How To Attach Hood Emblem?

[MiraclePieCo]

51 panel. My original hood front emblem has typically lost all it's mounting tabs. Anyone have any suggestions for how to attach it without the tabs? It's hollow, so trim tape won't work, and I'm pretty sure that welding new tabs on would mar the face. How about JB Weld-ing mounting bosses on - would it hold? Worst case scenario I run countersunk machine screws through the face.

PS: I tried a brand new one but it was much too shiny and gaudy for my old truck.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Anything you do is likely to be iffy. That said, I think I'd clean the back side as good as possible and use JB Weld.

A light bead blast followed by a chemical clean would be best but I understand you might not want to spend the money on blasting or worry it would distort the emblem.

In that case I'd mechanically clean it with a wire wheel in a die grinder - obviously being very careful, then chemically clean before using JB Weld. Please post details of what you do.

[MARTINSR]

How about weld tabs to the bottom where the originals were going up that you can run a screw into?

Brian

[ndeep]

clean backside very good, apply 3m window weld primer, get a tube of 3m super fast urethane windshield sealer and apply to backside of emblem in piles. position it where you want it and tape down for 24 hours. mask areas where you dont want urethane and wear gloves or you will have to wear it off

[MARTINSR]

I wouldn't use that weld primer, it's not known for being real good on adhesion. Either sand blast the back side or clean it in a few spots with a Roloc wheel or something like that and leave it bare metal, or use an epoxy primer.

My problem with the urethane is that is a pretty tall urethane "tree" you would have to put, that emblem is pretty thick isn't it?

How about just look for another emblem that's original. I have one I think, it's not stainless though as I remember.

Brian

[nail pounder]

In my teens I had a 79 Scout mostly held together by JB Weld and zip ties. That old IH 304 had JB freeze plugs & all kinds of other stuff because I didn't know any better. I owned it until I was 30 (14years) and all those JB Welds held until I sold it. In recent years my daughter saw some JB Weld at the parts store, so I told her about the Scout. We bought some and came home to play with it. We stuck dirty pennies together, made cone head pennies and nickel sandwiches etc, & they are still stuck together somewhere in my garage. I'm not saying it's the right way to do it but that stuff certainly works.

[Donaldo]

If the stainless shell is still usable, I suggest tig welding in some stainless flat stock, using silicone bronze as it welds at a lower temp and is compatible with the stainless. Just be sure to line up the mounting holes .

[MiraclePieCo]

Originally Posted by Donaldo

If the stainless shell is still usable, I suggest tig welding in some stainless flat stock, using silicone bronze as it welds at a lower temp and is compatible with the stainless. Just be sure to line up the mounting holes .

Hmm, you make it look almost feasible...

[clegg]

How about RTV silicone? Dow Corning 732 would work.

[Donaldo]

Very feasible ;)

[MiraclePieCo]

I went with the "worst case scenario" and ran screws through the emblem. If you look closely at the photo you can see them.

While I detest butchery on these vehicles, I think this looks like a typical "farmer fix" that serves to enhance the truck's age and character, as well as my "old truck" build theme.

.

[Shinysideup]

Originally Posted by MiraclePieCo

Sorry, but I wouldn't treat ANY TOOL or mechanical object, no matter how old, cheap or insignificant, with the callous, incompetent butchery that I see displayed on these trucks.


.

[Dan in Pasadena]

^^^ x2

[MiraclePieCo]

Originally Posted by Shinysideup

Sorry, but I wouldn't treat ANY TOOL or mechanical object, no matter how old, cheap or insignificant, with the callous, incompetent butchery that I see displayed on these trucks.

Ha ha, yeah I had to wrestle with that one myself! Here's how I convinced myself that the two "repairs" aren't comparable:

That emblem is a mere trim piece; it's dented, corroded and beyond restoration, new repros are readily obtainable and easily mounted. So a couple of precisely placed and inconspicuous screws to make an otherwise junk part usable until I can get a replacement, versus a random and destructive hack job that rendered a piece total scrap. One is neat, tidy job making temporary use of what was a bad part, the other is abject butchery, permanently ruining what was a good part.

Look at the two repairs; I think the distinction is obvious:

[MARTINSR]

Miraclepie, you didn't have to explain yourself to me, geeez. You are doing an awesome job!


Brian

[mr48chev]

I've probably got one out here in that shape that I will never use on anything of mine that I would give you if you get tired of the screws. It's going to have to cool off before I start digging in that stuff though.