Looking for information from auto body professionals.

I want to shave my front Nissan emblem, and I need to know how to have it properly done so it will not crack, and chip. I want to make sure it is done right, when I choose a body shop to do the work.

I so far have heard 4 options for this job:

1. One body shop said they would fill it with a urethane filler, and there should be no cracking or chipping.
2. Another body shop said they would cut out the indentation, move it forward, and use a urethane bonding technique, and small amount of urethane filler.
3. Paranoid said to fill the indentation with kitty hair fiberglass, and then small layer of filler, and finish off with glazing putty.
4. Heat and reshape the indentation, and then small amount of filler.

Anyone with experience with this procedure?

 

Lots of shaving cream and a sharp razor.
(Sorry. Late Sunday night smart-aleck mode!)

 

Depending on your budget... z1auto sells a V2 with the emblem already shaved. Sorry I don't actually have any input on the topic at hand.

 

You have to use plastic filler (you call it bondo which is a company name of plastic filler lol) It will not crack bc your using a very thin layer, the filling is used with something else. I've had this set-up on my stock bumper for about a year and it hasn't cracked on me. OK this is how to do it.

1.) Remove Emblem
2.) Sand down the inside and around the indention with 80 grit.
3.) blow off the area and clean it off
4.) mix up some kitty hair fiberglass and spread it around in the indention, trying to fill up most of it. this is fiberglass, which is filling up most of the indention!
5.) when the kitty hair is dry sand it down smooth with 80 grit.
6.) blow it off, clean off the area
7.) mix up some PLASTIC FILLER and spread it out ontop of the kitty hair. Try to make it as smooth as possible so you dont have to sand so much.
8.) using 80 grit and a block sand and sand and sand and sand, until the area is flush and smooth without any lumps/lowspots/pits. If you need to apply more plastic filler go ahead.
9.) once your done with the filling and knowing that it is flush and good to go, apply some glazing puddy all over the places you just sanded down with 80.
10.) block out the glazing puddy with 180, once done follow up with some 320.
11.) with a DA sand down the whole area that will have primer with 320
12.) apply primer, thick coats, 3-4 coats
13.) wet sand with 400 grit, then follow with 800 wet (once primer is cured)
14.) wet sand the entire front bumper with 1500 grit, MAKE SURE THERE ARE NO SHINY SPOTS where you didn't scuff the clear.
15.) wash off all the wetsanding residue
16.) dry it off, then clean it again with some wax and grease remover
17.) paint.

 

you can also heat the bumper with a torch where the emblem was .. work the indention outta the bumper using a ballet and something hard behind it.. it almost came out perfect and we used very little bondo.. heres a few pics .. still havent finished yet.. just started

 

Oh wow! great idea man. did you get any warpage at all?

 

The bodyshop I am talking with says they use urethane filler to fill the indentation.

 

nope no warpage.. just take ur time and work it out... and the point of this is to use less filler...since it has different properties than ur bumper.. under some temperatures it may look weird...

 

I had mine shaved, it looks great. Go for it.

 

I would just do a new bumper but if your set on the stock bumper then I would just use filler for a consistent flex. inserts and filler contradict and will crack if you get to much vibration.

 

I'm really liking the idea of where he heated the indention and beat it inside out, that seems very sturdy and since its the same material as the rest of the bumper and he is using very little filler I doubt that will crack at all, unless of course there is a collision.