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We Deserve Better Reproduction TPI Emblems. The original TUNED PORT INJECTION emblem was starting to show some wear on my black '89. I touched it up with a paint pen, but in certain light and angles I could tell. Today I replaced it with a new one from Hawks. This is the original one. Actually it looks pretty good in this pic. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.thi...c28ea7aa86.jpg The new one from Hawk's https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.thi...611e8e7c38.jpg https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.thi...cb2e9e81ba.jpg https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.thi...5f4c7a6235.jpg The new one is not perfect, though. It looks bent. It was shipped to me bent and the silver paint is not perfect on some of the letters. Am I being too picky? Also this: https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.thi...7cf60716be.jpg My touched up original looked so much better than this one. I should have kept it. |
Re: Do little things bug you? Based on your photos, I'd run the original. The new one looks bent relative to the straight line in the rear bumper indent. |
Re: Do little things bug you?
Originally Posted by KMK454
(Post 6149989)
Based on your photos, I'd run the original. The new one looks bent relative to the straight line in the rear bumper indent. |
Re: Do little things bug you? Also this: https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.thi...7cf60716be.jpg My touched up original looked so much better than this one. I should have kept it. |
Re: Do little things bug you? If little things "bug" you, those bugs will eventually eat you alive. |
Re: Do little things bug you?
Originally Posted by Tootie Pang
(Post 6149992)
If little things "bug" you, those bugs will eventually eat you alive. |
Re: Do little things bug you? Looks Pretty Damn Close To Me,The Letters Are Slightly Different. https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.thi...fa3387e590.jpg |
Re: Do little things bug you? That droop on the right would bother me more than the paint pen touch ups. Put the original back on. |
Re: Do little things bug you?
Originally Posted by PurelyPMD
(Post 6149999)
That droop on the right would bother me more than the paint pen touch ups. Put the original back on. The original broke in several pieces during removal, Chris. |
Re: Do little things bug you? Sometimes better is the enemy of good enough. Should have left the original on. |
Re: Do little things bug you?
Originally Posted by KMK454
(Post 6150003)
Sometimes better is the enemy of good enough. Should have left the original on. Agreed. Too late for that now. |
Re: Do little things bug you? I keep forgetting I need one too. Mine wasn't great when I got the car, so last year I took it off. Any place besides Hawks to get one? Isn't classic industries or year one doing third gen stuff? How about anybody playing around with 3D printing? Surely someone can make a better one? |
Re: Do little things bug you? Whether its center caps for early 16" IROC-Z wheels, window switches, washer fluid bottles, your TPI emblem, IROC-Z grille inserts, parking lights etc, most every aftermarket reproduction piece for a third gen is pure crap. Designed to look good in an ebay ad, and thats it. The little "GM Approved" sticker that is sometimes included doesn't fool me or anyone here either. Its too bad your original broke Charlie. I would hold out for a NOS piece. |
Re: Do little things bug you? Ya know... The only way any of those parts get any better, is if we insist on them being better. If they don't meet expectations, call, email, whatever but contact the seller and let them know what's wrong with the part. Send the part back for a refund. Eventually they should get the message and either fix the part or stop offering it altogether. |
Re: Do little things bug you? I would contact hawks and get a better one. That would bother the crap out of me. |
Re: Do little things bug you?
Originally Posted by Motown
(Post 6150064)
Whether its center caps for early 16" IROC-Z wheels, window switches, washer fluid bottles, your TPI emblem, IROC-Z grille inserts, parking lights etc, most every aftermarket reproduction piece for a third gen is pure crap. Designed to look good in an ebay ad, and thats it. The little "GM Approved" sticker that is sometimes included doesn't fool me or anyone here either. Its too bad your original broke Charlie. I would hold out for a NOS piece.
Originally Posted by Drew
(Post 6150086)
Ya know... The only way any of those parts get any better, is if we insist on them being better. If they don't meet expectations, call, email, whatever but contact the seller and let them know what's wrong with the part. Send the part back for a refund. Eventually they should get the message and either fix the part or stop offering it altogether. |
Re: Do little things bug you? I have in fact, PM'd Hawks this thread. These seem to be the same "GM Approved" reproduction emblems lots of people are selling. I think we deserve NOS quality on a simple part like this. |
Re: Do little things bug you?
Originally Posted by Motown
(Post 6150064)
Whether its center caps for early 16" IROC-Z wheels, window switches, washer fluid bottles, your TPI emblem, IROC-Z grille inserts, parking lights etc, most every aftermarket reproduction piece for a third gen is pure crap. Designed to look good in an ebay ad, and thats it. The little "GM Approved" sticker that is sometimes included doesn't fool me or anyone here either. Its too bad your original broke Charlie. I would hold out for a NOS piece. |
Re: Do little things bug you?
Originally Posted by tealman92
(Post 6150100)
I would contact hawks and get a better one. That would bother the crap out of me. |
Re: Do little things bug you?
