The "Magnetic Horseless Shield For The Rear Panel" Project | FerrariChat

The "Magnetic Horseless Shield For The Rear Panel" Project

Discussion in '308/328' started by dave80gtsi, Sep 4, 2020.

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  1. dave80gtsi

    dave80gtsi Formula 3
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    #1 dave80gtsi, Sep 4, 2020
    One of those ‘little things’ which I’ve always thought could be improved is the appearance of the chrome Prancing Horse emblem on the taillight panel. It’s just sort of ‘stuck there’, in the middle of a panel:

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    Brainstorming, I thought of something which seemed as if it was worth a trial.

    I had a couple of Scuderia shields custom made from some magnetic sheeting, but without the Horse (in the picture below, note that this horseless shield still has the protective release paper on the face). The shield size was carefully based around the height of the OEM chrome horse, which is 75 mm. :

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    The next step was to remove the chrome Horse emblem from the rear taillight panel, and to clay bar, polish, and wax the panel where the emblem had been:

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    Next, I photocopied the horseless shield to a piece of paper, and punched a pair of oversized holes in the paper pattern to match the general location of the chrome emblem’s studs. Fiddling with the alignment, I marked the pattern’s corner locations on the car with masking tape, applied the magnetic shield to these marks, and punched the pair of emblem holes thru the shield from the backside. Finally, attach the chrome Horse emblem, and button everything up:

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    The end result is a 3-Dimensional Scuderia shield with a raised horse. A much better look, in my view, than just a simple flat decal, and I think that the yellow shield adds a nice bit of accent color contrast to the rear panel (it matches the yellow wheel center caps). Still debating the merits of keeping the Horse in chrome vs. using one which is black.

    I appreciate that many folks are skeptical of any deviations from an OEM fitment, but the beauty of this entire concept is that no permanent changes have been made. Since it is a magnetic shield, should I ever have a change of mind, the horseless shield is easy removed back to OEM, and with no damage done.

    Whaddaya think?

    DM
     
    Saabguy and Brian Harper like this.
  2. miketuason

    miketuason F1 World Champ
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    #2 miketuason, Sep 4, 2020
    That’s pretty neat!
     
  3. thorn

    thorn F1 Rookie
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    #3 thorn, Sep 4, 2020
    Honest opinion: it looks like the sort of detail that a Fauxrarri/Fiero kit car would add - trying to scream "It's a Ferrari", instead of just being satisfied that the stock badging does that well enough.
     
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  4. 4right

    4right F1 Rookie
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    #4 4right, Sep 4, 2020
    I think that the chrome prancing horse has a nice understated look to it. Boxers, as an example, don’t even have a prancing horse in the rear, only in the front.
     
    Jakuzzi and thorn like this.
  5. Alex308qv

    Alex308qv Formula Junior

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    #5 Alex308qv, Sep 4, 2020
    Nice work; clever as well. One homage nod to the SF with a shield on the back is more discrete than two add-on fender shields that I’m less fond of.
     
  6. Iain

    Iain F1 Rookie

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    #6 Iain, Sep 5, 2020
    +1. Not for me, I'd be putting the original back on ASAP

    Sent from my SM-A505FN using Tapatalk
     
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  7. Rosey

    Rosey F1 Rookie

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    #7 Rosey, Sep 5, 2020
    Personally I'm not a fan of any added fender shields on any 308/328 so it's no surprise that the rear shield float my boat.
    Good idea but I'll pass.
     
    Jakuzzi likes this.
  8. bill brooks

    bill brooks F1 Veteran
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    #8 bill brooks, Sep 5, 2020
    guess i'm sorta "purist" in this regard. i wouldn't do it anymore than i would put shields on the front fenders.

    spinner hubcaps? ah...now that's a different story!
     
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  9. wareaglescott

    wareaglescott Rookie

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    #9 wareaglescott, Sep 5, 2020
    The important thing is you like it. Your car do as you please.
    I like how you executed it. Personally I would have left it as it was but who cares about my opinion. As long as you like it go for it.
     
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  10. dave80gtsi

    dave80gtsi Formula 3
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    #10 dave80gtsi, Sep 7, 2020
    Thanks for the comments, folks, both pro and con.

    My plan is to live with it for a while, and see to what degree it grows on me. As noted earlier, it's easy to remove (or reinstall) with no harm done if it should fall out of favor with time.

    I think that it is fair to note that it is only amongst this forum crowd that anyone would know, or even care, if it is OEM or not. The huge majority of folks who will be seeing it will have no idea (nor even be interested enough to care one way or the other, for that matter)!

    Thanks - DM
     
  11. Hannibal308

    Hannibal308 F1 Veteran
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    #11 Hannibal308, Sep 7, 2020
    It's well thought out, very well done, and looks very nice.

    For your car, you've done something you like and haven't done anything to really change your car at all in that it's easily reversed. If you like it, keep it.

    The whine and cheese crowd love ragging on other people's cars. Don't let it get at you...it's your car.
     
    dave80gtsi likes this.
  12. thorn

    thorn F1 Rookie
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    #12 thorn, Sep 8, 2020
    I'm certainly not part of a whine and cheese crowd. Dave literally asked, "Whaddaya think?" So we answered.

    I don't like it, but I don't think that Dave's a bad owner or a bad person, or anything remotely along those lines. He's still a 3x8 kindred. Some owners probably don't like my carbon fiber intake hose, or my powder-coated valve covers. That's cool, I'm not offended.

    Don't instigate.
     
  13. Hannibal308

    Hannibal308 F1 Veteran
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    #13 Hannibal308, Sep 8, 2020
    Glad you responded. Evidently you felt your comment was rather harsh and it made you identify with what I was speaking to all on your own. Glad to know that wasn’t the case. As far as instigating, I’ll say what I want and think , whenever I please. There are plenty of whine and cheese types here who do take great pride in their vehicles purity and show it by pissing on other folks’ prides and joys. Again, glad that isn’t you. Of course, you too are totally welcome to say anything you like, especially when asked outright by the OP. I just wanted to pass on my feeling that the OPs car is his and he should consider taking pride in the little changes that he enjoys making to his car, regardless of how any one of us feels about it.
     

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