Dealer trunklid applique...

[7173Vert]

Finally received my dealer trunk lid appliqué. This was in Salt Lake City. Interesting tid bit... The dealership was known as Bennett Ford before Rick Warner purchased the dealership in 1964. Sometime in ‘71 he changed the dealership name to Rick Warner Ford. My Factory Invoice shows the car being sold to Bennett Ford... but I have been unable to locate this emblem... Thinking about it further, I thought maybe the dealership was in the process of the name change while the car was on their lot before being sold... As Rick owned the dealership under both names, I think I am OK to use this one without being able to verify one way or the other what it was called while the car was at this dealership. I can live with it. She is a little weathered, black background paint has faded... will try some buffing, etc to clean up the chrome aspects and repaint the background. Anyone have experience in cleaning these up? I’m just thinking a dremel with compound, buffing etc. Some minor pitting to address.

 

[TheRktmn]

Nice find!

I have been looking for a Lake Motors (in Salt Lake City) dealership appliqué for years.

 

[Fabrice]

Very cool!

If its really chrome, do not use Dremel, you will ruin it as chrome is only few micron thick and you'd end up expose the nickel underneath which is more yellow, worse, if it was tripple plated very thin, you could even reveal the copper.

If its pot metal/zamak, use what ever polishing compound you wish. I have great results using Aluminium polishing products, like Belgom on zamak.

If i'd do it, as it looks flat, I'd first polish it (or clean it if really chrome with alcohol or thinner with a soft cloth). But probably using super fine water paper first on entire item vs each letters. Then polish it by hand to keep sharp edges vs rounded ones if metal is soft.

then paint with no mask. Once cured the next day, pin some cloth on table and rub the paint till the letters get visible again.

That'd give you sharp edges on letters and paint and the polish would go seamlessly across the entire shiny bits..

Show us the results once done, this is a very cool item to have.

 

[7173Vert]

Very cool!

If its really chrome, do not use Dremel, you will ruin it as chrome is only few micron thick and you'd end up expose the nickel underneath which is more yellow, worse, if it was tripple plated very thin, you could even reveal the copper.

If its pot metal/zamak, use what ever polishing compound you wish. I have great results using Aluminium polishing products, like Belgom on zamak.

If i'd do it, as it looks flat, I'd first polish it (or clean it if really chrome with alcohol or thinner with a soft cloth). But probably using super fine water paper first on entire item vs each letters. Then polish it by hand to keep sharp edges vs rounded ones if metal is soft.

then paint with no mask. Once cured the next day, pin some cloth on table and rub the paint till the letters get visible again.

That'd give you sharp edges on letters and paint and the polish would go seamlessly across the entire shiny bits..

Show us the results once done, this is a very cool item to have.

I don’t think this is real chrome? The emblem has some weight to it though... I would say it is a pot metal material with a chrome (ish) facing on the letter’s. There is some pitting on the some of the letters, what material would this apply too? Not my area of sound knowledge... I don’t want to ruin it. I did damage a chrome front fender chrome nose piece by buffing too much, so been there done that... If I buff and/or sand, it will reduce the look of the pitting to the normal eye. Yes, the background was definitely a semi or Satan black, so I like your idea on repainting it without masking. How would you prep this for painting? Thanks for the feedback.

 

[Hemikiller]

Most likely it's chrome plated cast pot metal. The pitting looks like every trim piece I've seen. Keep in mind that at that time this type of item was very common and chrome plating was dirt cheap, especially when it was lower end industrial chrome. Personally, I'd just give it a cleanup with chrome polish and a terry cloth, then wash well and repaint the background.

 

[Fabrice]

I don’t think this is real chrome? The emblem has some weight to it though... I would say it is a pot metal material with a chrome (ish) facing on the letter’s.

Well from what I see, it's chrome and the substrate beneath likely cast pot metal. Cheap and most friendly metal to cast complex shapes. It's heavy because its mainly zinc, alloyed with lead or tin or may be both.

Chrome doesn't weight anything in plating as its just a few microns on top of nickel. The problem with the pot metal is gas formation as it oxides. Sometimes they can stay decades nice, sometimes be bubbly in matter of months. I've been told its because its hard to mix the metals together and when poured you often get more of one rather than the wanted ratios of each metal. So same cast can give birth to a very strong piece and the next a piece of crap.

You have few options:

Let it re-chrome, you are then assured for best result as now days chrome better formulas are known for this kind of application. Most plating shops hate get pot metal, tho in this case, not much polishing is involved as the gas bubbles are only on the ARN fo. Should not cost that much. It's less fun as you are not part of the process of the restoration.

Sand the chrome out (electro removing it at home is bad idea as it would change its bonding state and release hexavalent chromnium, very very toxic), then polish to pot metal, then paint as proposed above, then clear coat it.

Sand it to pot metal and electro plate a layer of pure zinc, once polished you get a lighter result than pot metal, shiny as chrome if you use a fine polish paste like Belgom before and after. There too, you need clear coat or ask a plating shop to blue/white passivate it for you. To plate in zinc, you'd need at least a piece of zinc, batteries good for 3 volts for 1/2 hour, a bit of vinegar.

or sand/polish and paint in two colors. Where a grey metallic would look pretty with black or similar to have a nice contrast. Much harder to paint than 1 color but well done it could also look great.

or, clean it the best you can, keeping the patina as is...

