I have removed VIN plates with great success. I have been told by people who have looked at it after it was reapplied that they couldn't even tell that I took it off. Here's how I did it: I took a suitable pry bar that had a small angle on the end, put it inside the steering neck, and pushed them out a bit from the rivets backside. Then I took a suitable screwdriver and slipped it under the head of the rivet and rolled the screwdriver around the outside of the steering neck in order to pry the remaining portion of the rivet out. I've done three of these this way and it works. The only thing I had to be careful of, was launching the rivet across the room, which after a little practice, never happens anymore. I suppose you could always put a piece of masking tape over them in order to prevent launching them, but I guess I'm lazy sometimes.
Another way to get them started if you can't find that suitable pry bar, is to take a small thin putty knife, with the beveled edge facing the steering neck, and tap it in between the VIN plate and the steering neck, then carefully pry it out a little, not all the way. Work the first one out a bit first, then work all the others out a way. Then push the VIN plate back towards the steering neck and work the back of the heads of the rivets as described above. I've done it this way too, and it also works. If you get a small little bend in the VIN plate, it can easily be trued up again with a few light taps of a deadblow or rubber mallet, as it is aluminum.
Kurtis
kurtis@mailbag.com
