Are you done yet?

Looks great so far Matt. Keep up the good work. I'm sure you've gotten a ton of PMs "can you CF stuff for me please" lol

 

Thanks blksedan, that looks cool, unique. Gives me some good ideas and a concept of what the black center console will look like vs. the silver.

in honesty, the look you have there is not for me, just because I want to stay to the 'luxury' feel opposed to a 'racy' feel. It's a hard line, especially since I"m using CF right now....

I dunno, lets see where it goes!! thanks very much for posting though it's a great help!

 

No prob man thanks. I know its not for everybody

 

So the gauges were a bit of a pain to paint. Being inexperienced meant that the paint got too thick where the tape was against the trim surround, and I didn't cut it with a razor before trying to remove it....

So I ran sandpaper along the raised edge to separate it and peeled the paint off just the inside



^^ I actually wanted to do JUST this to leave an accent ring on it, but the paint peeled from the tape so I had to remove the whole inner ring.



I will probably paint this again, I don't really like the way it turned out . I think it'll end up completely blacked out again. I might try to use a screen protector like the one for your smart-phone instead of tape next time.




----

Also, the Gauge cluster trim is pretty much done, just needs clearcoat, wetsand, the little finishing touches. Here's some shots before the final coat, while test-fitting the gauges. You'll notice some rough spots around the gauge where it was trimmed while test fitting, these have been painted and cannot be seen now:

 

Ok, got the other A pillar all shined up and done.
The shifter trim piece in CF is done also.
And so is the Strut bar.

Now I just need to install them all after I am done some other stuff and see what it all looks like in place, and then decide if I'm going to keep any of it, lol.

Celly pics are insulting to the finish, good pictures will come after installed. SORRY FOR CRAPPY PICTURES












More to come

 

hoooly. this is real talent. Everything looks amazing, keep up the good work!

 

Round II for the Gauges, no more tape!! Let's see how this works......:





Also, after a few Satin black coats, and a few Satin Clearcoats, it was time to wetsand and start polishing the Cluster trim piece I made, the paint is going to be so nice on this! Dayum!








I ended up roughing it again and recoating it due to a few light spots on the edges, but it's wicked to see so much promise out of a piece that has literally been through the mill, and painted in a dusty, sandy basement with spray balm!
Even those nasty spots shown in the first few pics cleared right out with the polish to a buttery smooth surface!

 

quick question. Wont there be some glare issues with a clear coat cluster. Just a thought.

 

Calling it good, after a lot of messing around:

 

Yeah that is one concern, good call. It was actually one of the main reasons I decided not to do it in Carbon Fiber actually. But this is a Satin finish, it's not as glossy as the pictures make it look.
Mostly just reflections from the fluorecent lamps in my basement.

There's only one way to really know for sure, and that's to install it, right!

 

very nice job. Just noticed your in elmwood park, you're like 10 min away from me. I'll keep an eye out for your car.

 

Wtf? I'm in Canada dude what you tombout buaa? Lol

 

I meant BlkSedan4me. I posted while looking at the second page.

 

Gotcha

 

It looks like it came that way, impossible to tell it was a DIY. Gotta ask though, why did you go this labour intensive route instead of getting say a pillar gauge cluster?

How did grease fare at blocking paint vs tape?