Center Console Trim Pieces

[Soul3xplor]

im looking to paint my silver center console pieces. I was wondering how these come out, and what products i should use to paint them. i would love a carbon fiber look, but anything that would be more durable that the current material. I have XM (SkyFi3) in my car and the wires rubbed on the trim pieces and looks like crap now. here are some pics:
http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w202/Soul3xplor/DSC01091.jpg
http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w202/Soul3xplor/DSC01090.jpg

any comments, ideas, would be greatly appreciated!

[Soul3xplor]

bump!

[toasterlovin976]

i just had mine done and all he used was createx thru an airbrush gun and they turned out awesome, ill post up a pic but they wont do it any justice i need a pic from a better camera to show it off really good cause all the colors wont come out

[toasterlovin976]

http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z118/roni976/100_2217.jpg

[Soul3xplor]

that looks awesome... how much did that run ya? i gotta buddy that paints and does body work but hes up in NWI, and cant drive that far just for the trim pieces:sad: but maybe i can work some magic? not sure what colors to go with yet?

[Big-Kokujin]

Is that paint? That shizz it BRIGHT!!!

[THansenite]

I painted my center console. The key is sanding. Get lots of sandpaper and 3M painters tape.

I did just the sides of the "waterfall" and kept the center the same color. I started by pulling out the center console. To do that, start with the upper portion and pull it straight back. Once you get it pulled out a bit, unhook the wires from the back. To take off the bottom section, remove the shift knob and pull the section back, then up. Unhook the cigarette lighter wires. I pulled out the vents on the top (they are held in by clips), removed the heater controls and zip tied them back in the now barren center console in my car so I could still use them, took apart the radio door, and disassembled the bottom portion of the console.

I taped up the center section with the 3M tape making sure everything that I didn't want painted was covered. This includes the back of the piece because the paint has a habit of somehow getting on any untaped surface. Once I got it taped, I started sanding the paint off until it was down to the black plastic underneith. It takes a while, but the better prep work you do, the better it looks in the end.

I went to a local O'Reilly Auto Parts and had them mix me up a batch of color matched paint and put it in a spray can. Using this, I sprayed the pieces with thin layers of paint, wet-sanding with progressively finer sandpaper after every 2 layers. This evens everything out so the paint looks good.

I was kind of in a rush to get mine finished up for a show this past weekend so I haven't done the final wet-sanding with 1000 grit sandpaper or clear coated the console. It is a lot of work and time consuming waiting for the paint to dry after each layer, but the final product is definitely worth it.

http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r213/ScikoticsDM/20070512-Ames4/DSCN2618.jpg

[Soul3xplor]

that looks awesome. well my car is Azure pearl, (looks like u have an RS1.0) not sure how well that would contrast with the already silver paint?? maybe a darker color?

*edit* i must be blind, ur car is right in ur signature.... duhhh