Can this Interior Trim Piece be fixed?
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 167
Likes: 4
From: Glenmont NY
Can this Interior Trim Piece be fixed?
I am wondering if this crack in the parking brake console can be bonded, sealed, and repainted.
I want the crack(s) to be invisible after I spray this piece with vinyl paint (dye). The piece has no chips and is only a crack.
Option 1: glue the crack and have the vinyl paint cover the hairline crack.
Option 2: Create a groove and fill with fiberglass resin (or something else?) then sand and paint.
Other options?
I want the crack(s) to be invisible after I spray this piece with vinyl paint (dye). The piece has no chips and is only a crack.
Option 1: glue the crack and have the vinyl paint cover the hairline crack.
Option 2: Create a groove and fill with fiberglass resin (or something else?) then sand and paint.
Other options?
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 10,207
Likes: 4
From: Newton North Carolina
You can repair it if you want.I would try to glue the seam instead of grinding a grove in it,but you can buy a new one for about 40 buck and then all you have to do is dye it your call.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 7,186
Likes: 45
From: detroit area
glue it from the underside and use a piece of metal or something to act as a bridge over the crack.....try epoxy... then on the top surface you might get away without using any filler/etc....
if the part is only 40bones, i would just get a new one
if the part is only 40bones, i would just get a new one
Racer
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 319
Likes: 0
From: Topeka Kansas
St. Jude Donor '09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14,’18
Sometimes you need to look at what your time is worth. It's your time.
You can always try the repair and if you're not satisfied with the results, buy a new console.
Mike
You can always try the repair and if you're not satisfied with the results, buy a new console.
Mike
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Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,006
Likes: 28
From: Lutz Florida
I fixed mine by gluing it back together with fiberglass resin and reinforcing the underside by roughing it up and putting a layer of fiberglass cloth and resin for reinforcement. I then repainted it with matching interior dye. Almost unnoticeable. That was about five or six years ago and still holding up. I know you can buy a new one, but I had the fiberglass resin and cloth, was bored at the time, and figured if it didn't work I'd buy a new one.
I have one of the matching console cushions on top of mine so you cant see the repair anyway. A number of vendors sell them.
I have one of the matching console cushions on top of mine so you cant see the repair anyway. A number of vendors sell them.
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 4,458
Likes: 331
From: Indy Indiana
anytime you sand down the top is will show, I don't see how you can preserve the 'grain' look if you fill it and sand it.. might be worth try if it will just press together with a fine coat of bonding glue or epoxy..
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 4,063
Likes: 104
From: Southeast, Tennessee
St. Jude Donor '09 thru '26
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,118
From: Crossville TN
That is a very simple fix....as long as there are no pieces missing. If you can push the ends together and get them to mesh well, you should have no problem.
Use wire brush, wire wheel on a Dremel, or sandpaper to rough-up the inside of that cracked area. Either clamp or strap the broken joint together so that there is no gap visible at the crack. Get some JBWeld 'Stick' epoxy and cut off about a half inch. Knead it throroughly, then spread it out around the back-side of the cracked area. DO NOT try to put the epoxy into the joint of the crack. Allow to harden overnight. Fix any other damaged areas in similar manner. If you still have some uneven edges at the site of the break, you can mix up a bit of 2-part liquid/tube epoxy and use a toothpick to insert some to fill damaged areas without filling in the surface texture of the part. Again, allow to cure. Now, release any clamps, wash the outer surface of the part with detergent (get any Armor-all, etc. completely removed), then shoot the part with the correct color of SEM vinyl dye (not paint or spray can 'dye' from an aftermarket vendor...they just sell you paint with a "dye" label on it). You won't be able to tell it from a new one.
Use wire brush, wire wheel on a Dremel, or sandpaper to rough-up the inside of that cracked area. Either clamp or strap the broken joint together so that there is no gap visible at the crack. Get some JBWeld 'Stick' epoxy and cut off about a half inch. Knead it throroughly, then spread it out around the back-side of the cracked area. DO NOT try to put the epoxy into the joint of the crack. Allow to harden overnight. Fix any other damaged areas in similar manner. If you still have some uneven edges at the site of the break, you can mix up a bit of 2-part liquid/tube epoxy and use a toothpick to insert some to fill damaged areas without filling in the surface texture of the part. Again, allow to cure. Now, release any clamps, wash the outer surface of the part with detergent (get any Armor-all, etc. completely removed), then shoot the part with the correct color of SEM vinyl dye (not paint or spray can 'dye' from an aftermarket vendor...they just sell you paint with a "dye" label on it). You won't be able to tell it from a new one.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 40,422
Likes: 792
From: Redondo Beach, California
For my 68 (it has the selt belt buckle pockets) I've bought two: one from Dr Rebuild and one for Mid America. They both were made by EC Products (Everything Corvette). They don't look good. The faux leather surface appearance on the top surface looks bad. Instead of having a leather surface look, it just looks scratchy.
