Shifter console repair

[Patrick B.]

My 67 shifter console is in good shape except at one of the side screw holes where it is badly corroded. Can pot metal like this be repaired and replated? Who does a good job? Alternatively, are the repros worth $579?

[Scott S.]

Re: Shifter console repair

My 67 shifter console is in good shape except at one of the side screw holes where it is badly corroded. Can pot metal like this be repaired and replated? Who does a good job? Alternatively, are the repros worth $579?

Patrick,

If you can post some pictures, maybe someone can say whether they have successfully repaired pot metal with a similar degree of corrosion. There are at least a few chrome platers mentioned in the archives that have experience repairing pot metal. Search "Paul's Chrome" or "Librandi" and it should also bring up most of the other usual suspects in the discussions.

If it turns out to be unrepairable, a good used shifter console would be my next choice.

[Ara G.]

Re: Shifter console repair

I agree, the repro's just don't have the similar grain that originals do. If your's can't be repaired, I would hunt for a nice used original. If you do, a piece of advice on painting it.....Strip the existing paint completely. Then mask off all chrome. Then lightly dust the console with multiple light coats of paint. If you do one or two heavy coats of paint, it will fill in a lot of the grain and you won't be happy. Exercising patience here will give you wonderful results. PM me your email address if you would like me to send you some pics of my redo of my original console. Good luck...ARA

[Steven B.]

Re: Shifter console repair

Paul's Chrome does pot metal repair. I have seen a number of their reconstructions and they are very good. Give them a call.

[Paul J.]

Re: Shifter console repair

Patrick, how good are your brazing skills? This can be repaired for a couple of bucks. Try Muggy Weld Super Alloy 1. Check out the videos.

http://www.muggyweld.com/?view=potmetal

http://www.caswellplating.com/aids/muggy.html

I've used thier products to repair aluminum and they work fairly well. I use MAP gas, but acetylene works much better.

Paul

[Patrick B.]

Re: Shifter console repair

Patrick, how good are your brazing skills? This can be repaired for a couple of bucks. Try Muggy Weld Super Alloy 1. Check out the videos.

http://www.muggyweld.com/?view=potmetal

http://www.caswellplating.com/aids/muggy.html

I've used thier products to repair aluminum and they work fairly well. I use MAP gas, but acetylene works much better.

Paul

Thanks Paul, this looks like the right solution. The area around one of the side screw holes of my console corroded away due to dissimilar metals and probably mouse piss while the car was stored for many years. The technique shown in the video about the door handle with a missing piece would seem to apply perfectly to my problem. I imagine this is a very common problem with C2 consoles.

[Joe R.]

Re: Shifter console repair

I agree, the repro's just don't have the similar grain that originals do. If your's can't be repaired, I would hunt for a nice used original. If you do, a piece of advice on painting it.....Strip the existing paint completely. Then mask off all chrome. Then lightly dust the console with multiple light coats of paint. If you do one or two heavy coats of paint, it will fill in a lot of the grain and you won't be happy. Exercising patience here will give you wonderful results. PM me your email address if you would like me to send you some pics of my redo of my original console. Good luck...ARA

Ara,

How 'bout posting some pix here? My console has similar "issues."

Joe

[Doug L.]

Re: Shifter console repair

My '64 console was corroded beyond repair so I started looking for another. I found one out of a '67 that was in excellent condition except for the chrome and paint. I guess those problems were enough for the owner to replace it. I considered buying it so I asked the guy that does my chrome plating if it could be re-plated. He said it would be no problem. Then I asked him about filling the 2 factory holes on the rear end of the console, holes for something to do with seat belts I think. He said he could fill those holes and chrome over them. He said I would not be able to tell they were there. So it seems to be possible.

Before I talked to him about this I did some research and found the website for Muggy Weld. I asked the plater if that was what he would use to fill the holes. He told me it is worthless. This from someone that works with metals all day.

[Ara G.]

Re: Shifter console repair

Ara,

How 'bout posting some pix here? My console has similar "issues."

Joe

Joe, I would be happy to, but I am embarrassed to say that with all the posts I put up I still don't know how to post a picture. If someone can tell me how, I can post some nice detailed pics. I am computer savvy, just don't know how to post here. My pics are all in my Picasa program...Any help?ThanksARA

[Scott S.]

Re: Shifter console repair

Joe, I would be happy to, but I am embarrassed to say that with all the posts I put up I still don't know how to post a picture. If someone can tell me how, I can post some nice detailed pics. I am computer savvy, just don't know how to post here. My pics are all in my Picasa program...Any help?ThanksARA

Ara,

There may be other ways to do it, but this way usually works:


1. On the screen where you normally type in your posts, scroll down below the "Submit Reply" button until you see the "Manage Attachments" button. Click on the "Manage Attachments".

