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.
I found the handbrake console I had didn't come up as well as the centre console, it looks like a different material? The shine certainly came up well on the latter but not this - even after extensive wet'n'dry treatment followed by machine polishing there are faint cloudy patches visible. Likewise, the matt black spray is looking likely next...
Has anybody tried removing the handbrake gaiter which is kind of riveted on? Some of the "rivets" could be drilled out but many are difficult / impossible to reach? Or is the only solution to work around the gaiter?
1996 Portofino 20vt & 2000 Pearl White Plus 2008 Ferrari F430 & 2017 Fiat 124 Spider
Re: Centre Console refurb
[Re: DaveG]
#1640409 04/04/202009:3704/04/202009:37
I took the gaiter off. I drilled some of the rivets out and used the Dremmel for the hard to reach ones. The problem I saw was that you cannot rivet it back due to lack of space. I ended up using bolts with nyloc nuts to refit it.
lost in space
Re: Centre Console refurb
[Re: DaveG]
#1640414 04/04/202013:0604/04/202013:06
Has anybody tried removing the handbrake gaiter which is kind of riveted on? Some of the "rivets" could be drilled out but many are difficult / impossible to reach? Or is the only solution to work around the gaiter?
I left mine in situ, it seemed like cutting off the head off one monster to have two grow in its place
I remember doing mine and would say it is impossible to avoid some damage to the plastic, but this should be hidden as it will be covered over by the replacement handbrake lever gaiter? It was fiddly as hell, but I was pleased with the result and worth doing.
Since the rivets are not really rivets but more like a 4 pronged version of those old fashioned 2 pronged slit pin paper holders (you know the things, like this ) I wondered if simply straightening out the prongs might work? However as Simon suggests, another monster could be created (prongs might snap off, might end up making the "rivet" loose but still unable to extract, etc.)
1996 Portofino 20vt & 2000 Pearl White Plus 2008 Ferrari F430 & 2017 Fiat 124 Spider
The brackets normally break clean off leaving little evidence of where they were once part of the handbrake console... they'll probably still be fixed inside the gear lever console part.
Re: Centre Console refurb
[Re: ]
#1640441 06/04/202018:5806/04/202018:58
The brackets normally break clean off leaving little evidence of where they were once part of the handbrake console... they'll probably still be fixed inside the gear lever console part.
This. I replaced mine several years ago which came with the brackets intact - when I took my original off they were nowhere to be seen, and this is the one I've kept and recently refurbed. There's probably a way to fashion new brackets which I will naturally delegate to one of my partners-in-crime..
You can see the bracket in the pics below, plus the offending "rivets". The first time anyone tries to remove the handbrake console, they will likely snap off the bracket along with the plastic end piece which is very thin plastic. If you look closely you can see where this one is starting to break away...
1996 Portofino 20vt & 2000 Pearl White Plus 2008 Ferrari F430 & 2017 Fiat 124 Spider
Re: Centre Console refurb
[Re: DaveG]
#1640444 06/04/202023:0306/04/202023:03
You can see the bracket in the pics below, plus the offending "rivets". The first time anyone tries to remove the handbrake console, they will likely snap off the bracket along with the plastic end piece which is very thin plastic. If you look closely you can see where this one is starting to break away...
I think those are actually rivets. I have 2 types of rivet at home. The usual ones which just bulge when you fit, and some others which split into 4 curled pronges when fitted. I can post a pic if I can.
Here we go. These are from my undertray where I repaired a section with thin plate steel and riveted on with the curly type. They look a close match to the console ones.
Last edited by Gripped; 07/04/202014:07.
Re: Centre Console refurb
[Re: Gripped]
#1643328 10/08/202009:5710/08/202009:57
Very late to this thread, but rather than start another .....
Along with the Cam Cover, the centre console seriously needed a refurb as the 'rubber' had turned to 'goo' like it does! The last time I cleaned one of these consoles up, was the handbrake one and I seem to remember that was a job I really didn't want to tackle again.
That time I think I used Meths to strip it, this time I used Isopropyl Alcohol. So, with vinyl gloves (essential) and plenty of kitchen roll I had a go at cleaning up. Very surprisingly it all came off quite easily - it does just dissolve a little of the plastic surface, but not a problem, it just makes the paper 'dirty'. The IPA evaporates very quickly and leaves a pretty good surface for painting. I didn't even have to rub any of it down.
A couple of coats of satin black paint and I''m pretty happy with the results -
Paul W.
Re: Centre Console refurb
[Re: paulw]
#1643337 10/08/202011:4510/08/202011:45
Very late to this thread, but rather than start another .....
Along with the Cam Cover, the centre console seriously needed a refurb as the 'rubber' had turned to 'goo' like it does! The last time I cleaned one of these consoles up, was the handbrake one and I seem to remember that was a job I really didn't want to tackle again.
That time I think I used Meths to strip it, this time I used Isopropyl Alcohol. So, with vinyl gloves (essential) and plenty of kitchen roll I had a go at cleaning up. Very surprisingly it all came off quite easily - it does just dissolve a little of the plastic surface, but not a problem, it just makes the paper 'dirty'. The IPA evaporates very quickly and leaves a pretty good surface for painting. I didn't even have to rub any of it down.
A couple of coats of satin black paint and I''m pretty happy with the results -
That's a nice finish.
I've left the ones I've done unpainted, just polished, but some definitely don't come out as well as others.
I've left the ones I've done unpainted, just polished, but some definitely don't come out as well as others.
I think I was lucky with the gunge coming off pretty cleanly and the surface being good enough. I knew the paint, having used it on other things before now, so just went for it!
I agree that IPA is better than Meths, I used "antiseptic wipes" used for tattoos and injections which are impregnated with the IPA and the wipes just pick up all the black goo. Very effective on the upper centre console, but not so good on the lower part which is a more fiddly shape in places.
1996 Portofino 20vt & 2000 Pearl White Plus 2008 Ferrari F430 & 2017 Fiat 124 Spider
Here is another way, just cut pronged rivets out, cut each of 4 prongs with tin snips, push through all rivets, then replace them with small neat nuts and bolts with washers, easier incase any future work needed. Then with sticky coating remove with brake fluid, put on suitable gloves, remove the section to be cleaned from the car, dab on brake fluid with a cloth, leave for 30 minutes, scrape off the mess with a plastic applicator, rinse with water then degrease panel down. Sand down with mini orbital sander with 240-grade mesh type discs Degrease again, blow off, tacky rag then plastic prime and spray topcoat off choice. Sounds a lot but I do handbrake consoles in about 2 hours, doing this method from start to finish. Brake fluid won't damage plastic but will break down the sticky mess.
Last edited by robertjock; 14/08/202013:42. Reason: spelling