[W126 Coupe] center console cover, bottom

[flakeymail-benz at yahoo.com]

Excellent, thanks.   Your description is a "keeper" and going into my  
files.  I'm curious as to whether you found it easier to get the  
switches out of the plate before disconnecting wiring or getting the  
wiring disco'd first, then switches out.   I just swapped out a  
window switch a few weekends back as prelude to futzing with  
regulator/motor, and frankly, its tough fighting with all that copper  
in there.

alex


On Mar 1, 2007, at 5:56 PM, Dick Spellman wrote:


> Okay.  So I'd propose you carefully remove the rubber shift seal. Then

> remove the switches.  Then cut-out a piece of cardboard to fit the  

> wood

> console perimeter. Now insert the wood console into the cardboard

> cut-out.  You will need to get the cardboard equal to the finish  

> height

> of the wood.  I used a wood template cut smaller than the console

> perimeter that supported the wood ands allows the cardboard to  

> float up

> on the wood edges.  This is to protect the edges of the wood from the

> sanding you are going to do.  If you choose to just sand without the

> cardboard, back way off on sanding as you approach the edges of the

> wood.  I'd start with a 220 grit to break up the gloss finish working

> with the grain only until you see the finish go gray or milky in  

> color.

> Don't push too hard as you will need to follow with finer grits

> progressing from 220 to 320, 400, 600 all the way up to 1600-2000 to

> remove the grooves from the coarse sanding at 220.  In any event the

> object is to cut away enough of the  lacquer finish so as to remove  

> the

> lacquer cracks.  If you go too far you will eat the thin layer of  

> veneer

> just below the lacquer and ruin the piece.  Once you clear the cracks

> (most of them and if you are lucky all of them) work to finer  

> grades of

> sanding to take out the grooves from the rough sanding.  Once you  

> have a

> smooth finish on the main section remove the piece from the cardboard

> and carefully rough up the edges.  Be careful because it's real  

> easy to

> eat the edges with sanding and ruin the piece.

>

> Now reinstall the rubber shift gate surround using urethane glue

> (gorilla brand or whatever) clamping with wood plates in place.  Wipe

> off any excess as the glue expands and wipe away from the console  

> deck.

> Let this dry overnight.  Tack the work piece and set it on a clean

> surface. I use 'poured urethane' gloss as a finish.  One coat  

> should do

> the trick.  Yes, I poured both the wood and the exposed rubber seal.

> Let is sit for twice as long as the poured urethane drying  

> instructions

> say.

>

> Now carefully remove any excess finish that sits in the cut-out slots

> for the switches.  You must remove any resistance to snapping the

> switches back in place before actually nesting the switches back into

> the wood.  You could try the switches with the original piece (before

> finishing) first to get a feel for how much pressure is needed to fit

> them so once the piece is refinished you can closely match this  

> pressure

> to avoid lifting the new finish.  If you don't make the room for each

> switch, pressing the switches back into the console will result in

> lifting of the finish you just poured and it WILL crack up into the

> finish.  So, be very careful and very patient.  You can get the whole

> piece to 'like new' for a few bucks and quite a bit of detail work.

>

> The other alternatives to applying the urethane finish are a foam  

> brush

> (leaves marks) IMHO or an air brush.  If you are lucky enough to have

> one go for it.  May take light sanding, tacking and several coats in

> either case to remove any dust particles.  By the way a friend used  

> a UV

> varnish (marine varnish) applied by air brush on his and it came  

> out well.

>

> Dick

>

> flakeymail-benz at yahoo.com wrote:

>> I'm curious about how to refinish - the wood looks intact, unlike the

>> plastic within which the wood is entombed.   I suppose I could epoxy

>> the shift plate seal back on, but I certainly see why they changed

>> that to be separate piece.   Plastic hold down rails are intact, the

>> wood notch on the leading edge that catches the little tray forward

>> of the shifter was broken but seems to holding well with epoxy.

>>

>> thanks,

>> alex

>>

>> On Mar 1, 2007, at 3:18 PM, Dick Spellman wrote:

>>

>>

>>> Alex:

>>>

>>> The center console trim new is expensive and comes in either

>>> burlwood or zebrano finish.  Also the year of your car from the

>>> photo is an early model where the rubber shift plate seal is

>>> integral to the wood (glued/stapled in place).  The newer version

>>> has a raised plastic lip that is depressed into tab holders on the

>>> shift gate itself.

>>>

>>> If you find the replacement cost too expensive.  I can tell you

>>> that with a good deal of patience that wood in your SEC can be

>>> fully restored from the looks of the picture.  Are the plastic hold

>>> down rails on the bottom still intact?  I'll look up the part

>>> number on epc in a minute.

>>>

>>> Dick

>>> flakeymail-benz at yahoo.com wrote:

>>>

>>>> Is the right name for this part the center console cover,

>>>> bottom?   Anyone have a part number or know where to get one?

>>>> The plate that holds the window switches and surrounds the gear

>>>> selector.  I disassembled it to clean it up but if its not too

>>>> dear i'd like to pop a new one in.

>>>>

>>>> thanks,

>>>> alex

>>>>

>>>>

>>>>

>>>>

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