I recently purchased a center console from teh junkyard for $9.60. It was pretty torn up, but it was still useable in my opinion. The biggest problem is that it is brown. My interior is blue. While most of you think that both of these colors should just be done away with, there are a few of us who love our blue interiors.

Here is how it looked when I got it:



After some time with epoxy glue and one of those epoxy sticks, i managed to repair it to look like this (the piece of yarn is holding on the last piece while the glue dries):



I then took my ashtray to Home Depot to have them color match it. They sold me a quart of Behr paint (semi-gloss base coat) for around $11. I also bought one of those cheap foam paint brushes just in case. I swung by Napa and bought this cool spray gun thing I saw for $6, as well as some paint thinner. In the end, my materials were as such:



Word to the wise, don't get the spray gun thing. It looks neat and in theory it should work, but they don't charge $6 because it works great. they charge $6 b/c it's a POS. If you must spray it, use an air compressor. Lesson learned.

here it is after I sanded it and propped it up ready for paint.



The POS sprayer that I used to paint it:



After I painted it:



As you can see, there are lots of little beads of paint on the console. The paint I used doesn't work well with teh spray gun b/c it wasn't automotive paint. No matter how much thinner I added, it just wouldn't dilute properly. I think it may have worked if I would have used Behr paint thinner.

So I went back with the cheap foam brush and did some touch ups. here it what it looks like now, with the ashtray next to it for comparison.



I'm about to go to Vatozone now and get a can of flat clear coat to protect the paint. I'll paint it on tomorrow after the paint cures.

Overall, I'd say that I lucked out. I was able to glue all of the broken pieces back on, and while the piece is a bit contorted, it looks pretty good. The blue matches wonderfully, and I'm hopping that the paint doesn't chip off.

I did forget to use adhesion promotor, which is another regret along with using that stupid sprayer in the first place.

I will update this thread when it is clear coated and installed into the car.

 

Looks wicked cool. Good job with the pasting and ****.

 

good write up

 

Great write up! Post some pics with the installed piece... I'm kind of curious as to how it turned out. Looks great tho!

 

good read

 

Damn I wish I saw this writeup before I bought my CRX center console...Oh well.

 

nice work, man

 

That's awesome man!

 

Plastic welding would have been a better permenent solution but you still did good for a diy way.

BTW did you clean the plastic with some sort of plastic prep? that was probly the problem with the paint.

 

looks good

 

Do you have a pic of it installed?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by kid-honda &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Plastic welding would have been a better permenent solution but you still did good for a diy way.

BTW did you clean the plastic with some sort of plastic prep? that was probly the problem with the paint.</TD></TR></TABLE>

I cleaned the plastic with degreaser and soap before I sanded it. I didn't get plastic prep or anything of the like as I was already deep into this project financially.

I agree that plastic weld would have been better, and I might actually do that the next time around.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by knwldge54 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Do you have a pic of it installed?</TD></TR></TABLE>

I had to put a second coat on today so I'm about to go put the clear coat on. I'll install it tonight and upload some pictures.

 

What do you mean plastic weld?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by UltimX &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">What do you mean plastic weld?</TD></TR></TABLE>

Exactly what it says, we mostly use it to repair bumper covers, you take a hot iron with changable tips and you can use it like a mig welder by letting it feed itself with round rods or feed it with flat rods in the same way you would tig weld.

 

Where do you get the plastic rods? I have a sodering iron.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by UltimX &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Where do you get the plastic rods? I have a sodering iron.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Its not a soldering iron, but its close.

Plastic welders and rods can be obtained at body shop supplie shops.

All plastics have a code and use the appropriate plastic rod to ensure proper results, although they now have universal rods that do work well.

 

why not just use super glue to glue them together?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by UltimX &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">why not just use super glue to glue them together?</TD></TR></TABLE>

Super glue and most glues don't work on plastics. Before I used the epoxy in the picture I tried gorilla glue, JB Quick Weld, and an auto trim adhesive. Getting plastic/vinyl to stick isn't easy.

 

Blue Interior Squizzad represent!

I found a mint CRX dashboard at the junkyard. And seats. I'm highly tempted to swap to a CRX dash. That'd look sweet in a sedan.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Jonathan_ED3 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Blue Interior Squizzad represent!

I found a mint CRX dashboard at the junkyard. And seats. I'm highly tempted to swap to a CRX dash. That'd look sweet in a sedan. </TD></TR></TABLE>

I've thought of doing the exact same thing. The CRX dash is pretty freaking sweet.... especially the blue one yo.

 

here are the after pictures. I still need to clean it a bit, but I wanted to install it so I could take the picture for you guys.







The color is slightly off in the pictures. In reality, the new console is just slightly more shiny than the stock console, which is probably due to the clear coat I sprayed on top of it. The extra shine translated to a brighter color due to the flash. I doubt it would be noticable if I just used armorall on the rest of the interior. Either way, I just got a difficult to find piece and made it match my car rather well...

I'm happy.

 

good gosh man, the things people (we) do sometimes

enjoy

adhesion promoter will kick you in the butt, maybe?

 

hell ya man that does look pretty damn good

 

Nice how-not-to.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by suspendedHatch &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Nice how-not-to.</TD></TR></TABLE>
damn dick