This one’s nice and easy, but a few tips don’t hurt - might save you from tearing off a few layers of paint…
What You Need:
- A scraper (plastic!!!) - if you have to use a knife, be very, very, careful (go buy something plastic!)
- A tin of Prepsol/Prepwash - available from auto shops and good paint shops - check with the manufacturer that the brand is ok to use on a painted surface (as it is actually designed as a pre-paint solution).
- Rags (x2, clean)
- Some new badges (if you intend to ‘rebadge’)
How To:
Very carefully, use the scraper to pull up the edges of the badges - don’t just pull them up from one side - do a little from the left, a little from the right, from the top, from the bottom, and so on. Go slow - you don’t want to pull the paint off, just the goo. Don’t worry if you can’t get all the goo off - it’s stubborn shit.
You can also use fishing line to cut through the goo (remember cutting clay in art class?) - thanks to Troy for that tip.
A hairdryer or hot glue gun (careful!) can be used to soften the goo before you attack it. Adding some lubricant (ie: RP7) to your scraper will also aid in the removal process - thanks to Murray for those tips.
Once you have the badges off, there will be some residual goo. This is where the Prepsol/Prepwash comes in.
Dab the solution on a rag (not too much) - then rub it into the goo. Some paint will show on the rag - don’t worry. Every now and then, use the clean rag to wipe off the solution (you don’t want it on there too long) - remember to use all of the rag - otherwise you’ll just be rubbing the solution back onto the car (dummy!).
Do one badge mark at a time - rub off the goo, keep wiping it clean, and once you’re finished, hose the badge area down - then move to the next badge.
Once you’re done, take the opportunity to wash your car - three reasons for this:
- It probably needs a clean anyway
- You can give the debadged area a final wash down
- It may need a cut-n-polish - to buff back the paint a little. The area under your badges hasn’t seen the light in a while - so it’s probably a slightly different colour to the rest of the car (nothing a good polish won’t fix).
Rebadging:
Your car will look great with a ‘clean bum’ - it’s suprising how uncluttered it will look without the badges. However, you may want to add a few exotic badges (like a Diamante badge if you’re from oz, or a Magna badge if you’re from the US).
A few commonsense tips:
How do I stick the new badges on? Easy - good badges come with their own adhesive - you just peel off the plastic and whack them on.
Be careful!!! that goo sticks good - make sure you have the spot marked out well (use a ruler if you have to) - nothing worse than sticking a badge on, taking two steps backward, and realising that it’s on a 45 degree angle (doh!). I suggest you use double sided tape (or something similar) for a ‘test run’ - make sure you’re happy with how it’s going to look.
Too many badges is ‘rice’
Have fun, and don’t get that goo on your fingers!
I do not accept responsibility for any damage you to do yourself or your car after reading these tips. Please use your common sense when tinkering with your vehicle. If in doubt, consult a certified mechanic.