The infamous, coveted, & elusive SOC badge…

"Scarcer than Hen's teeth" would be an apt description.  They're about as scarce as the 2006 Carlisle grill badges that I had only 52 made:

Based on my notes, the SOC badge would be relatively inexpensive to make, as it has only two colors over the machined or cast base metal.  The Carlisle badge had 7 colors and pretty tight details.  It was commissioned to a guy in Wisconsin, designed by an SOC member in Canada, was tooled in Scotland and produced on Taiwan.  All-in costs for everything and amortized over the 52 piece lot was a shade under $30 each.  All of them were distributed back then.

@Rich Drewek on here did an different SOC badge a few years back and might have some insight on who he used and relative costs.

luv the square drive screws for security from the average IQ thieves..

NOT SOC "produced" but this one is available for Florida folks - I bought one years ago - believe it was $35.  It's from a real PORSCHE group but they don't require real car ownership (hence their ok to use PORSCHE on it).  I'm in a FOG half the time.

If you make some, I like "Live fast, Drive well, Leave a beautiful car."

Agree.  I never did like the saying on the original one.

@Bob: IM S6 posted:

Agree.  I never did like the saying on the original one.

Agreed. Especially since most of us are well past the sell by date for "die young, leave a beautiful corpse."

Believe me - I almost managed the "Die Young" part more than once.

I'm still here, though, just to spite a few relatives.......

It's working, too.

How about?

"Live fast, Drive well, Leave an oil trail."

We're going to need a bigger badge.

Since the original badge was made, the SOC lawyer has reviewed our legal exposure, and he's insisting on the following language on any future club badge:

"Live quickly, but at a speed deemed appropriate by any local jurisdictions through which you pass while engaged in a club-sanctioned event or activity, do not encourage minors, dependents, or impaired individuals to take any action which might endanger their health or wellbeing, and dispose of any potentially harmful refuse responsibly, according to applicable local statutes and within the recommendations of appropriate regulatory agencies"

@Gordon Nichols posted:

Based on my notes, the SOC badge would be relatively inexpensive to make, as it has only two colors over the machined or cast base metal.  The Carlisle badge had 7 colors and pretty tight details.  It was commissioned to a guy in Wisconsin, designed by an SOC member in Canada, was tooled in Scotland and produced on Taiwan.  All-in costs for everything and amortized over the 52 piece lot was a shade under $30 each.  All of them were distributed back then.

Wow, that's not bad at all, I expected that it would be more.  Especially considering that the run-of-the-mill generics on Amazon/eBay are around that price point.  Sounds like it was quite the international job, definitely took more than a village.  But also sounds doable...

@barncobob posted:

luv the square drive screws for security from the average IQ thieves..

Agreed, although with just the right sized flathead or similar-shaped piece of metal, someone could still fit that drive pattern diagonally.  I looked around for security / tamper proof screws myself.  Because they're already a unique item, I didn't find many that were in the form factor needed, and especially not bronze / copper toned.  I'd be interested to know where that screw is from, perhaps they have other patterns...

I got lucky with these binding posts I had laying around, perfect color, and the binding post end didn't have a drive pattern but instead just cylindrical hole (they usually do):  

The problem is that someone smart/observant enough could simply unscrew my entire grille and walk away with the entire safe.  Twofer deal.  So I still need to find a security for my grille, but again, it may be tough because it's not a common size.

Would love to know what others have done.  ESPECIALLY if this new badge is made, I'm not risking having that stolen...  Might have to buy in multiple...

Let’s take a poll:

How many owners on here have had either your grill or grill badges stolen?  

For the most part, people won't touch cars like ours. Car thieves want new cars, not parts off of ancient stuff.

@Gordon Nichols posted:

Let’s take a poll:

How many owners on here have had either your grill or grill badges stolen?  

If I had to worry about it, I'd move further out.

Right now, the work van full of tools and stock is parked on the street, unlocked, with the keys in it. Limo too. We're leaving town for a friend's daughter's wedding tomorrow. I'll probably just leave everything there. Jeanie may lock the front door, but the garage is always open.

Your mileage may vary.

@barncobob posted:

luv the square drive screws for security from the average IQ thieves..

A Robertson screw driver - that great Canadian invention - is all you need for those Robertson head screws. 

"Live well, breakfast and leave a generous tip."

No security measures on the grill badges. Six years and no losses.

Fifteen years and no problems here.

No issue 

You know.........

All I have is the 2006 Carlisle badge on Pearl, but if I were going to put another grill badge on my car, I would probably go for one of these:

I'm always tickled at the PCA people's response to this sticker at C&C's.    

The badge of all badges. 356 Outlaw Road Racing. 

@Marty Grzynkowicz not able to see the picture

Makes sense. He sold the car........

