To get the nice clean professional look of painting or powder coating the frame the VIN plate really needs to be removed, especially for PC. For PC the metal has to be media blasted to remove all the old paint and any rust. Masking the plate with grinding tape will help but the plate is very thin aluminum and the clear coat on it is not great so there's a very good chance of ruining the plate when removing the tape.
The plate is held on by 2 "nail rivets" and glue.
There are 2 methods for removing the rivets.
One is to use a pry bar or heavy long screwdriver and reaching thru the upper and lower stem bearing openings you push the rivet out enough to grab with pliers and pull. I've never tried this method but it sounds reasonable.
The other method is to drill the head of the rivet out and then drive the remainder inside the head stock with a punch. This does give you the chance to ruin the plate if the drill bit slips.
I start out by covering the plate around the rivet heads with duct tape. Then I file the top of the rivet flat so I can use a center punch where I want to drill.
Then you use a small drill bit (1/32") followed by 1/16" to drill out the head. 3/32" is too large and will hit the label tearing it (note the 2nd picture).
Now use a heat gun to get the label hot so the glue will break down and using a razor blade start working the edges cutting the glue but not cutting the label. A little bit at a time is the key. You'll be reheating the label several times before you're successful.
Once the label's off you can punch the remaining rivet in and clean the glue off the head stock and label. The label is difficult since you can't scrape it or use a chemical on it and it very thin aluminum. I heated it and used my fingernail.
Store the label somewhere where it can't get bent and finish the frame.
Reinstallation:
You'll need 18-8 Stainless Steel Drive Screws. Size 0, 1/4" length or 0 x 1/4. Hole size is 1/16" and Loctite Stick-n-Seal
I masked the area with clear packing tape and then cut the outline of the label so any glue squeeze out would be on the tape for easier clean up. Fit the label to the head stock and get it bent to match the curvature before anything else! You don't want to sit there any hold it flush for a hour while the glue fully sets and you don't want the edges sticking up either.
Apply a thin coat of the glue to the label starting at the edges and working into the center. Now set the label in place and insert the rivets and drive them in. You can use a regular flat end punch which does flatter the top of the rivet slightly or get a ***elers stone setting punch to fit the head. The SS rivet head doesn't flatten like the original softer steel ones. Now press the label flat starting in the center and working out to the edges. Let it sit for an hour and remove the masking and clean up any overrun of glue.
Now if you want to add some "bling" you can paint the VIN stamp on the head stock also. I did the paint and wipe method first and wasn't happy with the results so I did several thin coats over the area and then color sanded with water and 2000 paper to get rid of the over painted areas. Light spray of clear and looks good IMO.
The plate is held on by 2 "nail rivets" and glue.
There are 2 methods for removing the rivets.
One is to use a pry bar or heavy long screwdriver and reaching thru the upper and lower stem bearing openings you push the rivet out enough to grab with pliers and pull. I've never tried this method but it sounds reasonable.
The other method is to drill the head of the rivet out and then drive the remainder inside the head stock with a punch. This does give you the chance to ruin the plate if the drill bit slips.
I start out by covering the plate around the rivet heads with duct tape. Then I file the top of the rivet flat so I can use a center punch where I want to drill.
Then you use a small drill bit (1/32") followed by 1/16" to drill out the head. 3/32" is too large and will hit the label tearing it (note the 2nd picture).
Now use a heat gun to get the label hot so the glue will break down and using a razor blade start working the edges cutting the glue but not cutting the label. A little bit at a time is the key. You'll be reheating the label several times before you're successful.
Once the label's off you can punch the remaining rivet in and clean the glue off the head stock and label. The label is difficult since you can't scrape it or use a chemical on it and it very thin aluminum. I heated it and used my fingernail.
Store the label somewhere where it can't get bent and finish the frame.
Reinstallation:
You'll need 18-8 Stainless Steel Drive Screws. Size 0, 1/4" length or 0 x 1/4. Hole size is 1/16" and Loctite Stick-n-Seal
I masked the area with clear packing tape and then cut the outline of the label so any glue squeeze out would be on the tape for easier clean up. Fit the label to the head stock and get it bent to match the curvature before anything else! You don't want to sit there any hold it flush for a hour while the glue fully sets and you don't want the edges sticking up either.
Apply a thin coat of the glue to the label starting at the edges and working into the center. Now set the label in place and insert the rivets and drive them in. You can use a regular flat end punch which does flatter the top of the rivet slightly or get a ***elers stone setting punch to fit the head. The SS rivet head doesn't flatten like the original softer steel ones. Now press the label flat starting in the center and working out to the edges. Let it sit for an hour and remove the masking and clean up any overrun of glue.
Now if you want to add some "bling" you can paint the VIN stamp on the head stock also. I did the paint and wipe method first and wasn't happy with the results so I did several thin coats over the area and then color sanded with water and 2000 paper to get rid of the over painted areas. Light spray of clear and looks good IMO.
