Console Refinishing

[70 Challenger Lover]

I have an original burnt orange four speed console I'm restoring and had a question on final finish for those who have done a few of these.

While it's originally burnt orange, it was faded so I cleaned it super good and sprayed all the pieces with Herbs rattle can paint in the correct color. Went on nice and the whole thing looks almost new again however, the new finish is more or a matte finish while the original was more semi gloss. What do you guys do to get it just right?

I know I could have bought high end paint and used a gun to do it but that's too much work on a console I may end up selling someday. I was thinking of spraying a nice clear over it for sheen and added protection. Any ideas or thoughts?

[70 Challenger Lover]

Decided to give it a coat of clear. I think it looks much better.

[70 Challenger Lover]

Here's one of the top half. Still have a ton of hardware clean up and reassembly to do but you get the idea. The clear definitely looks nicer. Makes the color seem richer too.

[usraptor]

 

[usraptor]

 

[nsmall]

Looks great.

[RJChallenger]

The more you seem to do the higher the price is going to be. The console looks awesome.

[340challconvert]

Nice Job

[70 Challenger Lover]

Thanks. I'm very happy with how nice it turned out. For a high mileage car, the console was in amazing shape. No gouges or cracks anywhere. Can't get the lid to set down right along the hinge edge. Going to look around for a 71-74 style hinge and hopefully that helps.

[Shoooter]

What kind and finish of clear did you use? Just a spray can aw well?

[kawahonda]

Thanks. I'm very happy with how nice it turned out. For a high mileage car, the console was in amazing shape. No gouges or cracks anywhere. Can't get the lid to set down right along the hinge edge. Going to look around for a 71-74 style hinge and hopefully that helps.

Keep me informed. I gave up on mine.

[70 Challenger Lover]

I used herbs Burnt orange rattle can paint for the color. Went on nice and bonded into the plastic well without runs but it does not hide well so be warned. Just painting orange over orange took like five coats. If I were painting over a different color, I'd probably need some sort of base primer first. Color match was very good when comparing to the unfaded undersides though so I'd use it again.

The clear was also rattle can but a much higher quality product. It sprayed on really nice, dried fast, and gave it some toughness as well as rich ended up the color. It was a DuPont product.

On the lid, @kawahonda I saw your post and I totally get your frustration. I have a few ideas but I don't want to expend the effort and expense unless I know I'm going to reuse it. Right now, I'm leaning towards going black interior and just selling this one to someone who really wants a nice original. My thought is to find a 71 hinge, cut the loops of each end that provide tension and make it spring upward. I might also disassemble the lid and try to get some of the warpage out of the underside piece that comes out.