Originally Posted by Drew
(Post 6150086)
Ya know... The only way any of those parts get any better, is if we insist on them being better. If they don't meet expectations, call, email, whatever but contact the seller and let them know what's wrong with the part. Send the part back for a refund. Eventually they should get the message and either fix the part or stop offering it altogether. Exactly right, Drew. |
Re: Do little things bug you? Same thing with the covered T Top replacement ABS Headliners, the fabric grain runs from, front to back , it should run left to right.Yes Chaz, little things PISS ME OFF |
Re: Do little things bug you? I try to avoid repops at all costs for this exact reason. I'd wait until a nos gm one pops up on eBay and then buy that and call it a day. I personally would've been happy with your original one actually but that's beside the point since that part is no longer an option. |
Re: Do little things bug you? I would be all over fixing / replacing that TPI emblem too. It bugs me that "most" re-pop items are at such a low level of quality for most cars. I never knew weather it was because no body wants to invest in the tooling to make things correct, or if it's a licensing thing? But stuff like that crooked emblem drives me crazy. Not, crazy on your car Chaz, but crazy from the perspective that somebody is making those & thinking they are good enough. So many aftermarket parts like that out there. We have so much better technology in the world today but nobody can make replacement parts that fit or look the way originals did decades earlier in a mass production environment. its sad..... |
Re: Do little things bug you? Are you sure you did not bend that down when applied? Those are kinda flimsy. I bought mine from Classic Industries. If I remember right unless they re popped the box it looked to be NOS. I am not 100% as it was over a year ago. If it did come bent I wold hope Hawks would replace it. Yes the little things bother me also and that bend would drive me nuts! :burnout: |
Re: Do little things bug you?
Originally Posted by KMK454
(Post 6150003)
Sometimes better is the enemy of good enough. Should have left the original on. |
Re: Do little things bug you?
Originally Posted by 1992 Trans Am
(Post 6150120)
I try to avoid repops at all costs for this exact reason. I'd wait until a nos gm one pops up on eBay and then buy that and call it a day. I personally would've been happy with your original one actually but that's beside the point since that part is no longer an option. |
Re: Do little things bug you? Trouble is that NOS parts are a finite quantity. Also it's worth mentioning that NOS aren't always EXACTLY the same as original. Often there are small details of NOS parts that don't match exactly with the original for whatever reason. |
Re: Do little things bug you? When I ordered all my decals & emblems for my 87 at the GM dealer the TPI 5.7 emblem in gold was already unavailable & this was in 1999. So, I started watching for one to show up on eBay & finally found one new in the GM bag, but it took a few years of waiting. And, I had to pay up for it.... I should probably take it out of the bag to inspect it closer after all this talk...... |
Re: Do little things bug you?
Originally Posted by vinny R
(Post 6150141)
Are you sure you did not bend that down when applied? Those are kinda flimsy. I bought mine from Classic Industries. If I remember right unless they re popped the box it looked to be NOS. I am not 100% as it was over a year ago. If it did come bent I wold hope Hawks would replace it. Yes the little things bother me also and that bend would drive me nuts! :burnout: |
Re: Do little things bug you?
Originally Posted by 1992 Trans Am
(Post 6150120)
I try to avoid repops at all costs for this exact reason. I'd wait until a nos gm one pops up on eBay and then buy that and call it a day. I personally would've been happy with your original one actually but that's beside the point since that part is no longer an option. I got a repro gold one for my yellow car several years ago and it was perfect. The quality of this one is so far below that one. |
Re: Do little things bug you?
Originally Posted by Motown
(Post 6150163)
This is what I do. It takes a while for some things, but its worth it in the end. I'm in that process right now. |
Re: Do little things bug you? I have been painstakingly collecting all of the parts I want and need for my TA, only NOS or clean original gm for over 2.5 years now. And I did so on the two other third gens I've owned in the past too. Of course it's true that there are a finite amount of nos parts available, but they're out there if you're patient and don't mind spending a little extra money over repop stuff. If you're getting nos, buying nos parts with the old blue GM label also helps you to get closer to assembly line correct parts too as sometimes the parts suppliers changed and made small variations in some of the later production of parts for our cars.
Originally Posted by Motown
(Post 6150163)
This is what I do. It takes a while for some things, but its worth it in the end. |
Re: Do little things bug you? Just paid through the nose for an NOS one. I will examine this one carefully when it comes in before installing. If it's perfect, it's worth the cost to me. |
Re: Do little things bug you? Im glad you found one Charlie! I'm sure it's going to have been worth whatever you paid for it!
Originally Posted by chazman
(Post 6150212)
Just paid through the nose for an NOS one. I will examine this one carefully when it comes in before installing. If it's perfect, it's worth the cost to me. |
Re: Do little things bug you? The funny thing is that I've been helping a friend freshen up his RA II '68 GTO this year. The repro parts for that car are usually super accurate and super high quality. I think Drew said it. Nothing will happen, unless we refuse to accept low quality parts. |
Re: Do little things bug you?
Originally Posted by 1992 Trans Am
(Post 6150220)
Im glad you found one Charlie! I'm sure it's going to have been worth whatever you paid for it! We'll see how it looks when it comes out of the package. |
Re: Do little things bug you?
