Removal and replacement of Boxster logo on boot lid

juliany27 · Apr 21, 2006

The 'Boxster' logo on my car has broken and I have a nice new silver one on order by way of replacement. I am somewhat concerneed about how to remove the old logo, with the sticky glue and without damaging the paintwork.

My OPC has suggested lifting off the old logo very carefully after marking its' position with masking tape, and removing the old sticky glue using a commercial tar remover or white spirit before afixing the new logo.

I am not very good at anything like this and want to avoid making a silly/serious mistake which could end up expensive - such as having to arrange for re-painting!

Any advice or guidance, please?

Rodney Naghar · Apr 21, 2006

Tar remover??? White spirit??? Has the world gone mad?

This was discussed recently on the turbo forum. Conclusion is, use a hairdryer to soften the glue, then use dental floss to 'saw' underneath the original script until it all comes off.
Then stick on the new one.

Good luck

juliany27 · Apr 21, 2006

Rodney

Many thanks.

I did wonder about the use of white spirit on paint but, as you can guess, I know no better than to ask other PCGB members for their advice.

Will let you know how well I get on in due course.

Rodney Naghar · Apr 21, 2006

Hey Julian, it should be a doddle......I can't believe the OPC guy told you to use those products.....if you went back with a ruined bonnet I'm sure he would have had a great get out clause.....

For what it's worth, I followed some advice from another forumite when I did it a few months back, and ended up trying to remove a heap of glue from the bonnet using a credit card and Zippo fluid! It was a nightmare, the credit card died,and it took me ages. I wish I knew about the hairdryer method earlier!

daro911 · Apr 21, 2006

ORIGINAL: juliany27

I am not very good at anything like this and want to avoid making a silly/serious mistake which could end up expensive - such as having to arrange for re-painting!

Any advice or guidance, please?

Kettle of just boiled water has the badge and glue off instantly. Personally I would save the money and keep the car debadged[

]

Mark_Bennett · Apr 21, 2006

Leave it off - go for the clean look [

]

Wnhen I de-badged mine, I just cut through the sticky tape with dental floss - and rubbed off the remainder with my fingers. However that was fairly new - so the tape may have hardened on yours (I'm theorising).

I then polished off any remainder with normal polish - I can't remember what you use Julian, but anything with thinners in will do it (Auto-Glym etc).

Taping the position first is a good idea - but I have seen cars which have had the badge removed after a few years and the logo is visible where the paint has faded!

Boiling water will remove whatever wax you have on there if you go Robert's way, so you will need to re-wax wherever the water went if you use Zymol etc. I'm not 100% happy about pouring boiling water on the car myself - But Robert has done so with no reported ill effects [

]

ajb986 · Apr 21, 2006

The rest of the guys are absolutely correct...Mark position with masking tape, use floss or thread in sawing motion to remove old badge, hair dryer to soften glue, finger nail to pick away larger glue deposits, polish to remove residue, wipe area clean, apply new logo - sticks very quickly so get the position correct - only one chance to get it right, rub over the new logo with cloth to ensure all letters are fixed and that's it.

I applied a new chrome badge this week and it looks fantastic on Zenith Blue.

All in all, took about 20 minutes.

Good luck.

juliany27 · Apr 21, 2006

Thanks folks.

'L' day is likely to be tomorrow or Sunday. Will report success [or failure [

]] in due course.

Dapster · Apr 21, 2006

And if you see a passing 996 Cab you can ask to borrow their hairdryer....

daro911 · Apr 21, 2006

ORIGINAL: juliany27

Thanks folks.

'L' day is likely to be tomorrow or Sunday. Will report success [or failure []] in due course.

Checkout this debadged rear end and you may decide to stay unbranded too [

]

tangoss · Apr 22, 2006

Whilst on the subject of sticking things back on, anyone know what brand / type of glue should be used to stick a replacement wheel centre badge back onto the cap ? Is yer bog standard super glue alright for the job ?

juliany27 · Apr 23, 2006

Thanks everyone for your advice.