@DannyP 👍

That can’t be a real “Outlaw” badge.

Real outlaws would never wear “driving gloves”.  

how about an Eyetalian outlaw, maybe

@Gordon Nichols posted:

You know.........

All I have is the 2006 Carlisle badge on Pearl, but if I were going to put another grill badge on my car, I would probably go for one of these:

I'm always tickled at the PCA people's response to this sticker at C&C's.    

Are these for real? If the are, I'd definitely slap one on Little Red. 

They are. 2.5”, front static cling for your windshield.  You can have them made at stickyLife ( no comment on the name).  Here is an old thread ,  https://www.speedsterowners.co...6#592556448642089676

@Eric (McGruff) The clown car stickers do, indeed, exist!!  
I printed my own on static cling stock from the image on here (in fact, we had several different versions over about a week) but since I have an el Cheapo printer, the colors quickly washed in the sun.

@Sacto Mitch made up a few of them and sent them out to us lucky (and slightly twisted) people.  If you, too, are lucky (and do some groveling at his feet) he might have one or two still kicking around to send to you for some astronomical fee like, a few bucks or so.   Personally, I got extras and have them on my DDs, too.   Now, if I could get a “Plastic Bike” version (for my plastic bicycle, of course) I would be in sticker Nirvana.....

https://www.ebay.com/itm/ENAME...e:g:y70AAOSwcLxYLdBh

@Eric (McGruff)

Eric, an extensive search through my archives turned up a few of the stickers.

These are first edition copies, so will be worth a small fortune to future collectors.

They were also sitting on my desk at the exact moment I first viewed an online photo of Stan Galat's three-seat Cadillac limo. So, there's that, too. Provenance casts an intoxicating spell over collectors.

Send me a PM if you're still interested after reading this.

Chris and I went to a C&C yesterday.  Great turn-out for the end of the season with 40-50 cars there, everything from a Model T touring car to a bunch of Porsches to a couple of Ferraris (and one Alpha Giulia, for Mr. Gryzkanowiscowski-xyz  --  Nice paint, BTW, Marty)

I was parked just behind one of the 911s which happened to have a 2" PCA sticker in the bottom corner of the windshield - same place I have my Clown sticker.  People would look at the 911, then wander back to Pearl and do a double-take at the sticker and laugh like hell.

I love it.

I was parked just behind one of the 911s which happened to have a 2" PCA sticker in the bottom corner of the windshield - same place I have my Clown sticker.  People would look at the 911, then wander back to Pearl and do a double-take at the sticker and laugh like hell.

Perfect, just perfect...

@thedak posted:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/ENAME...e:g:y70AAOSwcLxYLdBh

$299!  And still same badge is $39 shipped from FOG from USA!

https://www.356fog.com/GrilleBadge.html

Good to hear no badge theft issues.  Sort of makes sense, in that these cars spend a higher percentage of their time in lower crime environments as compared to a modern/errand car (e.g., parked in front of the cafe you're having coffee at, a winery, a C&C, or w/ friends, etc.).  That and there are constant eyeballs on the car from every passerby.  And to @DannyP's point, I think most people don't even know what to steal from these cars haha, at least upon first impression while they're still dazzled.  I'd just be worried about the rare guy who wants to collect a badge the same way they "collect" a street sign.

Whether for this or in general, I'd be curious to learn of any good security screw sources.  For example, I came across these guys https://www.albanycountyfasten...tant-Screw-s/859.htm (because their videos on YouTube show up quickly), they're cool but not totally exhaustive.  E.g., I think no brass/bronze/copper colored security screws.

@Bob: IM S6 Ah thanks.  I've seen them before but didn't know the name nor any backstory.  Just read a Wikipedia blurb on it "Robertson screws are commonplace in Canada, though they have been used elsewhere and have become much more common in other countries. As patents expired and awareness of their advantages spread...".  Interesting bit wrt Ford's encounter with them.  I always found it funny that slot/flathead was the main screw drive for so long (probably makes sense in terms of easier/cheaper manufacturing), and it took so long to figure out others by people who are by definition pretty handy.  Like a Robertson, which is literally a square peg vs round hole!!  Ok fine it was over a 100 yrs ago but still.

@Gordon Nichols Serendipity or synchronicity with this post??  Did the 911 owner notice what was going on?...

Naaah......   911 guys are usually pretty clueless.  

Exceptions for el Guapo, of course.

He has lots of clues.  Y tiene MUCHO Guapo, de veras......

@WOLFGANG posted:

$299!  And still same badge is $39 shipped from FOG from USA!

https://www.356fog.com/GrilleBadge.html

I noticed a 356 Registry badge on germancarbadge.com for $149 the other day.