gearbox surround & under handbrake resprayed

[Sky-drive]

Decided the scratched gearbox surround and under the handbrake needed sorting as I was sick at looking at the 92k miles worth of accumulated scratches



Set to work with some sandpaper and sprayed up in matt black, not a bad job after a couple of beers ...

 

[Marlon]

Neat

 

[Sky-drive]

Thanks Marlon. Think I will have to match the side sections below the handbrake too but not sure whether to mask up the surrounding area and then sand and spray in situ or get the side sections out from under the aluminium trim to do it. Thoughts/advice anyone?

 

[cj10jeeper]

Thanks Marlon. Think I will have to match the side sections below the handbrake too but not sure whether to mask up the surrounding area and then sand and spray in situ or get the side sections out from under the aluminium trim to do it. Thoughts/advice anyone?

Nice work.
Don't try to mask and spray in situ. You'll make a pigs ear of it on something so visible inside the car and risks of overspray on everything inside the car.

 

[Sky-drive]

Thanks Marlon. Think I will have to match the side sections below the handbrake too but not sure whether to mask up the surrounding area and then sand and spray in situ or get the side sections out from under the aluminium trim to do it. Thoughts/advice anyone?

Nice work.
Don't try to mask and spray in situ. You'll make a pigs ear of it on something so visible inside the car and risks of overspray on everything inside the car.

cheers for the advice. So probably best if I get the side sections of the handbrake undertray out from underneath the aluminium trim in order to spray up - is that a straight forward job?

Might as well have the easy to remove ashtray-roof button panel out too whilst Im at it so it all matches up ...

 

[patriot66]

Thanks Marlon. Think I will have to match the side sections below the handbrake too but not sure whether to mask up the surrounding area and then sand and spray in situ or get the side sections out from under the aluminium trim to do it. Thoughts/advice anyone?

Nice work.
Don't try to mask and spray in situ. You'll make a pigs ear of it on something so visible inside the car and risks of overspray on everything inside the car.

cheers for the advice. So probably best if I get the side sections of the handbrake undertray out from underneath the aluminium trim in order to spray up - is that a straight forward job?

Might as well have the easy to remove ashtray-roof button panel out too whilst Im at it so it all matches up ...

To remove the 'side sections' under the handbrake you will have to remove ALL the centre console from the top between the seats all the way down to the ashtray/switch panel....PITA ! Once you do remove it the 'side section' plastic is screwed to the underside of the brushed aluminium trim with a gazillion torx screws ! It will take you a couple of hours to strip it all out if you haven't attempted it before and a good hour to put it all back. You can however remove the padded arm rest/handbrake cover and this would make masking/spraying in situ somewhat easier.

 

[Sky-drive]

Kind of thinking I can remove the padded arm rest/handbrake cover, pull off the handbrake grip (might go with a replacement grip that's rounded rather than square), remove the recently resprayed gearbox surround and slip out the resprayed plastic tray, fastidiously mask everything off with plastic sheeting and tape and then set to work on the sides of the handbrake tray.

Have to admit Im not a fan of the silver aluminium trim around the gearbox and have considered going the whole nine yards and just go completely black on the lower interior and spray paint up the aluminium trim in acrylic matt black.

So ... off to look at metal etch primer and how to apply to aluminium

 

[csquire4]

This may help:
http://www.z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=49294&start=15