fletch

When I bought my black/black SC430 last fall, I paid a couple extra bucks to have the emblems gold-plated. Once I saw how gaudy it looked, I regretted doing it. So last week I finally had my dealer remove them. I read in this forum how to carefully remove them, and I unthinkingly assumed the dealer would take the same care described in these posts. Of course, they just broke them off and threw them away. So now I REALLY regret paying for the gold plate...

...but I'm very happy with the clean look. And I like the puzzled look on peoples' faces when they walk around the car trying to figure out what it is. Many of them will strike up a conversation with me to ask about the "mystery" car, which is also nice.

But here's my dilemma. I knew from this forum there would be two small holes under the rear center "L" that would need to be plugged, which was easy to do. But I didn't realize entire emblem was seated in a shallow oval indentation in the sheet metal. The empty indentation looks sort of funny, and I'm looking for ideas to clean it up somehow. Thoughts anyone?

One idea I like is to get my hands on the griffin emblem Toyota uses on its cars sold in Japan. Does anyone know where I might start looking for one?

Larry

Get one on the black pearl emblems from a dealer. Tell them you need it as a "replacement" part......or, they'll try to sell you the entire badging kit. he balck pearl will okkk sharp on a black car.

Gold kit ??...... Are you from Brooklyn ?

1NICESC430

Be careful, Larry .... Solo will get on your case .... his SC is dripping gold.

Supershyguy

or for all you that are interested, I can get the sporty Lexus emblem in White blue or red! email me at supershyguy_2000@yahoo.com for details or pictures

or see pictures here http://car-emblems.20m.com/photo.html

fletch

To clarify:

I don't want to replace the rear "L" emblem. My goal is to deal with the empty oval recess where the emblem used to be. The empty depression in the sheet metal detracts from the clean look. Maybe there's a way to fill in the recess without investing in a big $$ paint job?

If there's no way to fill in the recess, my last option will be to affix another emblem. But I don't want another "L" -- the car enjoys being anonymous, and relishes when people stare at it and try to figure out what make it is. So I would want some other kind of (tasteful) emblem that will fit in the oval recess, like maybe the Soarer griffin.

Larry

OK Solo.just how much gold do you have on your car ? My uncle had an '92 Caddy that had EVERYTHING gold ! He had the fender trim, the rocker panels and the trim around the vinyl carriage roof. He also had one of those continental tire kits on the rear.....trimmed with a BIG gold ring. I kid you not folks. Also I must admit that he lives in Brooklyn...........Bensonhurst to be exact. And yes, he is Italian. He also has as much gold around his neck as he has on his car.

WJSOLOMON

Originally posted by 1NICESC430:"Be careful, Larry .... Solo will get on your case .... his SC is dripping gold. "

Hey Dudes - 'Solo' is tied up at the moment detailing his new '03 Marauder, and really is "Torqued" right now - complains that everything on the car is Highly Polished Stainless Steel, and that the estimated price to Gold Plate both of those unique 36.0" L x 3.5" Diameter MEGS Exhaust Tips is Really Going to set him back! He's acting kind of irrational, in my opinion.........plans to spend the entire weekend applying Multiple Layers of Pinnacle / Klasse / Pinnacle Souveran Liquid & Paste Wax on the Monochromatic Black Marauder. He believes it'll lower its cof by .oo1 or more!

Rick Flair - 13 Times ("Count the Gold Crowns in my mouth") WWF Champion - "Gold's A Guy's Best Friend!"

:eek:

MJB

Fletch,

I'm over here in the UK with an imported Soarer version of the SC430.

I love the Griffin logo which comes fitted to the grill of all Soarers. So I removed the Toyota logo from the back (as fitted in Japan - no Lexus there, of course) and got another Griffin from my local badge dealer. Cost me £40 (about $62?).

I fixed it on with extra strong sticky pads and it's been good for almost a year. Got stolen last week but replaced now (at least when they steal on of these they don't rip your boot up!)

I think it looks fantastic. No-one over here knows what the Griffin is, so the mystery factor is fun.

Be aware, though, that the Griffin's wings will over-lap the indendation slightly. The body fits perfectly but the wings stick out slightly at the top of the indendation.

Still looks wonderful. I am hoping to attach a couple of front and back pictures with this post...

I am sure you can get the Griffin in the USA. For what it's worth mine was supplied in chrome (they can do gold if you want it) from the aptly named Midas Touch in the UK

http://www.goldplating.co.uk/pages/homepage/index.html

Don't be put off by the name - they don't only sell gold!

All the best,


Martin

P.S. I got the picture attached OK - then tried to edit the post to put a different picture on. Now the option to add an attachment has gone!!!!! How do I get it back?!?!?!?!?


* Edit to remove the extra . at the end of the URL.

1NICESC430

MJB ...

Several weeks ago I was going bananas trying to figure out why my pics would not appear. I finally learned that if you preview your post after you insert the path to the pic, the path disappears from the "attach file" box.

So preview, edit and do whatever you need to do first, then enter the path to your pic and post your message.

I have a new problem now ... I can see only *some* of the pics that folks are attaching. I'm dying to see that griffin.

MJB

Thanks for that!

See the new thread I've started - Soarer Griffin emblem etc...

Martin