Challenger Custom Emblem

[RickyOG90]

So I have a 1971 dodge challenger that I've been restoring since 2014(hiatus between 2016 and 2022 due to college) and im getting closer to the end stages, and one thing I was wanting since I'm dropping a 400 big block in it that'll be stroked out to 512cid, was to get an emblem on the shaker intake that reflected the bigger cubic inch of the engine. Unfortunately nobody really makes custom emblems that look like the original on a large scale and appears to be more of a one-off type of deal. So given my background in engineering and 3d printing being another big hobby of mine, i figured i could design my own by purchasing an oem style 440 magnum emblem and customize it to say 512 magnum instead. Well, it ended up being a bit harder than expected but i had a good friend that is very skilled in graphic design and was able to do what i struggled with for a few weeks in just a couple of hours. It took some additional time for me to do some test prints and experimenting with different settings to get it just the way I liked it before I started painting it. Long story short, I figured as a long time lurker and new account member on here, I would share my finished result.
Of course, since this would be on a shaker intake in full view of the florida sun in the future, it would've been a poor idea to print it in PLA(i did for the test prints until i was satisfied with the results) with the final 2 prints being in ASA to ensure UV- and heat-resistance
I also had initially colored the chrome numbers with a chrome marker but it wasn't nearly as shiny as I wanted so i went and bought some chrome paint and using a gloss black as the base color, i painted it on to get the final shine. Way better in my opinion.
Anyway, what do yall think?

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[MoparCarGuy]

That is nice work and looks great!
The letters look rounded on the edges. Can the 512 numerals also be rounded using the 3D printer?

 

[Katfish]

Nice work, well done!

 

[Locomotion]

Wow, turned out great!
I guess the main concern now is to find an adhesive that will hold up against the Florida sun & rain.

I had a similar project with 360-FOUR BARREL but didn't have the know-how or resources for any 3D fabrication and didn't want to spend the money on an OEM or repro. emblem. After I provided measurements & photos to a local multi-faceted sign company, they made up some decals. I thought it could be another option for others to consider. I didn't ask to include a black border/outline like on the original emblems, which might help the contrast on different colored backgrounds. HD decal material (3M?) was used and it's held up well for years on my race car. It was raced often but has spent most of its time in a trailer.

 

[RickyOG90]

That is nice work and looks great!
The letters look rounded on the edges. Can the 512 numerals also be rounded using the 3D printer?
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thanks! and yea the top edges of the original emblem are flat but maybe have a very very slight rounded edge but its hard to see with the naked eye so it wasnt enough to warrant doing the extra bit of sanding to get it all the way there, and in any case beyond a few inches away, itll be near impossible to tell ha. Although to get it properly printed off a printer, given how minute the curve is, I would need a very small layer height, less than 0.06mm that i used for my print.

 

[RickyOG90]

Wow, turned out great!
I guess the main concern now is to find an adhesive that will hold up against the Florida sun & rain.

I had a similar project with 360-FOUR BARREL but didn't have the know-how or resources for any 3D fabrication and didn't want to spend the money on an OEM or repro. emblem. After I provided measurements & photos to a local multi-faceted sign company, they made up some decals. I thought it could be another option for others to consider. I didn't ask to include a black border/outline like on the original emblems, which might help the contrast on different colored backgrounds. HD decal material (3M?) was used and it's held up well for years on my race car. It was raced often but has spent most of its time in a trailer.

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that doesn't look half bad either! very nice, as for the adhesive, I was thinking of a 3m outdoor molding tape. Have used that on a few outdoor projects which seemed to hold up well. providing I dont try removing it after the initial install of course