De-Badge

[Sam]

Has anybody taken the badge off the back of their Maestro? Is it just stuck on? or will it leave holes in my tailgate if I take them off?

[D87 SMW]

Originally posted by Sam
Has anybody taken the badge off the back of their Maestro? Is it just stuck on? or will it leave holes in my tailgate if I take them off?

The "Maestro" badge is just stuck on with double sided foam type tape... stuff. It won't leave any marks if you take it off if you clean the surface afterwards.

[Sam]

Any ideas of how to get it off without damaging the paint work?

It seems to be stuck down pretty firmly and I can't remove in with my hands, don't really want to use a screw driver as it might damage the paintwork. :confused: :confused:

[Maria]

A decent heat gun from the back might do it. I got the side rubbing strip off a door skin by applying heat with a gas welding torch to the back side of the skin.

[Sam]

Will the heat gun damage the paint work?

surely their must be another way??:confused:

[D87 SMW]

Originally posted by Sam
Will the heat gun damage the paint work?

surely their must be another way??:confused:

Possibly a screwdriver with a cloth of some kind over the end of it? :confused:

;)

[SimonR]

You could wait for it to rust through from the back...? :)

Seriously though, I'd use a screwdriver behind the badge and use something like a pencil laid flat to make a fulcrum so that the screwdriver is not in contact with the bodywork. Should do the job.

Hang on a minute, De badge? Be proud that it's a Maestro! I was thinking the other day that it'd be really nice to get a chrome-effect Maestro badge like F*rd use for their cars. It would add a touch of class to my already classy car.

When F153 is finally finished later this year I'm going to put a union flag badge (as seen on the current MG range) under the Vanden Plas insignia on the tailgate. Now that really *is* a touch of class ;)

[Beaker]

Why would you want to take the badge off anyway?

You should be proud of your maestro and therefore advertise the fact.

Skatie

[Beaker]

Doh Simon beat me to it, 'Asking why you want to Debadge' that is!

Skatie

[malcsmaesty]

You can't debadge it sam!!!:( unless the badge is broken and you are going to replace it:)


F153 do you mean one of these badges??

[D87 SMW]

Originally posted by malcsmaesty
You can't debadge it sam!!!:( unless the badge is broken and you are going to replace it:)


You mean physically, or legally?

[malcsmaesty]

Both,its just not allowed!!!!!!!!!!:laugh: :laugh: ;)

[H48HPE]

just my oppinion but i think cars look stupid debadged, anyone bothred knows what car it is anyway.

[G51 NAV]

I've never been able to figure out why the 1989-on MG Maestros only had "MG 2.0i" or "MG Turbo" on the back, with no mention of the word "Maestro". I think the MG Montys were the same.

[SimonR]

Originally posted by malcsmaesty
F153 do you mean one of these badges??

Hah! Yep - that's the one. Not long now until I can affix it in place. (Hopefully) :)

[Bertybassett]

John, I belive they did that as they were trying to disassociate the car as a maestro, rather then an MG. I have removed the rear and side badges and rubbing Strips from my EFI. When i replace my front grill I will put a nicer MG badge on as I don`t like the standard MG badge.

Sam, The badges can be removing with a heat gun and patience. Just direct the gun at the badge from the outside and just wait until the glue melts and then it can be levered off with a flat peice of plastic etc. I wouldn`t use a screwdriver as its too easy to scratch the paintwork underneath. please note the paitwork will brobalby be faded underneath. This process has worked with the rubbing strips too. When the badge comes off just keep a bit of heat on the area to get the remaning glue off. Its important that you control the amount of heat on the area before the paint starts to burn.

[Sam]

Originally posted by Skatiechik
Why would you want to take the badge off anyway?

You should be proud of your maestro and therefore advertise the fact.

Skatie
I'm trying to get the 1.6 L off and re-position the Maestro sign, I don't like where it is currently situated.

[Bertybassett]

H48HPE said...

"just my oppinion but i think cars look stupid debadged, anyone bothred knows what car it is anyway."

