Hey guys, last week I finished up a nice DIY that I had been wanting to do for a while. I already posted it on the Rennlist forums a couple days back, but per the request of 6Speed users, I'm now reposting here. Below are pictures & then DIY steps:


















I know, my pictures suck big time, & that's for a number of reasons (taken with a phone, most of them taken at night, & worst of all I'm a very very very bad photographer, )






Okay, so you saw the pictures, if you don't like my results, then you can stop reading, haha. If you do like them, then send me a check to Nigeria so I can send you the DIY instructions, lol jk... Okay, now seriously, the procedure to my awesome results are as follows:

1. Okay, the first step is pretty obvious. Remove the center console. Not sure where to start? Well I wasn't either, but luckily, someone helped me out as well by giving me the link to this awesome picture by picture DIY on doing a console delete. Here's the link: http://gallery.rennlist.com/gallery/albuq44. There's a couple of things that won't be explained in that DIY, such as removing the leather trim pieces, taking the lid off the center console's compartment, etc. But they're fairly simple, I figured them all out within seconds. The trim pieces all just pull off (they're just clipped in place by plastic tabs), but be careful to find the right angle to pull from, the tabs can brake fairly easy. As for the lid on the center console compartment, if you can't figure it out when you get there, PM me 'cause that one's a little more complicated.
   
2. This next step is the most time consuming, but also the most IMPORTANT, so make sure to do it right. It's the prep work. You have to first strip off all the original soft touch paint. Someone on another forum recommended I use "3M Safest Stripper," but I wasn't able to find it ANYWHERE, so I did it the hard way, sanding. Since I wasn't able to find it, I can't vouch if it really works on & won't ruin plastic. If you do find it, I suggest you try it out on an indisposable piece of plastic first. Now, if you can't find it (like me) or just simply decide you want to do it the old fashioned way, like I did, then buy a pack of mixed grit sandpaper & make sure it's water-proof. I filled a bucket with water & mixed in some dishwashing soap (makes it easier to sand because soap makes it slicker, that way the paper doesn't get stuck when going back & forth), then sat on a table outside with the console. I sanded until my hands were ready to fall off, lol. Once you're absolutely sure that the plastic is completely free of paint, you can either sand with a finer grit such as 320 or 600, OR you can go directly to step 3. I chose NOT to sand with a finer grit because I felt the texture that the 180 grit left would help the paint better adhere to the plastic. It's your choice. Although if you choose to leave it with the 180, you'll have to do more coats of primer/paint/clear to get a flat, smooth finish.
   
3. The next step is to finish prepping the plastic. It's very important to have a very clean surface free of grease, debris, particles from the sanding, etc. So I got a soft bristle brush to get everything I could off, then I got a sponge & some Dawn dish soap (dishwashing soap does the best job because it degreases) & cleaned as best as I could). Once it was dry, I wet a towel with some rubbing alcohol & cleaned it again (you don't have to do this, but I chose to). Once the console is as clean as possible, do not touch, grab, or hold it without using gloves (the natural oils from our skin can affect the adhesion).
   
4. Now set up the area where you're going to paint. Obviously you're going to cover the area in plastic & all that stuff that you already know. But the important thing is to set up something that the console can sit on without the bottom of the sides touching (so that even the edges get well painted, that way the paint won't end up lifting or peeling off later). What I did was I got 2 very small boxes & sat the console on top of them.
   
5. Now the fun part, painting! You have 2 options here (depending on your car color). If your color is something simple like black or white & you don't care about having an EXACT match with your exterior (it's not like anyone would notice with black or white, lol), then you can do it the easy & very cheap way. Go to Home Depot/Dixieline/Ace/wherever the hell you'd like & buy Krylon Fusion Plastic Spray Paint in your choice of color as well as the clear. The paint is already made to adhere to plastic & flex, which means you don't need primer or anything. If you have a very unique car color (like me) or just happen to be perfectionest & **** (like me) then you have to order custom color matched spray paint. I searched all the local places as well as the entire universe, even Mars for color matched paint in a spray can, & everyone was like "nope, never heard of anyone color matching spray paint," but I didn't give up, & finally found a site that does it. You guys are lucky, because I'm going to give you the link, lol. http://automotivetouchup.com/spray_paint_matched.aspx. You can find the "Factory Color Code" needed on the Options Sticker that's under the front hood of you're curvey fat *** porky. By the way, with this paint, you WILL need primer, so get the "Plastic Adhesion Promoter" that is also sold on their site. Infact, I bought everything there (sandpaper, primer, paint, clearcoat) so the site is pretty convenient. Okay, as for the painting, if you went with the color matched paint, then you must do the "adhesion promoter" first, I did 3 light coats. Make sure to spray very evenly. The first coat should be extremely light (you don't want it to drip, run, sag, etc.), & the rest of the coats moderately light as well. You get a much nicer finish by applying many light coats than by doing a lot of thick coats. Wait 10-15 minutes between coats. (repeat the same steps & follow the same tips for the paint as well as the clear coat). For the paint, I did about 6 coats, & then about 4 of the clear coat. I had to do this many coats to get it nice & even because I left the coarse finish from the 180 grit, but the amount of coats you do all depend on the grit you use as well as your personal preference. Just make sure not to go overboard though, if you put too many coats, it can crack easily because of the thickness. Once you're finished, let it air dry & do not touch it for at least 24 hours.
   
