bradyarz
12-10-2011, 03:32 PM
Since I got my car, I've been obsessed with going "incognito". That is - not having any exterior markings that identify the car as a subaru. I already debadged the hatch, and this takes me one step closer to completion. The last thing to do is find a mesh sport grille and I'll be completely incognito all around.
I still wanted to have some sort of badge on the rear, so I've been looking for the JDM style I-badge for a while. Subie buffs will recognize it while others probably ask me where I got my new Izuzu. :lol2:
On to the process!
I'm not going to show how to get the rear chrome trim out... that's been done before and well documented online. What I never did find though is how to get the badge off of the trim. I will show how I did that here.
Here is the back of the chrome trim. I drilled out those four spots just to make sure that there was no plastic welding going on that would keep the badge on:
http://www.dirtyimpreza.com/forums/vbpgimage.php?do=full&p=2719&d=1323549871
Be very careful when doing this. It is possible to get the badge out without damage, but you have to be very VERY light with the drill. You have about .01 seconds after getting through the trim before you hit the badge. If you're good, you can do that. I did not. Oh well, now I can strip it and paint it some other color.
http://www.dirtyimpreza.com/forums/vbpgimage.php?do=full&p=2723&d=1323549963
Once I got the holes drilled, I pushed on the back of the badge lightly with a screwdriver. I could feel it give slightly, so I figured it was just held in with adhesive. A few minutes with the hair dryer and that sucker was much more pliable. This is what you see when the original badge is pried out:
http://www.dirtyimpreza.com/forums/vbpgimage.php?do=full&p=2729&d=1323550128
Now I suppose if you did it right you could get the badge out without removing the chrome trim, but the fitment between the badge and the cutout in the trim is just about as flush as possible. MAYBE if you have dental tools or similar and take plenty of time to heat the adhesive you can accomplish it. I probably would have attempted this had I known, but after a lot of internet searching no one seemed to know exactly how that badge was attached. Well, WONDER NO MORE!
I also ground down that little nub in the middle of the adhesive to give me a nice flat surface on which to install the new badge.
Here are the badges side by side. They are very similar in size, but not exact. I ended up spending a little time very lightly shaving down the top and bottom of the i badge to get it to fit.
http://www.dirtyimpreza.com/forums/vbpgimage.php?do=full&p=2721&d=1323549948
http://www.dirtyimpreza.com/forums/vbpgimage.php?do=full&p=2722&d=1323549953
Test fit:
http://www.dirtyimpreza.com/forums/vbpgimage.php?do=full&p=2728&d=1323550118
Notice the slight gap at the side of the badge (I just left it as is. It doesn't bother me):
http://www.dirtyimpreza.com/forums/vbpgimage.php?do=full&p=2727&d=1323550105
After I got it fitting the way I want, I cut two pieces of 3M mounting tape that cover the back of the badge. Push it into place and voila!
http://www.dirtyimpreza.com/forums/vbpgimage.php?do=full&p=2726&d=1323550097
http://www.dirtyimpreza.com/forums/vbpgimage.php?do=full&p=2725&d=1323550092
Start to finish it took me about two hours or so. This included putting the hatch back together halfway through and running to four different stores when I realized I didn't have any mounting tape at home. :pissed:
That said, it shouldn't take much more than an hour or so to get this done.
I still wanted to have some sort of badge on the rear, so I've been looking for the JDM style I-badge for a while. Subie buffs will recognize it while others probably ask me where I got my new Izuzu. :lol2:
On to the process!
I'm not going to show how to get the rear chrome trim out... that's been done before and well documented online. What I never did find though is how to get the badge off of the trim. I will show how I did that here.
Here is the back of the chrome trim. I drilled out those four spots just to make sure that there was no plastic welding going on that would keep the badge on:
http://www.dirtyimpreza.com/forums/vbpgimage.php?do=full&p=2719&d=1323549871
Be very careful when doing this. It is possible to get the badge out without damage, but you have to be very VERY light with the drill. You have about .01 seconds after getting through the trim before you hit the badge. If you're good, you can do that. I did not. Oh well, now I can strip it and paint it some other color.
http://www.dirtyimpreza.com/forums/vbpgimage.php?do=full&p=2723&d=1323549963
Once I got the holes drilled, I pushed on the back of the badge lightly with a screwdriver. I could feel it give slightly, so I figured it was just held in with adhesive. A few minutes with the hair dryer and that sucker was much more pliable. This is what you see when the original badge is pried out:
http://www.dirtyimpreza.com/forums/vbpgimage.php?do=full&p=2729&d=1323550128
Now I suppose if you did it right you could get the badge out without removing the chrome trim, but the fitment between the badge and the cutout in the trim is just about as flush as possible. MAYBE if you have dental tools or similar and take plenty of time to heat the adhesive you can accomplish it. I probably would have attempted this had I known, but after a lot of internet searching no one seemed to know exactly how that badge was attached. Well, WONDER NO MORE!
I also ground down that little nub in the middle of the adhesive to give me a nice flat surface on which to install the new badge.
Here are the badges side by side. They are very similar in size, but not exact. I ended up spending a little time very lightly shaving down the top and bottom of the i badge to get it to fit.
http://www.dirtyimpreza.com/forums/vbpgimage.php?do=full&p=2721&d=1323549948
http://www.dirtyimpreza.com/forums/vbpgimage.php?do=full&p=2722&d=1323549953
Test fit:
http://www.dirtyimpreza.com/forums/vbpgimage.php?do=full&p=2728&d=1323550118
Notice the slight gap at the side of the badge (I just left it as is. It doesn't bother me):
http://www.dirtyimpreza.com/forums/vbpgimage.php?do=full&p=2727&d=1323550105
After I got it fitting the way I want, I cut two pieces of 3M mounting tape that cover the back of the badge. Push it into place and voila!
http://www.dirtyimpreza.com/forums/vbpgimage.php?do=full&p=2726&d=1323550097
http://www.dirtyimpreza.com/forums/vbpgimage.php?do=full&p=2725&d=1323550092
Start to finish it took me about two hours or so. This included putting the hatch back together halfway through and running to four different stores when I realized I didn't have any mounting tape at home. :pissed:
That said, it shouldn't take much more than an hour or so to get this done.