Emblem


Golden Jubilee
Golden Jubilee

Posts: 479

Joined: Fri Dec 28, 2012 4:44 pm

Post Sat Sep 02, 2017 2:59 pm

Emblem

Whilst travelling along route 66 back in April, i was lucky enough to be given an emblem for my truck. The generosity of the young man was over whelming. The emblem has a few pits and scratches in it. I bought a conversion kit for my bench grinder, along with some polishing wheels. The emblem has come up pretty good, however you can still see some of the pits. Would i be able to take the chrome off altogether and polish the metal? I'm assuming its cast aluminium. Any help or advise would be appreciated. Luke
Attachments
IMG_2222.JPEG
IMG_2215.JPG
IMG_2216.JPG
IMG_2219.JPG
IMG_2220.JPG
IMG_2221.JPG

Site Admin
Site Admin

Posts: 4938

Joined: Thu Nov 29, 2012 9:10 am

Location: Nampa, Idaho

Post Sat Sep 02, 2017 7:33 pm

Re: Emblem

Was the pit areas kinda grainy and grayish? If so, that base metal is more than likely a "pot" metal. I would keep the emblem the way you have gotten it. From there, I would seal it with a good sealer. Others may disagree, but I would (for me) put something in the pits to try to stop(or at least firm up) the base metal from degrading. I would use a very small drop of Super Glue or some other like it. Then I would seal the emblem. These are just my thoughts and as stated, others may disagree, or have better advice. I would not try to take more chrome off.
Just my 1/5 of a dime.

Golden Jubilee
Golden Jubilee

Posts: 8937

Joined: Thu Dec 27, 2012 12:45 pm

Location: Canada's left Coast

Post Sat Sep 02, 2017 7:35 pm

Re: Emblem

The base casting metal is very likely 80% or more zinc. The other 20% could be just about anything that melted easily with the zinc. I have put a very acceptable high polish on zinc then watched as the shine went away in a matter of hours. This is called oxidation. Spraying some BS clear-coat over the part will likely not work. I have long ago given up on having chromed bits and pieces on our Old IHC pickups.
There is a spray chrome available at http://www.eastwood.com/ Here is a You Tube demonstration. https://youtu.be/Jt2Z4Esi-CU
If you have any doubt about this stuff looking good, all new cars have spray chrome on the plastic bits. Check out the grill on any new pickup.
What was at one time known as pot metal is now a combination of zinc and aluminium. The original parts were prone to off-gassing and this would result in the chrome finish lifting off. Some of the chrome lift-off resulted in those annoying pits in the chrome finish from moisture getting under the chrome. Chrome plating uses some harsh chemicals that do not get on well with zinc.
It took about 40 hours of carefully glass beading the chrome off my new grill and headlight bezels before I had the new grill and headlight bezels, for our !940 Ford powder primer coated, I asked the powder-coater guys to heat cycle my parts four or more times, with other customers orders, then at the end of the shift, powder-prime my pieces. While there was some risk with doing this, with new grill and headlight bezels costing about $2000 cdn, I thought it was worth the risk and extra work for the look I want.. I really like the look of colour matching the body colour to the grill and headlight bezels, on my Ford.
If you are interested, check it out on this forum in non IHC our 40 Ford.
Back in 1990 I built an R120 4X4 with a 6.9 V8 Diesel. I eliminated all of the chrome and epoxy painted all of the trim. After 20 years and 225,000 miles, the "R" trim looked as good as it did on the day I painted it all.
I have not yet set this shop lap-top up to add pictures to this forum. I can edit in a few pictures when I go in for supper in about 15 minutes.
Attachments
R120- resized.jpg
HEADLIGHT BEZEL 2.jpg
grill first test fit.jpg
Last edited by nikkinutshop on Sat Sep 02, 2017 8:28 pm, edited 1 time in total.
I would rather have tools I do not need than to need tools I do not have
Thinking risks being controversial and possibly being offensive

Rusty Driver
Rusty Driver

Posts: 177

Joined: Mon Jul 10, 2017 8:50 pm

Location: Below the pinky finger of the Mitten

Post Sat Sep 02, 2017 8:09 pm

Re: Emblem

Kinda depends on the goal of your truck- if it will be a driver, shine the old chrome up, re-enamel the black fins, and polish the IH, maybe even have it re-plated in brass. If you are going for a trailer-queen show truck, by all means, take it to a pro restoration chrome shop and let them at it (to there tune of what you paid for the whole truck, prolly). Like original old vehicles and tractors, they are only wearing their birthday suits once.

