Challenger Script Fender Emblems (Original vs. Reproduction)

[filmsurgeon]

I recently bought a pair of the reproduction Challenger script fender emblems (Part# 3445224 with pins).  The new emblems are only made by AMD right now, although I see OER emblems listed on some vendor's sites, but they are "out-of-stock" everywhere, and have been on "back-order" from the manufacturer for many, many months.  My original emblems were definitely showing their age, and I wanted to see if the new emblems would be suitable replacements.  The AMD emblems are very nice, but the lettering/script is skinnier than the original lettering.  So much so that I didn't want to put them on the car.  I decided to try my hand at freshening-up my originals.  The chrome lettering is mildly pitted, but not too bad.  I stripped whatever black paint was still left; polished the chrome lettering as best as I could, but couldn't get it to look like new chrome; sprayed the entire emblem satin black; then carefully and painstakingly removed the paint from the lettering using a lot of Q-tips and lacquer thinner.  They are not nearly as pristine as the new AMD emblems, but they are much, much better than they were.  Let me know what you think.  If it were you and your car, which would you put on?  I think I know what the majority would do, and it's probably the same that I've decided to do.  Thanks.

[Finoke]

Boy they look great 

I think I'm going to do the same thing. I thought all the repros were stick on? The stick on ones sit to high. I didn't know the pin ones were being reproduced. Sorry to hear they aren't the best.

By the way, we have similar cars 

[filmsurgeon]

Boy they look great 

I think I'm going to do the same thing. Aren't the repros stick on anyway? The stick on ones sit to high.

By the way, we have similar cars 

Not all the repros are stick on, but most of the ones you see for sale are.  Only a few places sell the AMD (3445224) emblems w/pins.  My car will look even more similar to yours, once I get a set of those Magnum 500 wheels on.  Yours is one of my favorite paint colors.

[Finoke]

Gotta love the magnums  I just ditched the red lines that were left over from my RR and went to to Mickey Thompson RWL's. Hope to have the car to Carlise this year.

Again, nice job on the emblems. I would have never thought to paint over the entire emblem then remove the black. Very nice. 

[rattlesnake]

Looks like they were done by a surgeon.  Oh wait..... I guess they were. I would rather use those than new ones. I am impressed.

[blown motor]

The old ones look great. Wear them with pride.

[Katfish]

They do look nice, would it have been easier to put some sort of releasing agent on the chrome part before paint black?

[burdar]

I put petroleum jelly on the face of mine before I sprayed it black.  It worked really good.  The paint comes off with lacquer thinner very easy too though.  Either way would work about the same I think.

[filmsurgeon]

They do look nice, would it have been easier to put some sort of releasing agent on the chrome part before paint black?

I did think about doing that before painting, but wasn't sure what to use, and was afraid of getting it onto areas that needed to be black.  It really wasn't hard to remove the paint from the lettering the way I did it; it just took time, patience, careful light use of the Q-tip while making sure there wasn't too much lacquer thinner on it.  It probably took me about 45-60 minutes to do this step on each emblem.  The "start-to-finish" process for each emblem took approximately 5 hours of work over the course of a full day.  About an hour to strip the old paint using both paint stripper and soaking in lacquer thinner; then about an hour for polishing; then a couple of hours for paint because of multiple light coats and time in between; then about 4 hours to let the paint set until it was dry to the touch; then about an hour to do the lettering (+ all the set-up and breakdown time for each step).

[burdar]

Your finger nail would have worked just as good too.  I found this out while painting the recessed areas of my Dart seat medallions.  The paint just came right off with my nail since the chrome is smooth.

[hooD]

Your original emblems look a million times better before your restoration than the new ones from AMD..... just my 2cents.  Great job!

[moprr]

your old ones look nicer to me good work