Just bought my buddies 2007 350ZX vert. 65k miles; runs perfect but he was not as **** as me cosmetically. The interior has a lot of the black paint worn off near the door handles, radio speakers, etc. Any tips on how to paint this or where to get the paint? Thank you and I apologize for being a dumbass and not knowing how to search.

 

Hi OCMD,

I went through a full interior repaint process in the summer of 2024 on my 350Z coupe and posted about my experience/process. I went hardcore with my process/setup, there are plenty of others on the forums with varying methods, paints used, prep process, etc..

For removing old rubbery paint, especially on the hard plastic pieces like the window switch bezels and door handle/vent bezels, I recommend using denatured alcohol with a medium plastic brush and a rag (it just melts it off without making a huge mess like sanding). For the center waterwall textured pieces, I had great results when using ultra fine Scotch-Brite (3M gray pads) with the SEM surface prep gel/soap.

Link to posts:
https://my350z.com/forum/2003-2009-n...l#post11127837

https://my350z.com/forum/2003-2009-n...l#post11128258

I few notes:
I recommend doing some testing with adhesion promoter on the high-touch area pieces. My finished pieces so far are holding up great, but on a few of the sharp corners I got some chipping during the installation process. This only happened on the door handle/vent bezels and the shifter/AC control bezel, the surfaces have very tight/small corners which made scuffing & prepping them more difficult.. Luckily for me, both pieces that had this issue don't show, the chips are hidden in gaps where rubbing can occur during or after installation. Another option for additional durability is to finish with a matte clear coat which I never tried. I think adhesion promoter will yield the best results in terms of durability. I didn't use it because I was worried about it causing color inconsistencies. I have a complete set of spare interior parts, so if I wish to go through this process again someday, I'll experiment with adhesion promoter to see if it causes any color issues.

Others have used Krylon interior paints with great results. I also experimented years ago with Flat Black Rustoleum on the window switch bezels and they looked great. Just make sure to allow for proper cure times and be careful when mixing paint types and brands (if using a primer, make sure to stick with same brand and product line to ensure no adverse chemical reactions).

Hope this helps! Let me know if you have any questions.
-Icer

 

thanks for the thorough and quick reply

 

THANKS FOR THE WEALTH OF INFO! Wow too much work for me! I mean I picked up this car from my bestie whose wife made him sell it. I didnt want it, he didnt cosmetically take care of it as I would. but it did have a brand new top, injectors, radiator, hoses, belts, brakes, top switch and AC as it sat for 7 years in his carport. I had a 2013 infiniti GS vert with 13k miles on it but same thing - my wife said sell it you dont drive it enough and i have regretted it ever since. So for 5k I think I got a steal (did I?) and if I find an SL500 I want, I will flip this one and get the Benz. I think I will just get some of the rustoleum black and tape off areas and give it a quick spray and see what sticks.....another question - his visors dont "lock in" to the thing they are supposed o lock into as they are missing - for lack of a better word the femail part. Where can I buy those, cheap? Dont need OEM. Thank

 

I think you can only get the visor stays from Nissan directly (nissanpartsdeal.com is what I usually use). They're cheap and easy to replace.

5K is a great deal for a low mileage 350Z (coupe or roadster). Especially with a new top. Condition does make a huge difference in price (like accident history, dents, paint condition, etc.). Personally I wouldn't touch a modern Merc, total money pits.

I don't recommend repainting unless you plan to do it properly (preparation, etc.). A serious buyer will know what to expect with the crappy interior plastic paint on these cars. If it were me, I would want the Z as original as possible or if repaired, done properly or not at all. Point being, it won't make a big difference in the resale value.
Cheers!
-Icer