355 Interiors Melting ! What's wrong ?

This is pretty common with the 348 and 355 - the rubber/Crap they use on the interior often bubbles, turns to goop, peels, etc.

At this point not much he can do if it is peeling off... However I believe the thing NOT to do is used silicon based cleaners/agents on the surfaces - which there are many threads on this (Interior Bubbleing) (355 Interior) - for your searching pleasure.

My 1995 Spider has almost no sign of it - but it is an Ohio car - not much like the pacific rim temps

Rich

 

the 355 in particular seems to be susceptible to this "black plastic rot".

martin has dealt with it before. search the archives (including the old board) for plastic cleaning 355 melting or whatnot and you'll find a step-by-step i think of what martin did on one.

it's fixable.

the operating theroy seems to be that humidity is a factor - not just heat. sea salt air has also been suggested as a factor. this seems to be most common FL here in the US.

fwiw,
doody

 

this is a 355 problem... esp hot humid areas... when i was looking for 355s, i saw a lot of this... very common... esp with florida cars..also the leather dash strinks with heat!!!!it is very expensive to get new parts for this and the console!!!

 

You can fix most of it. I'm painfully going through the interior of my car by stripping with Methyl Ethyl Ketone (Home Depot/Lowes etc). The process stinks, is messy ... I re-spray with a good quality black sheen paint. I could buy new parts ... apart from being expensive .. it'll happen again.

The only thing I can't fix is the bubbling/sticky mess on the A/c controls etc.

I have the JPEG of the template kindly supplied by another FChatter and am looking into getting it 'printed' on some type of acceptable medium that will let the dial illuminations shine through.

 

Seriously - if you do this for the temp control area - I am starting to get one or two little bubble areas - I am interested in the results and can help fund to get a few copies made to get these out - of all the 355 owners - I know few who don't need this area "redone"... Keep us posted. I think it will be tricky to make it look "original" but do-able. Has anyone heard of carbonfiber with the graphics on them? or any other substitute that is non factory (which as mention will just do it again...)

 

Richard .. my center console is bubbling and sticky ... let's put 'sticky' in perspective ... when a pidgeon landed on my console it couldn't fly off!

I've started looking for a 'printer' who can create decal type work. I reckon having the JPEG file printed on some type of plastic ... about the thickness of a playing card .... plastic with a slight green tinge to match the other interior switches ... so the illuminated bits look greenish. I can't see it costing all that much, but I may have to have 50 - 100 printed to make it cost effective ... don't know yet. I thought using the thickness of a playing card would help in its placement ... maybe I can also get a 'peel off' glue back.

Does anyone out there have an opinion/advice before I move on this project?


Regards,


Pete

 

Pete - Now that is sticky... I am calling PITA Mine just has a little bubble - but that is how they all start ;-)

Have you thought about thin Aluminium with silk screened graphics and black (I guess it could also be chrome colored for a little Bling Bling)- that would be durable as all get out... Can we get the font that they use on the controls wording?

I am in for one - for sure. Let me know cause if you make 100 - I am sure you will sell them out on e-bay - and make enough to cover your cost - plus make a little - but it will have to look really good - the CF stuff is selling like crazy - and costs a lot... Why has no one come up with a CF replacement yet?

Let me know if you want me to pitch in to help fund the development..

As a side note - you know the protective guards under the car by the back wheels (one on each side). Those things are crap as well - I have had mine replace a few times. I am thinking about having some of these fabricated in Aluminium with Rubber Grommets as fasteners to make sure they have the same flex as the fiberglass originals. I was thinking offering them in Powder coated black, red, yellow, etc. to match the cars - since you can see the very edge of them from the back of the car... The Stock originals sell for 400+ per pair - I can do aluminium ones (with quantity) for around 350 a pair - and with custom colors...

Ok now that we have started our little F-Car parts store - what else should we offer

Rich

 

I think the acceptable medium would be clear plastic that could then be fixed to the panel.

What kind of paint are you using in the interior. I will do the same thing.

Thanks,

ken

 

This melting rubber also occurs on the 550, not just 348 and 355. No fix other than strip and repaint as some of you have recommended.

 

Paint ... plain good quality Rustoleum 'sheen'.

It takes a lot of effort .. plain grunt work ... soak in Methyl Ethyl ketone, rub, soak, rub soak, under the tap with fine grade abrasive paper. Spray .. sand ... spray sand etc. The knobs .. be careful .. I sanded through one and had to repair it.

So far I've done the door handles, everything on the center console except the bubble bit (including the ashtray). The upper and lower shroud on the steering column. With effort it actually looks pretty good .. but hell is it messy and time consuming.

..I had the ashtray perfect ... then screwed the flags on upside down!


