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Centre Console refurb #1635226
02/09/2019 19:59
02/09/2019 19:59
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 626
Westcliff-on-sea,essex
aust_powers Offline OP
Enjoying the ride
aust_powers  Offline OP
Enjoying the ride

Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 626
Westcliff-on-sea,essex
So after reading about how to take the centre console off, I decided not to do it smile 21 year old Italian wiring and the idea of fiddling around with it worried me, so I managed to spend a few hours doing it in situ.

I used methalated spirit, my wife's makeup removing pads and lots of elbow grease on all the peeling rubber, after a couple not hours I had taken it all back to a plastic finish and then used silicone spray to get a nice finish.

Attached Files

GT28rs,Pro alloy FMIC,Blueflame exhaust,SIP, Bosch 440cc,Helix organic clutch,Stage 3,331bhp,295lbft
Re: Centre Console refurb [Re: aust_powers] #1635227
02/09/2019 20:12
02/09/2019 20:12

S
Smatt
Unregistered
Smatt
Unregistered
S



Nice one
That's a really good 'unfinished' finish.

I would prefer no paint as there is less to scuff. You've inspired me to have a crack at mine!

Re: Centre Console refurb [Re: aust_powers] #1635228
02/09/2019 20:28
02/09/2019 20:28
Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 338
Camberley, Surrey
J
jonnyboy54321 Offline
Making a profit
jonnyboy54321  Offline
Making a profit
J

Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 338
Camberley, Surrey
Isopropryl alcohol is good for this and the handbrake console too. If you plan to paint, a pack of brillo pads with the chemicals work well. lots of elbow grease still reqd.That's halfords gloss black plus lacquer to match the centre console done by prev owner

Attached Files
20190830_172754.jpg (804 downloads)
Last edited by jonnyboy54321; 02/09/2019 20:38. Reason: pic

Always seem to have too many 20VT's to count......
Re: Centre Console refurb [Re: aust_powers] #1635235
03/09/2019 05:52
03/09/2019 05:52
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 5,090
highlands
jimboy Offline
Club Member 857
jimboy  Offline
Club Member 857
Forum is my life

Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 5,090
highlands
I like the piano black. When I did mine, took me some time to come up with a finish that was acceptable to me. I could not for the life of me get rid of the orange peel when spraying the gloss black. In the end, there were so many coats of paint on, I rubbed it with fine wet & dry, & polished the hell out of it. I was at it for days, on & off.


I'm an old git & happy with it,most of the time
Re: Centre Console refurb [Re: jimboy] #1635240
03/09/2019 07:12
03/09/2019 07:12
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,723
Brisbane, Australia
Possum Offline
My life on the forum
Possum  Offline
My life on the forum

Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,723
Brisbane, Australia
I used VHT Hood Bumper and Trim paint on mine in June 2010 and it still looks good. Had no problems with "orange peel". Although I live in the sub-tropics, my cars are always garaged, and as we say here, the best carpark at the shopping centre is the one in the shade.

https://www.vhtpaint.com/specialty/vht-hood-bumper-trim-paint


Re: Centre Console refurb [Re: jonnyboy54321] #1635249
03/09/2019 16:22
03/09/2019 16:22
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 626
Westcliff-on-sea,essex
aust_powers Offline OP
Enjoying the ride
aust_powers  Offline OP
Enjoying the ride

Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 626
Westcliff-on-sea,essex
Cheers Jonnboy54321, I plan to tackle the handbrake console next, it's also all sticky and horrible frown


GT28rs,Pro alloy FMIC,Blueflame exhaust,SIP, Bosch 440cc,Helix organic clutch,Stage 3,331bhp,295lbft
Re: Centre Console refurb [Re: aust_powers] #1635281
05/09/2019 07:49
05/09/2019 07:49
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 5,390
Essex
Trappy Offline
Forum is my life
Trappy  Offline
Forum is my life

Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 5,390
Essex
Originally Posted by aust_powers
Cheers Jonnboy54321, I plan to tackle the handbrake console next, it's also all sticky and horrible frown



Use oven cleaner. I've used methylated spirit before and it makes it SO much faster!


F****** b****** thing...
Re: Centre Console refurb [Re: aust_powers] #1635620
18/09/2019 18:54
18/09/2019 18:54

M
Merlin_Cat
Unregistered
Merlin_Cat
Unregistered
M



Does the methylated spirits get rid of the nasty stickiness? I lent my car to a relative and they had it valeted. I think the valeter used something funny on the interior and the centre consul has gone horrid and sticky.

