[Pecosbill]

Got the convertible top installed last week and this 64 restoration is nearly complete. I’ve been installing the upholstery and have new Legendary door panels without the emblems and stainless trim both of which have to be transferred from the old panels. Everyone I’ve talked with says that the emblems are nearly impossible to get off without breaking the emblem mounting studs off.

Well, I carefully tried to get one off the other day but I could tell I wasn’t getting anywhere and was in danger of popping the stud. I put on my handy-dandy lighted magnifier and had a close look at what I was up against, then came up with an approach. I took a very small flathead screwdriver and inserted it in between the springs of the fastener and held the fastener down with another larger screwdriver. Then I ever so gently twisted the small screwdriver in such a way as to pull the edge of the fastener ever so slightly away from the stud. I did this on two adjacent fastener edges then put a small screwdriver under each side of the fastener and worked it up off the stud. Voila! Got all six fasteners off without any damage to the emblem studs and the fasteners can be reused on the new door panels.

On the old passenger door panel there was a nice surprise waiting for me. At the factory someone was too lazy to break off one of the fasteners from the group and instead installed the fastener with two extra ones still attached to it. Maybe they knew that in 50+ years someone would be restoring the car and might need some extra fasteners!

I’m going to push this restoration over the finish line very soon now! Only been a 12 year project!