Key Fob Recon

namaste

Member
Messages
212
So the condition of my key fob was triggering me and I have some time on my hands so decided to make them worthy of the car they start.

Here's the original condition. Not as bad as many I'm sure but still chipped, scratched, poor quality looking.

IMG_20170315_143441.jpg
IMG_20170315_143456.jpg



I bought one of those cheap fobs off ebay. Not surprisingly they are poor quality. Bad plastic moulding, easily scratched plastic, badge recess too big for the badge. I thought at least I can use the new buttons but they don't even push down far enough to reach the switches on the original fob, though I think I can mod them to work.

IMG_20170315_143509.jpg
IMG_20170315_143530.jpg



So on with reconditioning the original. A quick rub down and coat of primer to show up the chips

IMG_20170315_155601.jpg
IMG_20170315_155620.jpg



Some stopper used to fill in the chips, re-flattened.

IMG_20170315_230134.jpg



Re-coated with primer ready for spraying

IMG_20170316_001014.jpg



I popped down to halfords to find a paint match. I concentrated on matching the blue of the maserati logo on the back. I ended up getting a Ford colour.

These are night time photos so not reproducing very well.

IMG_20170316_141743.jpg
IMG_20170316_142516.jpg



Finished with a couple of coats of 2k clear. Should give a hard wearing finish and any future scratches can be easily polished out.

IMG_20170323_174833.jpg



The finished product.

IMG_20170324_123517.jpg
IMG_20170324_123626.jpg
IMG_20170324_123923.jpg
IMG_20170324_123940.jpg
 

StuartW

Member
Messages
9,306
Well done, very impressive. If this is how you look after your key, you're welcome to come and detail my car anytime!

Now make sure you don't drop that key or keep it in your pocket with your loose change
 

namaste

Member
Messages
212
Well done, very impressive. If this is how you look after your key, you're welcome to come and detail my car anytime!

Now make sure you don't drop that key or keep it in your pocket with your loose change

The car detailing will start when the weather improves. I can document the work on here if people are interested. Jobs include the arch lips where there's some smattering of stone chips all round. Stone chip repairs on the bonnet. Re-spraying the wheels Grigio Mercury. They are currently the standard silver but there's been some poor scuff repairs in the past so worth doing again from scratch. I was originally going to go with black (the car is grigio granito), but in the end decided to go with an original colour.

Very nice. What was the Ford blue colour?
Moz

The colour is called Balliol Blue. Royal Blue was also very close but a shade lighter.

Fancy doing one of mine?

C

Ha, I'm not a professional so don't like the idea of messing with other people's stuff.
 

MarkMas

Chief pedant
Messages
8,795
....and for your next project, you could restore my No2 key where the metal key-ring sticky-out bit is absent, and I tried to screw in an eye to replace it, which sheared of some of the plastic.
key.jpg
 

spkennyuk

Member
Messages
5,931
Looks very good.

I had been thinking of seeing if an alfa flip key could be paired to the 4200 alarm. If it can then a blade change on the key and you have a cheap spare key or a more hard wearing daily key. Has anyone tried this ?
 

w5pwr

New Member
Messages
254
Excellent job, well done.

I sure I am not the only one, but would love to see the progress on the detailing when you start......
 

CatmanV2

Member
Messages
48,547
Looks very good.

I had been thinking of seeing if an alfa flip key could be paired to the 4200 alarm. If it can then a blade change on the key and you have a cheap spare key or a more hard wearing daily key. Has anyone tried this ?

Easy to check

C
 

spkennyuk

Member
Messages
5,931
I will try it over the weekend if i get chance. I always thought the 4200 / GS key was a bit naff for a luxury car.
 

spkennyuk

Member
Messages
5,931
I will try it over the weekend if i get chance. I always thought the 4200 / GS key was a bit naff for a luxury car.

Actually i wont try it over the weekend. If it does work which i suspect it might then every time i use the alfa key to open the alfa then the 4200 will unlock as well. Unless anyone knows how to remove a key from the 4200 afterwards.