Personally, I'd go for zinc as its very easy and may you'd fail, let it re-chromed or paint entirely is still possible.

A little warning if you go for it, you will get addicted to bling bling and no corroded bolt or screw will be safe from you after that

 

[Carolina_Mountain_Mustangs]

I was also a zinc die cast tooling engineer. The pitting is not caused by bad plating but by the PH in the quench tank being off. The pits were in the metal when the plating was applied. The normal for cosmetic chrome plating is to clean, copper plate, polish, nickel plate and then a few millionths of an inch of chrome are flashed on. You can rub the chrome off in a second with a buffing wheel. I would just polish by hand a little and scrub with hot water with Dawn. Then wash with lacquer thinner and spray it and wipe the paint off of the letters as stated. that is how I do the radio bezels. Did the one in the picture. 

Nobody is going to get down and study the dealer tag on your car. Will not be noticed by most people. I would not let them put on my cars only the paper tag on front. 

I do mask some of the bezel but not the lettering ever.

To replate that and repair the pits is going to be in the hundreds for even that little part. I bet the Mustagn script on your front fender looks worse.



2 virtual dice

 

[7173Vert]

I was also a zinc die cast tooling engineer. The pitting is not caused by bad plating but by the PH in the quench tank being off. The pits were in the metal when the plating was applied. The normal for cosmetic chrome plating is to clean, copper plate, polish, nickel plate and then a few millionths of an inch of chrome are flashed on. You can rub the chrome off in a second with a buffing wheel. I would just polish by hand a little and scrub with hot water with Dawn. Then wash with lacquer thinner and spray it and wipe the paint off of the letters as stated. that is how I do the radio bezels. Did the one in the picture. 

Nobody is going to get down and study the dealer tag on your car. Will not be noticed by most people. I would not let them put on my cars only the paper tag on front. 

I do mask some of the bezel but not the lettering ever.

To replate that and repair the pits is going to be in the hundreds for even that little part. I bet the Mustagn script on your front fender looks worse.

Well, this is something I wanted to do, that’s all. I try to envision the car sitting on the dealership lot waiting to be sold... I have completed my restoration on this basis from day one, personal preference... As for putting it on the car, simply double sided tape, easily removed with no paint damage... As most here have suggested, I’m going to work slowly on trying to restore this piece. I have to remove the pitting off some of the letters and then take it from there. Painting the black back ground will not be an issue... We will see how it goes.

 

[73pony]

I think it is cool you found it. Getting rid of the pitting is going to be a tough one. Once cleaned up you can use silver solder to fill in the pitting then have it re-chromed, then paint the background black again. Many chrome shops will do these repairs as well. Just a thought on a route you might consider. I'm not sure what the laws are in Canada, but they have really cracked down on the chrome plating shops in the US hard causing many to close and prices to rise.

 

[7173Vert]

I think it is cool you found it. Getting rid of the pitting is going to be a tough one. Once cleaned up you can use silver solder to fill in the pitting then have it re-chromed, then paint the background black again. Many chrome shops will do these repairs as well. Just a thought on a route you might consider. I'm not sure what the laws are in Canada, but they have really cracked down on the chrome plating shops in the US hard causing many to close and prices to rise.

Thx. Environmental laws have toughened up here too. Many of these shops have shut down over the year's... Still a few around.

 

[7173Vert]

I spent the day (on and off...), addressing this emblem. Turned out pretty good. A little patina not a bad thing, I think when this is put on the car. I’ll post a pic once installed. 

 

[73pony]

Looks great. Will be a really nice touch to an amazing car.

 

[Hemikiller]

Perfect!

 

[7173Vert]

Installed this morning... What’s next ?

 

[NOT A T5]

Installed this morning... What’s next ?

Looks good! About what's next I would try to re-align the trunk letter(s), the "T" is off center looking at the trunk lock!

 

[7173Vert]

Installed this morning... What’s next ?

Looks good! About what's next I would try to re-align the trunk letter(s), the "T" is off center looking at the trunk lock!

Well, I would not want to fix how it was done at the factory ... I did my research and am satisfied with the end result. Thanks

 

[JD79]

Installed this morning... What’s next ?

Looks really good!

 

[Fabrice]

I spent the day (on and off...), addressing this emblem. Turned out pretty good. A little patina not a bad thing, I think when this is put on the car. I’ll post a pic once installed. 

Refreshed and in its juice, prolly the best option. Well done!

Small question while at it. On my Mach 1 71, 429CJ, I saw when I did restore the deck lid that there were some "shadows" of ancient "Mustang" letters that were sticked on at some point as on yours.

As I have no idea how this car was before 1989, "by to book", I should have a Mach1 emblem (sticker) instead. Or were letters in 71 also offered on Mach 1's?

 

[7173Vert]

I spent the day (on and off...), addressing this emblem. Turned out pretty good. A little patina not a bad thing, I think when this is put on the car. I’ll post a pic once installed. 

Refreshed and in its juice, prolly the best option. Well done!

Small question while at it. On my Mach 1 71, 429CJ, I saw when I did restore the deck lid that there were some "shadows" of ancient "Mustang" letters that were sticked on at some point as on yours.

As I have no idea how this car was before 1989, "by to book", I should have a Mach1 emblem (sticker) instead. Or were letters in 71 also offered on Mach 1's?

Thanks. If it was a Mach 1 (05 VIN), no letters on the '71 with the Mach 1 appliques on the trunk lids...