HOW TO: Replace the front bonnet badge FAQ
#1
02-19-2012 | 05:38 PM
HOW TO: Replace the front bonnet badge FAQ
Sometime in the late fall I was cruising that back roads when the front bonnet growler badge de-laminated. The cloisonné part was lost and I was left with a rather unattractive chrome disk:
After some help from Tony (XKRacer) I found a replacement for a reasonable price. I've noticed that there have been several people curious how to replace the bonnet badge, so I thought I'd do a quick little write up. The weather has been cold, but I managed to secure some shop space at my office to let the car warm up to a suitable level. I'm still waiting for a nice day to wash the car again.
The first thing I did was use some fishing line to cut some of the adhesive holding the badge to the nose. This cut through most of it, but there were a couple of tough spots that wouldn't quite cut. I took a putty knife and wrapped it in a soft cloth to not scuff the paint, and slid this under the badge to cut the final bits of adhesive.
The badge is also held on by a compression fitting that looks like this:
You also see in this picture that the new badge comes with adhesive on the back and there is also a peg to position the badge in the correct orientation.
This compression fitting simply slides off of the center shaft…but it holds on very tightly. What I ended up doing was using the same putty knife and cloth combination to act as a protection and fulcrum to pry against. I slid the knife under the badge and then used a medium sized Flathead screwdriver To apply force as close to the center of the badge as possible. Slowly work around the badge and twist the screwdriver rather than prying in the normal sense.
It takes a surprising amount of force and I actually cracked the badge I was removing, but eventually it came free.
You are left with the center hole where the shaft and compression fitting go through and a smaller hole on the left where the guide pin goes to keep the badge oriented properly. There will undoubtedly be some adhesive residue left over, so pick your favorite remover and go to town on it.
Our shop has lots of fun and nasty chemicals and some 3M adhesive remover did the trick in no time.
Before removing the paper backing, test fit the badge and make sure there are no fitment surprises. As long as you got the correct replacement badge, it should pop right into place since none of the holes are overly tight. Make sure the bumper surface is clean and dry, then remove the paper backing and stick the badge into place firmly.
Next we need to reapply the compression clip to the back of the badge. The adhesive should do an adequate job holding the badge on, but at the price of these things, the clip provides additional insurance. On an XKR or any XK8 with a mesh grill, it will need to be removed so you can reach underneath the nose for access. Gratefully I haven't installed the XKR grill yet, so it was an easy reach for me. It's a little tight to work with, but keep pressure on the badge and slide the clip onto the central shaft. Make sure that it is sliding on in the direction that the outer edge contacts with the bumper cover, not the center part.
Finally, good as new, or it will be once the car gets a bath and wax:
After some help from Tony (XKRacer) I found a replacement for a reasonable price. I've noticed that there have been several people curious how to replace the bonnet badge, so I thought I'd do a quick little write up. The weather has been cold, but I managed to secure some shop space at my office to let the car warm up to a suitable level. I'm still waiting for a nice day to wash the car again.
The first thing I did was use some fishing line to cut some of the adhesive holding the badge to the nose. This cut through most of it, but there were a couple of tough spots that wouldn't quite cut. I took a putty knife and wrapped it in a soft cloth to not scuff the paint, and slid this under the badge to cut the final bits of adhesive.
The badge is also held on by a compression fitting that looks like this:
You also see in this picture that the new badge comes with adhesive on the back and there is also a peg to position the badge in the correct orientation.
This compression fitting simply slides off of the center shaft…but it holds on very tightly. What I ended up doing was using the same putty knife and cloth combination to act as a protection and fulcrum to pry against. I slid the knife under the badge and then used a medium sized Flathead screwdriver To apply force as close to the center of the badge as possible. Slowly work around the badge and twist the screwdriver rather than prying in the normal sense.
It takes a surprising amount of force and I actually cracked the badge I was removing, but eventually it came free.
