How Do I Remove The Center Console Wood Trim Piece?

[Russ450]

The previous owner of my 2000 ES300 must have carried their cell phone behind the gear shift lever on the center console wood trim. It is scuffed up. I want to remove the piece and apply a coat of wipe-on high gloss polyurethane varnish. Does anyone know the steps to remove the wood trim section that surrounds the gear shift?

Thanks

[VT FIJI]

It just pops right out. Start from the bottom near the cup holder and use a wrapped flathead screwdriver to pry it up a little bit. It comes off pretty easily.

[lexusk8]

Yep, it should come off just like in the pic below (taken from my previous ES when I was tooling around with the gear shifter).

[coolwater]

Nice pic lexusk8. I'm curious what were you doing tooling around with the gear shifter. :-) I'm curious because I have the same car.... well, mine is a 2000 ES.

[Russ450]

Yep, it should come off just like in the pic below (taken from my previous ES when I was tooling around with the gear shifter).

Thanks lexusk8...(and also to VT FIJI)...I was hoping it would be something that simple. Believe it or not, at first I was planning to varnish it in place after doing a very careful tape job. Luckily, I thought of asking the forum...

[amf1932]

Picture resized.

[lexusk8]

Nice pic lexusk8. I'm curious what were you doing tooling around with the gear shifter. :-) I'm curious because I have the same car.... well, mine is a 2000 ES.

I was actually toying around with the bulb underneath the gear shifter since it would not work sometimes when the headlights are turned on at night. The bulb itself was fine, and then I discovered that by merely slapping on the gear shifter plate with my hand, I can make the bulb light up fine :D

[Lacebug Sydney]

Any advice on how you actually restore the finish of the woodgrain?

Stephen

[Russ450]

Any advice on how you actually restore the finish of the woodgrain?

Stephen

I plan on using a product I've had good luck with on some small cabinet making projects. Minwax brand "Wipe-On Poly" polyurethane varnish (gloss). You simply rough up the finish with fine steel wool, then wipe it on with a rag...no worries about brush strokes. Dries in 2-3 hours. You can build a very deep rich finish with multiple coats. I'll be doing this in the next week or so, and I'll post the results.

Russ

[Russ450]

Any advice on how you actually restore the finish of the woodgrain?

Stephen

I just finished using the Minwax Wipe-On Gloss Polyurethane varnish with very good results. It probabloy will take 2 or 3 coats if you have any scratches on the wood that need "filled"(4 hours dry time between coats). A couple of tips... The directions on the can say to use "fine" grade steel wool to prep before each coat, but use either "very fine" or "extra fine" and apply very light pressure. Its easy to scratch the finish deep enough that it requires extra coats of varnish. Also use a cloth with absolutely no lint...every speck shows up in the high gloss finish (although you don't really notice them once the piece is in the car).

All in all it was pretty easy and the wood looks like new.