Another 456 GT Ashtray Lid Fix?

Ever notice how photos of 456GT's for sale usually have the ashtray lids open?

I've posted about this before and asked for suggestions on how to keep the lid closed….mine always popped open on the first bump.

First attempt was to weigh the lid down with stick-on weights (See 1st pic). That helped but looked like hell and the lid still popped up after driving a while. Only other suggestion was Velcro…..which I’m sure works but doesn't quite keep the lid flush and, I've heard, leaves a gooey mesh when left in the hot sun…

Here’s something that works and looks almost as cobbled as if Ferrari had come up with it…. and costs less than a buck…….

Start with a 1 1/4” (32mm) magnetic catch; one of those things that keep your cabinets closed. 78 cents at HomeDepot…see 2nd pic....

Pry open the plastic housing and remove the magnet and two metal plates. (I tried using just the magnet w/o the plates and it doesn't have the power to hold the lid down by itself. The metal plates provide the magnetic strength to stick to the metal striker plate.)

First minor mod is needed because the metal plates are slightly bigger than the magnet and need to be ground-down/cut to the same or smaller size of the magnet. I super-glued the plates to the magnet after grinding down the edges so the plates were flush with the edge of the magnet and then used silicon to glue the magnet and plates in the corner of the compartment, see 3rd pic. (You could use epoxy, but I like silicon because it can be removed without harming the compartment finish, as I found out when I tried the magnet w/o the plates. Also, you may need to move the magnet if you don’t get it right the first time. It might look better if you centered the magnet. I used the corner thinking it gives 3 surfaces, bottom and 2 edges at the corner, for the glue to stick to. In hindsight, the center would probably work just as well. Note, the sides of the compartment are not squared so the magnet can’t be mounted flush with the sides….)

Next mod is to the striker plate which has sharp cleats on the corners that are there to keep it from moving when used as intended on a wooden door. Just grind those smooth. Again, used silicon to glue the plate to the corner of the lid, see 4th pic. (I sprayed the entire underside of my lid with Rustoleum dark gray; a very close match…. So much so, I had to outline the striker plate in the pic or it couldn't be seen…)

I think the next and final solution for me will be to move magnet and striker plate to the center and use a gray epoxy to fill in the gap between the side of the compartment and give it a more finished look.....

Last pic is the finished product. Stays closed and by mere coincidence the HomeDepo catch just happens to be just the right size to hold the lid down flush when used as described above. No longer pops open with a push but opens quite nicely with a slight pull. Still working on stenciling “STRAPPARE” instead of “SPINGERE” on the top…..

You techs can PM me on where to send the royalty checks…. Figure this fix is worth about $350.78 ……

Regards…..Mark in Houston
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

Thanks guys...

 

....your life.

Thanks again, Barry.

 

Thanks Marc, my wife says she got it at Autozone... She was the one that had to have it....And, it works quite well, and yes, it just wedges in there.

That and my 1st attempt at the ashtray lid were discussed in my post:

http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/456-550-575/398510-5-things-learned-about-456gt.html

Enjoy your trip.... So far, the F1 window fix is working great....

Regards...Mark