2. To upload a picture file from your computer, click "Browse" in the "Manage Attachments" pop-up box, then search through your files until you find the picture you want to upload.

3. Double-click on the picture you want, which should automatically insert the File Path in the correct space of the "Manage Attachments" pop-up box.

4. Click "Upload", and wait about 30 seconds or longer, depending on the speed of your Internet connection, until the pop-up box shows that the picture file has been accepted.

I think that's it. If you click "Preview Post", you should be able to see whether your picture loaded properly.

[Dick W.]

Re: Shifter console repair

Pat, I have used Advanced Plating in Nashville, TN for die cast zinc (pot metal) repairs and replating. They have done very good work for me in the past. As with any plater, they are not cheap, but you get what you pay for.

[Joe R.]

Re: Shifter console repair

Joe, I would be happy to, but I am embarrassed to say that with all the posts I put up I still don't know how to post a picture. If someone can tell me how, I can post some nice detailed pics. I am computer savvy, just don't know how to post here. My pics are all in my Picasa program...Any help?ThanksARA

Ara,

You can post pictures hosted here or you can use PhotoBucket. PhotoBucket is free (or at least they offer a free account). It is similar to Picasa, you put photos in albums. The two advantages with PhotoBucket I see is that you can post super hi-res photos and it doesn't take up space on the NCRS server. You just copy and post the link and voila! Thanks, Wayne!

Joe

[Paul J.]

Re: Shifter console repair

My '64 console was corroded beyond repair so I started looking for another. I found one out of a '67 that was in excellent condition except for the chrome and paint. I guess those problems were enough for the owner to replace it. I considered buying it so I asked the guy that does my chrome plating if it could be re-plated. He said it would be no problem. Then I asked him about filling the 2 factory holes on the rear end of the console, holes for something to do with seat belts I think. He said he could fill those holes and chrome over them. He said I would not be able to tell they were there. So it seems to be possible.

Before I talked to him about this I did some research and found the website for Muggy Weld. I asked the plater if that was what he would use to fill the holes. He told me it is worthless. This from someone that works with metals all day.

Sounds like a lot of hearsay and BS. Try the product first. At least watch the video. I have used thier aluminum products and they work as advertised. Just like any other brazing rod.

[Patrick B.]

Re: Shifter console repair

My '64 console was corroded beyond repair so I started looking for another. I found one out of a '67 that was in excellent condition except for the chrome and paint. I guess those problems were enough for the owner to replace it. I considered buying it so I asked the guy that does my chrome plating if it could be re-plated. He said it would be no problem. Then I asked him about filling the 2 factory holes on the rear end of the console, holes for something to do with seat belts I think. He said he could fill those holes and chrome over them. He said I would not be able to tell they were there. So it seems to be possible.

Before I talked to him about this I did some research and found the website for Muggy Weld. I asked the plater if that was what he would use to fill the holes. He told me it is worthless. This from someone that works with metals all day.

I tried Muggy Weld today, and I think Doug's shop may be underestimating it. The outside bottom edge of my console had an area corroded away about the size of a quarter cut in half. It looked like a bite had been taken out of it. The pot metal was only about a 1/16 of an inch thick and certainly vulnerable to overheating. I have no particular skills in brazing or welding, and my only torch was a basic map gas torch from Home Depot.

Still, I managed to fill in the bite without ruining the console. It was not perfect and had some little voids where material did not adhere. But, it looks stronger than I expected and the imperfections should not be too visible since the location of the repair is very close to the seat. It still has to be replated so I am taking the website's word that plating will not be a problem.

I think I could have done a better job if I had sanded the chrome off the whole area around the repair rather than just grinding the edges of the corrosion void. A smaller torch would have also been better than the plumbing torch I had than did not allow for any adjustment of the flame size. I will post some pictures next week.

[Patrick B.]

Re: Shifter console repair

I tried Muggy Weld today, and I think Doug's shop may be underestimating it. The outside bottom edge of my console had an area corroded away about the size of a quarter cut in half. It looked like a bite had been taken out of it. The pot metal was only about a 1/16 of an inch thick and certainly vulnerable to overheating. I have no particular skills in brazing or welding, and my only torch was a basic map gas torch from Home Depot.

Still, I managed to fill in the bite without ruining the console. It was not perfect and had some little voids where material did not adhere. But, it looks stronger than I expected and the imperfections should not be too visible since the location of the repair is very close to the seat. It still has to be replated so I am taking the website's word that plating will not be a problem.

I think I could have done a better job if I had sanded the chrome off the whole area around the repair rather than just grinding the edges of the corrosion void. A smaller torch would have also been better than the plumbing torch I had than did not allow for any adjustment of the flame size. I will post some pictures next week.

Here are some pictures of the corrosion damage before the repair attempt.