PRINTING NEW CENTER CONSOLE BITS.
Talked to a printer who does a lot of panels for car restorers. He suggests 'lexon' ... and he has thicknesses of a playing card. He can also produce it in decal format with a sticky back. Costs ..... about $25 for 1, or $15 or so for 50. Not bad when you think FNA want ~$1350 for a new one .. plus a few knobs and electronic bits. Whatever it looks like it can't be worse than what I have now.

I'm visiting with the guy over the weekend and see if I can get an example of the product. I'll post the file.

 

Count me in as a buyer. so far the only problem I have is the A/C panel on my 98. How many of you are also having exhaust manifold problems?

 

Mine (headers) were renewed under warranty about 2 years ago.

My cats were done under warranty about 2 months ago.

 

I was just cleaning off that crap on the center vents, in my 348 yesterday. Guess what I found out takes that gunk off the fastest? A razor blade. Then you can use the soak and scrub method to clean off the little bit that is left. One word of caution. When you pop out the directional vents, the ones that move up and down/side to side, make sure that you don't loose the little clips that are on the inside walls. They are not attached and come loose. I'm still missing one and can't find it yet. If you don't have those, the air directors can't be clipped back in place.

 

I met with the printer guy. The 'Lexon' is clear plastic and it is about the thickness of a playng card. The print will be on the opposite surface to the one you can touch when the piece is in place .... I was worried that print would wear off after a time ... not worried now. I've ordered only 2 to start with, but the price will be adjusted if I go get more.

I measured the center piece, but have asked he makes the 'black' border piece about 1 cm. wider in both length and width to accomodate cars that aren't exactly the same as mine. Simple to cut with a pair of scissors ..or even better a small guillotine. The 'holes' where the knobs stick through will all be black, and he's cutting ~ 3/8" hole at the center's to accomodate the knobs.

The only tricky bit will be parting the center piece to get to the circlips holding the knobs on ... the knobs just don't pull off like normal ones .. they're held by circlips .. so you have to part the piece .. and there are some real delicate bulbs in there.

I should have the piece on ~ Wednesday and I'll post a picture and my assessment of whether it's worth moving ahead.

..... next is the dash!


Regards,


Pete

 

Awesome Pete - keep us posted and some pics... Let us know how the nob movements are after as well - with that thin should be plenty of room - but you never know once it is on there...

Thanks,
Rich

 

The printer guy would like to see the original piece so he gets the dimensions perfect. So, tonight I took a real sharp blade a sliced around the perimeter of the sticky mess. To my delight it came off WITHOUT having to dismantle the box ... unlike I said in one of my previous notes. So, the new piece will go on also without messing with those delicate bulbs I mentioned.

Also, it seems the green tinge is achieved by painting some type of paint over the backside of the numbers .. so when the bulbs light up ... the numbers look ...... green!

Now I'm at the point of no return.

 

Let me know if it works. I will buy one cover as well.

 

We are all appreciating you being the scraficial lamb on this one... And we are pulling for you and the car...

I assume you had to send it in between Wax Paper - so it would not stick to the envelope ...

Rich

 

A couple of sources for decal "wet-and-slide paper" so you can try making your own on your printer.

http://shopping.decalfactory.com/make-your-own-decals.html

http://www.decalpaper.com/

I'm working this idea on my 348 right now.

Bob Snow

 

Sure did .. hardest part was getting the pidgeon feathers off )))

 

Just a quick up-date of what's going on.

I got the 'lexon' piece back from the printer .... it's a 1st pass trial.

a)The fit is good, the surface is not perfect .. it's got the texture of the mirror adjustment control.

b) The resolution of the numbers etc ... OK .. but not perfect.

c) When I placed it on the unit, you can see the lights at the back .. just a little.

So, what's next:

a) Don't know what to do about the texture. It's not bad .. just not OEM .. and actually blends with the mirror control unit. The printer says he can use decal 'stuff' ... but this may be too shiny .. i prefer the texture.

b) The resolution issue can be fixed if I can get a higher resolution image. Does anyone recall the name of the original Fchatter that posted the art work .. it was a jpeg ... maybe he has a hgher resolution image. If not, I know enough 355 owners here in Houston to go a photo a perfect one.

c) This is an easy fix ... I can put a blank behind the actual printed effort .. or even just put a couple of black discs over the bulbs to disperse their 'shine'.

In any event, I'm pretty pleased with the results so far. Now it's just a case of fine tuning. I'll post some pics. when it's all done ... probably a couple of weeks.

Regards,


Pete

 

I d'loaded it for future use. Here it is. (hope it posts)

Count me in fo one when you go to finished product.

Jeff Davison

 

Jeff,

Thanks for the post .. unfortunately this is the one I already have and it's pretty low resolution .. it has to be to allow the post.

I was wondering if anyone could remember the name of the Fchatter who did the original post ... he's probably got a much higher resolution image.


Regards,


Pete