Re: Centre Console refurb [Re: ] #1635625
18/09/2019 22:51
18/09/2019 22:51
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,723
Brisbane, Australia
Possum Offline
My life on the forum
Possum  Offline
My life on the forum

Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,723
Brisbane, Australia
I used Metho on mine when I did the console refurb and yes, it did remove the sticky.


Re: Centre Console refurb [Re: aust_powers] #1635635
19/09/2019 14:32
19/09/2019 14:32
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,298
Pontefract, West Yorkshire
andyps Offline
Club member 1482
andyps  Offline
Club member 1482
My job on the forum

Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,298
Pontefract, West Yorkshire
Just done mine with Mr Muscle oven cleaner and the sticky surface came off really easily. Not repainted it yet though but hope to do it later today.


Andy

[Linked Image]
Re: Centre Console refurb [Re: aust_powers] #1635637
19/09/2019 15:39
19/09/2019 15:39
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,676
Didcot - Oxon
RusH Offline
My life on the forum
RusH  Offline
My life on the forum

Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,676
Didcot - Oxon
I’ve just completed doing mine. Will get some pictures up later.

Gone for a hydro dipped console (Carbon) and a high gloss handbrake.

Such a horrid job.


Coupe now sold!
Re: Centre Console refurb [Re: RusH] #1635679
22/09/2019 08:08
22/09/2019 08:08

S
Smatt
Unregistered
Smatt
Unregistered
S



Originally Posted by RusH
I’ve just completed doing mine. Will get some pictures up later.

Gone for a hydro dipped console (Carbon) and a high gloss handbrake.

Such a horrid job.

Just looked up hydro dipping
How tough/ resilient is the finish please?

Re: Centre Console refurb [Re: ] #1635747
25/09/2019 06:31
25/09/2019 06:31
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,676
Didcot - Oxon
RusH Offline
My life on the forum
RusH  Offline
My life on the forum

Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,676
Didcot - Oxon
Very hardy.

Most applications are used for external body parts. So they have to stand up to wear and tear.

Lots of people are dead set against ‘fake’ carbon look, however I think it looks ace and always say it’s dipped when people ask. Each to their own.


Coupe now sold!
Re: Centre Console refurb [Re: RusH] #1636521
01/11/2019 01:21
01/11/2019 01:21
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,205
Oxfordshire
enfant_teribl Offline
My job on the forum
enfant_teribl  Offline
My job on the forum

Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,205
Oxfordshire
Hi Rus Any pics? I think I read somewhere you used A1 in Oxon. If so do they do a good job?


Re: Centre Console refurb [Re: aust_powers] #1636527
01/11/2019 15:43
01/11/2019 15:43
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,676
Didcot - Oxon
RusH Offline
My life on the forum
RusH  Offline
My life on the forum

Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,676
Didcot - Oxon
Will get some up for you. A1 Hydro Graphics we’re spot on


Coupe now sold!
Re: Centre Console refurb [Re: aust_powers] #1636576
03/11/2019 19:30
03/11/2019 19:30
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,676
Didcot - Oxon
RusH Offline
My life on the forum
RusH  Offline
My life on the forum

Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,676
Didcot - Oxon
Hope this works ok....

Attached Files

Coupe now sold!
Re: Centre Console refurb [Re: aust_powers] #1639066
11/02/2020 12:02
11/02/2020 12:02
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 16,660
Auld Reekie
Edinburgh Offline
Club President, member225
Edinburgh  Offline
Club President, member225
Forum veteran

Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 16,660
Auld Reekie
Yesterday with TWO extracted consoles waving at me I took the plunge.

First one had been a complete basket case and untouchable after being left outside in the Orcadian tropics for many years (this donor coupe has been invaluable as a part source) - meths did a remarkably quick strip and it was all clean and polished within 90 mins, a dead cert to install in our project car. That is apart from some very light grazing under the clock which is annoying as the rest looks good. Hoping it might polish out somehow without looking even more obvious confused

The second was going to be a breeze therefore. Haha no such luck, after applying the meths as before the surface was left resembling a relief map like a badly-washed milkpan sick Could I remove this stuff? frown

Hours later I resorted to scraping as there was no way meths or anything else would get through and it began to look very messy, me cursing away just as instructed in the how-to laugh

That is until I thought "acetone" and enquired after some nail-polish remover from Mrs Ed who produced some Boots moisturising pads for this purpose. Worked instantly!! Also finished her supply rolleyes

Kick-in-the-teeth though, the nice matt black finish of the successful first console is nowhere to be seen as the end result is now blotchy white-ish/black all over so this one's a rattle-can job. Matt black 100 ml can was the way to go so when our February "shrinking" rain has cleared up the experiment will continue....


