to do the proper prep whereby before applying the top coats all those holes should be filed out first then you can get the plastic tubes in and fit the letters Ok.You will probably find the plastic tubes will when applied from the rear hold the letters all right without glue though I would put a dab of windscreen sealer or DumDum if you have it round the stud first before fitting the letter then you wont get moisture ingress.The other option that was used on the earlier cars are spire clips that are pushed onto the letter studs from behind, they will really grip the pins but again they will need a bit of sealer round each stud.

Stuart.

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I've used spire nuts too, but I hate those little b****rds. They're tough to remove and it's too easy to gouge paint and fingers.

 

I've used thin neoprene automotive-grade trim mounting tape on the TRIUMPH nameplate on the back of my car. The pins simply fit through the holes for alignment, and the tape holds the plate in place. It's not perfectly flush with the body, but it's close, and no pin sleeves or spire nuts to worry about. It's on pretty strong, but also very removable. There are many supplier of the tape. I like 3M best in general, but I've had good results with other brands.

 

Some folks have threaded the posts on, for example, the head badge, and attached it with washers + nuts. I kinda like that approach but I've not tried to use a die on a post before. I'd expect that to be tricky on a zinc die casting.

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  • 6 years later...

Just picking up on this helpful thread; I found that using a thin shafted cross head screwdriver I could get the plastic caps (warmed in water first) to slip into the locating holes pretty well, the handle on the screwdriver enabled me to apply a little force and get them sitting flush.

My question is: the world emblem fixing holes appear fractionally smaller and the plastic caps won't quite fit, should the hole be the same size as the letters or does the badge get fitted with spire clips? Bit tricky as the badge holes come through behind the strengthening webbing low down at the front of the bonnet

Rgds

David

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Edited by qkingston
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