How were emblems affixed to the radiator ex works ?

There are five main methods:

1. It was relatively rare for emblems to be screwed or riveted on. The danger of theft had always been high. For example, the French DFP  emblem was rivited:

The LAGONDA emblem

 and the FBW emblem were screwed ex works:

SELVE, PEUGEOT and KRIT worked with false, only intimated screws or rivets. However, the emblems were actually soldered on:

SELVE emblem with false screw

PEUGEOT emblem with false rivets

KRIT emblem with false rivets

For more information about the car emblem with the Swastika go to KRIT / USA (see list of car makers ).


2. The second most frequently used affixation method was thus soldering. It made theft virtually impossible, unless you were carrying a blowlamp with you. Any dismantling attempt without a blowlamp caused severe damage to the emblem. That´s why so many bent and cracked emblems are to be found.

this emblem has been soldered on to the radiator

emblem dismantled by force

3. The third most frequently used affixation method was clipping. The radiator grille has a round hole where the emblem is affixed and the emblem has a metal plate soldered on the back.

FORD model A radiator emblem with plate

This plate is then inserted through the somewhat larger hole and a U-shaped clip is pushed onto the back of the grille from above.  Result: to dismantle from the front either a blowlamp to unsolder the plate is needed or the grille has to be unscrewed to allow the clip  then be pulled from behind.

4. Many American  and German car companies  cutted the plate in bands and soldered the whole thing to the radiator backside:

5.  A rarely applied method was used by BUGATTIand other french companies:  Sheet metal frames were soldered onto the radiator, the emblem was then inserted and the sheet metal frame was beaded with a special wood tool.

Typical BUGATTI: Why adopt an easy approach, if there´s a more complicated one as well ?

For more information about radiator emblems see older posts or top right ( list of car makers ).
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