BumbleBee carer smile
Re: Centre Console refurb [Re: aust_powers] #1639067
11/02/2020 12:12
11/02/2020 12:12
Joined: Mar 2019
Posts: 250
North Macedonia
386ka Offline
Club member 1814
386ka  Offline
Club member 1814
Making a profit

Joined: Mar 2019
Posts: 250
North Macedonia
So, acetone looks like the best course of action to remove the rubbery gunk that is on the console? I would like to try the Plastidip finish, as per the tutorial here (sadly the pictures seem unavailable), but I'm unsure about the longevity of the finish...

Re: Centre Console refurb [Re: aust_powers] #1639070
11/02/2020 13:58
11/02/2020 13:58
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 8,385
Lightwater, Surrey
DaveG Offline
Club Treasurer Member 311
DaveG  Offline
Club Treasurer Member 311
Je suis un Coupé

Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 8,385
Lightwater, Surrey
I use some IPA "pre-injection" wipes to clean off one centre console, but the handbrake surround is taking a bit more effort. The success of one solvent over another may be a function of how much the original coating has aged or "weathered" so be prepared to try a variety of approaches...


1996 Portofino 20vt & 2000 Pearl White Plus
1985½ & 2016 2017 Fiat 124 Spider + XF Sportbrake
Re: Centre Console refurb [Re: 386ka] #1639071
11/02/2020 14:02
11/02/2020 14:02
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 16,660
Auld Reekie
Edinburgh Offline
Club President, member225
Edinburgh  Offline
Club President, member225
Forum veteran

Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 16,660
Auld Reekie
Originally Posted by 386ka
So, acetone looks like the best course of action to remove the rubbery gunk that is on the console? I would like to try the Plastidip finish, as per the tutorial here (sadly the pictures seem unavailable), but I'm unsure about the longevity of the finish...



I'm looking into the possibility of obtaining the pics for this..


BumbleBee carer smile
Re: Centre Console refurb [Re: DaveG] #1639072
11/02/2020 14:03
11/02/2020 14:03
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 16,660
Auld Reekie
Edinburgh Offline
Club President, member225
Edinburgh  Offline
Club President, member225
Forum veteran

Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 16,660
Auld Reekie
Originally Posted by DaveG
The success of one solvent over another may be a function of how much the original coating has aged or "weathered" .


This is the conclusion I came to


BumbleBee carer smile
Re: Centre Console refurb [Re: jimboy] #1639081
11/02/2020 22:46
11/02/2020 22:46
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 16,660
Auld Reekie
Edinburgh Offline
Club President, member225
Edinburgh  Offline
Club President, member225
Forum veteran

Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 16,660
Auld Reekie
Originally Posted by jimboy
When I did mine, took me some time to come up with a finish that was acceptable to me. I could not for the life of me get rid of the orange peel when spraying the gloss black. In the end, there were so many coats of paint on, I rubbed it with fine wet & dry, & polished the hell out of it. I was at it for days, on & off.


Agreed, the pitted finish that my second one came up with seemed immovable.

Then I remembered being daft enough to polish up a plenum some years ago, it took weeks. Got a lot of good advice during the process and learnt quite a lot also, especially never to do it again laugh

Using a 380 grit wet-and-dry I was able to remove all the citrus stuff from the console eventually. I was quite glad not to keep going at it with acetone as it seemed to melt the plastic surface. Going through 1000, 1200, 1500 and 2500 grit in turn I've managed to get a passable surface on it now, with a final coating of decent paint restorer to polish it off.

Took a whole day rolleyes


BumbleBee carer smile
Re: Centre Console refurb [Re: Edinburgh] #1639504
01/03/2020 14:38
01/03/2020 14:38
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 6,144
Southampton, Hants
Roadking Offline
Club member 1809
Roadking  Offline
Club member 1809
Forum is my life

Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 6,144
Southampton, Hants
Originally Posted by Edinburgh
I was quite glad not to keep going at it with acetone as it seemed to melt the plastic surface.


It does indeed. One reason not to use it on a motorcycle helmet visor rolleyes rolleyes Another lesson learned, so not repeated in the last 40 years!

Last edited by Roadking; 01/03/2020 14:38.