Golden Jubilee
Golden Jubilee

Posts: 479

Joined: Fri Dec 28, 2012 4:44 pm

Post Sun Sep 03, 2017 2:49 pm

Re: Emblem

Thank you for all of your input. The you tube videos are an interesting watch. I have seen the rattle can chrome paint that you can get, but have never tried it as i thought it would be naff. Im on a budget with this truck and i knew it would never be a show truck, so i will fill the chips with glue and polish the chrome best i can. I will post more photos as i go. Nikkinutshop have been reading your thread, your Ford is amazing, such quality and craftsmanship. I am in awe. Luke

Golden Jubilee
Golden Jubilee

Posts: 8937

Joined: Thu Dec 27, 2012 12:45 pm

Location: Canada's left Coast

Post Sun Sep 03, 2017 3:04 pm

Re: Emblem

Looks are deceiving. The first start has been fraught with situations. I have a faulty chisel point sensor in the ignition. I left the laptop connected to the ECU and this gives a condition readout instead of a flashing CEL
So close and yet the first start is just out of reach today.
I am Looking at this as another challenge on the long list of opportunities to figure this out. I have good instructions and great Tech support.
I did very little in the shop yesterday because the temperature was 33c. :t3724: :t3901;
I would rather have tools I do not need than to need tools I do not have
Thinking risks being controversial and possibly being offensive

Golden Jubilee
Golden Jubilee

Posts: 479

Joined: Fri Dec 28, 2012 4:44 pm

Post Mon Sep 04, 2017 2:17 pm

Re: Emblem

I wouldn't have a clue where to start with that problem, but it is so frustrating when you are so close. Man that first drive is gonna be great. 33c.....Thats a warm one :h21014: . I think our summer is but over now, September is here, the evening is starting to get darker a lot earlier and the rain is here :t0117: oh joy. Luke

Golden Jubilee
Golden Jubilee

Posts: 479

Joined: Fri Dec 28, 2012 4:44 pm

Post Sun Sep 17, 2017 3:17 pm

Re: Emblem

Well i have finished polishing and painting the emblem. I think its about as good as I'm going to get it. I have a stupid question though, is there supposed to be a gap at the top/back of the emblem where it meets the body? When i hold it up to the body it also looks like it does not following the lines of the truck. Also there's no fixing holes, I'm assuming they got welded up before i had it. Any help greatly appreciated. Luke
Attachments
IMG_2227.JPG
IMG_2226.JPG
IMG_2225.JPG
IMG_2223.JPG

Golden Jubilee
Golden Jubilee

Posts: 8937

Joined: Thu Dec 27, 2012 12:45 pm

Location: Canada's left Coast

Post Sun Sep 17, 2017 4:42 pm

Re: Emblem

harvester60 wrote:Thank you for all of your input. The you tube videos are an interesting watch. I have seen the rattle can chrome paint that you can get, but have never tried it as i thought it would be naff. Im on a budget with this truck and i knew it would never be a show truck, so i will fill the chips with glue and polish the chrome best i can. I will post more photos as i go. Nikkinutshop have been reading your thread, your Ford is amazing, such quality and craftsmanship. I am in awe. Luke

Don't be too "In awe" a bug might fly into your mouth. LOL.
I am getting tired of this Ford project. Daze go by and I don't even look at it. It should be running sooner than later. I often arrive at the end of a build and then something slows me down to a crawl and that last push to the finish-line gets delayed. I really wish I had stayed with my original Old IHC trucks, but this old Ford became available for sale when the guy who bought it from me had a stroke. I first owned this Ford in 1984. The interim owner stops for a visit now and then and he just sits there repeating OMG. He wants so have a first start party here, but I assure him that is not going to happen, HERE. A bunch of the old hot-rodders go for b'fast on the weekends, so this should be a good debut for this albatross.
I encourage and allow myself to get distracted. A steady parade of Craigslist finds is one of my distractions. Yesterday I bought a ton of large RUBBERMAID 67 litre containers on Craigslist, for a few bucks each. I need the containers to put Craigslist finds in and out-of-site. I have also been sorting the pieces we made for my son's L110 and the two of us have been making a plan and schedule to speed up his truck build. We will taking the cab and other sheetmetal out for walnut-shell blast cleaning before sending these pieces out for body and paint. The box will need some blast media a little tougher than walnut chips.
I built a rotisserie for the Ford and the rotisserie will be press into service, again, for the L110. The final insult the rotisserie will have to endure will be my final build, If I live that long, is a 1953-4 IHC Crewcab. It is posted in the L,R,S build off section.
Attachments
ROTISSERIE 2.jpg
I would rather have tools I do not need than to need tools I do not have
Thinking risks being controversial and possibly being offensive
User avatar

Golden Jubilee
Golden Jubilee

Posts: 964

Joined: Sat Dec 01, 2012 8:06 pm

Location: Saskatchewan

Post Mon Sep 18, 2017 11:59 pm

Re: Emblem

harvester60 wrote:Well i have finished polishing and painting the emblem. I think its about as good as I'm going to get it. I have a stupid question though, is there supposed to be a gap at the top/back of the emblem where it meets the body? When i hold it up to the body it also looks like it does not following the lines of the truck. Also there's no fixing holes, I'm assuming they got welded up before i had it. Any help greatly appreciated. Luke

If I can remember to check my B110 tomorrow I will see how the emblem attaches. All I have ever done with old chrome is to use steel wool to shine it up. Works very well. Sometimes add a little diesel fuel to help bring up a shine or remove rust. Then a coat of wax to protect it.
Attachments
Merc 53 plate.jpg
Next

Return to A, B, C and D Series

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 6 guests

Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group
Designed by ST Software for PTF.