Restoring Console

[Gars68]

Anybody have any creative ideas on how to refurbish this?

[bakerjf]

You can make the ash tray/lighter portion of the center console look new by throwing it in a bath of evaporust/metal rescue, and simply painting it. There are covers for the vinyl portion. Looks like you just need a new boot for shifter panel.

[ed B]

See Russo's post for shift boot:
http://www.311s.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=25654

I think you could add some bondo in the area where the rigid foam is missing and then cover the center console with some new vinyl and spray adhesive. I don't know if anyone sells a bondo type material that has some give to it to simulate the rigid foam.

[FergO2k]

Upholstery shops will have foams of different densities (lbs per cubic foot is the unit of measure) that get used for side/kick panels and such.
If you are going to do it yourself, don't be afraid to use other materials. I did mine using the material harvested from a pair of woman's leather pants that I bought from Goodwill for 3 bucks. 3M Super 77 spray adhesive is your friend.

[greydog]

You can use the expanding insulation foam as a filler. Comes in a sort of spray can. Goober if on, sand as needed.
Dan

[punkzdriver]

I have a 67.5 with flat dash that I just started to re-do the interior in. One pf the previous owners had redone the entire interior in a tanish color. I am re-doing it in black. I am going to be using black alcantara and a marine grade black vinyl. I also bought two different thickness of a closed cell foam. Those materials plus some corroplast for backing in some areas is how I plan on making new panels. I plan on taking pictures of everything and doing a write-up of how I did it all. I am by no means a professional and I am hoping it comes out well enough that my post makes it into the wiki. Im doing it in the little spare time I have so it might take some time.

But for my center console I will be doing the bottom half with alcantara, the top lid with a layer of the thicker foam and black vinyl. Plan on using the 3m 90 spray for foam, and the 3m 80 spray for vinyl.

[Linda]

In case anyone else was wondering:
Alcantara:
http://jalopnik.com/what-the-hell-is-al ... 1604799947

Linda

[FergO2k]

Jeez! In one felled swoop, Linda rendered my Alcantara hunting license obsolete. (cancel the plan for that trip out wandering east of Fresno / Clovis...)
So they just came up with a better term than Mercedes "MB-Tex". Its all in the marketing.

[ed B]

You can make the ash tray/lighter portion of the center console look new by throwing it in a bath of evaporust/metal rescue, and simply painting it. There are covers for the vinyl portion. Looks like you just need a new boot for shifter panel.

Have you used both evaporust and metal rescue? I was wondering if one was better than the other. I could use something on my bumpers and headlight dishes.

[Gars68]

thank you for the awesome responses. I have started disassembling the console. Question....how do you remove the console lock "ring"....the lock slides right through it. I removed the clip on the backside of the lock but I think that ring is preventing me from being able to separate the metal from the vinyl part of the console.

[bakerjf]

You can make the ash tray/lighter portion of the center console look new by throwing it in a bath of evaporust/metal rescue, and simply painting it. There are covers for the vinyl portion. Looks like you just need a new boot for shifter panel.

Have you used both evaporust and metal rescue? I was wondering if one was better than the other. I could use something on my bumpers and headlight dishes.

I've used both, but Metal Rescue the most. I think they work equally well. When I started my restoration I purchased a 5-gallon drum for about $100, which lasted 3-4 months. I liked the big size since you can throw almost anything in there. The trick is that the part has to be completely submurged for a few hours for it work, so I don't know how you'd use it for your bumpers, but I used it on dozens and dozens of other parts - including my gas tank and heater box. It's a pretty amazing product.

[bakerjf]

thank you for the awesome responses. I have started disassembling the console. Question....how do you remove the console lock "ring"....the lock slides right through it. I removed the clip on the backside of the lock but I think that ring is preventing me from being able to separate the metal from the vinyl part of the console.

I think after you remove the clip, all you have to do is rotate it and pull the assembly out from the back. It's been awhile, but I don't remember having to do anything about that ring.

[msampsel]

You can make the ash tray/lighter portion of the center console look new by throwing it in a bath of evaporust/metal rescue, and simply painting it. There are covers for the vinyl portion. Looks like you just need a new boot for shifter panel.

Have you used both evaporust and metal rescue? I was wondering if one was better than the other. I could use something on my bumpers and headlight dishes.

I've used both, but Metal Rescue the most. I think they work equally well. When I started my restoration I purchased a 5-gallon drum for about $100, which lasted 3-4 months. I liked the big size since you can throw almost anything in there. The trick is that the part has to be completely submurged for a few hours for it work, so I don't know how you'd use it for your bumpers, but I used it on dozens and dozens of other parts - including my gas tank and heater box. It's a pretty amazing product.

Might try vinegar first.

[carlkaty]

Linda, thanks for the link. A more modern version of Ricardo Montalban's
"fine Corinthian leather". Or maybe we could cut a piece out of an old
"pleather" jacket for the console.

[Gars68]

Didn't see the 2nd clip. It's all apart now. Going to look at some vinyl material today.