bigcoupe.com

I searched but did not find anything on this.
I am rebuilding my gauge cluster and have it completely dissembled so I also want to refresh it, particularly the inside. I notice it has this odd texture to it kind of like, for lack of a better word, stippling. I don't think that is the factory finish as it smears very easily.
So a few questions
1. Am i correct in thinking that is not factory
2. If is is not factory what is the correct finish color flat,matte, satin??

Thank you.

Hey DV8OR, don't have an answer to your question, but as a board moderator, I am going to move your thread to the Interior section, where you will likely get more responses

Good luck on your quest

Thank you.

Run around the interwebz and look for a flocking kit. Another option that could be interesting is plasti-dip. Although it isn't intended as a permanent product like flocking.

Jose

If you have the front glass off, go to a company that does displays, as in store displays if you have one close by, and have them flock it for you. The finish will be unbelievable. The cost negligible. I did this in the glove compartment of a car I was restoring years ago and was much more than pleased.

so that "stippling" is factory?

Flocking is not stippling. Flocking is kind of a fine "fuzzy" almost velvet like finish if that is what you are calling stippling. Stippling is a type of paint finish

Thank you for the reply but I do know the difference. I was using the term "stippling" because the inside of my cluster, behind the clear plastic, has a lot of texturing to it that looks like a lot of little raised dots. not a a fuzzy coating.
Was I was asking is are all these little raised dots a factory finish or not.
I just went and looked at my parts e24 and it has it too it is just it does not look as uniform as the one I am refreshing.

Flocking is what it should be, Maybe to you it looks like a lot of little dots. Possibly from years of sun? However flocking is correct as Jose has said . The inside of your glove compartment should be flocked as an example. Maybe if there is a display company where you live you could go over there and see. Problem is, to refinish the panel what ever way you choose to refinish it, you will have to get the clear plastic off and that is a night mare in itself. If you are able to do that, you will end up with a beautiful as new looking panel

It definitely is not flock as I have flocked items before.
I already have the clear plastic off so that is not an issue
Here is a pic that might clear some things up

Just been delving into my brinicle this evening... The finish on yours looks quite different from both of mine (82 and 85) - quite course and stippled - but it does look original. I have found that the glue is water based and dissolves quite easily.

I have a 88 and a 89 clusters so I wonder if something changed

My '85 E24 Euro's original cluster had the same look. I assumed it was heat damage since it smeared when I tried to clean it. It was as if the original coating had disintegrated. I ended up replacing it with one in much better condition without the speckles and the smears I made trying to clean it.

panthercity wrote: ↑Sat Mar 23, 2019 10:41 pm My '85 E24 Euro's original cluster had the same look. I assumed it was heat damage since it smeared when I tried to clean it. It was as if the original coating had disintegrated. I ended up replacing it with one in much better condition without the speckles and the smears I made trying to clean it.

What was the finish of the newer cluster? Matte? Satin?

The "new" cluster was from an older car '83 but was in better condition. The color is the same as the one in your picture but the finish is more even without a pronounced speckled appearance.

I'm glad this question has been asked as mine is exactly the same. I have to pull the gauges out soon and was going to clean it up and replace the clear plastic as it has a crack. I thought at first the gauge surround had mould but the finish looks too uniform so I changed my thoughts to it being a factory finish. If it 'smears' it sounds like a coating/paint finish that has failed.

DV80R - how did you get the plastic off.

bigboystoy wrote: ↑Sun Mar 24, 2019 6:19 am
DV80R - how did you get the plastic off.

I am not sure if I was lucky or not but they came of with minimal effort, a little prying here and there.The glue was so old that is just wasn't holding well. 1 was about 75% still glued and the other was about 50%

Be careful though because it seems like the plastic can crack easily

Very late reply but posting in case other searchers come across this thread. After seeing this same issue on numerous clusters both in ebay listings and in my own car (a very original 7/86 635csi) I think it is a common failure mode for the factory-applied matte finish. I found the same "mold" in my cluster after disassembly for an odo gear and lens replacement - it was not super obvious in the car but once the cluster was apart was clearly evident. I tend toward the "tear it down until no more parts come off, then clean" approach, and once I got the cluster bezel under warm water realized the "stippling" was actually an oily residue that seemed to be leaching out from the original paint/coating. I was able completely rub it off by hand with warm water and microfiber towels, but it left a grayish finish with more reflection than I would like.

As such, decided to repaint it as the remaining finish looked stable and a good base for refinishing. I used Rustoleum High-Temp Matte Black - clearly not leveraging the high-temp aspect in this application but it tends to be about the best true matte-finish black that I have found, and is generally very durable. Came out looking fabulous, and thus far have not seen any indication of a reaction between the original finish and the new paint. Time will tell, but feeling optimistic.

I bought this flocking kit, worked really well.
I can refinish the flocking for $100, but the
clear plastic must be removed.

http://www.flockit.com/index.php/produc ... -kits.html

Before
After

I ended up wiping mine down with 99% alcohol which worked well for me. Removed all the weirdness and left a good black base with a bit of texture.

I thought about painting but did not want to screw up.