[buno]

So I finally got to go home and take a much needed brake from college studies. Taking advantage of the time I decided to do my next mod: blacked out emblems. Ive always hated chrome; Im just not a fan, get over it. The black on white is a killer look in my opinion.

Anyways,

Im no technician so anything that is about to be said should not be taken as the ONLY answer to a problem. Im sure there are multiple ways to do this but seeing as how this is basically just painting, Im sure any way will work. Heres my way:

Supplies:

The main ingrediants, minus a few like car wax, hair dry/heat gun, bottle of water, gas money ect...

Some people might find this next picture/helpful step to be too detailed and only for "noobs". Skip it if you have such feelings.

Use a small screw driver to remove the plastic tabs holding the trunks carpet lining. Simply instert and twist and they should come right off.

This should produce something like this minus the hanging lock...(this is an after picture of everything removed)

Next unscrew the bolts holding the back panel in place. There should be five, including two that hold the lock inplace. Take carful note of the two white plastic push pins as they can be easily broken when removing the panel.

Especially watch out for the one to the right. There are two levers, one on each side. Use a wrintch of some kind to pinch them together, or simply break it like I did and purchase a new one at the dealer...Go with the first suggestion due to that push pin costing me $4 at the stealership :disappoin

The lock is fairly simple to take off. Pull the yellow tab away from the bar and pull the lock out.

The bar above will more than likely slide down behind the metal liner if you close the trunk. Dont panic, it hasnt left you forever, reach back there and pull it out when you are ready to reassemble.
!!!TAKE NOTE OF HOW THE BAR WAS CONNECTED TO THE LOCK!!!
Otherwise you will scratch your head for 5min trying to figure out why youre trunk release in the cabin does not work.

Next remove the emblem from the back pannel using a heatgun, exacto knife or fishing line. Any combination of those work aswell.

WD-40 takes off any residue very nicely.

Use some fine grain and large grain sandpaper to remove all that nasty chrome.

Its looking better already!

I applied one layer of primer, re-sanded, then applied another two layers of primer.

 

[buno]

Continued....

Apply your first layer of paint. Not too thick, very light passes with the spary can.

Let it sit for 10-15 min. I did this process 5 times with 15min intervals between each coat.

Apply 2-3 coats of clear coat with atleast 20min inbetween coats. This is the final result.

Let it sit over night before you do any major handling. Let it sit for 1 hour before you pick it up to be moved ect...

Time to put it back on. This was honestly the hardest part for me and if anyone has some better advice to put the adhesive on please speak up.

From there I just cut it out. It was very difficult and I probably could have came up with a better way to do it if I hadnt been around all those fumes all day. Perhaps you could use smaller strips of that 3M automotive tape and the result would have been less stress.

Regardless, stick it back on the back panel, screw the back panel on. Put the lock back on and admire your handy work.

Over all it was a very long process but oh-so-worth-it if you have a white/red Camry. Or if you just dont like the chrome look and want something different.

For the front emblem it will be relatively the same. The front emblem is removed by taking off the front bumper, of which I dont have time to do this Thanksgiving holiday. But Ill be back for Christmas break in a few weeks and Ill be sure to post some pictures...not so sure about a DIY. Its pretty much the same process.

Thanks for reading and as always, comments and or corrections are welcome.

 

[TRD VVTi]

I have a question. If you are going to college, how come you spelled "break" incorrectly?

continued...

 

[touringcamry]

^ Clown college

 

[buno]

I have a question. If you are going to college, how come you spelled "break" incorrectly?

continued...

typing fast and havent had a chance to proof-read. it can happen to any one smart ass

 

[Punks_Not_Dead5]

looks good, but why did you take that whole panel off? you could have saved a lot of time and effort by just popping the emblem off, with a hair dryer and fishing line or dental floss.

 

[buno]

looks good, but why did you take that whole panel off? you could have saved a lot of time and effort by just popping the emblem off, with a hair dryer and fishing line or dental floss.

I thought about that. But I figured it would be easier to work with. It honestly only took 5min to take it off. Longest part was taking off those stupid push pins.

 

[ebumdude]

Nice write up buno. After I install my footwell lights this weekend I was actually thinking about doing a DIY on the emblems too, you beat me to it.

I haven't decided if "black" on the emblems would look bad or good since I have a mag. gray car.

Yours do look nice. :thumbup:

 

[Punks_Not_Dead5]

I thought about that. But I figured it would be easier to work with. It honestly only took 5min to take it off. Longest part was taking off those stupid push pins.

oooh ok, the reason i asked is because i got mine off in 30 seconds without taking that trim peice off. But still the final product looks great!

 

[buno]

oooh ok, the reason i asked is because i got mine off in 30 seconds without taking that trim peice off. But still the final product looks great!

In that case do you have any suggestions as to getting the front one off with out taking off the front bumper?

 

[TRD VVTi]

You did a good job. :thumbup: Luckily, you didn't "brake" the emblem when you removed it.

 

[njerald]

In that case do you have any suggestions as to getting the front one off with out taking off the front bumper?

Duh, like pop it out!!!!!!!!!

 

[Punks_Not_Dead5]

i don't have a Gen 6, so mine is in the grille. Put it should pop out, do it the same way you did the rear, without taking the bumper off.

 

[Old Dood]

Wow...that looks SHARP!

I want those on my Red XLE!

Me too lazy to do it tho....

 

[ebumdude]

oooh ok, the reason i asked is because i got mine off in 30 seconds without taking that trim peice off. But still the final product looks great!

so just some fishing line or somethin' will work too, eh?

 

[Punks_Not_Dead5]

let it sit in the sun for awhile so the heat warms the glue up..or use a hair dryer.

 

[importcars]

are you gonna black out your tails, like mistabullet? his looks nice as hell.. thumbs up if your thinking about it.

 

[buno]

are you gonna black out your tails, like mistabullet? his looks nice as hell.. thumbs up if your thinking about it.

I was thinking about it. It does look nice, especially with the black emblem. Im not sure it's legal though...I dont need anymore run ins with the law:disappoin

 

[rydr1]

alright, now someone needs to do a write up on black pearl emblems.

the blacked out looks good i just dont like them for my wifes car.

 

[itz4lanyo]

turns out nice. but you didn't have to take out the back panel. i already did this mod long long time ago. you can jux use fishing line and saw off the emblem instead and skip the taking out the back panel.

but the results are the same. looks nice.