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Paint, Trim & Chrome => Trim & Chrome => Topic started by: grgibbs on May 07, 2015, 06:20:52 PM

Title: Hood Ornament
Post by: grgibbs on May 07, 2015, 06:20:52 PM
Hi all I'm new here, I saw what everyone said about the hood ornaments.   Mine was stollen long ago and I'm in need of a new one.  Any Ideas Im watching ebay.  I'd settle for a reproduction.
Title: Re: Hood Ornament
Post by: Mark Ascher on May 07, 2015, 07:27:23 PM
Maybe we should start some sort of crowd funding deal to get a nice repro going.

Mark
Title: I'll nudge OPGI again (Re: Hood Ornament)
Post by: elagache on May 07, 2015, 09:05:01 PM
Dear grgibbs, Mark and fans of 1965 Buicks,

Maybe we should start some sort of crowd funding deal to get a nice repro going.

I have a contact in OPGI and I mentioned this scarcity a year ago.  I wanted to update my contact again just in case OPGI has the original hood ornament molds.  If they have those molds, that would go a long way towards producing a really accurate reproduction. 

I just haven't had the time . . . . maybe next week . . . .

Cheers, Edouard
Title: Re: Hood Ornament
Post by: Chris on May 09, 2015, 10:26:25 AM
I checked into having some made a couple of years ago and there was a company in Chicago that could take a decent original and create a mold that would produce "investment castings".  I can't remember if they told me if the original part would be lost in the process or if it could be returned unharmed.

http://www.avalon-castings.com/investment-castings-ppc?gclid=CJTisNT6tMUCFcGGaQodzlEARQ (http://www.avalon-castings.com/investment-castings-ppc?gclid=CJTisNT6tMUCFcGGaQodzlEARQ)

http://www.dolphincasting.calls.net/alloys.htm?gclid=CNyIyKP7tMUCFYQAaQodoFIAQQ (http://www.dolphincasting.calls.net/alloys.htm?gclid=CNyIyKP7tMUCFYQAaQodoFIAQQ)

They had a a lot of different materials that they could make the parts from so there wasn't any concern of soft parts that would break easily.  The reproductions the OPGI provided before had a tendency of breaking at the point where they attach to the base.  I had one on my car and when I was drying it with a towel, I accidentally caught the emblem and it snapped right off. 

The foils would also need to be reproduced and painted with something that won't fade as quickly as the paint they used before.  My OPGI emblem didn't make it thru a summer and the colors were almost gone (sun and washing maybe).  If a good enough casting was taken from a original and it picked up the detail in the original foil, the colors could be painted in with a quality enamel paint with a UV stabilizer to give the color some more life.

If the price of a final product was reasonable and someone wanted to take on the project, you could count me in for one or two of them.

Thanks,

Chris
Title: Tickled OPGI again. (Re: Hood Ornament)
Post by: elagache on May 09, 2015, 10:59:40 AM
Dear Chris and fans of 1965 Buick A-Bodies,

Yesterday I managed to send a quick email to my contact at OPGI to inform him about the $300 used hood ornament that was sold on eBay and Les's $650 NOS sale on V-8 Buick.  Unfortunately, that thread appears to have been deleted.  If I recall correctly, that NOS ornament sold within a few hours of being posted.  So there can be no doubt, the need for these ornaments is genuinely desperate.

The reproductions the OPGI provided before had a tendency of breaking at the point where they attach to the base.  I had one on my car and when I was drying it with a towel, I accidentally could the emblem and it snapped right off. 

Hmm, I didn't know that OPGI ever carried reproductions of the 1965 hood ornament.  Do do you if OPGI also had them manufactured or were carrying a product manufactured by someone else?  Did they appear to be authentic in all other respects beside durability?

I assume the problems with that earlier production run are for "the usual reasons . . . " keeping the cost down.  If OPGI has the molds, they certainly could produce a durable ornament if people are willing to pay the price for the quality materials and workmanship.  I just don't know where that price-point would end up.

If the price of a final product was reasonable and someone wanted to take on the project, you could count me in for one or two of them.

I understand that the reproduction hood ornament I have will suffer from the same color fading issues as the OPGI reproduction.  So I would also be interested in joining a group purchase should someone be willing to take the lead on this.

Cheers, Edouard
Title: Re: Hood Ornament
Post by: Chris on May 09, 2015, 02:09:47 PM
I believe that it was OPGI that carried the repro's (they didn't make them only distributed a low run of them and this was 10 years ago) and the part was decent looking.  It appeared as though the mold had been taken from a repaired part at one time and you could make out a faint line in the ring that transferred over to the new parts.

