console paint?
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 4,176
Likes: 7
From: Jennings LA
console paint?
my '93 has some wear around the shifter trim. I have seen many worn like this. it looks like some sort of coating on it has worn off. can you strip all of this off and just paint it or do you have to replace it?
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 40,156
Likes: 45
From: San Pedro CA
you can, but it ain't easy. That finish is called "dulcote." It's a rubber material sprayed on, somehow... the problem? It just doesn't last. It does look nice until it starts to peal, tho.
There is some stuff called "plastic coat" or something like that. It's available at Lowes or HD. It comes in spray or dip. The only thing, it requires very specific prep, or it will peal off.
You can paint it, but be careful, that plastic will scar very easily.
You may want to hit Ecklers and get a new plate... that's another option.
There is some stuff called "plastic coat" or something like that. It's available at Lowes or HD. It comes in spray or dip. The only thing, it requires very specific prep, or it will peal off.
You can paint it, but be careful, that plastic will scar very easily.
You may want to hit Ecklers and get a new plate... that's another option.
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 5,214
Likes: 65
From: Queensland, AUSTRALIA
I striped the rubber **** off with acetone and sanded it all nice and smooth, then painted it with a satin finish black spray paint for plastics and vinyls. I think it came up quite good.
Racer
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 447
Likes: 0
From: N Chesterfield Va.
Here's a good tech tip, originally submitted by LARS
https://www.corvetteforum.com/techti...=114&TopicID=2
https://www.corvetteforum.com/techti...=114&TopicID=2
Last edited by fxgrnd38; Dec 3, 2006 at 08:27 AM.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 4,176
Likes: 7
From: Jennings LA
Originally Posted by Casethecorvetteman
I striped the rubber **** off with acetone and sanded it all nice and smooth, then painted it with a satin finish black spray paint for plastics and vinyls. I think it came up quite good.
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 5,214
Likes: 65
From: Queensland, AUSTRALIA
With acetone it did yeah, i soaked it in there submerged and then the Dulso came off quite easy. Then after you get the stuff off it might look like its covered in very small cracks, and i have no idea why it did this. I sanded it after i cleaned it, got it as smooth as i could, then painted one even coat and allowed it to dry. The fine cracks were visible through the paint after it dried, but after sanding it with fine sand paper, adding another coat, sanding again when dry etc, the fine cracks were gone. The plastic itself wasnt cracked, and the underside wasnt like that, only some parts of the top side, mainly along the rounded sides and to the right of the cup holder. I also soaked the cup holder door and got the Dulso off that, then sanded it, and finished it off with brass polish. (didnt paint it, left it as it was, its a different sort of plastic and looks good without paint)
The passenger side A/C vent (under the airbag cover) still has the Dulso, so you can sort of get a comparison of how it compares
The passenger side A/C vent (under the airbag cover) still has the Dulso, so you can sort of get a comparison of how it compares
Last edited by Casethecorvetteman; Dec 3, 2006 at 10:11 AM.
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 2,089
Likes: 12
From: Port Saint Lucie, FL
Originally Posted by Casethecorvetteman
I striped the rubber **** off with acetone and sanded it all nice and smooth, then painted it with a satin finish black spray paint for plastics and vinyls. I think it came up quite good.
I also did the sand it down and paint it route. You have to make sure to prep it well. When you sand that suff down, if you dont clean it well, the oils (from armorall or whatever) will also be sanded into the plastic. I kept cleaning mine with warm soap and water alot. It came out great. Any paint job is only as good as the prep that goes into it.
Drifting
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 1,258
Likes: 38
From: springtown Texas
Originally Posted by Casethecorvetteman
That looks flash mate!! You did quite a nice job of it 
yes you have to get it clean before and after you sand it. rubbing alcohol works good at getting all the oil and armor all off.
mine also had the cracks in it after i stripped it. i shot 2 coats of primer on it then sanded it down and they were gone.
it looks like a black mirror now. you can see your self in it now
if anyone wants theres painted b/c black, i'll prime,sand,base, and clear the panels for 100.00
Last edited by GS977; Dec 3, 2006 at 12:32 PM.
