Remove wood grain from shifter console
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 941
Likes: 10
Remove wood grain from shifter console
When I bought this car, it came with a new wood grain piece for the shifter console. Also came with a new 4 speed shifter position plate and also the console engine info plate.
Whats the best way to remove these items....just get a corner up and pull it off ? What will dissolve the old glue used to retain the above ?
Thanks
8Valve
Whats the best way to remove these items....just get a corner up and pull it off ? What will dissolve the old glue used to retain the above ?
Thanks
8Valve
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 8,837
Likes: 1,028
When I bought this car, it came with a new wood grain piece for the shifter console. Also came with a new 4 speed shifter position plate and also the console engine info plate.
Whats the best way to remove these items....just get a corner up and pull it off ? What will dissolve the old glue used to retain the above ?
Thanks
8Valve
Whats the best way to remove these items....just get a corner up and pull it off ? What will dissolve the old glue used to retain the above ?
Thanks
8Valve
Most guys put them on when the console is all scratched up, so, expect to buy a new one anyhow.
My 2 cents.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 2,365
Likes: 428
From: Cape Girardeau Missouri
Given what you say I believe your plates are painted pot metal and I seriously doubt that you will be able to remove the wood grain without needing to refinish. Steam is the gentlest thing I can imagine to remove the wood and adhesive--along with a dull plastic scraper steam may remove nearly everything. Then a strong detergent like 409, Fantastik or Simple Green. The next up the ladder is a citrus based solvent like "Goo Gone". After those you're into strong solvents like lacquer thinner, acetone, "paint remover" and lye with increasing certainty of removing the original finishes to include the bright accents.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 31,278
Likes: 4,372
From: Westminster Maryland
Hi,
The original shift pattern plate and data plates used psa (pressure sensitive adhesive) to hold them in place.
If there are traces of it remaining after you pry them off I think using alcohol is a good way to remove it.
Be careful you don't bend the data plate… they're pretty thin.
Regards,
Alan
New plates with psa.
The original shift pattern plate and data plates used psa (pressure sensitive adhesive) to hold them in place.
If there are traces of it remaining after you pry them off I think using alcohol is a good way to remove it.
Be careful you don't bend the data plate… they're pretty thin.
Regards,
Alan
New plates with psa.
Last edited by Alan 71; Dec 28, 2016 at 09:11 AM.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 1,222
Likes: 93
From: shelbyville West Michigan
my wife's '76 had a grungy wood grain kit on it when I got it. I just peeled it off and used goo-gone to clean up the residue. as stated above, if it didn't look bad before the wood grain, it will after you remove it as whatever remaining paint/finish is left will come up as well.
Racer
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 414
Likes: 55
From: Humboldt county Ca
My automatic 75 had one. I just yanked the center piece and data plate off. My console plate has a pebble finish under the woodgrain and the whole thing is chromed. I cleaned the glue off with acetone. I ended up painting the console black because the reflection off the chrome was killer.
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Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 1,114
Likes: 520
From: McClellandtown, Pa.
When I bought this car, it came with a new wood grain piece for the shifter console. Also came with a new 4 speed shifter position plate and also the console engine info plate.
Whats the best way to remove these items....just get a corner up and pull it off ? What will dissolve the old glue used to retain the above ?
Thanks
8Valve
Whats the best way to remove these items....just get a corner up and pull it off ? What will dissolve the old glue used to retain the above ?
Thanks
8Valve
Not sure what year car you are asking about, but here's a description with some pics of what I did on my 73. The wood grain insert on my console was cracked and split from age. My console trim plate was installed by a previous owner way back in the 90's so it had the original wood grain insert. The oem stuff was really more like a wood veneer unlike the newer repros.My car originally would not have had the deluxe wood grain trim so I wanted to remove it anyway.
All you need to do is get one corner started and gradually pull up, it should come off fairly easy. You could also use a blow dryer to heat the adhesive if it is giving you trouble. The same for the data plate. The shift plate shouldn't be too bad underneath.( Note: The shift plate will be exactly the same as those found on all non- deluxe interior cars. )You could use some mild solvents to remove the adhesive residue. My console 4 speed shift pattern indicator had some scratches, so I decided to freshen up and restore the entire plate. Here are some photos of the process I used to restore it.
Hope this helps you and others wanting to do this restoration
Regards,
Jimmy
Last edited by Tooch1; Dec 29, 2016 at 12:11 AM. Reason: Added info.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 1,114
Likes: 520
From: McClellandtown, Pa.
The console plate must be cleaned of all adhesive and dirt before painting. If your chrome trim edges are free of nicks or damage you can restore the plate to " like new" condition. If you don't need to remove your data plate, you must carefully mask it off. I had to remove mine because it wasn't correct for my L48. You can not mask the chrome edges though. It would be impossible. Just paint the entire plate with satin black. Tip: apply some hand lotion with a q-tip to the chrome edges before paint. Afterwards, you can rub off most of the paint from these edges. I included a photo of the products I used.
Last edited by Tooch1; Dec 28, 2016 at 10:22 AM.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 1,114
Likes: 520
From: McClellandtown, Pa.
I used a small dull flat screw driver ( see photo below) to carefully remove the black paint from the chrome edges. ( very little came off by just rubbing, but the lotion does keep the paint from adhering too well). You could try this step with a razor blade, but I was afraid to scratch the chrome.
This process takes a great deal of patience, but it's a fun do it yourself project. It will save you a ton of $$$$ for a new shifter plate. You could easily do this to an automatic plate too!
This process takes a great deal of patience, but it's a fun do it yourself project. It will save you a ton of $$$$ for a new shifter plate. You could easily do this to an automatic plate too!
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 1,222
Likes: 93
From: shelbyville West Michigan
Tooch - did you make that screwdriver? if so what'd you use for the ferrule? I've made quite a few on the lathe and always on the lookout for stuff to use on the end of the handle...copper or brass tube is kinda boring after a while...
sorry to go off topic.
sorry to go off topic.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 941
Likes: 10
Thanks guys for the info. The Car is a 74 with deluxe interior. The shifter plate wood grain is a pressure sensitive vinyl of some type. Along with the car came a new vinyl wood grain, shift pattern and engine info plates. I will work them off with a heat gun and then try cleaning with alcohol . Appreciate the help
8Valve
8Valve
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 1,114
Likes: 520
From: McClellandtown, Pa.
Regards,
Tooch.
Last edited by Tooch1; Dec 29, 2016 at 12:08 AM.
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,118
From: Crossville TN
FYI...
An X-Acto hobby knife with angled razor blade insert does the job of 'shaving' off unwanted paint from the chrome edging very nicely. You want to do that before the paint sets up hard (but not when it is wet) and you want to hold the edge at a shallow angle to the part surface. But, it will not 'dig' into the chrome, and it really does a good job.
The only 'downside' is that it makes shavings. And, it is better to just blow off what will leave on its own and leave the rest until the paint is cured pretty well. Then you can just brush off any excess shavings. If you try to 'wipe' the shavings off, it will make a mess of the fresh paint.
An X-Acto hobby knife with angled razor blade insert does the job of 'shaving' off unwanted paint from the chrome edging very nicely. You want to do that before the paint sets up hard (but not when it is wet) and you want to hold the edge at a shallow angle to the part surface. But, it will not 'dig' into the chrome, and it really does a good job.
The only 'downside' is that it makes shavings. And, it is better to just blow off what will leave on its own and leave the rest until the paint is cured pretty well. Then you can just brush off any excess shavings. If you try to 'wipe' the shavings off, it will make a mess of the fresh paint.