Aston Martin DB7, DB9, DBS, Vantage V8, Vanquish, and Classic models

Refinishing knobs and interior aluminum bits.

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Old 05-24-2016, 01:52 PM
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Refinishing ***** and interior aluminum bits.

Has anyone tried this?

I think the interior of my DBS would look a little cleaner if all the aluminum brite work had the same "finish".

The shift **** has a slightly different finish then the shifter surround which is different from the ***** and bezels on the center fascia piece. Then the aluminum hvac vents are different from all the other parts.

I've started acquiring spares of all the ***** and pieces I've described with the plan of having them all stripped then refinished to match perfectly. It's very important to me to keep the original pieces so anything done can easily be reversed and put back exactly as delivered.

I'm thinking of just a mirror polished finish most like the aluminum shift handle. I'm going to try to include as many aluminum pieces in the car as possible.

Any thoughts? The hardest part of this as I discovered when I purchased a used shift handle for my DB9 a couple years ago and looked into having it polished to remove some heavy scratches it had that it doesn't seem as though it's possible to remove the glass insert (shift pattern indicator).

It's not available for purchase separately. My thought is it's either pressed in or adhered and can't be removed without damaging it. I'm going to look into having something custom made to replace the insert but if that proves just too difficult /pricey I'll just try to match the "new" finish to the shift **** (finish) as closely as possible.

Although I am really starting to like the look of copper being used more for interior bright work, I don't think it's for my DBS. Although I'm still thinking about this. I've seen copper used in conjunction with a polished aluminum used in the new Bentley concept interior.. I think it looks amazing, just not sure how to achieve the look I'm after exactly yet. It's most important to me that anything done looks like it could have been original. I feel this way about any mods to my cars. This car customized through Q did inspire me to dig into this however. I think it's beautiful.. Just a bit much (maybe?).
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My plan is something more like this. I'll do the glass switches at the same time and I think it'll look pretty fantastic.. I'd love to hear some opinions though.
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  #2  
Old 05-24-2016, 02:28 PM
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Wow that cooper look is sexy (maybe just me, I do like my white gourmet pots and pans etc)
 
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Old 05-24-2016, 04:16 PM
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Speedracer800, For me I don't think that I will change the shifter surround or shifter **** (I replaced mine with a DBS version) but I was thinking of getting the aluminium door pulls and sills polished and anodized clear. My door pull and sill on the driver side has some scratch and needed refinishing anyway. I think I will wait for the end of the summer, just before the car goes to storage before removing the parts so that they could be done over the winter months. Do you think it would look the part...
 
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Old 05-24-2016, 05:27 PM
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For 6 months now my Aston dealer has been trying to get a price of the copper ***** to no avail... Is there another outlet or way?
 
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Old 05-24-2016, 05:57 PM
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I've been buying new ***** and then will just have finished.. You can do the same. Send off to a plating facility and have done in copper. The buttons were about $40 each if I recall from HWM.
 
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Old 05-24-2016, 08:39 PM
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Originally Posted by handyman2009
Speedracer800, For me I don't think that I will change the shifter surround or shifter **** (I replaced mine with a DBS version) but I was thinking of getting the aluminium door pulls and sills polished and anodized clear. My door pull and sill on the driver side has some scratch and needed refinishing anyway. I think I will wait for the end of the summer, just before the car goes to storage before removing the parts so that they could be done over the winter months. Do you think it would look the part...
I've considered the sills also. My car has carbon fiber door pulls and I think the door pulls and sill covers should match (closely as possible).

This is going to be a winter project for me as well.. It's going to take a little time.
 
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Old 05-25-2016, 04:21 AM
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Yes those 2 should match for sure, I will also get a new sills plate anodized black and engraved, reverse color of what we have today, should look good and classy.
 
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Old 05-25-2016, 08:00 AM
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The copper works for that car because it matches the weave of the seats.
 
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Old 05-25-2016, 10:06 AM
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Originally Posted by DonBond
The copper works for that car because it matches the weave of the seats.
I think they're definitely needs to be another (copper) "tone" somewhere to tie it together. Although it's a very unique and interesting look, I don't think it's right for a DBS.

I want more of a high polished aluminum finish rather than all the variants currently in the interior.

This is a Pagani and obviously an Italian design and a bit over the top for an Aston Martin.. But I do like the polished metal work in the car and (imo) the DBS could benefit from some of this if done correctly and tastefully..

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Old 05-26-2016, 07:11 AM
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I would advise to take your time and live with it awhile. The right answer will come to you in time.
 
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Old 05-27-2016, 11:23 AM
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Put your $$$ towards installing a Johnson cooler like in the Pagani seats above.
 
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