Deck lid letters

[71 sixer]

Have a question about the removal of the deck lid letters.

My car is an original paint car; paint is still in excellent condition. The letters have never been off the car.

I am going to have the car professionally polished & detailed in a few days and thought about removing the letters on the rear deck lid prior to the polishing.

Two questions.

Is the removal and reinstallation of the letters much of a chore? The device on the inside of the deck lid that holds the letters on looks to be about a 8mm nut, but I don't think it is screwed on. Maybe the nut is simply popped or pushed on?

Curious to hear thoughts or feedback. Would you leave the letters on (less risk of some unforseen problem removing & putting them back on??) or would you remove them prior to the detailing?

Feedback is appreciated.

[Longballa]

Detail around them. Too much could go wrong removing them. The nuts and legs on the letters wear out the more you screw and unscrew them. You could pull up or chip the paint removing them.

[smedley]

You haven't said what year your car is. If it's an original '71 the letters should be secured by a unique round black rubber fastener that is actually a round speed nut sandwiched between two layers of rubber. If the letters are secured by a stamped 8mm hex speed nut with a rubber washer backing they have already been off and someone replaced the original round rubber fasteners with the hex dodads. As above, the studs on the letters become worn if taken off too often. Don't know when the original wierd round rubber fasteners disappeared, but they were definately on '69-'71s....actually '65-'67 or so had another variant of the rubber fastener that was harder rubber and conical in shape....you can see them commonly securing the dash fascia as they were not removed and lost as often as the crest and lid letter fasteners. Someone chime in here...not sure what was used on '72 on.

[jimbo]

Detail around. Don't eff with those emblems unless you do a complete repaint.

[71 sixer]

My car is a 1973 model.