Stoodo

iTrader: (4)

I have an 07 GS450h. I really wanted the chrome gear indicator that the 08+ has. I was able to get one on ebay for cheap with console, but the wood was the wrong color.

Is it possible to paint the console to match? I have Piano Black. I would think that would be the easiest color to try and make look good.

Any tips / ideas?

Sodium

Be careful when sanding the lacquer off the console (I'm guessing you're going to remove the lacquer and spray the wood with a few layers of black, then a few of lacquer?) since the veneer is quite thin. Honestly, you're a braver man than I if you do this yourself – the few times I've tried to do cosmetic work on anything, it's never turned out well

Lol maybe you should take it to a piano repairman. They must have experience repairing delicate wood components and reprinting them in high-gloss black

Whatever route you decide to take, I hope it turns out out great!

ibidu1

iTrader: (1)

You can take it to a bodyshop have them scuff, prime, spray base coat and clear with 2k clear coat. Im sure they can match whatever color you give them

sprtn131

You people know the console is not real wood right? None of it is. It's plastic... all the wood pieces are plastic.

Sodium

Nope, it's a thin layer of wood on an aluminum and plastic backing. A member on the 2GS forum sanded one of the wood panels from his door and sure enough, under the lacquer was real wood.

sprtn131

Well I guess I can't speak on the "piano black" panels. But I am certain that the "rose wood" is actually all plastic as I have personally removed each panel, sanded them all and wrapped them in carbon fiber.

Wait... 2GS forum? That may have been true for a 2GS... 3GS is plastic... all plastic

Sodium

Maybe you sanded through the veneer to the plastic backing? It's only a few millimeters thick!

Haha but technically, plastic is made from wood: plastics are petroleum products, and petroleum is made from prehistoric trees that died in swamps and were immediately covered in mud/water so they couldn't decompose; these undecomposed swamp trees were then covered by layers of mud until the pressure turned them into oil over millions of years, until the day the oil was pumped back to the surface and refined, then sent to a petrochemical plant to be turned into a form that polymerizes readily, and then finally cast or injection molded to form a plastic interior piece. So whether the trim is wood veneer of plastic, it all comes from the same source!

sprtn131

.... um...... ok....... I don't really know what to say to that.

sprtn131

Why do you need to replace the console? If you're just wanting a chrome shift ****, that should match pretty well with whatever color the console is. Otherwise I would look into hydro dipping