Another interior paint question

[BarryK]

sorry, did a search but didn't find the answer on this........

i want to repaint the shifter console plate on my '65 (the piece on the tranny hump that surrounds the shifter and does back to the center armrest pad) as it has a few little nicks and scratches in it.
Would the SEM Trim Black #39143 that I used on the upper trim panels also be the appropiate paint to use on this console piece or is it a different finish requiring a different paint??

yep, I already know I'm going to have to clean it REAL well to avoid fisheyes!

 

[JohnZ]

The SEM will work fine - just mist it on in several light coats so you don't lose the appearance of the grained texture.

 

[BarryK]

thanks John!
yep, I know I don't want to loose that grained texture

 

[Kid_Again]

...based on my experience of restoring a number of interiors, it you are not REAL good with paint, you may want to lie down till this passes or give it to a pro....most fill in the grain because they simply use TOO MUCH PAINT

the first thing to do is either tape the risers on either side of the console (preferred) or make a template to prevent overspray (the way to make a template is to lay the console on a piece of thin cardboard and trace the outline..when you cut out the template, you will see that the outside edge will drop perfectly into the trough that lies between the flat grained area and the riser).....after you strip and clean the console, fog it with black etching primer and then fog the cover coats (if you are careful, you can apply 3 coats for a durable finish)......

.....you sound like a descriminating guy and i would strongly recommend you NOT just finish the floor console because it will never match the cluster and glove box...you have to finish all 3 at the same time or it will always be the first thing that you notice when you get in.....BTDT:eyerole

good luck

 

[BarryK]

Gee Kid, you are just full of good news today...........
although you do make a good point about the shifter plate not matching the glove box door and gauge cluster.
D*mn, now you have me having second thought about this

 

[67AirCoupe]

I have heard that an airbrush works the best for this job! Plus, I agree that it won't match your gage cluster and that if you are anal it could bother you!!!

 

[BarryK]

well, I think we all know by now how anal I am so any mismatch in the color will bother the h*ll out of me. Kid has me seriously re-thinking this idea. The shifter plate isn't all that bad, it's just that since I did all the upper panels and the headliner I was itching to keep on moving to fix-up any other little items I saw but I can live with the two or three very small scratches on the shifter console a lot better than I could live with looking at a color mismatch everytime i got in the car.
Next winter I want to send the guage cluster out for rebuild/restore so maybe the place can do the guage cluster, glove box door and the shifter plate all the same time so they all match correctly

 

[Vette66AirCoupe]

Barry,

Just be careful that when you do send all of the pieces out next year that you are assured that they will come back to you in the proper sheen. I had my cluster and glove box door done by a well respected Corvette shop in Pennsylvania soon after I bought the car and they are too shiney. I was too new to the hobby to realize they were wrong at the time. A judge from our club looked at the car and said "I can't believe XXXXXX Corvette did that?, they are too shiney."

 

[BarryK]

I can guess who did the work and i'm betting it was Bill who commented on it.

actually, I was figuring on probably sending it out to Corvette Specialties of MD when I send it out as I hear they do a good job unless I hear better recommendations for somewhere else when I'm ready to do it.

 

[1KULC7]

I have heard that an airbrush works the best for this job! Plus, I agree that it won't match your gage cluster and that if you are anal it could bother you!!!

Correct...the airbrush is the only way to go when doing the midyear consoles...

 

[1KULC7]

I can guess who did the work and i'm betting it was Bill who commented on it.

actually, I was figuring on probably sending it out to Corvette Specialties of MD when I send it out as I hear they do a good job unless I hear better recommendations for somewhere else when I'm ready to do it.

Barry Corvette Specialties is the absolute BEST for this work...Talk to Brian, tell him Collin sends his best...Brian is an old friend and a great guy to deal with you will never get a bum deal from CS of MD.....

 

[BarryK]

Hi Collin

yep, hear a lot of good things about them and I know you were real happy with the work they did on your car

 

[stepinwolf]

Hi Collin

yep, hear a lot of good things about them and I know you were real happy with the work they did on your car

Barry,

You can't go wrong sending your dash cluster to Corvette Specialties of MD. They do excellent work and Brian is very knowledgeable. They also do a more then excellent job on wiper motors, and headlight motors. My trick, ( if I can call it that ) is that I like to send him the parts before the Corvette show in Carlisle, and then pick them up at the show. Brian is THE man, but don't be surprised if he doesn't indulge in too much chit-chat. He's more of the " down to the point " and move on to something else type of person.

Stepinwolf

 

[BarryK]

thanks for the confirmation on CS of MD Bob.

sending it to hm for a Carlisle pick-up would be nice but I doubt i'll have the money before this years Carlisle to get the dash cluster done - -hopefully sometime next winter though.
he's only an hour - hour and a half from me so he's pretty close anyway and when i'm ready I can save shipping $$$ and time by maybe just driving it down to him.

I don't need a lot of chit-chat from him, just high quality work

 

[Vette66AirCoupe]

Barry,

Drive it down to him and pick it up there. That way you eliminate any shippping problems. For sure Brian is a man of few words. He will probably put you in touch with the fellow who will be doing the work who's name escapes me. He'll spend some time making sure he knows everything you want done. Don't forget to leave him the ignition key unless you are planning on taking the cylinder out yourself. As you know both of mine were done last winter by Corvette Specialties of MD. with great results. I kick myself for not having it repainted while it was out after that ill fated paint job in Pennsylvania. ad In case anyone is wondering, it was supposed to have had the tach repaired and all of the lenses cleaned in PA. just a year earlier. The tach froze up about 1600 miles and 12 months later. That's what led me to Corvette Specialties of MD where I was well pleased. Also, Barry, figure on at least 8 weeks turn around.

 

[BarryK]

Terry
8 weeks turnaround on the gauge cluster!!??
oh well, it will be a winter project anyway so no big loss

 

[Vette66AirCoupe]

'60 Cluster, dropped off on 1/12/05, completed 3/8/05.
'66 Cluster, dropped off 3/11/05, completed 5/18/05.

Your mileage may vary.

 

[BarryK]

'60 Cluster, dropped off on 1/12/05, completed 3/8/05.
'66 Cluster, dropped off 3/11/05, completed 5/18/05.

Your mileage may vary.

yep, that's fairly consistent for about 8 weeks......
thanks, at least I'll know how to plan for it. It sounds like a job to start early in the winter so I'm not waiting for it during the spring.
I guess I'll have to try and get it out around early Nov next year.