So why do they need badges then if anyone who`s bothered knows what the car is anyway...

[G51 NAV]

Originally posted by Bertybassett
John, I belive they did that as they were trying to disassociate the car as a maestro, rather then an MG.
I'd not thought of that; perhaps you're right. But if they really wanted to disassociate the MG versions from the rest of the range they should have at least given them a new name, e.g.: use one of the Z-codes (like the current MG saloons).

[Sam]

I think the MG Badges on the back look better than the Austin Badges...Turbo's always a good badge to have on the back.

[H48HPE]

So why do they need badges then if anyone who`s bothered knows what the car is anyway...

my point is that its like your ashamed to be driving said car and are trying to cover up the fact that its really a maestro

[Sam]

I've got to be honest.....The Maestro is a fantastic car and a quality piece of British engineering....but the name 'Maestro' doesn't do wonders for me;)

[Maria]

Is this any better?

[MGTurbo]

If you have to remove the badge, use a plastic spoon or knife and a hair-drier/heat gun. I've never damaged paint in this way and done it to a few car's.

Gareth

[G51 NAV]

I quite like the "Turbo Intercooled" badge that came on the tailgates of(some) Mk3 Astra diesels...

I think if I had a Maestro Turbo to modify without worrying about keeping it standard, I'd have that slapped on the righthand side of the tailgate and a quality new MG badge on the left, instead of the original cheap-looking vinyl stickers. Sorry but vinyl stickers are for Protons and Hyundais, not MGs.

[Bertybassett]

John said...

I'd not thought of that; perhaps you're right. But if they really wanted to disassociate the MG versions from the rest of the range they should have at least given them a new name, e.g.: use one of the Z-codes (like the current MG saloons).


That about sums Austin rover up at the time. They wanted to get away from the stigma attached to the Maestro but they couldn`t rename a car that had already been released so in the best traditions they just stopped putting the badge on that said "maestro". However, that didn`t fool anyone...

[onza100]

Ive took all the badges off my car mainly to make the car look smoother. Mind you i am going to extremes with the bodykit, wouldn't do it on a standard looking car!

[Sam]

Originally posted by onza100
Ive took all the badges off my car mainly to make the car look smoother. Mind you i am going to extremes with the bodykit, wouldn't do it on a standard looking car!
What method did you use to take the badges off without damging the paintwork?

[H48HPE]

a while ago I collected car badges and removed hundreds from various scrap cars it was never a problem getting them off, a screw driver was my weapon of choice but theres always a risk of paint damage. i found it fairly easy removing them with my hands though, just ease them away and they sart to peel off, either the badge comes off and leaves the sticker or the badge and sticker come off together. it should be easy. if your strugling ask a young tearaway to remove them, they'll have them removed in seconds.

[Ricky]

I know I am perhaps in a minority on this one, but what exactly is the point of "flushing" (I believe this is the term used!) the back of the car? Yes, it might look smoother, but have you thought about how silly the number plate looks down there? It's incredibly popular with all the Nova and mk2 astra boys round here, although no one seems to have noticed that a "flushed" nova looks just like a fiat panda from the back.....
As for de-badging, never seen the point of that one either, I like to think that I am proud to drive about in a Maestro, so I like to advertise the fact, not to mention reminding the Nova boys what exactly has just whipped them off the lights!! :laugh:

Ricky.

[E_T_V]

I think I like the idea of having an Austin ROAST EM as maria has posted. Mind you Austin SEAM ROT is more appropriate at the moment!! :D

[Sam]

Originally posted by Ricky
not to mention reminding the Nova boys what exactly has just whipped them off the lights!! :laugh:
Ricky.

