[Jayson J]

I'm looking to replace the trunk badge on my 68 falcon sports coupe. Does anyone know how you get that round badge out of the encasing? I have a new badge coming from Oklahoma City. I figured it just came out but it looks like it is glued in there. Any thoughts?

[yank with ute]

Not certain about the 68 emblems but the earlier versions had the inner portion held in place by two pins which were "struck over", not unlike the way steel rivets are set in structurial steel. I see that method used on the Ford family crest that was used on the early Falcons.

But since I also have some trade experience for a local firm that provided emblems for "Detroit" during the late 60's and early 70's I do have a vauge memory of adhesive being used. if the badge has a thick clear plastic encasing the outer side of the emblem (a process developed by the people I did work for) then there is an adhesive.

Never had to physically remove the inner portion as the emblems I have worked with had been on vehicles since the 70's and they simply fell apart when removed (unglued) from the vehicle.

That stamped/painted/plated inner portion is usually a thin sheet of "chrome-aluminum", an alloy that appears to be a thin but tough piece of aluminum. You will find that the adhesive does not hold equally in all sections of the emblem and when it does come out some of the color remains attached to the plastic outer portion.

You can easily polish the plastic that is not chrome plated with the polish easy to find today in stores as it is most comonly used today to restore plastic headlamp covers.

However, the chrome portion of the plastic is vacuum plated and that can not be replaced without special equipment that you aren't going to find in any homeowner's garage. Sorry.

If you do attempt to replace the "chrome" try a metalic paint like the one Rustolium sells (bright, plated cap on the spray can). Even so you have to very carefully mask off the sections you do not want to paint. Not easy at all since the width of the chrome is so narrow. The maker used metal masks that were cut to just the right width (that's where I became involved) using an engraving machine.

I also cut the masks used on some of the Ford script emblems during the early 70's, but most of the work was cutting/sinking the die from which the emblems were formed.

[Jayson J]

Thanks Yute. I guess I will know more when my new emblem comes. I just hope I can get the old off that is set inside of the bigger chrome piece that you speak of. It must be possible otherwise I wouldn't think the guys in Oklahoma City would sell the deck lid replacement badge.

[yank with ute]

Trying to remember exactally what the emblem looked like on the 68 I had breifly. Seems that it was a molded chrome plated ring with the center emblem having a black background.

If that is the case the center is probably held in plcae by pins around the outer edge that have been peened over. Much like the first method I mentioned.

In regards to the second design I mentioned, got to thinking I was wrong. There is no adhesive as the clear plactic "dome" is molded with the chrome aluminum piece in position. In other words it is vacuum, not an adhesive that holds that type together.

But that process didn't come about until 1979, as I stated, I did work for the company that developed that method.