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Replacing the side emblems on a '63


Red63R3

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Folks

Finally replacing the side emblems on R-2552. Has anyone done this recently - any step by step on which panels to pull and how?

Looking like half the inner panels under the side windows need to come out for access. Thanks for any help.

Steve

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You will have to remove the 1/4 window assembly, Which includes the stainless frame where the rubber is. I think there are phillips head screws.

Then you unfold the interior vinyl and reach in behind the backer board cardboard to the mounting nuts of the emblems. There are 3, 5/16" sheet metal pal nuts holding on each one

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You will have to remove the 1/4 window assembly, Which includes the stainless frame where the rubber is. I think there are phillips head screws.

Then you unfold the interior vinyl and reach in behind the backer board cardboard to the mounting nuts of the emblems. There are 3, 5/16" sheet metal pal nuts holding on each one

I've done this a couple of times just as Brad outlines.

Now, I guess one could pull the sailpanel upholstery loose from the rear window rubber gasket, and fold the material forward.........but do you really want to do that? That gasket could be very brittle, and now you have to force that material back under it and glue it in place. Pull the window........yes the screws are phillips head and they are seated rather deep in that 1/4 window rubber. And be extremely careful with that 1/4 window rubber gasket, as I believe they are N.L.A..

Now, once you get the window out, and the trim moved out of the way,to get to the sail panel emblem, you are faced with a "Might as well moment".......and that is the replacement of the gas tank vent hose to goes up into and out of this sail panel. There has been discussion on this forum, I believe,on how to do it. I did it and do not recall that it was all that difficult, but certainly not easy either.

I did this years ago, but my recollection is that I attached the new hose to the old hose and carefully worked it up into the sail panel and back out .

Good luck

John

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Now that you mention it ....that's just what I did... I pulled the vinyl upholstery out from under the rear window rubber gasket.....I did this on at least two 'refresh' paint jobs, and with the aid of a heat gun, it worked out fine. This method saves disturbing the somewhat fragile rear 1/4 window seals, etc. Try it....you'll like it!!

Edited by mfg
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Thanks all - guess this goes under the adage - "there are no 5 minute jobs' - and since the last several concours judges have mentioned that tho' looking original the chrome and plastic badges are looking a little the worse for the years of wear'......so will swap them out next weekend and report back

Best

Steve

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If you're installing new or repo chrome bezels, 'barrel nuts' installed onto the three pegs then pushed into the holes from outside the car work and hold GREAT!...And, 'down the road', if you ever should need to remove those sail panel emblems, you wont even need to get inside the car!

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And sawdust in the rear end quiets noisy gears....right Ed? They are screwed down from the factory because the plastic emblem has foam sealing behind it. They wanted to compress this to prevent looseness and crazing of the edges. There were barrel nuts available when the cars were new, and Studebaker chose not to use them. If you ue the barrel nuts you would need to scrape off the foam sealant from the plastic emblem, and risk scratching the black paint. then moisture would get to the foil part and delaminate it in short order. One could try silicone rubber as a sealant, but your bodyman will not like you in the future.

Since you have to remove the interior to get at it anyways what advantage is a shortcut?

Edited by brad
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The 'barrel nut' idea is a 'trick' I thought I'd pass along....My own '63, (The 'Fun' Avanti, on the SDC Forum), uses them on these emblems. They hold tight and secure, (for twenty years now), and the foam material on the back of the 'S' emblem is still, and has always been, intact. (Been there-Done that, so to speak!) Try it folks....You'll like it!

Still, I must say that your idea of adding sawdust to a rear end to quiet it down is questionable at best brad.

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There is "another way" to do this. A Studebaker Dealer in Irvington, NJ showed me how in 1972! I just replaced the emblems on my 1964 a few months ago this way. It is not without risk and I assume no liability if you mess it up. This method will require replacing the plastic emblem and the metal surround, since you will destroy both in getting the old ones off. First you carefully drill a few holes the the plastic "S". Be care not to go through the fiberglass body.Carefully break the plastic into pieces using the holes you just drilled. With the plastic removed you can see the 3 posts that hold the chrome retainer to the fiberglass. Use a strong, quality cutting pliers to cut the three retaining shafts. The three ends of the posts and the retaining nuts will fall inside. You then need to get the 3 new retainers from a hardware or auto parts store -- the ones you can pop in from the outside to hold the new plastic and chrome piece.

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Still, I must say that your idea of adding sawdust to a rear end to quiet it down is questionable at best brad.

