Alan Kent Posted August 25, 2021 Report Share Posted August 25, 2021 Hi there, has anyone experience with getting the TR front Apron badge re-enamelled and re-chromed? My TR3 badge had all the enamelling peeling off, obviously it wasn't done properly in the first place, and it was easy removing what was left as it effectively just fell off when poked with a screwdriver! I approached my re-chromers, 'Silvabronze' in Alton, but they do not do enamelling, and couldn't help nor did they know of an enameller who coukd do it. After much searching I found a small jewellery enameller in the Midlands who said that she could do it, all the large companies didn't want to know, a small one off car badge was of no interest to them. This person said however that it should be enamelled onto base metal and not onto chrome as it wouldn't adhere to it properly, and that I should get the old chrome removed first. This initially made sense in view of the way the enamel had cracked and had come off so easily. This I did but then she decided she couldn't do the job as she didn't want responsibilty in case it went wrong! However, looking at my other TR front badges when you look at the red enamel, it is partially transparent and you can clearly see the underlying 'silver' chrome finish of the overall badge, and NOT copper, nickel, brass or any other base metal. Does anyone out there have a definitive answer to this question, and more importantly know of any enameller who can and will enamel a single TR badge? Alan Kent (Member no. 46649 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ralph Whitaker Posted August 26, 2021 Report Share Posted August 26, 2021 I know its nice to have original parts, but sounds to me as it would be a lot cheaper and easier just to get a new badge. Ralph Quote Link to post Share on other sites
openroad Posted August 26, 2021 Report Share Posted August 26, 2021 Hi Alan , Try Pamela David Enamels, Badgecraft in Devon. Cheers Conrad Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Harbottle Posted August 26, 2021 Report Share Posted August 26, 2021 1 hour ago, openroad said: Hi Alan , Try Pamela David Enamels, Badgecraft in Devon. Cheers Conrad I used them for my 5 badge. Not cheap but excellent job. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
openroad Posted August 26, 2021 Report Share Posted August 26, 2021 Yes me too, they did the front and rear. Conrad. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
2long Posted August 26, 2021 Report Share Posted August 26, 2021 Be prepared for a wait of many months! I did an order with them early in the year and my delivery date is a couple months away. But they are the best and I don't mind waiting. Cheers Dan Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ralph Whitaker Posted August 27, 2021 Report Share Posted August 27, 2021 I am confused (again). Moss sell the badges, not cheap, but supposed to be made by the same firm that supplied Triumph back in the day, yet everyone on here is preferring to send their old badges away and wait months to get them back. Am I to assume from this that the new badges are no good, or different in some way to original despite being made by the same firm? Ralph Quote Link to post Share on other sites
openroad Posted August 27, 2021 Report Share Posted August 27, 2021 Hi Ralph, if you have one of each in each hand , you can feel the weight difference, the Font is Different also. Although a decent enough copy, the finish is different. And stories of the enamel melting off in hot sunshine ! So if you dont want originality and quality, then the Repro ones are adequate. And cheaper ! Just my take on them. And Yes , Badgecraft did take a while but the quality is great, and yes not cheap either, but you gets what you pay for !! Cheers, Conrad. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Harbottle Posted August 27, 2021 Report Share Posted August 27, 2021 47 minutes ago, openroad said: Hi Ralph, if you have one of each in each hand , you can feel the weight difference, the Font is Different also. Although a decent enough copy, the finish is different. And stories of the enamel melting off in hot sunshine ! So if you dont want originality and quality, then the Repro ones are adequate. And cheaper ! Just my take on them. And Yes , Badgecraft did take a while but the quality is great, and yes not cheap either, but you gets what you pay for !! Cheers, Conrad. Conrad is absolutely right, I bought one from Moss and the enamel!!! Bent and twisted off like it was plastic. Don’t waste your money is my advice. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Dic Doretti Posted August 27, 2021 Report Share Posted August 27, 2021 Pamela David Enamels do a range of badges for Swallow Dorettis, the quality is good but they are not identical to the originals but pretty close. The only alternative is to get an original restored, so back to Pamela David Enamels. Cheers Richard Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ralph Whitaker Posted August 28, 2021 Report Share Posted August 28, 2021 Mine is a repro, bought as a Christmas present by one of my daughters a couple of years ago whilst I was restoring the car. Only been to a couple of shows with it so far in hot sun, so maybe too early to tell about the enamel peeling off. One thing I did notice was the huge increase in price, from £50 or so 2 years ago to £125 now. Ralph Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Harbottle Posted September 1, 2021 Report Share Posted September 1, 2021 (edited) Here’s a photo from a couple of years ago. Guess which one is the repro, this was after 1 year only in the British sunshine. As Conrad said you will know the difference when you see them next to each other. Edited September 1, 2021 by Harbottle Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RobH Posted September 1, 2021 Report Share Posted September 1, 2021 The repro one at the bottom obviously is not enamel. If they sold it as such you have good reason for a claim for false pretences. That looks like paint whereas real enamel is melted powdered glass which cannot peel because it is not flexible. