308 bonnet badge replacement

I just purchased a 1983 euro spec 308 GTS QV and having learnt so much from others posting on this and other sites I decided to make my own small contribution to this magnificent resource.
Had my camera but became to engrossed and forgot to take any pictures! Doh!

The bonnet badge was damaged, probably by some erk trying to get a souvenir! So I decided to replace it and bought a new badge from eurospares.

I thought that it would be an easy first job to do on the car. But as usual I was wrong.

I first opened the bonnet and unscrewed the top badge nut using a 8mm combination spanner, which was fiddly but do-able. I then tried to remove the bottom nut but could not do it with either a combination spanner or ratchet.

I soon worked out that I would have to remove the grill to get better access.
To do this you need to remove the three hex head screws holding the grill to the lower valance and the two pan head bolts with nuts holding the top of the grill to its brackets.
You just need a 5 mm combination spanner and allot of patience to remove these. The top pan head bolts have a combination washer-nut, which on first look seems to captive on the bracket but in reality is not. Just unscrew this nut with a combination spanner do not try to use a cross head screwdriver on the pan head bolt as you will graunch it (I now have to order a new one!). Once the bolts and screws are removed the grill just needs to be carefully pulled out. Pull the grill top downwards first and then lift the grill out. Being careful of the paintwork.

You will now be able to see the badge nuts clearly. The bottom nut came of easily with a 8mm socket, long extension and ratchet.
So far so good. I then tried to push the badge up from underneath to no avail. I then put the nuts back onto the stud heads and used a drift and hammer to carefully, then not so carefully push the badge up. Both to no avail. After a moments contemplation and allot of swearing, I placed an old leather belt on the bonnet with some steel bar on top to spread the load and then using a flat bladed screwdriver with a fold of insulation tape around it carefully prised up the bonnet badge. This is when I discovered the two thin rubber sticky pads one around each badge stud. As my new badge did not come with these sticky rubber pads and I could not find them in the parts catalogue I made up some cushioning for the new badge using a couple of layers of insulation tape sticky side to the badge. I trimmed the excess tape off using a sharp modelling knife.
The new badge was then fitted. The holes in the bonnet are oversize so remember to locate the badge centrally before tightening the nuts.

The grill can then be refitted in reverse order and you’re done!

If doing this again I would just take the grill off first to replace the badge, as it was definitely much easier.

 

Barry

Thanks for the warm welcome.

I am sure reading through the many posts on the site that more frustration awaits down the line, but hopefully lots of fun as well!