Hood Badge Contour

[68911+1]

The couple of early hood badges that I have both orange and translucent red, are a bit misshapen and flat. The new repo badges seem to be convex with a distinct proud curvature to them.

1). Were the early badges also convex and proud and mine just flattened over time?

2). Any successful suggestions on how to reshape the older flat badges to the correct contour with out damaging them?

One badge I’m going to have restored but it still needs to be reshaped prior to sending it off.

Thank you in advance for your suggestions and comments.

[steve shea]

Many owners closed the hood by pressing on the badge. This of course would flatten it and even cause the cloisonne to crack. The originals may have had a little shape but not too much.

[Jay Laifman]

Many owners closed the hood by pressing on the badge. This of course would flatten it and even cause the cloisonne to crack. The originals may have had a little shape but not too much.

x2

The joke was definitely on us. I remember years and years ago, when they said you had to press on the badge to protect the hood. Now years later we see that this was stupid and we should have just gently pushed the hood down and protected the badge. Ugh.

I can't tell you right now if it was "proud" relative to the hood, or just followed the curve of the hood there.

[silverc4s]

I was taught, over 30 years ago now, to push on both lower corners on a long hood to close, never in the center.
Engine cover, I was taught to lower to the latch touched, then press on the engine grille to close. If it won't close that way, need to adjust the latch.

[68911+1]

Having read through the many hood badge posting discussing the minutia of pebbles, solder, and hooves, I still haven't been able to determine the curvature of the early orange bar badges.

If someone could help with the info; was the curvature of the orange bar badges as pronounced as the later translucent red ones?

When looking at the repos they seem to be.

If so, any suggestions on a technique to appropriately re-form a badge. The thought of pounding on a hood seems a bit barbaric.

Thanks again.

[keith]

My original 72 badge was flat, I 're-contoured' it by hand to match the hood so the gasket would sit properly. Breath-stealing moment, as they are soft, and cloisonne likes to crack... I was successful.

[68911+1]

Thanks for your input and experience.

I was hesitant to press on the hood or tap with a soft mallet.

[John Z Goriup]

Having read through the many hood badge posting discussing the minutia of pebbles, solder, and hooves, I still haven't been able to determine the curvature of the early orange bar badges.

If someone could help with the info; was the curvature of the orange bar badges as pronounced as the later translucent red ones?

When looking at the repos they seem to be.

If so, any suggestions on a technique to appropriately re-form a badge. The thought of pounding on a hood seems a bit barbaric.

Thanks again.

Just how do you expect someone with a sincere willingness to help you to express the amount and nature of the necessary curvature using words and language ?

You are just going to have to work this out for yourself, but I can guarantee you one thing with absolute certainty: genuine Porsche front hood badges were never flat - if you have one that appears and/or is in fact flat, you can be most assured it was either made flat by some hamfisted brute who's been pressing on it to close the lid, or, you're dealing with a cheap, incorrectly made crap-reproduction.

If you would stop to think and take a look where the badge is correctly factory-mounted, you can clearly see that the area is indeed a gentle compound curve (Photo #1 ). If the badge is missing, the mounting holes are a dead give-away where it should go ( please see Photo #2 ). Remove the badge from the hood, clean the are thoroughly, and using blue low-stick tape, cover a area about 6" x 6" with the tape without overlapping the tape edges in the area where you removed the badge. Then gently punch holes in the tape where the stud mounting holes are ( a sharp pencil is fine ). With a shop rag buff the tape to make sure it lays flat & contains no airbubbles. Place the badge into position with the studs in the two punched holes and now mark the outline of the badge with the pencil onto the tape, and then place the edge of a 6" machinists straightedge on the area, aligned front to rear of the car at the centerline of the badge ( it doesn't matter whether it's a long or short hood ), and then with the straightedge oriented left to right. The amount of daylight between hood and straightedge at the penciled outine will be your answer - in short, there's your ideal curvature.

When you've developed this information using the stone-axe simple instructions above make the badge conform to the contour of the hood, but choose your method carefully. I shudder to read you even would mention the possibility of "pounding on a hood "- that would indeed be barbaric and highly destructive, because it suggests you actually thought momentarily of making the hood conform to a mishapen badge. These badges are fairly soft, and strong fingers with steady, gentle but firm pressure will change the shape as necessary…..as you can see it's only a tiny amount of curvature. To aid in your effort, Photo #3 shows a perfect orange-bar longhood badge edge-on to illustrate the correct curvature. Don't forget to order a new Porsche supplied rubber base gasket ( readily available from your Porsche dealer - please don't bother with a reproduction because they're made of latex and therefore are way too soft and will squish and deform.

[StephenAcworth]

John,

What a great answer...

Stephen

[68911+1]

I agree, what a great answer and exactly what I was hoping for.

Thank you John.