Emblem Restoration Question

[tlorber]

For a '73, does anyone have a procedure/sequence for repainting the hood and B pillar emblems. The Hood emblem is plastic and the B pillars are metal. Crome is in good condition and all have the pins.

I'm wondering if it is better to paint with a brush, or spray paint. If you spray paint, do you mask or remove overspray with a rag and paint thinner?

Also, a close up of the hood emblem would be helpful, since I don't know which parts are supposed to be black.

Thanks.

[Darrell 240Z]

What I did with my 1971. I cut a small length of 2"x4" piece of wood and drilled holes in it for the pins. I used a toothbrush to scrub them with soap and water, Then when dry used a fine paint brush and enamel model paint. They came out real nice. I'll have to get you a picture of the hood emblem and send it to you later. Darrell

[Carl Beck]

I used Paint Pens... you can get them at any Arts/Crafts Stores.

I'm pretty sure that all emblems by 1973 were plastic, not that you couldn't use metal if you have them.

[blue 72]

I did mine with small paint brushes. I just used some little Crayola ones I found around the house. No masking required because if I got some on the emblem face it wiped off very easily with the tip of a finger.

[Bonzi Lon]

Carl, the 73 quarter emblems are metal, all others are plastic. On my original ones, the chrome was seperating from the pot metal, making it impossible to cloth dry. I found NOS metal ones for my refresh.

Bonzi Lon

[Bonzi Lon]

This is my original 73 hood emblem. I hope there is enough detail. They were not perfect, look at the chrome bit above the 'D', then the one below. Same with the 'N'.

Upon further examination, the original R quarter emblem pot metal is seperating, not the chrome. Back side is the left, it too has started, but not as bad.

Bonzi Lon

[Graphx007]

I am in the same situation with series 1 c-pillar emblems (metal with pitted chrome and white "Z"). The chrome has become very pitted and I am going for a #1 restoration. What is the solution to cleaning these emblems up and resolving the chrome pitting? Any advice? Thanks.

[tlorber]

Thanks for the advice guys. I really appreciate it.

[Mike B]

I am in the same situation with series 1 c-pillar emblems (metal with pitted chrome and white "Z"). The chrome has become very pitted and I am going for a #1 restoration. What is the solution to cleaning these emblems up and resolving the chrome pitting? Any advice? Thanks.

If the chrome is pitted, the only fix for that is having them rechromed, which can be pretty expensive, since these are pot metal and require more work than chroming steel. You may be better off just looking for used ones with good chrome, since they aren't that difficult to find.

One other tip for people repainting these themselves; I would suggest using a primer coat first. It will stick much better to the chrome than paint will alone. Here is a rear hatch 240Z emblem I repainted. I stripped off all the old paint first, used a grey primer coat and then painted black.

-Mike

[Pop's Z]

FWIW, I just used a "Sharpie" permanent marker pen. Still looks good after 5 years, and if it fades just retouch with the "Sharpie".

Cheers, Mike