The 'E' Type Forum

Hi,
has any one tried to replace the chrome strip surround that goes around the gear shift leather boot hole.

the original version is unavailable, what you get is a straight strip of plastic that you are suppose to shape using something like a hair dryer to heat it up slightly and shape it to fit.

I have tried twice with mixed results.

Is there a trick, has anyone else done it with good results?

Comments please

Hi Mark,
when bought as a spare part originally they were supplied as a straight piece by the factory, so will need heating to fit. Hot water is probably the safest way to heat them up prior to fitting.

And use a small rubber or wood mallet to tap it into place. Start with the join at the front and work around the full 360 degrees and then cut it to length for a tidy fit.

I guess I will have to try again, the problem seems to me that its an art to getting it to look right. I'm just not that artistic!

Thanks for all the comments

I've got a NOS spare bagged as a shaped part, not straight. You have to use the correct thin vinyl on the cover because the chrome trim struggles if modern thicker elasticated vinyl is used. Same goes for the larger FHC hinge cover trims and the sill chromes on all models.

Pete

PeterCrespin wrote:I've got a NOS spare bagged as a shaped part, not straight.

Pete

Would you be interested in selling it Peter?

No thanks :-)

Pete

I used a very hot hairdryer to bend the length of chrome trim to suit. This worked very well, and also enabled the apature to be opened up slightly, by gently prising it apart with a flat bladed screwdriver. Finally, a squirt of washing up liquid helped to ease the chome over the vinyl.