The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop Hood ornament disassembly question

I have a 1939 Packard with a flying lady holding a wheel as a hood ornamnent. She has a piece of glass about 5" long, which look like wings. The glass wing is held on by a pinch fit between her body and head. The head is held on with a long screw running from the ornament base to the head. I want to send the chromed pot metal lady to the platers but can't get the glass wing out of the body as the PO has cemented or glued the wing to the body. The cement seems to be some sort of rubber compound. Any suggestions on how to remove the wing? Thanks in advance.

You might have to just keep working the wing until it comes off.
Or just soak it in paint stripper, that will reduce the glue or rubber compound.
Be sure the wings are glass though, if they are acrylic they will crack and shatter if you soak them in anything that contains alcohol.

I have already tried "Kroil, the oil that creeps". No luck. I'm now trying silicone, as it seems to get under and turn loose rubber compounds. I'll try your suggestion next. BTW, it is glass and if you know Packard parts, you don't want to have to buy another. Thanks

I'm hesitant to suggest this because of the rarity and value of the piece. I have noticed that the carb-dip buckets really does a number on rubber.

rubber cement uses acetone as a solvent and remover

Bill

Bill has a good suggestion, try the acetone first before going the paint stripper route, better safe than sorry.
Glass adhesive could be etched right into the glass but it should still come off.
Maybe if you can get an air fitting into the threaded portion you could use air to help pop it out?

If you can't get the ladies wings off, I'll be glad to take the car off your hands !!

Right church, wrong Pew. Try packardinfo.com. You can be sure that someone on that forum has faced the same problem. No offense to Stovebolt.com but the hood ornaments are a bit different.

At the end of the day, I clean the 60+ year old grease from under my fingernails. I don't much care what marque it came off of. The love of bringing old tin new life is enough.

Whew!!! It finally let go. The bath of acetone helped big time. I was able to slip a very thin blade between the glass and metal to cut most of the softened glue. Then took a piece of small diameter welding wire, put a chisel tip on it and used it as a drill bit. Glass popped out, no worst for wear. Thanks guys!

Now we know who's more stubborn, the hood ornament or the owner!
Good stuff!