For the center all I did was wash and paint
Same for the inner door handles
The part where you have you window and lock buttons I cleaned, sandpapered, cleaned, painted the did a clear coat on since its a "high traffic area"

Thanks,
I have a 06 enthusiast roadster. Ever since I bought it the scratches on the door and dash parts really bothered me. With the guide of this thread everything went well. My car is the metallic silver and I painted the three gauges, door handles and the escutcheons near the door opener the same silver as the exterior. It really looks great without looking gouache. I found that the 06 paint was flawed and before I repainted the black center console, I had to steel wool the paint off. My concern was that the ping pong paddle texture would be somehow distorted, but it was not. The paint adhered well and the interior looks great.

Question for those that have done this. How is the new paint holding up? Is it chipping off like the crappy factory paint? I'm focusing mainly on the door panels around the window/lock switches. Those scratch incredibly fast.
-Icer

I did mine maybe 2 years ago and they are still perfect. Only the soft factory paint scratches like that.

This thread is a lifesaver!

I have a couple questions.

1. Do you remove the stock rubbery paint from the 3 pods? If so, how?

2. Do you remove the stock paint from the ping pong center stack?

3. Should you use a primer on the ping pong surface?

4. Can this same paint be used on the door switch panels?

5. How do I remove the door switch panels?


THANKS :icon21:

1. I didnt I left mine black inside because I liked the turnout
http://imgur.com/s1trD0Z and http://imgur.com/wA4yTUj (you can't see it in the pic but the dimples are still there)

2. I didn't, the paint went over it very nice

3. Nope the paint stuck fine

4. Yes. But I would HIGHLY recommend you sand the **** out of the door handles. The paint doesn't sit well alone. Then once done make sure you apply some sort of clear coat on it. It is a "high-traffic" area and you will end up repainting it if you don't

5.This guide will help you get everything off you need on the doors

https://my350z.com/forum/audio-video...r-install.html

Thanks for the reply! I've ordered some samples of 3M's Scotchprint vinyl wrap for the door panels. Mine is harder than yours because I have a white roadster with that gray/ivory interior. It would be early impossibly to match. So, hopefully a aluminum or silver wrap would go nicely after all, there are aluminum trim bits elsewhere in the car.

My center stack is already mildly scratched. Just worried after I paint it those scratches would show through.

Do you suggest using the paint the op used?

The plastic piece that the cubby door is attached with broke on my a while back. I am so gluing it this weekend.

Yes very good stuff limited color but adheres very well

I read where one guy used steel wool to get the old paint off but you're saying thats not needed right?

Sorry for 20 questions. Whats really happening here is my dad is having me (car guy in the family) touch up the Z. The interior is aweful I think being a convertible its worse maybe because the sun heats it up and makes the rubbery stuff even more likely to scratch off.

Like I said, considering 3M scotchprint for the door swicth panels. I'm assuming its applies with a heat gun but I have no idea.

If you sand the paint off on the middle be very gentle because you don't want uneven dimples. I had a ton of scratches and 4 coats of paint they were gone. But im not against it. If you do the vinyl you will def want a heat gun. I used a hairdryer and it was awful at first. Here is my carbon fiber vinyl I used for the doors before I painted. http://imgur.com/fQepou6

Looks good. Did you get the vinyl down in the switch holes?

Yeah I cut an x and folded it down. it did ot cover everything though

Here we go. Hope this is right.

Attachment 431344

Look at my pods. Look at them in their face and tell me I dont have to sand them or anything! So I really just paint over? :icon21:

Attachment 431350

Attachment 431351

Looks great! I really have to do this as well thanks for the write up!

I'm in the middle of painting, and I'm freaking out. Nobody mentioned the surface feeling really rough like 800 grit sandpaper.

Feel like I just ruined my center console. It was all perfect and smooth before I started. :(

great write up, will definitely do this soon

Your **** was ruined before you started... I dont understand how some of these get so scratched up... I dont have a single nick on mine and it is 10 years old.

Just keep going.. likely, it will smooth out and appear better than it was before.

What year is your car? I've seen Z's that don't have this type of coating