6. Final step! Getting it nice, smooth, sleek, sexy, & shiny. After at least 2 days (I waited 5 to be safe) of letting the paint properly cure/adhere, wet sand with 1500 grit sandpaper, then get a good quality rubbing compound to get all the 1500 grit scratches out. Finally, finish it off with a polish. After 30 days from the original date you did the paint job, you can wax it or use a sealant. I personally went with Rejex (shines, lasts, feels, & repels better than any carnauba or sealant out there). I added a coat of Rejex, let it dry to a haze, removed it with a microfiber, let it cure overnight, & then did a couple more coats the next day, & BAM! It was like a mirror. Once you're center console looks incredibly sexily shiny, simply re-install your entire interior & enjoy the admiration from celebrities, envy from losers who can't be you, & especially the chick magnetation. Just sit back & enjoy all the beautiful models such as Adriana Lima begging for your attention after they see your center console. They'll be like "I love your center console, now can I see your shifter?" lol jk, the center console won't really do that. That was already happening to me BEFORE I did the center console paint job. Okay, jk, again (a guy can dream, right?)... But in all seriousness, people do love it, & it really gives you a sportier, more elegant, & even updated look. It's a great way to freshen our cars up!

If you guys have any other questions (which I doubt, since I wrote a DIY longer than a Harry Potter book), just shoot me a PM.

 

Very nice!!!

Excellent write up and good paint job!

 

that looks FANTASTIC!!!!!

 

That looks awesome I'm just debating if I should do it myself or take it to a friends body shop who wouldn't charge me at all haha

 

nice. now please do the ashtray! LOL!
joel

 

looks real good raphael. i also did mine almost the same color except i also painted the ashtray. wont stick out like a sore thumb.

good work!

rep points for you.

jorge

 

Nice writeup. I think he was going for contrast look with the ashtray.

 

Thanks man, & same to you on your DIY. I think I might be doing your CF look mod soon as well.


Thanks a million BoxsterGirlie

Lol, it's pretty funny you say that. I actually had the same option. I have a friend with a shop that does everything from stereos, to custom paint jobs, lifts, lowering, lambo doors (which I think look horrible on anything other than a lambo, lol) & he offered to do it for $50 (which is about what I ended up paying for all the supplies to do it myself anyway). I ended up doing it myself for three reasons though. The first is that since it's my car, I love it, & care what it look like, my experience in the past is that when I do something myself, even if it's my first time doing it, the result is usually better than if I have a "pro" do it. The second is that I get this really awesome feeling knowing that I did it myself & it turned out great, doing DIY are a great way to learn more about your car when you take things apart, learn to do new things & techniques, plus you have that satisfactory feeling of being able to say that YOU did it. The last reason though, is I try not to get favors from friends' businesses, lol. "Free" is never really FREE, especially when you're a jeweler .


Lol, ya, I still have to do the ashtray as well as the handbrake cover.


Thanks for the compliments & rep points! Ya, I know, everyone tells me the same thing about the ashtray. I haven't gotten around to it, but I will paint it soon.


Thanks... But actually I wasn't going for the contrast look, I simply ran out of paint while doing the handbrake cover (which is why the handbrake cover is missing, I couldn't finish it) so I need to order more & do both of those, lol.

 

A young man much wiser than his years. Great job, and good write up. At 19 you are WAY ahead of the game. We'll expect more from you now.

 

Raph,

Glad to see you posted it here too... looks just as good as it did over on Rennlist and I like it every bit as much... Like I said, I plan on doing the same thing and CF wrapping other pieces... If it were me... maybe CF wrap the ashtray??? And CF wrap the console side trim and the armrest cover thing...

Looks great and I'm glad to see it here too!

Rudy

 

wow. this is awesome! thanks!

 

Thanks a lot for the compliments. Usually I hear complaints about me having a P-Car at 18 (or well now at 19 ), lol.


Thanks... Yup, exactly what I plan on doing. CF wrap on the console side trim, armest cover, & the little trim pieces on the sides of where the cubby space is. As for the ashtray, I think I'm doing it blue as well. I think it looks broken up in having it in a different color.


Thanks... & you're welcome , lol.

 

I know this post is old, but I am currently in progress with this DIY project and I wanted to say that the 3M safest stripper does damage the ABS plastic of the center console.

That aside, 3M Safest Stripper is pretty impressive stuff. No smell, it sticks well, and it stripped the paint of a piece of my console in just a few minutes (but it also melted/warped the plastic).

 

I can't see the pictures man.

 

The original post is two years old. Sadly, the internet is not forever.