Haha...I was driving my dad's merc on the motorway last year...travelling at a stupidly fast speed and what was to come racing from behind me but a Nova..V.embarrasing...it was going extremely quickly...thought it was going to fall apart. It's acceleration was phenominol...I came to the conclsion it must have had Nitrous canisters:eek: :eek: :eek:

[Ricky]

Originally posted by Sam
I came to the conclsion it must have had Nitrous canisters:eek: :eek: :eek:

Perhaps this is what happens when a Nova is allowed out of Tesco's car park without granny's shopping in it????:laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

[MGTurbo]

Originally posted by onza100
Ive took all the badges off my car mainly to make the car look smoother. Mind you i am going to extremes with the bodykit, wouldn't do it on a standard looking car!

I hope your not going to leave your rear number plate just hanging there.

Gareth

[onza100]

I only put the number plate there as a tempary measure so i could drive the car to the paint shop. It does look stupid down there but didn't want to get pulled over! The standard bumpers aren't being used. Also thought that the suspension might have settled down after a few miles. Didn't want to make the kit only to find the car dropped a bit.
Sam i used a screw driver to take off my badges. If you are carefull it doesn't damage the paint

[Bertybassett]

hi folks,

If my memory is upto scratch onza100 is making a custom bodykit for his car, so i suspect he might follow a few of these principles :-

1. debadge ( less clutter on a car amkes it look better)
2. number plate recess in rear bumper ( plates look better in the bumper rather then the tailgate)
3. remove those bloody rubbing strips, which it looks like he`s done. ( ag`in less clutter, there is already enough pattern in the two curved ridges without extra too it.)
4. huge wheels with low profile tyres ( very good looking)
5. slammed (car look so much better when you can`t fir your head in between the arch and the tyre)
6. Huge big mouth on the front bumper evo6 like (evo6 style front bumper look amazing)
7. clear side repeaters ( orange ones look awful)
8. dtm/m3 stlye side mirrors ( again they look real nice)
9. flushed tailgate ( reducing clutter again)


These are what i`m doing to my car and think they make the maestro look so much better. There are others you can do like bonnet vents, splitters, spoliers etc, etc

[John S]

Nice :D. Power needs to match the looks though which I'm sure it does what with you having an MG 2.0i. (Gotta watch we don't start a Maestro lax power phenomenon ;))

[MaestroMatt]

Originally posted by Sam
Haha...I was driving my dad's merc on the motorway last year...travelling at a stupidly fast speed and what was to come racing from behind me but a Nova..V.embarrasing...it was going extremely quickly...thought it was going to fall apart. It's acceleration was phenominol...I came to the conclsion it must have had Nitrous canisters:eek: :eek: :eek:

I had a mate at Uni whose father was a mechanic for the Mitsubishi rally team (he did front left on Makinen's car if I remember rightly). Both my mate and his brother had Novas that he had tuned up and they went quite terrifyingly fast - on the few occasions that I had to follow him somewhere (in the Maesty 1.3L I had at the time) he lost me after the first couple of bends. I had a chat to dad who said that the Nova was the best of the cheap cars for tuning up as there were a lot of easy ways to get a bit more power out of it. He did what he could for my 1.3L as well but said that there wasn't much hope for it, as it was too heavy / underpowered and didn't have an overhead cam. Oh, and the distributor was knackered which didn't help.

[talkingcars]

The popular trick is to fit a 16v twin cam turbo lump into the Nova, not quite as simple as the maestro/montego T16 conversion though but the same idea.

I understand they have to seam weld the whole front end or the car falls to bits.

[Alan the Vanner]

It's a shame I didn't have a badge that said Maestro Van. I wouldn't mind having "Satan Mover" on the back door!:eek:

[G51 NAV]

While we're on about badges, if anyone's got a spare Austin badge with the blue slashes after, I'm interested in buying it from you. It doesn't matter even if the paintwork's scraped off a bit: I will repaint. PM me if you've got one you're willing to part with.

[Austin-Rover]

Originally posted by F153JUE

When F153 is finally finished later this year I'm going to put a union flag badge (as seen on the current MG range) under the Vanden Plas insignia on the tailgate. Now that really *is* a touch of class ;)

I've got the Union Flag/Chequered Flag from the MG's on the back of my car - and i can say they look great!