How To

[johnf]

Before I ask my question would  \'How To\' be an idea for a permanent topic ?


Anyway, I\'d like to have my dash, centre console and armrests painted Would anyone who\'s done this have the time to list the proceedure for removing all these bits step by step.

You know idiots guide.

I\'m going away for a week next month and it would be an ideal time for me to take the bits off and have them painted.

Thanks


John

[iaint]

Funny you should ask this.  I started doing my dash yesterday.  Decided to try and do it myself and if all goes wrong then get it sorted professionally!

I\'ve got hold of:

Primer
Paint
Laquer
Various grades of abrasive paper (wet and dry) from 600 to 1400 grade.
A set of scrapers to remove the rubbery top-coast on the panels - I found that filler \'blades\' (the thigs you use on body work to put the filler in) do the trick.

The flip cover on the dirver\'s door pocket is broken and comes off easily so I started with this and scraped, sanded, sanded, sanded, primed (x3 layers) and painted (x3 layers).  

Looks pretty good so far.

I need to get some 2400 grade wet\'n\'dry to use before applying the laquer.

There\'s a good \'how-to\' on the robinette site that I read a while ago.

My initial impression is :-  However long you spend on preparation (before primer), you need to spend twice as long at least.

Anyway, judging by how long it toook to do the 7"x3" bit of plastic yestaerday it should be finished in time for Rotorstock... 2005!

Iain

[johnf]

It\'s not the actual painting as I think I\'d get that professionally

done. It\'s more a case of how to dismantle the dash etc.

[iaint]

There\'s a step-by-step on the removal on FDUK if you\'re a member on there.  Printed it out the other day, it\'s quite detailed with some decen piccies.

Iain

[jonrx7uk]

iaint,
     what type of paint are you using, and where from.  I expect it has to be flexible?

[iaint]

I\'m using a perlescent spray paint from halfrauds (it happened to be handy).  Managed to get a colour pretty damn close to the paintowrk on the car (although not as much change from blue-voilet as the bodywork).

Once the test area\'s complete I\'ll try it out and see how resiliant it is.  The raw materials are cheap, it\'s just the labour that\'s expensive!  All modern paints have some plasticiser in them to prevent cracking.  Hopefully it\'ll be enough to prevent cracking!

Iain

[clive]

Here you go John try this /

 http://www.scuderiaciriani.com/rx7/dash_removal.html

[monkeyboy]

i have just started mine, i got a red plastic prima from halfords and all the wet and dry.

You just need to make sure its smooth and take your time.

This is the first time i have done a FD. i did my old car took me about a month but it looked really good.

If i can do it, anyone can

:rollin

[iaint]

Finished the test piece now - fully laquered.  Looks really good - a few minor blemishes that I\'ll know how to aviod next time.  

Bought some wiring/crimping tools from Maplin yesterday as I\'ll have to snip some of the alarm wires to a light on the console.  Bloody fitter just wired them streight with no connector. (will also come in handy when I get the new gague pod and can move the boost into the centre speaker location).

One thing to note is the removal of the rubbery coating found on the earlier models.   You can try to sand it smoothe but it\'ll provide a stronger, more durable finish if removed totaly.  Unfortunately it\'s a right pain to get off!

Also, the primer/paint/laquer I\'ve used seems to be plenty flexible enough as it doesn\'t crack even when the test piece is flexed alot (much more than under normal circumstances).

Looks like it\'s just a case of taking plenty of time with the process to get the best possible result.

Iain

[johnf]

Re: making textured finish on dash etc. smooth.

I thought someone said that there was a spray paint they used

that acted as a filler and made the surfaces smooth without all

the sanding.

[iaint]

I guess it could be possible but wouldn\'t it make the higher points higher too?  From what I\'ve read on this there\'s no real substitute for hard work!

Iain

[iaint]

Noticed something very useful tonight...

After scraping off most of the rubberised coating on the centre section (between the seats) there were still quite a few bits of rubber stuck on where the curves stopped the scraper reaching properly (didn\'t want to score it heavily as it\'s a bitch to sand out).

After going over with 800 grade paper I used some paint thinners to clean off the plastic \'sandings\'.  They all came off nicely and so did the last bits of the rubber.  The thinners dissolves this quite nicely and doesn\'t damage the console plastic at all.

Should save alot of time and effort on the rest of the dash but it does use alot of thinners.

Just thought I\'d share this \'tip\'.

Iain

[clive]

Cheers Iain