80-82 rear bumper emblem.
 

I've have an 80-82 fiberglass rear bumper, nowI got the 80-82 emblem.
Can you tell me how to center it, left and right from the tail lights, and how far up and down.
There are three pins but the pins don't go flush with back of the emblem, they sit on a raised oval. Should I drill out the holes to match the oval shape, and what kind of fastener should I use? PG.

RE: 80-82 rear bumper emblem.
 

Photo

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RE: 80-82 rear bumper emblem.
 

Rearof emblem.

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RE: 80-82 rear bumper emblem.
 

Will any of these fastiners work? ( Someday I hope to learn how to post a picture ) PG.

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RE: 80-82 rear bumper emblem.
 

PG, Is it supposed to have some kinda rubber or soft plastic gasket behind it. I haven't seen enough of them to know but seem to have seen something along those lines. and as for the fasteners would it use the old push on type. Sorry I'm not more help. Cheers

RE: 80-82 rear bumper emblem.
 

pg,
I have an '81. Do you need the measurements for the "CORVETTE" inbetween the tail lights? The flag is on the gas tank door. Am I understanding you right?

RE: 80-82 rear bumper emblem.
 

This is strictly a guess but I think that the original urethane bumper cover probably had depressions for the raised ovals, so you're going to have to drill the holes for the posts/pins and then with a Dremel, make a recess for the ovals. (Are we having fun yet?) I believe the correct fastener is what I call a speed nut. It's a formed sheet metal nut (just like the ones (2) on the left side of your pic) that will cut a thread on the posts as it's installed.

Others may have better info.

RE: 80-82 rear bumper emblem.
 

Hi, and thanks for the quick replies.
blueshark, when I replaced the side emblems all I did was pull off the stickey tape, line up the old holes and press it on. This emblem came with no tape and no fasteners. I have to drill new holes, which I'm nervous about doing in the first place, than I have to elongate the holes so the oval part fits in. Do you think that if I use some painters tape that the holes won't chip too much? Will a drill work or should I use a dremmel?
Texas Jim, yes, I need to know how to center the emblem, can you tell me how far from the lights, left and right. Also I don't think the emblem is centered with the center of the lights, I've tried to look at photos of other cars but the pictures are never from dead center of the rear, it looks likethe emblemshould be a little above the center of the lights.
73Shark, yes the original bumper was two piece urethane, but when I got the car it had the 80-82 bumper but no emblem. I just got the emblem and I thought that I could drill some holes and stick it on.
Thanks again, and TJ if you get a chance to give me the measurements, it would be a great help. PG.

RE: 80-82 rear bumper emblem.
 

You could do what I did when I put the FI emblems on my hood for a short time and didn't want to drill holes. I cut the posts off flush and used 3M Body Trim tape to hold them on. Worked like a champ. :)

RE: 80-82 rear bumper emblem.
 

73Shark's trim tape is a great idea. That stuff will hold to a clean surface like it was welded on.

If you choose to drill the holes just run the drill back wards first to get through the paint and into the glass then drill the hole in fwd as usual. masking tape over the area would be good insurance and help with the marking. Just let the drill do the work and don't push too hard when drilling. With such a small bit it should be harmless to the glass and paint. If you are concerned with moister you can put a dab of silicone on the hole before you set the emblem.
You could use the dremmel to create the boss to receive the little oval thingy as mentioned. Just do it so the flutes on the bit are cutting toward the body instead of away and it shouldn't chip. Really depends on how big the oval thingies are, might be to small to worry about.

