Emblem Restoration

[Syncroincity]

I'm experimenting with vinyl wrap material with great results.

50 feet of 2" wide tape from Ebay $14

http://www.ebay.com/itm/370196741988?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649

Clean up the emblem, apply the tape, and heat gently until the letters stand out.
 I used a lighter, but scorched it a few times, next time is a heat gun or hair dryer.

Trimmed with X-acto knives, one pointed and one rounded scalpel. Don't saw at the material, it leaves a ragged edge.

Shown is the first attempt, the Vanagon badge. Not happy with a few of the letters, I'm redoing this one.
The VW badge is what I started with, typical grey & faded lettering.
The SYNCRO badge is the tape applied, and partially heat-shrunk (right side was heated)

Real chrome finish, easy to work with, and cheap. This stuff sticks like glue once you heat it a bit.

There's a huge array of colors and faux finishes available, carbon fiber, brushed metals, etc.

[TylerDurden]

That's nifty.

I've seen brushed aluminum "contact-paper" (adhesive vinyl). I never thought to do emblems, tho. 

[vwroadkill]

who would have thought? that is awesome... I now know what I am doing this week.

[ORCoaster]

I am sending all my emblems to him next week and he can do them up for me?  Also have a set of those black caps on my snowflake wheels that need doing over.  The ladies silver nail polish is flaking off. 

[CrazyAndy]

I too have wondered about this.  Thanks for the link to the tape.  I have seen someone do a version of this with chromed spray paint;  IIRC they sprayed it on wax paper and rolled the badge through the paint.  I don't think it looked good, though.

Either way I will be smoothing my old VW and Rabbit badges w/ sandpaper and trying this out in the foreseeable future.  I also see this being beneficial to silver-trimmed grilles.

[ToddA1]

The factory finish was the brushed aluminum.  Cool idea, though. 

I sent a few emblems to a plastic refinisher and they were way too bright when they came back.

-Todd