Chris
Title: Re: Hood Ornament
Post by: genebp on May 09, 2015, 06:36:20 PM
I sent the hood ornament out years ago to have reproduced , my man can make the casting , but I can't find someone to do the embossed foil , does anyone know of a place that does embossed foil for the Tri - Shield . Hope for a good respond . How would everyone feel if the embossed was part of the casting and just painted ? Thanks Gene .
Title: Re: Hood Ornament
Post by: 65GS on May 09, 2015, 06:51:58 PM
I have a NEW orig. that I am working on to have cast,poss. out of brass. Then chromed. The tri shield looks like separate piece.
Will keep everyone advised as to how this is going.
Al :icon_salut:
Title: Re: Hood Ornament
Post by: Chris on May 09, 2015, 07:14:40 PM
I sent the hood ornament out years ago to have reproduced , my man can make the casting , but I can't find someone to do the embossed foil , does anyone know of a place that does embossed foil for the Tri - Shield . Hope for a good respond . How would everyone feel if the embossed was part of the casting and just painted ? Thanks Gene .

Hi Gene and welcome to the site!   :occasion14:

I don't know about others but having the tri-shields cast instead of foil wouldn't be a problem for me as long as the detail was the same.  I think that painted foil was used before because the colors could be silk screened in bulk and then applied to the part.  There is a lot of detail in a little bit of area but someone could paint a cast part if they just took their time.

Chris
Title: Re: Hood Ornament
Post by: Mark Ascher on May 09, 2015, 08:35:22 PM
There is a member of this forum who is involved with making engravings for embossing -
maybe he could chime in with some insight!

Calling John Egel....

Mark
Title: Re: Hood Ornament
Post by: Loren At 65GS on May 09, 2015, 10:11:53 PM
John and I have discussed this on more then one occasion and as recently as last November.

Maybe after the Nationals are over he will have more time.

  Loren
Title: What's the best path? (Re: Hood Ornament)
Post by: elagache on May 11, 2015, 11:32:41 AM
Dear Loren and 1965 Buick fans,

John and I have discussed this on more then one occasion and as recently as last November.


Well there was another used hood ornament that was not in particularly great condition that nonetheless sold the day it was posted on V-8 Buick:

http://www.v8buick.com/showthread.php?296730-1965-skylark-hood-emblem (http://www.v8buick.com/showthread.php?296730-1965-skylark-hood-emblem)

So the need is easily apparent!

I had thought about suggesting that the 1965 faithful make an email campaign to give OPGI some additional incentive.  Is that a good idea in the end?  If there are guys with the skills to make a really accurate and well-made reproduction, it may be better to make sure the community gets the quality product everyone wants.  I would think we all can be patient - can't we?

What are people's thoughts on this board?

Cheers, Edouard
Title: Re: Hood Ornament
Post by: schlepcar on May 11, 2015, 04:11:32 PM
I think I waited too long to buy the last NOS one......lol....I think our problem is that we have a lot of 1965 ONLY pieces and we will have a hard time creating demand to justify the supply. It is definitely worth a try.
Title: Re: Hood Ornament
Post by: 35chevcoupe on May 11, 2015, 05:03:32 PM
I wil be needing a hood ornament at some time here in the near future . Not sure if my car will be worthy on a NOS  piece or not but would a least like a Quality reproduction one .
Title: Re: Hood Ornament
Post by: schlepcar on May 11, 2015, 09:30:34 PM
I see you have an old 6.2 on your project list John.......mental illness is high in Michigan too...I just dragged in my 86 3/4 ton diesel to work on this week. These are getting as hard as the 65's to find parts for. Dan
Title: Re: Hood Ornament
Post by: 35chevcoupe on May 13, 2015, 09:32:09 AM
I see you have an old 6.2 on your project list John.......mental illness is high in Michigan too...I just dragged in my 86 3/4 ton diesel to work on this week. These are getting as hard as the 65's to find parts for. Dan

Dan ,  My pick up is almost finished .
And yes the parts ( good parts ) are getting very hard to find .
At least I only had to pay 100.00 for an NOS hood ornament for my truck though . 
Only thing I don't like about the 6.2 is listening to the engine start when cold .  ( sounds like a war zone till warmed up ) LOL
Title: Re: Hood Ornament
Post by: Mister T on February 28, 2016, 06:44:13 PM
Bringing this one back to life as I located my reproduction hood ornament and base,but no nut which I bought in Jan 2006. There's interest over on V8 and I had a PM about selling mine. Since there's a demand, I've chosen to place an ad next weekend for it. I'm not always able to get online during the week to check replies.

I'm sure there would be interest here too, so giving everyone a heads up. I can post it here as well for those not on V8.

Have a number in mind, but would prefer a PM to check its validity. Already have photos. Anyone care to help me price it fairly??

Thanks
Title: Is this a Poston reproduction? (Re: Hood Ornament)
Post by: elagache on February 28, 2016, 09:34:31 PM
Dear Tom and mid-60s Buick caregivers,

Bringing this one back to life as I located my reproduction hood ornament and base,but no nut which I bought in Jan 2006.

