I can't believe that I have to ask this, but I have never messed with the 442 numerals on the car before. Mine are a little worn out after all these years so I got a set from Fusick at Carlisle last Saturday. They came with these little caps to put on the pins. How do you get the old ones off? Pry them? I would hate to scratch my trunk.

Thanks
KMP

 

They are held in with barrel clips. All you do is slide a thin blade like a putty scraper under the casting and gently wiggle it up. There's no clip holding the numerals on if that's what you're asking. Just a friction fit into those barrel clips.

Use some soft cloth to prevent scratching when you are using the scraper to get under the numbers.

 

Maybe put some packing tape on the scraper so there's no chance of the blade making contact with the paint?

 

or, maybe put some tape next to the letters instead of using the cloth?? Sort of like when you protect paint when installing bumpers.

 

A couple layers of good quality masking tape (3M or similar) laid close to the numerals or scripts will protect your paint while you pry the numerals up with a THIN BLADE putty knife or scraper.

Harbor Freight has some plastic scrapers that are perfect for jobs like this. They're the best thing I found for digging old weatherstrip and glue out of the retaining channels. No reason they shouldn't work to pry barrel clip scripts off. http://www.harborfreight.com/4-piece...set-95832.html

 

I'm traveling now so I cant verify this on my '72 442, but can the studs be accessed from inside the decklid somehow? I've been able to press the "Oldsmobile" letters out on '71-'72 Supremes from inside the decklid with no threat to the exterior paint. It's worth investigating.

Terry

 

The Barrel clips Should stay on the trunk lid.
I use a Credit card

 

Terry, no - it's not possible. The inside lip of the deck lid doesn't allow that. I pulled the same OLDSMOBILE letters from 2 Supreme's at the boneyard last year and it was an easy job. Sometimes though the barrel clips may come out with the letter or numeral depending on clip condition or rust on the deck lid.