Hi All,

I have found an aluminum shift **** by RUF that I love. However, my car has black interior, and no hint of aluminum. If I get the ****, can one paint the aluminum black, or plate it a different color?

If yes, will the color fade/wear? Or there's a process that is color-fast? Need your advice. Thanks.

CP

 

CP,

You might want to have it anodized...although anodizing is a 1 or 2 thousands of an inch thick and will wear off after repeated use.

I would think painting with a paint that can take the wear with real carefull prep would be best. The paint might be reinforced with some plastic. Don't know what paint it would be but we have a brain trust here so someone could chime in.

Good luck!

 

I agree with Bruce. Anodizing will work much better for you...

 

black annodize then get it powder coated clear ??

Black Chrome--does anyone know if aluminum can be plated with a black-chrome finish??

I suppose you could post a question on Finishing Dot Com http://www.finishing.com/index.html

max

 

Thanks guys,

Does anyone know of a shop in the Bay Area to talk to about anodizing?

CP

 

For anodization, I use Anodizers Inc. for my work-related stuffs. They're in Peninsula and their phone number is (650) 366-8855.

However I don't know if they are willing to do individual work for you or not.

 

Pin,

Thanks. I'll give them a call. Can I drop your name?

Update: Called them, but they only do commercial work. Even dropping Pin's name didn't budge them.

But then, they have so much background noise there I'm not sure they could hear my Pin drop. Sorry, just can't resist.

CP

 

Anodizin is the best and if you anodize, you don't need to powder coat or anything. Anodizing is very durable.

You can paint aluminum also. You need special primer before you do that though, otherwise the paint will peel easily.
Since you had trouble anodizing, I'd just paint it.

I believe you can black-chrome aluminum as well but I'm not 100% sure (they chrome platic so why not).

 

One thing to keep in mind about black anodize is that if its exposed to sunlight for a long time (parking outside all the time etc) is that it will fade to a dark eggplant purple color. Shouldnt be a problem tho if you just use your car on weekend blasts and since its not an exterior part.

Getting a clear coat or some kind of UV protection on it wouldnt hurt tho.

 

I prep and paint aluminum alloy almost every day, and it works fine, but I would suggest that powder coating will give you a more durable finish. I would just get it powder coated gloss black.

 

Chuck is right. Powder coat would be the way to go. I'm sure you could find someone to do it at a reasonable price.

Matt

 

If you do powder coat the Ruf **** black, the brushed aluminum texture will definitely be gone; and because of the powder coating's thickness, the fine engraving of the shift pattern will most likely be filled in as well. It will just look like a cheap black plastic shift ****.

 

I am talking to a local shop who specializes in aluminum anodization. Will post results when I know more.

Life has so many complications.

CP

 

I have found a shop specializing in aluminum anodizing in our area. They can do polished/black anodize for $55, and will add gold accent on the RUF logo, and the top of the **** for $110.

Here's a picture of the **** I'm looking at.

https://rennlist.com/forums/showthre...hreadid=115248

I also have a shop that will take a round shaft from this **** and mate it to the flat shifter shaft that's OEM on 993s. They will also lower the shift **** by 1" while we're at it. This **** comes with it's own leather boot so we have no issues with undoing the stitching on the OEM boot.

I'm psyched.

Thanks for all your help in the mean time.

CP

 

you can either anadize or powder coat alum. very durable either way, i have those finishes on my mt. bike which get hit by more rocks the 993 nose. but if you wear ring on right hand, it will scratch it and wear out the finish.