Originally Posted by chazman
(Post 6150212)
Just paid through the nose for an NOS one. I will examine this one carefully when it comes in before installing. If it's perfect, it's worth the cost to me. |
Re: Do little things bug you?
Originally Posted by 1992 Trans Am
(Post 6150225)
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.thi...15b3965bc5.jpgWhenever possible, getting nos parts that were manufactured during the period of time that gm used this style parts sticker is ideal. Absolutely! |
Re: Do little things bug you?
Originally Posted by 1992 Trans Am
(Post 6150225)
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.thi...15b3965bc5.jpgWhenever possible, getting nos parts that were manufactured during the period of time that gm used this style parts sticker is ideal. https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.thi...d320c12523.jpg https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.thi...b750bef900.jpg https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.thi...9b1dd9286b.jpg |
Re: Do little things bug you? I have a feeling that this thread is going to turn into way more than one about a crappy repro part. |
Re: Do little things bug you? Lol! For me, I have just seen how low quality most of the repop parts are and whenever possible I try to avoid them at all costs. If you're restoring a first gen Camaro or something like that, using a few repop parts is a necessity and some of those are pretty decent. But for third gens, our cars are still new enough that we can find most of the parts you want or need NOS or clean used original gm still, so it's hard to justify putting cheap inaccurate low quality parts on our cars at this point in time. In 10 years from now that might be a different story...
Originally Posted by chazman
(Post 6150241)
I have a feeling that this thread is going to turn into way more than one about a crappy repro part. |
Re: Do little things bug you?
Originally Posted by 1992 Trans Am
(Post 6150248)
Lol! For me, I have just seen how low quality most of the repop parts are and whenever possible I try to avoid them at all costs. If you're restoring a first gen Camaro or something like that, using a few repop parts is a necessity and some of those are pretty decent. But for third gens, our cars are still new enough that we can find most of the parts you want or need NOS or clean used original gm still, so it's hard to justify putting cheap inaccurate low quality parts on our cars at this point in time. In 10 years from now that might be a different story... The thing is, like I said earlier, I bought a repro TPI badge for my yellow '85, 5 or 6 years ago, for like $20-$25 and it was PERFECT. Because of that, I didn't even think twice about getting this one. Obviously, there is someone else manufacturing them, now. |
Re: Do little things bug you? Hopefully Hawks will be willing to refund you your purchase price for that part at least.
Originally Posted by chazman
(Post 6150250)
The thing is, like I said earlier, I bought a repro TPI badge for my yellow '85, 5 or 6 years ago, for like $20-$25 and it was PERFECT. Because of that, I didn't even think twice about getting this one. Obviously, there is someone else manufacturing them, now. |
Re: Do little things bug you?
Originally Posted by 1992 Trans Am
(Post 6150254)
Hopefully Hawks will be willing to refund you your purchase price for that part at least. I'm sure they will. But the point of this thread is not about that. |
Re: Do little things bug you? Did you start a thread in the Aftermarket Review forums? Maybe if we start a thread for every crappy reproduction, we can get the vendors to improve the products. Or at least save other forum members from buying crap parts. |
Re: Do little things bug you? I bought the 5.7 Tuned Port Injection emblem from Hawks a few years ago and it wasn't perfect relating only to size, but visually it was in perfect shape. |
Re: Do little things bug you? I'm not gonna make a generalization about all repops, but with regard to the TPI emblem, I bought a gold one a few months ago from hawks and the paint was perfect. Now, it WAS bent....but it was so flimsy that I just straightened it out while installing. |
Re: Do little things bug you? Just a small update. Hawks accepted the return, which I never had doubts about. I would like them to comment on this thread though. So many of us depend on vendors like Hawks for our parts and it'd be good to know what action they might take with their supplier. |
Re: Do little things bug you? Chazman when I read the title of this thread I knew you were the OP before I even checked... I just replaced 3 weeks ago my "tuned port injection" emblem and I got it from Hawks. Looks perfect. Sorry yours came bent. NOW I have gone through 2 front bumper emblems from them. The red/white/blue stripe piece falls off and is not sufficiently glued to the backing. Laziness and the unwillingness to reinstall a replacement (those are a real bitch to install) prevented me from calling Hawks and asking for $$$ back. But I should have. Have a new emblem on there now. See how long this one lasts. If I remember when I get home I'll take a picture of the tail emblem. |
Re: Do little things bug you?
Originally Posted by oddscrounger
(Post 6150475)
Chazman when I read the title of this thread I knew you were the OP before I even checked... I just replaced 3 weeks ago my "tuned port injection" emblem and I got it from Hawks. Looks perfect. Sorry yours came bent. NOW I have gone through 2 front bumper emblems from them. The red/white/blue stripe piece falls off and is not sufficiently glued to the backing. Laziness and the unwillingness to reinstall a replacement (those are a real bitch to install) prevented me from calling Hawks and asking for $$$ back. But I should have. Have a new emblem on there now. See how long this one lasts. If I remember when I get home I'll take a picture of the tail emblem. |
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