Cheers

RE: 80-82 rear bumper emblem.
 

pg,
I used a folding rule, the one I use when I do any woodworking and/or finishing work. A tape has that darn sliding end which is good for an 1/8th to a 16th of an inch of error, if you don't know what you're doing with it. A rule eliminates this possibility of error.
From the two inside (right and left)tail lights; find 22 5/8" from inside to inside, and measure up 4 9/16" from the raised body line that goes from the back of one wheel well aroundto the other. This horizontal raised body line is 7/8" below the bottom of the tail lights. So 4 9/16" above that body line, this 22 5/8" long lineis what the bottomofthe "CORVETTE" emblem will sit on. (The tail lights are oval shape.) Measure 7" in from the inside of each (right and left)inside tail light on that 22 5/8" line. These two points-7" in from the inside of each inside tail light, are the end points of the "CORVETTE emblem." The "CORVETTE" emblem is 8 5/8" (8 11/16") from end to end in the center. (This measurement includes also the lower wider black edges of the two end letters, "C" and "E.")
Once you find the bottom line for the emblem to sit on; 22 5/8" inside to inside and
49/16" above the raised body line, and measure 7" from each side; end points (right and left) of emblem, you can center up the emblem from there, as it's very possible that the emblems vary an 1/8th to a 1/16th of an inch. And quite possibly the tail light measurement from inside to inside may vary also. In any event, this conglomeration of measurements will get your emblem in great position. Good Luck.

RE: 80-82 rear bumper emblem.
 

Texas Jim, thank you so much.That is just what I needed. I know that it took you some time and effort to get the measurementsfor me and I appreciate it.

73shark, I wish it came with trim tape, I don't have the talent to cut out all the letters.

blueshark, good tip to use masking tape and run the drill backwards to start.

Thanks again for all the help, two more days to work then I'll "get 'er done". PG.

RE: 80-82 rear bumper emblem.
 

After looking at the back side of the lettering and seeing that it's not flush, not sure it would work that good anyway. Did conceive of using a gasket punch for the C, O, & Es since they appear to be round. But since you're probably never going to remove it, the holes with the speed nuts is probably the best way to go.

RE: 80-82 rear bumper emblem.
 

pg,
I'm really glad I could help. You getting your emblem on correctly is well worth the time it took me to do the measuring. You're very welcome. Good Luck with the project.

RE: 80-82 rear bumper emblem.
 

You could always "cut an inch", just don't forget you did. The wood Rule would be a lot more stable though for the one handed marking trick, LOl!

RE: 80-82 rear bumper emblem.
 

blue,
That's a very true statement. I very often "burn an inch" or tell the guy holding the tape on a mark when I'm measuring down further to, "burn an inch" as to get a more accurate measurement. You have obviously been around some "lay-out" sometime in your life. Anytime I have to do "close" work that's less than six feet in length, I use a rule, other-wise, I "burn an inch." And you're also right that getting the numbers to set that emblem correctly were much easier to get with the rule.
You must do what I do when you read certain posts; visualize what that person is doing and how they're doing it as you read. Cool. That also adds to the quality of this site. Thanks for the reply.

RE: 80-82 rear bumper emblem.
 

Yup I guess a little 'lay-out" work......all of my work pants have the top of the right pocket worn to a frazzle from a 35' tape hangin on it. .....And lots of pencil lead holes in my dang ears....LOL!:D:D:D

And yup on the visualize thingy too. My visual on this one included some cussing when the blade of the tape measure kept folding in the wind..MAAAAN! I hate that.....LOL!:D:D:D

RE: 80-82 rear bumper emblem.
 

