Horn Button Restoration

[UmmYeahOk]

My husband found a way where I could use my factory button on my new steering wheel, so I took a look at my old one and got depressed. I then looked at how much a new one would cost, and got depressed some more. But then I got a great idea. Restore the old one I have.

Heres what it looked like before:

With the original color flaking off so easily, it wasnt hard to replace the old paint with new. I didnt have a good enough shade of blue, so I had to mix colors. I assumed the background was light navy, and had decided to paint it black. For some reason the paint that flaked off was also black, not navy at all, but it did get me wondering about other possible color combination.

The outside of the button also had some white overspray from when they resprayed the car. But I was able to buff it all away using rubbing compound.

Heres what I ended up with:

 

[TRopic6]

Excellent! It's great when an old part can be crafted back to it's former glory. And very satisfying when you do if yourself!

Jeff

 

[booley]

very nice!

 

[71MKIV]

and no neighbors were offended in the process!

 

[martx-5]

:lol: :lol:

Great job. It is very satisfying making parts like this look new again.

 

[Gliderman8]

and no neighbors were offended in the process!

...be werry, werry quiet; we're restoring a horn button.

 

[TR4nut]

Very,very nice! Did you have to drill out rivets or anything to get access to the button?

 

[UmmYeahOk]

and no neighbors were offended in the process!

...be werry, werry quiet; we're restoring a horn button.

LMAO!

Very,very nice! Did you have to drill out rivets or anything to get access to the button?

No. The button along with top black surround come apart as one piece. The trick is once you have that piece, you flip it upside down and pull back on the metal tabs which belong to the chrome circle surround. Once you are able to lift that surround out, the button is now free. The chrome bezel surround is the only thing keeping the button in place.

 

[71MKIV]

seriously, did you have to take any of the paint off or did the paint you put on kind of blend everything together.

Nicely done.

I'd do mine, but the plastic is crazed. Dunno if it would polish out with a little headlight lens polish or not.

 

[Richter12x2]

She used regular paint rubbing compound - 3m Super Duty, for removing 1200 grit and finer scratches, but something better would probably work just as well. That stuff is ~$30 for a quart bottle, which lasts you several paint jobs, but probably overkill for a horn button. :laugh:

 

[UmmYeahOk]

The rubbing compound was only used on the outside surface to remove overspray. I wasnt about to use goof off or any other type of paint remover on it out of fear that it would damage or discolor the clear plastic.

The inside mostly flaked off if you blew on it. Thats how bad it was. What didnt come off easily chipped off wit my pocket knife

...be werry, werry quiet; we're restoring a horn button.

Actually I will have to test the button, so thatll be fun. Its gotta work or Ill fail inspection. Sad thing is, theres this disconnected wire, which already had been previously spliced (badly) that goes no where. I think it goes to the horn, so thats going to be a fun task to repair.

 

[Brosky]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:]The inside mostly flaked off if you blew on it.[/QUOTE]

That reminds of when I decided to blow a little compressed air into my tachometer to clear the glass and created a snow storm. And a gauge restoration project.

That is a very nice job. Congratulations on the excellent results.