Racer
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 405
Likes: 1
From: Twinsburg OH
I also striped the rubber coating off and repainted with the crylon fusion. I scraped all mine off then sanded, what a pain in the... well you know where. It took almost 2 weeks in my spare time to refinish the ac vent the panel around the radio shifter and door handle. Painted it all in satin black it’s a little more gloss than I wanted it to be but looks 100 times better than the pealing did.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 5,141
Likes: 7
From: Metairie Louisiana
What type/grit sand paper was used? I'll need to do this soon with the new radio install. Looks realy good. Now I can't decide if I should go glossy or dull. How well does the new finish hold up compared to the stock finish? Thanks for the pics.
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 101
Likes: 0
From: Garden City Kansas
I just thought I would let all 92-96 owners that the plastic shift console bezel is temprarily discontinued from Ecklers, Corvette Central and The Last Detail. The rep at Last Detail explained that the only manufacturer of the bezel was having problems with the coating process. It seemed they were dis-coloring easily. Must have been a lot of returns. I was ready to replace mine 'till I found out.
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 5,214
Likes: 65
From: Queensland, AUSTRALIA
The finish holds up alot better than Dulso, and its quite easy to do as long as you follow the dirrections for the paint you use. I used what ever sand paper i had lying around here, the last couple sandings i did between coats was with wet and dry in a fine grit. The final coat didnt get a sanding. It looks damn near a factory finish with satin black.
Yes mate, every C4 was assembled in Bowling Green. It left the factory exactly as they all do in left hand drive, and was converted to right hand drive over here in Australia (3 1991 ZR1s left Bowling Green as factory right hand drive, and came straight here, every other C4 was made left hand drive)
Originally Posted by RetroTA
If you want the stock look, Midamerica sells that coating in a can.
Hey Case, Was that car assembled in Bowling Green?
Hey Case, Was that car assembled in Bowling Green?
(3 1991 ZR1s left Bowling Green as factory right hand drive, and came straight here, every other C4 was made left hand drive)
Last edited by Casethecorvetteman; Dec 4, 2006 at 01:54 PM.
Racer
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 405
Likes: 1
From: Twinsburg OH
I used 300 grit to clean up screatches made when I scraped the Dulso off then finished everything up with wet 400 grit before painting. Dont forget to use something to clean the parts up before striping and sanding. I used Klean-strip Prep-all wax and grease remover. There is probably better stuff but this worked ok for me.
Racer
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 306
Likes: 1
From: StLouis, 93 Vert LT1
Originally Posted by Casethecorvetteman
The finish holds up alot better than Dulso, and its quite easy to do as long as you follow the dirrections for the paint you use. I used what ever sand paper i had lying around here, the last couple sandings i did between coats was with wet and dry in a fine grit. The final coat didnt get a sanding. It looks damn near a factory finish with satin black.
Yes mate, every C4 was assembled in Bowling Green. It left the factory exactly as they all do in left hand drive, and was converted to right hand drive over here in Australia (3 1991 ZR1s left Bowling Green as factory right hand drive, and came straight here, every other C4 was made left hand drive)
Yes mate, every C4 was assembled in Bowling Green. It left the factory exactly as they all do in left hand drive, and was converted to right hand drive over here in Australia
(3 1991 ZR1s left Bowling Green as factory right hand drive, and came straight here, every other C4 was made left hand drive)dash, steering linkage, pedals.... I didnt know Down Under was opposite
side. Something new everyday!
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 5,214
Likes: 65
From: Queensland, AUSTRALIA
Yep, very expensive to convert to right hand drive, its about $24,000 AUD to convert a 90-96 C4, and i think its $14,300 for an 84-89. Takes at least 4 weeks, and as long as 6 weeks to do.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 1,109
Likes: 2
I found that using carburator cleaner in sparay, can take the rubber like finish very easily. Problem is abut timing. You have to spray very lightly and the rubber finish will star to separate from the console, at this point you should peel it off and wash inmediately the carburator cleaner residues. If you don't the console will end with a lot of "scars" that are quite deep.
But it still is a very rapid way of tacking it off.
Maybe a good idea would be to collect some of the carburator cleaner spray in a glass jar and use a brush to " paint" the rubber a little, and wait for it to separate.
It looks as if you used paint remover. Very dramatic.
But it still is a very rapid way of tacking it off.
Maybe a good idea would be to collect some of the carburator cleaner spray in a glass jar and use a brush to " paint" the rubber a little, and wait for it to separate.
It looks as if you used paint remover. Very dramatic.