Date:  Fri, 10 Oct 1997 08:38:27 -0700
From:  Peter Richardson <prichard[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]LINFIELD.EDU>
Subject: Re: What's a chrome?

> car. The Mercedes symbol just screws right off. How do I know? Because

Since the late 50s that star has been affixed to a transverse bar
under the top of the grille by means of a strong spring, allowing the
star to be bent this way and that, but not unscrewed or broken off.
Serious thieves, of course, can solve the puzzle with a hefty cable
cutter, which probably would have been termed a "star buyer" back then if
the practice had existed. I suggest this because telephones used to be
"liberated" from public booths by means of "phone buyers" wielded by bored
adolescents. As Peggy said: nothing new under the sun.

Peter