Don't lay that at my feet. I was using an example of your "craftmanship" to draw a parrallel

Edited by brad
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"You then need to get the 3 new retainers from a hardware or auto parts store -- the ones you can pop in from the outside to hold the new plastic and chrome piece."

abasile

This is intriguing as I don't need to salvage any part of the the current sail panel plastic logo/metal bezel.

What retainers are we talking here that would fit the posts and hold with a 'push' application from the outside?

Thanks

Steve

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"You then need to get the 3 new retainers from a hardware or auto parts store -- the ones you can pop in from the outside to hold the new plastic and chrome piece."

abasile

This is intriguing as I don't need to salvage any part of the the current sail panel plastic logo/metal bezel.

What retainers are we talking here that would fit the posts and hold with a 'push' application from the outside?

Thanks

Steve

The 'retainers' are the barrel nuts I mentioned in post # 10....They are readily available from any auto body supply store,...and work well. Bring the chrome bezel with you so they'll sell you the proper size.

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Still, I must say that your idea of adding sawdust to a rear end to quiet it down is questionable at best brad.

Don't lay that at my feet. I was using an example of your "craftmanship" to draw a parrallel

Well brad,...I hope you can understand this......When you criticize someone else's ideas, as you did in your post # 11, you have to expect to be put in your place!....You haven't even tried this barrel nut idea, which by the way works very well and saves much disassembly, but you compare it to "putting sawdust in a rear end."

You've acted in this same manner many times on the 'other' forum. Please don't bring this type of behavior onto THIS forum.....Thank you, and once again I hope there aren't any hard feelings about this statement....I just felt I had to 'clear the air'.....mfg

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If you want to go back and see whom started disparaging remarks on whose work, then we can start with your nasty snarky comments on the other forum about my work several years ago. Regarding my ability to rebuild superchargers. I have the factory tools and probably have rebuilt more than you have ever seen. but hey if you like sabatoging other people without ever having met them....more power to ya. It just shows all of us what you truly are.

I don't know what you do for a living, obviously not a diplomat.

Edited by brad
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I apoligize to anyone who feels a bit irritated by brad's last few posts. I'm well used to this behavior on the SDC forum, but I was hoping to avoid it here. I wont say any more on this subject after this:...Anyone who re-reads brad's post # 11 will get the picture (If he doesn't remove it).......And I would ask brad to simply avoid answering my posts in the future, and I will avoid his. I have never insulted anyone for mentioning an alternate way of accomplishing a job....All that really counts, in my honest opinion, is a decent end result....mfg

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All - as a post script here's what I ended up doing. Wanted to avoid disturbing the window/gasket AND wanted to preserve the plastic emblem, so.......1) Marked where the posts likely were on the old chrome bezel using the new ones from Stude Int'l. 2) gently drilled those spots until they broke from the body of the old bezel. 3) as old bezel became lose removed the old Plastic 'S' insignia intact, removed the old bezel, pushed the old studs into the holes in the body ( they fell inside the interior panels ). Will use the dreaded silicone to form the watertight seal I need ( the new bezel's from SI have a vinyl barrel around the studs that will help hold in place while sealant cures ) to hold this in place. Thanks for all the input - this ended up being quite painless and removes concours judges sole point of criticism on the body.

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Good deal, and thanks for this follow up!...I never thought of drilling the old bezel at the stud locations....but I'll try that next time!!..The 'vinyl barrels' around the new bezels three studs are basically the metal 'barrel nuts' I was referring to.....in plastic form!....Take care!

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Instead of using silicone you may want to consider using 3M Strip-Caulk aka "dum-dum". It is used by many auto manufacturers and body shops to provide a water-tight seal around openings and joints. It can also act as a light adhesive because it is sticky. With the barrel buts it will be good. Link below.

http://3mcollision.com/3m-strip-calk-08578-black.html

Brad's comment about your body man not liking you later is a correct one. It may seem like overkill, but I just wonder how many paint problems such as lifting and bubbling are due not to poor workmanship but rather traces of silicone leaching from crevices on the body.

Like from behind badges maybe ?

Edited by Paul K.
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Paul, From what I've experienced over the years, automotive silicone sealer products have no effect whatsoever on fully cured paint.....If silicone sealer is applied to paint that isn't fully cured or hardened, well, that is a mistake,....... and the silicone sealer would indeed 'pull' that area of paint off with it if removed.

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Please play nice, gentlemen - I saw no reason to take offense at Brad's #11 comment and I, for one, HIGHLY value his expertise in the Avanti field and would miss his ability to share his wealth of knowledge on this or any other forum. If he was closer he would be my go-to guy to take the best care of my Avanti...nuf said...Bob (63R-3062)

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