Is this one of the Poston reproductions?  I don't know of any other outfit that reproduced the 1965 Buick hood ornaments.

Cheers, Edouard
Title: Re: Is this a Poston reproduction? (Re: Hood Ornament)
Post by: Mister T on February 28, 2016, 10:25:03 PM
Dear Tom and mid-60s Buick caregivers,

Bringing this one back to life as I located my reproduction hood ornament and base,but no nut which I bought in Jan 2006.


Is this one of the Poston reproductions?  I don't know of any other outfit that reproduced the 1965 Buick hood ornaments.

Cheers, Edouard



This is what I have:

(http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e121/64Skybird/Various%20photos/IMG_4127_zpsejugtwbn.jpg) (http://s38.photobucket.com/user/64Skybird/media/Various%20photos/IMG_4127_zpsejugtwbn.jpg.html)

(http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e121/64Skybird/Various%20photos/IMG_4130_zpsanqkvihl.jpg) (http://s38.photobucket.com/user/64Skybird/media/Various%20photos/IMG_4130_zpsanqkvihl.jpg.html)

Title: Re: Hood Ornament
Post by: Mark Ascher on August 14, 2017, 01:51:17 PM
I did the unthinkable a few weeks ago.
Does anyone have a decent used hood ornament for sale?
With nice chrome, the colors don't need to be good.
Please let me know.

Thanks!

Mark
Title: Re: Hood Ornament
Post by: WkillGS on August 14, 2017, 10:50:15 PM
Perhaps it's time to get the ball rolling on reproducing these.
Wondering if a 'class ring' manufacturer would be able to handle the molds and casting.
Title: Re: Hood Ornament
Post by: Loren At 65GS on August 15, 2017, 08:32:13 AM
Perhaps it's time to get the ball rolling on reproducing these.
Wondering if a 'class ring' manufacturer would be able to handle the molds and casting.

  There is an excellent idea , Walt !

  Loren
Title: Re: Hood Ornament
Post by: wildcat65 on August 15, 2017, 10:46:15 AM
I did the unthinkable a few weeks ago.
Does anyone have a decent used hood ornament for sale?
With nice chrome, the colors don't need to be good.
Please let me know.

Thanks!

Mark

Did you break it? 

I'm not a fan of the ornament...sacrilege I know - mine was a stub and I ground it down to a perfect aerodynamic bulge that enables me to go .00000000000001  miles/year faster!
Title: Re: Hood Ornament
Post by: Mark Ascher on August 15, 2017, 11:24:07 AM
Ted,

Didn't break it - thank goodness. Had to actually screw my long held NOS ornament to the car. The horror.
Had a Poston repro on, but I could never get the nut to tighten it down, the metal is just too soft.
The prices that NOS ones are going for would seem to be a good case for making nice reproductions.

Not a fan of the ornament either. I thought a few times before paint went on of filling those holes in the hood.

Mark
Title: Re: Hood Ornament
Post by: GS66 on August 15, 2017, 02:55:34 PM
I think Josten's is based in the Twin Cities somewhere.
Title: Re: Hood Ornament
Post by: Mark Ascher on August 15, 2017, 03:48:12 PM
About 5 minutes from my house!

Mark
Title: Have the same problem with Poston (Re: Hood Ornament)
Post by: elagache on August 15, 2017, 04:29:20 PM
Dear Mark, Walt, Loren, Ted, Jim, and mid-60s Buick caretakers of your car's "crown jewels,"

Perhaps it's time to get the ball rolling on reproducing these.
Wondering if a 'class ring' manufacturer would be able to handle the molds and casting.

I'll second the motion on that excellent idea!

Didn't break it - thank goodness. Had to actually screw my long held NOS ornament to the car. The horror.
Had a Poston repro on, but I could never get the nut to tighten it down, the metal is just too soft.

I have the same problem with the Poston reproduction that is presently on my wagon.  I'll replace it with the one I had rechromed and I had Loren's graphic artist paint.

If we go ahead with making a batch of reproductions, I suppose Loren's graphic artist will be painting them?

You guys can certainly sign me up for one reproduction if this project does take flight.

Cheers, Edouard  :occasion14:
Title: Re: Hood Ornament
Post by: marxjunk on January 20, 2018, 09:00:49 PM
 the parts place..

 if anyone would take it on it would be him..no need to look for tool makers etc, he has every single hookup needed...

he would be the person to contact to get it done...and it would be decent, once in awhile he gets stuff dead on...someone should email him..but it wont be me..he has brought more stuff to market than all others together...i am really sure of that...

of course..dont be surprised if he isnt already..when he sees a few bringing huge money..he pursues it