You need to bond aluminum strips on the underside before they crack. Who didn't practice what he preached? I was planning on doing this to my mint appearance 68 but procrastinated. They one day without thinking, to get out of the car, I put my elboe on the top surface to help get out of the car and CRACK.
The 69 and up are easier to find. I think I once bought a repro and it looked OK. Just buy a repro or an ebay console. You should plan on returning the repro if it doesn't look good. As the vendor who made it. Mid America's salesman insisted the 68 version they sold was made by them. When I called back and confronted them with the EC Products logo on the undersurface, they fessed up that EC Products made it. EC Products makes a lot of repro interior parts. Some look good, some look.......
You need to bond aluminum strips on the underside before they crack. Who didn't practice what he preached? I was planning on doing this to my mint appearance 68 but procrastinated. They one day without thinking, to get out of the car, I put my elboe on the top surface to help get out of the car and CRACK.
The 69 and up are easier to find. I think I once bought a repro and it looked OK. Just buy a repro or an ebay console. You should plan on returning the repro if it doesn't look good. As the vendor who made it. Mid America's salesman insisted the 68 version they sold was made by them. When I called back and confronted them with the EC Products logo on the undersurface, they fessed up that EC Products made it. EC Products makes a lot of repro interior parts. Some look good, some look.......
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,118
From: Crossville TN
Oh, and after you fix it, take advice from the prior post and buy a padded "T" cushion to put on top of the rear console. Then you can use it as an arm rest and also [safely] use it as leverage for getting in and out of the car.
Instructor
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 125
Likes: 0
From: tacoma wa
all good idea's guys but would like to share a technique that i have had pretty good luck with in fixing cracked plastic pieces.
i use a soldering gun on the inside along the crack, then i melt hot glue in it, with the gun. pretty messy on the gun but they wire brush up pretty easy.
as far as the outside? that texture and the crack are going to be pretty hard to get like new. be creative and bet it can be done.
wife mentioned that there are a lot of these on e-bay?? if they are in good shape imho would be the best route.
hats off to those that have done custom pieces for this. very nice work.
doug
i use a soldering gun on the inside along the crack, then i melt hot glue in it, with the gun. pretty messy on the gun but they wire brush up pretty easy.
as far as the outside? that texture and the crack are going to be pretty hard to get like new. be creative and bet it can be done.
wife mentioned that there are a lot of these on e-bay?? if they are in good shape imho would be the best route.
hats off to those that have done custom pieces for this. very nice work.
doug
Racer
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 396
Likes: 0
From: Yorba Linda CA
For my 68 (it has the selt belt buckle pockets) I've bought two: one from Dr Rebuild and one for Mid America. They both were made by EC Products (Everything Corvette). They don't look good. The faux leather surface appearance on the top surface looks bad. Instead of having a leather surface look, it just looks scratchy.
You need to bond aluminum strips on the underside before they crack. Who didn't practice what he preached? I was planning on doing this to my mint appearance 68 but procrastinated. They one day without thinking, to get out of the car, I put my elboe on the top surface to help get out of the car and CRACK.
The 69 and up are easier to find. I think I once bought a repro and it looked OK. Just buy a repro or an ebay console. You should plan on returning the repro if it doesn't look good. As the vendor who made it. Mid America's salesman insisted the 68 version they sold was made by them. When I called back and confronted them with the EC Products logo on the undersurface, they fessed up that EC Products made it. EC Products makes a lot of repro interior parts. Some look good, some look.......
You need to bond aluminum strips on the underside before they crack. Who didn't practice what he preached? I was planning on doing this to my mint appearance 68 but procrastinated. They one day without thinking, to get out of the car, I put my elboe on the top surface to help get out of the car and CRACK.
The 69 and up are easier to find. I think I once bought a repro and it looked OK. Just buy a repro or an ebay console. You should plan on returning the repro if it doesn't look good. As the vendor who made it. Mid America's salesman insisted the 68 version they sold was made by them. When I called back and confronted them with the EC Products logo on the undersurface, they fessed up that EC Products made it. EC Products makes a lot of repro interior parts. Some look good, some look.......
Thanks for the info.
I did the same thing to my perfect original while getting out of the car.
Elbow to the center and CRACK