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Harbottle Posted September 1, 2021 Report Share Posted September 1, 2021 It’s certainly not paint Rob, it’s stiff and hard like some sort of plastic variant. Bought at IWE a couple or three years ago from one of the usual suppliers for £35 I think. Very disappointing. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RobH Posted September 1, 2021 Report Share Posted September 1, 2021 Probably some form of resin then - still not enamel though. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Don H. Posted September 1, 2021 Report Share Posted September 1, 2021 I had my original head badge re-enameled by some guys in Birmingham (whose name I'll send via pm, but not in this post). They did a fine job, but then as they were getting ready to ship it back to me, dropped it and damaged it again. They were seriously nervous about re-enameling it (with hard enamel based on glassy ceramic, not polymeric soft enamel) but they were able to do it successfully. So a lukewarm but generally positive recommendation. That original blue-white badge sits on the bookshelves in my office and my TR3B runs a reproduction red-black badge with the marque name across the bottom as my car's front apron never had the T R I U M P H letters since I've had it and I got used to that look, but wanted to have the Triumph name someplace up front. Original, with damage (ambient light and flash): Restored (ambient light): Red & black reproduction -- this one is from TRF, and the quality is absolutely excellent -- alongside some original badges, including my TR3B's restored badge. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Alan Kent Posted September 17, 2021 Author Report Share Posted September 17, 2021 Hi Everyone, what a fantastic response! Thanks for all your contrbutions and coming back so quickly! I took Conrad's, and other's advice and spoke to Pamela David Enamels, actually it was Derron their son, his mum and dad started the business, but immediately you had confidence that he knew his subject and spoke with authority, at last! It wasn't a quick call but I certainly knew a lot more about enamelling by the time we'd finished. You were all right it won't be cheap, well over £200, but as somebody also said 'you get what you pay for'! He has a huge backlog however, so it's likely to be over a year's wait as well! I will report back with the results in due course. Oh, and he did say he had a problem sourcing enamel in the original Triumph blue, so he's sending me photos of the various blues that he can get, so it may not be quite as deep a blue! I notice Don had more than one blue to his varioue badges! Btw, we talked about the merits of a repro, and I know, I bought one for my 3A. It was flat, yes not curved to the profile of the Apron! So I cut the sides away into more or less the desired profile, but it still left the top and bottom slightly prow of the surface. If I'd gone the whole way there wouldn't have been any sides left!!!! So, what I've determined to do now is keep a look out for an original one, in any condition, on ebay (I picked up a black and red 'Standard 10' one recently (see attached) in perfect condition quite cheaply - It's clearly where the 'TR' series of badges derive from, they're identical), and send it down to Derron to do along with the '3', the wait and the cost I am sure will be worth it?! Thanks again! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Andrew Smith Posted September 17, 2021 Report Share Posted September 17, 2021 (edited) Hi Alan, This what you'll get back from Pamela David Enamels (mine was done in 2005) and you won't be disappointed, althugh I note your TR3A is post-TS60,000..........so as you say, it'll be blue Silver Bronze are very good chromers and I've used them a lot, so now you have an excellent enameller to add on your list of suppliers. Cheers, Andrew Edited September 17, 2021 by Andrew Smith Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ralph Whitaker Posted September 18, 2021 Report Share Posted September 18, 2021 I have an original one on my outside light. Yes, it is wired to an infra red sensor so the headlights come on, and a light behind the grill. Now I know they can be restored I may have to remove it. Ralph Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Alan Kent Posted September 22, 2021 Author Report Share Posted September 22, 2021 Hi Ralph, I like it! Very cool, and I like all the signs too, good taste sir! It seems Pamela David have a very good reputation, but not cheap and a long wait! Not quite sure why they can't get the correct blue or red???? Perhaps someone out there can find/source the correct colours/supplier??? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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