You are left with the center hole where the shaft and compression fitting go through and a smaller hole on the left where the guide pin goes to keep the badge oriented properly. There will undoubtedly be some adhesive residue left over, so pick your favorite remover and go to town on it.
Our shop has lots of fun and nasty chemicals and some 3M adhesive remover did the trick in no time.
Before removing the paper backing, test fit the badge and make sure there are no fitment surprises. As long as you got the correct replacement badge, it should pop right into place since none of the holes are overly tight. Make sure the bumper surface is clean and dry, then remove the paper backing and stick the badge into place firmly.
Next we need to reapply the compression clip to the back of the badge. The adhesive should do an adequate job holding the badge on, but at the price of these things, the clip provides additional insurance. On an XKR or any XK8 with a mesh grill, it will need to be removed so you can reach underneath the nose for access. Gratefully I haven't installed the XKR grill yet, so it was an easy reach for me. It's a little tight to work with, but keep pressure on the badge and slide the clip onto the central shaft. Make sure that it is sliding on in the direction that the outer edge contacts with the bumper cover, not the center part.
Finally, good as new, or it will be once the car gets a bath and wax:
#2
02-19-2012 | 07:40 PM
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 120,461
Likes: 16,877
From: Durham, UK
Good write up on the correct way to do it.
After having a bonnet badge stolen three years ago, there was considerable damage to the bonnet panel where the spring clip had been ripped through it.
Not wanting to pay for further repairs if it happened again, I just fitted the replacement with the adhesive pad and left the spring clip off. Two years later when I sold the car, it hadn't moved.
Graham
After having a bonnet badge stolen three years ago, there was considerable damage to the bonnet panel where the spring clip had been ripped through it.
Not wanting to pay for further repairs if it happened again, I just fitted the replacement with the adhesive pad and left the spring clip off. Two years later when I sold the car, it hadn't moved.
Graham
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LondonXK8Boy (06-30-2014)
#5
07-29-2012 | 01:51 PM
A big Cornhusker thankyou from Badger country
Thank you both for the great comments on the bonnet emblem. I'm off to the store in search of the 3-M adhesive remover in order to effect the changeout for my new one and save $45 on the dealer parts cost and $250 on the installation quoted via the bumper removal method.
#7
07-30-2012 | 12:10 AM
Veteran Member
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 4,114
Likes: 1,263
From: North Carolina
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#8
08-02-2012 | 12:21 AM
K. Westra! It worked like a charm,
I had a little time today since we brought the boat in early (we live on a lake here in Wisconsin). So, I took out the trusty fishing line, putty knife, thin protective material, flat bladed screwdriver, adhesive remover and a rubbing pad, and after 25 minutes I was looking at a brand new emblem in place with no problemo. Your info saved me $250.00 labor at the JAG dealer. Thanks for your concern for other Cat drivers.
#10
08-02-2012 | 05:12 AM
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 120,461
Likes: 16,877
From: Durham, UK
Follow these links:
https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/j...pictures-2418/
https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/j...essages-36173/
All the info on posting pics.
Graham
#13
08-03-2012 | 07:30 AM
Racing Edition
That's my way of saying I have the same equipment, minus the standard kevlar cockpit trim pieces and a different style BBS wheel) as the 2006 'Victory Edition', i.e. the big 4 and 6 piston cross bolted Brembo brakes, the Recaro Seats with built in roll bars, the metal non-skid pads on accelerator, brake and the left foot rest, the Sport setting suspension, the 20" BBS perrformance wheels, the P-Zero racing compound Perillis (with no road hazard warranty at $507 each wholesale) and the 'R' engine, which I would have tweaked with 75 more HP if I had wanted to put my warranty in jeopardy. They say the bolt-ons can be swapped for stock items back on if the engine goes sour, but I went to Sunday School as a lad and would not think of doing that. Let's just say my engine is strong and I regularly beat the Porsche Boxters drag racing and they have a 9.44 pounds per horsepower rating (2,976 pounds / 315 HP).