"RK's way seems the most sensible to me". ali_hire 16 Dec 2010
Re: Centre Console refurb [Re: aust_powers] #1639505
01/03/2020 16:16
01/03/2020 16:16
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 16,660
Auld Reekie
Edinburgh Offline
Club President, member225
Edinburgh  Offline
Club President, member225
Forum veteran

Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 16,660
Auld Reekie
Seeing as one of my examples had not turned out so well, revealing stubborn scratches still, a return to 1500, 2000 and finally 2500 wet n' dry did the trick followed by a machine polish smile

Attached Files
IMG-20200228-WA0013.jpeg (404 downloads)

BumbleBee carer smile
Re: Centre Console refurb [Re: aust_powers] #1639516
01/03/2020 20:30
01/03/2020 20:30
Joined: Mar 2019
Posts: 250
North Macedonia
386ka Offline
Club member 1814
386ka  Offline
Club member 1814
Making a profit

Joined: Mar 2019
Posts: 250
North Macedonia
The resolution is not so great - what did you use for the finish?

Re: Centre Console refurb [Re: 386ka] #1639519
01/03/2020 21:24
01/03/2020 21:24
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 16,660
Auld Reekie
Edinburgh Offline
Club President, member225
Edinburgh  Offline
Club President, member225
Forum veteran

Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 16,660
Auld Reekie
Originally Posted by 386ka
The resolution is not so great - what did you use for the finish?


Yeah, I was pretty pissed off when it transferred from my phone as it looks much better in the flesh.

I used dots of Menzerna Super Finish Plus, step 3, on a good quality foam pad, buffed up afterwards, then a light spray polish. This might have to be superseded at some point.


BumbleBee carer smile
Re: Centre Console refurb [Re: Edinburgh] #1640244
27/03/2020 20:52
27/03/2020 20:52
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 2,162
Glos
Brilly1uk Offline
Club member 1034
Brilly1uk  Offline
Club member 1034
Competition Level

Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 2,162
Glos
Originally Posted by Edinburgh
Originally Posted by jimboy
When I did mine, took me some time to come up with a finish that was acceptable to me. I could not for the life of me get rid of the orange peel when spraying the gloss black. In the end, there were so many coats of paint on, I rubbed it with fine wet & dry, & polished the hell out of it. I was at it for days, on & off.


Agreed, the pitted finish that my second one came up with seemed immovable.

Then I remembered being daft enough to polish up a plenum some years ago, it took weeks. Got a lot of good advice during the process and learnt quite a lot also, especially never to do it again laugh

Using a 380 grit wet-and-dry I was able to remove all the citrus stuff from the console eventually. I was quite glad not to keep going at it with acetone as it seemed to melt the plastic surface. Going through 1000, 1200, 1500 and 2500 grit in turn I've managed to get a passable surface on it now, with a final coating of decent paint restorer to polish it off.

Took a whole day rolleyes


One for me to re-visit!


Fiat Coupe 20VT
Alfa Romeo Spider
BMW X3
Re: Centre Console refurb [Re: aust_powers] #1640263
28/03/2020 12:19
28/03/2020 12:19
Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 338
Camberley, Surrey
J
jonnyboy54321 Offline
Making a profit
jonnyboy54321  Offline
Making a profit
J

Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 338
Camberley, Surrey
I found Mr Muscle oven cleaner (aerosol) is super to melt the rubber finish. Used on a couple of handbrake consoles to great effect. A word to the wise though - light coats of paint and many of them, spaced out. otherwise you get an elephant hide effect in a few weeks as it settles


Always seem to have too many 20VT's to count......
Re: Centre Console refurb [Re: aust_powers] #1640333
01/04/2020 19:36
01/04/2020 19:36
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 3,609
S. Wales. Way beyond my means
Gripped Offline
Club member 1924
Gripped  Offline
Club member 1924
Forum is my job

Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 3,609
S. Wales. Way beyond my means
When I had my motorbike, I painted the rear mudguard which came as unpainted black plastic. I used a plastic adhesion promoter spray, then sprayed with halfords matt black. It looked really good and the finish remained after years of outdoor use. So that's my plan with the console.

Good recommendation on the oven cleaner !

It's one of my jobs during Covid-19 imprisonment.

Re: Centre Console refurb [Re: aust_powers] #1640404
04/04/2020 07:21
04/04/2020 07:21
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 1,306
Kent, South East
Cooperman Offline
Former Club Membership Secretary
Cooperman  Offline
Former Club Membership Secretary
My job on the forum

Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 1,306
Kent, South East
I finally got round to removing the handbrake console before my coupe went in for her respray and it’s taken me a few days to strip the coating off using acetone in the main. Now the weather is warming up this weekend I can move on to painting it with some satin black plasticoat spray paint.
Will post some photos once it’s done.


[Linked Image]
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