I've decided to add some pizzazz to Schultze's interior by painting the 3pc dash, downtubes, e-brake trim, etc.

I've run into a small obstacle and need some help!

The e-brake handle has the anthracite trim and those two pieces (fore & aft of the actual 3" handle) need to be removed for painting.

However, I have only been successful at removing the fore piece. I'm having great difficulty removing the actual 3" handle so that I can get to the aft piece.

Help!

Erika

 

the first little rounded piece on the ebrake handle just pulls off, its on with like pressure clips, i just pried mine off to paint.

the center piece slides off

the last piece i havent gotten off yet LOL

 

Thanks for the reply!

My handle seems stuck and I can't twist it or anything to loosen it up...

 

pull! lol jk

 

Here's a true story to explain why I'm a bit gun-shy about pulling objects that don't cooperate easily:

Many years ago when I still had a MINIvan, one of the windows came off the track and I was "advised" to use a pair of visegrips and pull the window up.

As I was pulling the window up, I was concentrating so intently that I didn't notice the visegrips slowly but surely slipping off the window.

BAM!

Pulled the damned visegrips off the window and straight into the center of my forehead.

YUP!

Knocked myself out & was taken to the hospital.

Nasty monkeybump in the center of my forehead which was followed by a very colorful bruise!

 

...almost forgot!

In the center of the monkeybump was a PERFECT indentation of the adjusting screw--including VERY clear outlines of the ridges on the adjusting screw which made a very pretty star pattern.

 

wow. that hurts just thinking about it.

 

Yeah, well...it DID hurt! LOL

The ER doc didn't do a very good job at not chuckling...but hey, it's one of those things that will make you laugh.

 

I spent so much time looking through the Bentley Manual and didn't find any instructions but then it dawned on me that there's a vendor that sells aftermarket shift & ebrake covers:

http://www.redlinegoods.com/MINIinstall.shtm

I just finished painting those two pieces and giving the other pieces another coat...everything looks pretty hawt...IMHO of course!

 

let's see some pics here
everybody loves pics..
i was thinking about painting my dash..but wanted to buy an extra set just in case i screw up..

 

Looking forward to some pics. What color did you choose?

 

The 3pc dash hasn't been painted yet because there's still an "issue" that the collision center needs to fix...when they replaced the passenger airbag & the entire gray dash cover, they didn't install the dash cover properly so there's a LOUD squeak. Schultze goes to see them today and they are going to give me the 3pc dash and I'm going to paint it & let it cure. Sure, I'll be driving around with a nekkid dash, but since I don't know exactly what is causing the squeak, I don't want to do anything that will give them a reason to say it's my fault.

I'll take pics of the painted pieces uninstalled, though!

I used regular Rustoleum in Gloss Red for everything except the 3pc dash and I'll be using Gloss Black for the 3pc dash and "maybe" the door rings.

I saw in another post how someone used Duplicolor Vinyl & Fabric paint to customize their colorline, door armrests and (I think) seatbelts, so I'm going to check out the color options. I might customize the boot & ebrake covers with either a black or a "hyper blue" as well as the 3" handle on the ebrake.

Hmmm....maybe do the boot/ebrake covers in a "hyper blue" and then do the center console (rear cupholder forward to the double-cupholder) and the piece at the center stack in black & the 3" handle in black or "hyper blue".

Hmmm....

 

This may have just gotten a little out of control. Can't wait to find out.

 

Sounds like a very daring plan, Erika ! Like the others, I'll be intently waiting on photographic evidence of your scheme.

Ps. I have redline boots on all three of the MINIs. Excellent quality products. And you can customize them just about any way your imagination allows.

Here's one example of their work:





Good luck on the project !!

 

My 16-yr-old daughter said the same thing!

Seriously, though...the Dupli-Color Vinyl & Fabric Spray worked SO WELL she asked me if we could jazz up her car (my old '98 Camry).

Perhaps I should add "Rattle Can Queen" to my title?

Pics coming soon....I PROMISE!

 

I wanted to do a two-tone effect on the covers in black & hyper blue, but the only blue available is a dark, drab navy blue.

Anyhow, I may jazz up the covers with red...somehow!

I need to stop at the collision center in about an hour to retrieve my 3pc dash so I can start painting those pieces!

I'm also considering painting some of the bits & pieces under the bonnet!

 

lol you sound alot like me erika...cant leave the rattle cans alone

 

I'm amazed at how well the spray-painting is coming along! I wish I would've done this sooner!

It's a good thing Pep Boys doesn't have a limit on the number of cans purchased!

The weather has been absolutely perfect during this project, too! I emptied out the cupboards in my utility room and that's where I've been storing the pieces for drying/curing.

I can't wait to reinstall everything! I'll probably drive around with a nekkid dash & such for the next few days (or even all of next week!) just to make sure the paint is fully cured...I definitely don't want Schultze to smell like paint fumes!

 

So any pics yet?