#14
08-03-2012 | 08:47 AM
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 120,461
Likes: 16,877
From: Durham, UK
I'm pleased you did resist.
I'm
English and that's very different! Graham
#19
08-08-2012 | 12:58 AM
Thank you Jeff
I am really in love with this car. I bought it when it was 3 years old from a performance botique dealer in Chicago for less than $50,000 including the new warranty with 44,000 miles on iit. I redid the Brembos at 60,000 for about $4,000, added Perilli P-Zero racing compound tires for $2,028 at 70,000. I now have 81,600 on the car.
When it was born in Coventry it had 400 HP. After doing research on available mods, and checking with the effect on Warranty, I added a larger inlet air filter, a pulley to increase the supercharger rpm by I think 6%, although it could have been 8% (it is late and I'm too lazy to look it up), and a reprogram of the ECU to take off the 155 mph speed limiter, as well as a high performance exhaust system. That was $5,700 USD- but I turned down the porting and polishing for $3,500 for only 35 HP. I was supposed to then have 475 HP, but it came out 468 for some reason, although they said it could have been in the calibration of the dyno. I guess if I everr go to sell iit, I'll put the original parts back on to not spoil the value.
Anyway, I can beat the Boxters and most Corvettes, but I have lost on the street to Z1 Corvettes and to a Dodge Viper, and on the track to GT-40's, Ferraris and said Z1's and Porsche hot rods, but still it does run good and I am happy with it. I know you will enjoy yours. Best of luck.
When it was born in Coventry it had 400 HP. After doing research on available mods, and checking with the effect on Warranty, I added a larger inlet air filter, a pulley to increase the supercharger rpm by I think 6%, although it could have been 8% (it is late and I'm too lazy to look it up), and a reprogram of the ECU to take off the 155 mph speed limiter, as well as a high performance exhaust system. That was $5,700 USD- but I turned down the porting and polishing for $3,500 for only 35 HP. I was supposed to then have 475 HP, but it came out 468 for some reason, although they said it could have been in the calibration of the dyno. I guess if I everr go to sell iit, I'll put the original parts back on to not spoil the value.
Anyway, I can beat the Boxters and most Corvettes, but I have lost on the street to Z1 Corvettes and to a Dodge Viper, and on the track to GT-40's, Ferraris and said Z1's and Porsche hot rods, but still it does run good and I am happy with it. I know you will enjoy yours. Best of luck.
#20
08-08-2012 | 07:38 AM
Jeff- one more thing
Jeff, I forgot to say that there was also a larger intercooler installed between the two stages of the supercharger.
The work was done in Tennessee at the authorized center for Jaguar at that time under the old Jaguar owner contracts and I think it was Nashville- I was out of the country at the time on a contract assignment and my girlfreind at the time coordinated it for me. I'd have to look again to see the company name, but you can google iit if you want to go that way. The link below gets you to the heart of it- and it was, after looking at these numbers, probably only $3,500 or so for the work- there was shipping expense over that, but I don't know how they can be talking about a 308 bhp increase like it says there. None of that seemed available before. But the parts were Paramount. You will juast have to check on it. Anyway, I remember the total being $5,700.
Paramount Performance Ltd - Jaguar XK8 and XKR Engine Upgrades
The work was done in Tennessee at the authorized center for Jaguar at that time under the old Jaguar owner contracts and I think it was Nashville- I was out of the country at the time on a contract assignment and my girlfreind at the time coordinated it for me. I'd have to look again to see the company name, but you can google iit if you want to go that way. The link below gets you to the heart of it- and it was, after looking at these numbers, probably only $3,500 or so for the work- there was shipping expense over that, but I don't know how they can be talking about a 308 bhp increase like it says there. None of that seemed available before. But the parts were Paramount. You will juast have to check on it. Anyway, I remember the total being $5,700.
Paramount Performance Ltd - Jaguar XK8 and XKR Engine Upgrades