Anybody re-finish the shifter console?

[onewhippedpuppy]

Anybody re-finished the wood? If so, what did you do to strip it and re-finish? I have fine scratches that won't polish out, nothing deep or into the wood but still annoying. I had thought of using a chemical stripper to remove the old varnish, a light sanding, then re-doing it with a hand-rubbed gloss poly. It makes for a nice finish on furniture, with the same clear, mirror like gloss as the OE finish.

[632 Regal]

I think Win did this a long time ago, sanded and poly'd it, turned out real nice too.

[willobmw]

I did it, and it came out great but it did match the other wood in the car. I used a razor blade to slowly chip the plastic off. Light sanded and sprayed a poly with clear coat. Another light sanding and another spray coat. Be carefull because the wood is very thin. I ended up buying a new one thru BMA.
Good Luck,
Willobmw
1990 535ia
Anyone who does not have wood and would like to add a touch send me a PM.

[RobPatt]

I think Win did this a long time ago, sanded and poly'd it, turned out real nice too.

[zuzuk212]

It must be extremely thin ... would it be easier to sand and polish the covering plastic rather than risking destroying the super thin wood?

Ken

[Robin-535im]

Gale did that a while back... may have been on the old board.

http://www.nmia.com/~dgnrg/page_2.htm

This particular feat is not on the above page but you can email him from there if he doesn't see this post.

HTH

- Robin

[winfred]

i pollished mine with a automotive rotary buffer/wool bonnet and a mild compound like you'd use on paint during a later step of buffing

if you don't have open cracks this should work for you, open cracks would need a coat or two to even it out before buffing