Firstly, IMO, a lighter coloured car without a badge looks better than a darker one without a badge. Because I have a dark car with silver alloy wheels I felt that a silver logo would be a nice contrast.

Yesterday I collected the logo and spoke to the OPC again. This time a mechanic laughed when I mentioned white spirit etc. He advised hot water and finger nails, masking tape and care.

I decided to avoid the hairdryer, boiled a kettle, added some cold water and poured it over the old logo. It was so easy to remove with my fingers and nails, and the glue followed without any problems. After I had dried the area, the place where the logo had been was easily visible and I just pressed the new logo into place. Looks great - you can see it at Castle Combe next Saturday [although, somehow, I suspect that it will not be the centre of attention]. Took me about 10 minutes of worrying and 5 minutes to do the job.

I then treated the car to a polish/wax to make it and me feel better and more relaxed.

Once again my thanks to everyone. This is another example of the value of a Car Club with a membership prepared to guide the perplexed through what must seem even the simplest tasks.

On a slightly different note; the Porsche crest centres on the wheels are coming loose. Any ideas how best to stick them firmly back on instead of spending lots of money on replacements when they fall off/are stolen by kids?

Lastly, the wheels nuts are looking a little sad. I have seen adverts for wheel nut covers [yes, I do need to cover my nuts [

]] and wonder wheich are best/easiest to put on etc.

Ivor · Apr 23, 2006

Julian

I presume you mean the coloured crests. These appear to be notorious for coming loose and parting company with the centre disc altogether, never to be seen again. All four of mine have fallen off in the two and half years I have had the car and I had them replaced under warranty while still covered. I have only managed to retrieve one that fell off in the drive but have not yet attempted to stick it on again. When I do, I'll try superglue and see what happens. They are expensive to keep replacing when you have to pay for them though, although there's no option if they disappear at speed. However, I do prefer them to the standard centres.

daro911 · Apr 23, 2006

ORIGINAL: Ivor

They are expensive to keep replacing when you have to pay for them though, although there's no option if they disappear at speed. However, I do prefer them to the standard centres.

Standard ones never need replacing [

] Guess Porsche are having trouble with there Chinese manufacturers glue [

]

ajb986 · Apr 24, 2006

Julian,

I have just purchased and put on a set of chrome wheel nut covers. The only difficulty was the locking wheel nut bolt that needed glue to hold in position as the head of the bolt is round. I used a clear silicone flexible sealant that when dry holds firm but can be removed when needed for tyre changes. There is little conflict in the chrome finish against the alloy paint on the wheels and IMO looks very good indeed, looks very realistic and very tidy. No more unsightly rusty nuts. Certainly work a try for £20.

juliany27 · Apr 24, 2006

Alan

Thanks. Wher did you get the wheel nut covers from [bad English, sorry]? Was it £20 for all 4 wheeels? Do the suppliers make them in black? And, finally, what type of sealant i.e. make etc. and is it easy to get the covers off?

And, finally, does anyone have any suggestions abut tyres [the perennial problem]?

bmurphy · Apr 24, 2006

http://www.design911.co.uk/index.htm?Region=UK

says that they don't cover the locking nuts, but i'm assuming from the previous post that if you use some form of adhesive it works ok?

My OPC quoted £180 to replace them

ajb986 · Apr 25, 2006

Julian, I bought the wheel nut covers from Jasmine Motorsport in Barrowford, Lancashire UK. £20 for 20 covers. They are advertised extensively on ebay but vary in price up to £30. The adhesive used on the locking nut is a typical kitchen or bathroom clear flexible sealant, any brand will do the job. It holds the cover in place but the rubber solution allows removal at a later date. Next time you are in the bath tub, just have a look at the seal between the bath and the tiles...that's the stuff to use - except clear. They really do look great.