Bonnet & Boot Badges

Author
Discussion

Vmax500

Original Poster:

159 posts

279 months

Sunday 18th November 2001
quotequote all
My Chimaera 500 is now 20 months old and already the 'optional' gold badges are looking very tired and worn - the black paint in the recesses of the badges is flaking away.

Does anyone have any good advice on how I can restore/paint them myself (technique and type of paint), or would I be better off having them professionally restored?

Many thanks to anyone who can help ...

whitechimp500

3,385 posts

278 months

Monday 19th November 2001
quotequote all
Same thing happened to my gold badges.
I removed front one (2 nuts) and masked (about 1ft square) rear badge.
Dabbed both with paint stripper to remove paint (front badge might require a bit of help with paper clip where paint sinks into grooves).
Finally polished "gold" to attain shine.
The "Chimaera" script on rear badge is
indistict from a distance now so be prepared for eurobox drivers to nudge up behind you at traffic lights-squniting, wondering what make that noisey sports car is.
Regards.

zippy500

1,883 posts

276 months

Monday 19th November 2001
quotequote all
My badges were the silver type but Ive touched up the black part. An excellant match for the front one was from The Games workshop A colour called Chaos Black. Its an acrylic waser based paint which is semi gloss when dry. Any areas I painted by mistake I wiped off quick with a tissue. looks very nice. I di conider a small can of black airfix paint but I allready had the previously mentioned. The back one was different and the colour match was not perfect. I redid the whole of th front due to the small areas involved.

nat

17 posts

277 months

Monday 19th November 2001
quotequote all
The Leven Technlogy replacement badge are a great enhancement,they are on my Griff 4.3 BV. they rework and coatthe badges to prevent them from damage etc, they works on a exchange basis but are worth getting them done, Have a look at there site www.leventechnology.co.uk

or give them a ring

Nat

steveab

1,143 posts

284 months

Monday 19th November 2001
quotequote all
I would second that Nat, I've recently upgraded my Chim450 ones.

Since the badges are 'filled in' with resin, it stops crap from getting into the badge (esp. the bonnet one).

In short, they look fantastic and the installation is a piece of cake (just be carefull not to drop your nuts - ooer, between the boot skins!!)

I'll try and get some piccies up.

Steve

tvr_nut

390 posts

281 months

Monday 19th November 2001
quotequote all
quote:


Since the badges are 'filled in' with resin, it stops crap from getting into the badge (esp. the bonnet one).

In short, they look fantastic and the installation is a piece of cake (just be carefull not to drop your nuts - ooer, between the boot skins!!)

I'll try and get some piccies up.

Steve



I am also getting some Leven badges for my Griff, having seen a set "in the flesh" at the recent TMS Open Day.

Having found repainting is at best a temporary fix, and the front one fills with flies, autoglym polish, etc, this seems the best bet to me (I hope Santa is reading this...).

Thanks for the tip about dropped nuts - I am sure I will remember it as the nut drops irretrievably down the gap!

Edited by tvr_nut on Monday 19th November 12:37

Plotloss

67,280 posts

277 months

Monday 19th November 2001
quotequote all
As for the nuts....

An old car aerial with a magnet araldited onto the end save me many a scrapped kncukle whilst working on my Mini.

Matt.

steveab

1,143 posts

284 months

Monday 19th November 2001
quotequote all
Hmm,

I did have a nasty GRP rash after that!

ald

12 posts

281 months

Wednesday 21st November 2001
quotequote all
Cheers guys. Had word with Leven and currently drafting a letter to Father Christmas ....