Shift Console Repair
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 105
Likes: 12
From: Rockford, IL
Shift Console Repair
I'm going to attempt to repair my badly damaged shift console because it's a hell of a lot cheaper than buying a new one.
Here's the damage:
I have no idea why there was an extra screw on this thing, but with the beveled screw heads, it didn't look bad.
The whole thing is wobbly and is broken on the edges so it has "wings"
My plan is to made some sheet metal brackets with J-clips so that something can be screwed into it again. Then I'll hold it in the right shape and glass the whole backside of it.
As for the metal bracket on the front, it's pretty bent out of shape and obviously not attached correctly. Does anybody have a picture of how this is supposed to look from the underside?
I've tried to look around the forum and see if anyone has some good steps for this, but I couldn't find anything specific.
So if anyone has some experience with this or any ideas on how to go about it, it would be greatly appreciated!
Here's the damage:
I have no idea why there was an extra screw on this thing, but with the beveled screw heads, it didn't look bad.
The whole thing is wobbly and is broken on the edges so it has "wings"
My plan is to made some sheet metal brackets with J-clips so that something can be screwed into it again. Then I'll hold it in the right shape and glass the whole backside of it.
As for the metal bracket on the front, it's pretty bent out of shape and obviously not attached correctly. Does anybody have a picture of how this is supposed to look from the underside?
I've tried to look around the forum and see if anyone has some good steps for this, but I couldn't find anything specific.
So if anyone has some experience with this or any ideas on how to go about it, it would be greatly appreciated!
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 7,123
Likes: 433
From: Gladstone MO
C3 of Year Finalist (appearance mods) 2019
Mine was not quite that bad. It was bad however. I made some aluminum tabs and mixed up some fiberglass. I roughed up the inside of the shell and used the aluminum and some fiberglass cloth to reform and replace the broken tabs, and tied everything together on the inside with the cloth and resin.
Former Vendor
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 76,656
Likes: 1,852
From: Jeffersonville Indiana 812-288-7103
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15
Plastic fusion or another name it's called by.. Plastic weld... will fix the breaks. It's a two part self mixing epoxy you can purchase at most parts stores.
matching the grain for the vinyl repair is not going to be easy but do-able. Matching the color with the darker color in the low spots is going to be a task.
your bracket should be straight.
Willcox
matching the grain for the vinyl repair is not going to be easy but do-able. Matching the color with the darker color in the low spots is going to be a task.
your bracket should be straight.
Willcox
Last edited by Willcox Corvette; Oct 6, 2013 at 05:44 PM.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 105
Likes: 12
From: Rockford, IL
Plastic fusion or another name it's called by.. Plastic weld... will fix the breaks. It's a two part self mixing epoxy you can purchase at most parts stores. matching the grain for the vinyl repair is not going to be easy but do-able. Matching the color with the darker color in the low spots is going to be a task. your bracket should be straight. Willcox
Former Vendor
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 76,656
Likes: 1,852
From: Jeffersonville Indiana 812-288-7103
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15
But your shift console wasn't a solid color.... it's darker down in the grain by design... and when you die it, it will be all one color. There is a trick to doing that with dye.
You'll have to dye the extension panels too... to make them match. You'll have a slight miss-match where it meets the dash pad, I doubt anyone will notice it though.
You'll have to dye the extension panels too... to make them match. You'll have a slight miss-match where it meets the dash pad, I doubt anyone will notice it though.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 105
Likes: 12
From: Rockford, IL
But your shift console wasn't a solid color.... it's darker down in the grain by design... and when you die it, it will be all one color. There is a trick to doing that with dye. You'll have to dye the extension panels too... to make them match. You'll have a slight miss-match where it meets the dash pad, I doubt anyone will notice it though.
My plan was to eventually re-dye all the salvageable interior parts, so hopefully everything will match and look decent.
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