Morris Centenary Car Badges - not fit for purpose

[horologiumwatches]

It says quite clearly that they are enammel and enammel wont peel like that. I suspect if someone were to try pushing a pin into the 'enammel' it will be soft, probably coloured resin or plastic.

[mike.perry]

I was tempted to buy one, thanks for saving me £11. Does it say "Made in xxxxx" ?
Incidentally I remember a couple of people on the NEC stand replacing all the mounting nuts on the badges

[gtt1951]

I'll be taking the grille badge variant into work to get it analysed on an SEM (Scanning Electron Microscope), by a colleague. This will give an analysis of the materials used/composition on "spot" check points - data will be produced tomorrow (I hope).

[rayofleamington]

The badges were designed to go on the front of cars

That's rather the point - if they had been designed properly they would be fit for purpose.
Even the badges on cars have to withstand a quite severe & varied environment.
More than likely whoever has produced them as 'car' badges isn't experienced at doing that

Personally I'd be miffed to find an enamel badge wasn't made with enamel, but whatever they used, you are protected by UK consumer law if it's not fit for purpose and/or miss-described (e.g. sale of goods and services act)

The melted car / van article was very left field, but relevant to show just how hard the environment can be on a car. The very same vehicles will withstand being baked in desert sunshine for years on end.

[ferret76]

Mine is currently fitted to my grille, exposed to 30+ degree heat every day and high humidity. I'll keep you posted...

[gtt1951]

Preliminary results of analysis :- I've asked a colleague, at work, to take a look at the materials. I've supplied the Grille Badge, with lifting blue "enamalling" as the test example. The coloured materials (red, white and blue) are some sort of polymer (non metallic) as they charge up in the SEM. The metal base composition looks to be zinc.
Some of the blue has already broken off and this is now being coated with a conductive material to allow a compostition analysis, rather then just using the SEM as a microscope (SEM = Scanning Electron Microscope, which also has the capability of element composition analysis).
Unfortunately, I now have to wait for a couple of weeks for them to return from holiday, to complete the tests.
Note: glass enamalling is normaly performed onto a copper surface.
Visually, the lifting and broken off pieces look to be a hard plastic substance with no obvious means of adhesion to the base metal. The badge is detriorating even whilst being kept in a plastic bubble pack pocket.
Current state of the Grille Badge can be seen below (the blue infill also seems to be shrinking)[frame][/frame]
P.S. There is no makers name on the badge.

[ASL642]

I believe these badges were commissioned by the Morris Register not the MMOC. The stock was then "split" between them for sale to their respective members. The first batch was poor (MMOC's were sent back, which is why they were not available until Jan 2013). It may well be that you have one from this first batch that slipped through - It depends where you bought it from. I have had an MMOC purchased one on my badgebar since April - no signs of enamel (or plastic enamel) chipping yet and my car is not garaged.

[gtt1951]

I bought the Grille badge from the Morris Register and the Badge Bar from the MMOC.
Both have got problems. The Grille badge is losing all its blue and the Bar Badge is losing all its white parts (see photos from earlier in this post). They were both bought at the around the same time and fitted to the front of the car about a month apart - because of the supply delay you mention. I only noticed the problem when I was transferring the Grille badge to my new Series MM saloon.[frame][/frame]
You may notice an MMOC Owner's Enamel Grille badge on the MM - this was applied at least 2 owners ago and is still in pristine condition. I'm hoping to receive replacements.