Oh, you're in Orlando too. You're about to become my best friend lol.

 

lmao... just hmu

 

Ok.. so this is version 12!!! hopefully last an final. for all the trekkers out there "transparent aluminum" is now a reality. basically a transparent ceramic compound... clear/tinted, colored.. how ever u need it.. and SUPER STRONG!!!

 

Looking good! Did you 3D print it? In a standard machine? How do you plan to use "transparent Aluminum"? Can you make it glow or shine an LED thru it?

I just notice the dark area around the L. It's opaque, but is it also the same material? Why is it dark?

 

Nice, lemme get it, lol

 

sorry it's not 3d printed..(honestly hadn't thought of that.. because I needed something durable) the 1st 11 versions were acrylic (3/8"lexan ) the thickest that can be laser cut w/o melting.(thicker than 3/4" is bulletproof I thought 3/8 would hold up.. it didn't ).. so i sourced out the transparent aluminum.. which is basically a ceramic compound that can be colored or colorless (rarely both in the same solid piece).. my new emblem is 1.125" thick and yes the centers are opaque which became a pain because they cast shadows ruining the effect (the 1st one the centers were opaque all the way thru.. now they're 1/4") the mold was difficult for them to fab (so I had to buy the molds too AND THERE 2 OF THOSE)... .i was told they had to wait for the clear portion to cool enough to release from the 1st mold then they add the black an put it in the 2nd mold reheat the whole thing so it's truly 1 piece .the true test will come later this week when I mold it to the metal in the trunk lid.... multiple materials respond to things differently (temp, vibration, adhesives) ughh!! I get a headache thinking about it.. but that's also the reward when u solve it..

 

curious to see how the bondo/duraglass will react to it..

 

it's not the most rational thing to do... & since I can't yet guarantee the outcome.( which will also depend on your painters/ bodyshops skills) then theres the $$$$.. RIDICULOUSLY PRICEY... feel free to dm me for more info..

 

currently Shi's at the bodyshop for some touch up work.. chips scratches etc...

 

test fit before the molding process begins...(the old emblem has been removed.. along with any extra material.. have I mentioned I hate sanding) this was merely placed into the opening to see how it would look

 

update the molding process has begun.. but 1st I needed to reinforce the trunk lid to accept the larger emblem.. previous versions were 3/8" thick.. the transparent aluminum is 1.1/8" thick.. also (as with all previous versions had to take the area back down to bare metal.....

 

Yessuurrrrrrrrr

 

I don't get it, but why does the transparent aluminum logo have this whitish-blue glow? Will it glow in the dark? The logo looks great. Will you repeat for the front logo also? Unless you have de-badged the front. I think it will look great at both ends.

Noticed in these pics that the backup camera is not covered. I would tape it up nicely to avoid any dust or scratches.

 

the emblem had the blue glow bcuz it's back lit by rgb leds.(blue at the time of the pic).. as it's a new material to me.. I wanted to make sure it would transfer light the way I'd hoped.. all the other pics the lights had been removed so the molding process could be done... look back through my build thread. when all's said an done the emblem will be invisible unless it's back lit by the leds.. ( my gen 1 vid u can see the finished look.. now I've got more efficient leds with a faster rgb controller)

yes my car is completely debadged (I'm not one for emblems but I got REALLY tired of non car people asking if it was a BMW or a Hyundai) plus this way I get the best of both worlds ... no emblem unless I want it.
I hand built my grill to remove the L badge (b4 an emblemless one was available) so no I'm not putting 1 back up front.. one is cool.. two's trying too hard imho.. on top of being a real pain in the a$$ to do because of engine temp, there's not enough room to make it fit properly, lastly I have a MUCH BETTER IDEA FOR UP FRONT!!

as for the camera I don't understand your concern.. it's exposed 100% of the time in normal use (dirt, dust, water etc)... all of our work is well above the cam.. granted accidents happen but I highly doubt tape will help much..(but thinking about it.. it was covered we pulled the excess materials off for the pic... but again block sanding that area it's highly unlikely to see any damage)

here's a pic I took this afternoon...(I really hate sanding..........)

 

Thanks, Shibumi, that helps a lot. The videos are especially useful. So, are you re-modding the same car (trunk lid) seen in the videos? I am still a bit puzzled how the LED colors are able to shine thru the black paint and clear coat overlying the transparent aluminum logo. Why isn't the LED light absorbed by the paint pigments?

I can't wait to hear and see what you have planned for the front grille!

Ok, I get your point about the backup camera. I would still worry that the camera will be affected when you are painting the trunk lid, so covering it doesn't hurt.