Yes, out on a job-site, you always run into something that's 30 plus feet long. The 35' tape is the only way to go. Remember, it was the 25' first, then the 30', and then the 35'. LOL And if the 35' is too short, it's the "Hilti Laser." LOL Even the cheaperlasers are great, and accurate. Wow, it makes for a lazier (lasier)tradesman. LOL!!! Well, and what the heck is wrong with that, right??? LOL I also remember when the "Swansen Speed Square" was first out, in '82. I'm not old, but there are younger guys on the jobs now days. LOL. Thanks for the laughs.
Hey, one good tip, it WAS used by some of the older "trained" Masons, not the "chuckers." On your rule, the first six inches (prior tothe first fold) is the stick that always wears out first, you know how the paint, all the detail, starts coming off. On a brick rule, modular or jumbo, it's only one stick, one end. On a regular carpenter's rule,it's two sticks, one on each end, 1" thru 6". Take the clear two part epoxy and apply a nice smooth coat on each side of the first stick, 1" thru 6". This way, a rule lasts you about five times longer. It preserves/protects the detail perfectly. The guys who showed me this are in their 80s now. The old Masons treated their work like it was art. Many of them knew all about rock, in-detail,hunted arrow heads, one I knew had a Faragut (sp?) mine in Colorado.All the old good brick were solid and made from natural raw materials, and when the material was depleted, the brick manufacturer either shut down or moved to wherever there was more material. ie; The "Chicago Antique Colonials" which now days are torn out of the old buildings in Chicago, solids, that are made from the raw materials taken from the bottom of Lake Michigan. They're shipped all over the country and are very expensive. They look BEAUTIFUL in black mud, it brings the color out incredibly. Years back when I ran a brick (wet) saw for afew Masonry Contractors, I worked w/ those brick on afew jobs. Wood is great to work with, steel is great also, but there's something very different about brick, stone, plaster/types of portlandand the likes. Sorry for running on. I've been around alittle over the years. The "epoxy on the rule" is superworth it.

RE: 80-82 rear bumper emblem.
 

Got 'er done today, Thanks to blueshark and 73shark for your tips, and a special thanks to you Texas Jim for the measurements, PG.

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RE: 80-82 rear bumper emblem.
 

Looks great. Did you put the 80-82 bumper on?

RE: 80-82 rear bumper emblem.
 

Hi 1974corvetteowner, that fiberglass bumper was on when I bought the car. I like the way the spoiler is built in. It just took me 7 plus years to get around to putting the emblem on. I'm trying out for the king of procrastination award! :D
Seems like 74's came with no gas tank emblem so I got one for a 77 and put that on too.
The red on the front emblem had a crack so I bought a new one and less than 6 months later the red was gone, seems they did not use enough glue to hold it on. Bought a second one, so far so good. PG.

RE: 80-82 rear bumper emblem.
 

ok i was just woundering because it look like it has a great fit...i alsolike that bumper with the spoiler...i am the 3rd or 4th owner of my 74 and susposedly at some point there was a 80-82 bumper on it and the guy i bought it from didnt like it so he put a 75ish style bumper on and had it painted but it dosent line up correctly and does not have the "corvette" lettering on it. I have been thinking about doing the switch to the 80-82 bumper but since the car has been painted within the last 5 years i am going to wait.

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RE: 80-82 rear bumper emblem.
 

pg,
Clicked on the pic that you posted and then went out to my 'Vette and looked at it. You hit it just right. Looks really good. Glad that I could be a part of some good work. Thanks.

RE: 80-82 rear bumper emblem.
 

Oh man! it's crooked. JUST KIDDING!

Looks Great PG.

RE: 80-82 rear bumper emblem.
 

blue,
Funny that you said that, as it at first looked that way to me. I thought, "It must be an optical illusion." I then went out and looked at mine, which also looked crooked at first glance, but from giving up the measurements, I know that mine's straight.
I realized when I took the measurements that the holes for the lights are oval, which until then I thought were circular. Also, the lenses sit in the oval holes on an angle. As the old saying goes, "don't believe everything you see." Also, " an eye-witnessholds the most inaccurate evidence."

RE: 80-82 rear bumper emblem.
 

Great job! I guess getting the holes and recesses went OK.

RE: 80-82 rear bumper emblem.
 

Hi 73shark, I used Texas Jim's measurements to line it up for the 3 pin holes then made 1 hole above and below those holes. That left me 2 figure 8 looking holes, then I used the dremel to smooth the slots out.
The speed nuts were the best choice to keep the emblem in place. PG.