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Wed May 07, 2025 10:25 am

So I bought a new chrome emblem and clips fromJBugs. Has a tiny blemish on the chrome which is disappointing(it’s the only thing I really wanted perfect on my old bus). Was going to return it but they said all their stock had blemishes. Does that sound right? Anyways the white plugs/clips to hold the emblem in place have an inner diameter way too small to get on the threads of the new emblem. The threads on my original emblem would have worked perfect as they’re smaller. They suggested drilling them out. Well I tried that but just destroyed them in the process. Does anyone have any recommendations of what would work that I might be able to source locally?

Wed May 07, 2025 11:41 am

Threads?, must be some new fangled China thing, fire up the camera please. :?

Wed May 07, 2025 12:34 pm

My suggestion is to look for a repop that fits, or an original in classifieds. My GUESS is that you meant that you tried to drill out the plastic plugs.

the emblems came in two sizes. The larger fit the early bay, and the smaller the later bay. The foreign market bays built after 1979 had embossed emblems pressed into the nose.

My 1971 bay had the larger chromed steel emblem. It had 4 protrusions on it that a plug of sorts slide on to hold it onto the nose. My 1977 that had the smaller chrome plastic emblem had 3 plastic pieces that snap into small holes in the nose, and then the emblem snaps into them. I have no idea how an early emblem protrusion could be drilled out, or if it was how there would be anything left to attach it.

early (68-72) back shown in classifieds

Plugs from Alan Schofield 211-853-615

late (73-79) back showing the tabs that snap into the holders that snap into holes in the nose (from classifieds)

Late (73-79) clips that snap into the holes (from classifieds)

Wed May 07, 2025 1:13 pm

For my early bay I could only find the emblem with the threaded studs, and yes, I drilled out the plastic clips a bit...
I held the clips with a vicegrip plyer and drilled the plastic bits out a bit. They came out all chewed up from the vicegrips, but they've been holding the emblem in place fine.

It seems to me some softer, more pliable clips made out of rubber would not need to be drilled out and would probably hold the emblem in more securely. I got lazy after mounting my emblem though, so never went farther than that.

Fri May 09, 2025 10:53 am

busdaddy wrote: Threads?, must be some new fangled China thing, fire up the camera please. :?

Here you go. These emblems are very low quality. They're 2 piece. Threads are on a ring on the back side, which is just glued to the emblem portion. The one I pulled off my bus was one solid piece.

Fri May 09, 2025 11:05 am

JBugs is owned by venture capitalists who make more money by stuffing their competition down than lifting up the VW community. This is a side effect of fast shipping and low prices.

Try a small business like WolfsburgWest, BugHaus, BusDepot, BustedBus, etc.

Robbie

Fri May 09, 2025 1:06 pm

that emblem is aftermarket and designed to be held on with washers and a nut. You'll have to find a way to seal it from leaking if you use it. I will tell you that it is very hard to get a nut into the area that a nut needs to go. When ZBed built their spare tire product that used the stock hole, they used a stainless blind rivet and center that was hit in to lock it. The reason was how hard it would have been to use a bolt and nut.

Fri May 09, 2025 4:32 pm

airschooled wrote: JBugs is owned by venture capitalists who make more money by stuffing their competition down than lifting up the VW community. This is a side effect of fast shipping and low prices.

Try a small business like WolfsburgWest, BugHaus, BusDepot, BustedBus, etc.

Robbie

Good to know. I’m just starting out really with the whole VW scene. I was beginning to think crappy parts are just the expectation for new parts.

Fri May 09, 2025 7:29 pm

ohiovw wrote: airschooled wrote: JBugs is owned by venture capitalists who make more money by stuffing their competition down than lifting up the VW community. This is a side effect of fast shipping and low prices.

Try a small business like WolfsburgWest, BugHaus, BusDepot, BustedBus, etc.

Robbie

Good to know. I’m just starting out really with the whole VW scene. I was beginning to think crappy parts are just the expectation for new parts.
It is the expectation, and why many here prefer good used parts from classifieds for that reason. :D

Tue May 13, 2025 3:46 am

From what I can tell the chrome style emblems were stainless steel. Is that correct? I ask because many of the originals that are available out there look a bit scratched. But if they were stainless steel there wouldn't be any worry to attempt to buff them up nice. And stainless would be pretty solid piece.

Tue May 13, 2025 8:17 am

Correct, most are stainless, I have seen a small number of plated ones, but all stainless are the most common. The chromed ones often develop pimples on the back side where they were never polished or cleaned.

Look for a tiny VW stamp on the back in the middle.