4200 HANDBRAKE BUTTON

tonycharente

Member
Messages
182
The "plastic chrome" handbrake button on my MY2006 4200CC is missing some of its chrome. I happened to notice that it looked to be the same button as on my 2004 ALFA 156SW V6. I found a supplier of these ALFA 156 (and 147 apparently) buttons on eBay, so I bought one. Unfortunately it turns out that they are not the same button at all...

The first photo shows why (remembering that I'd not removed either button, and that the cars were not side by side) I had thought they were the same. The second photo shows that they are in fact entirely different. In both shots the Alfa one is the one on the right.

I had assumed that Maserati would not have their own specific handbrake button manufactured when a sister company was buying them by the tens of thousands, and I'm wondering whether this might nevertheless still be true. Question is, from what model? Any ideas anyone ?

Cheers
TonyMASERATI vs ALFA HANDBRAKE BUTTONS 1.jpgMASERATI vs ALFA HANDBRAKE BUTTONS 2.jpg
 
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Zep

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9,110
If I were a betting man I would try an Alfa 166, but it might well be one of those things that is special. The lever assembly itself is different from a 166, but looks very similar to the early QPV.
 

tonycharente

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182

Zep

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FIFTY

Member
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3,100
Thank you for your reply FIFTY. Can you get "plastic chrome" refinished ?

It is possible, logically Maserati contracted a company to chrome it for them in the first place. I would try contacting a local chrome plating company to see if they can help. It's worth a shot, less plastic waste and all that.
 

tonycharente

Member
Messages
182
It is, I would ask Soprano Stu if he has a manky 4200 lever with a good button if I were you. You could spend £40 trying a 166 lever and if it is the wrong one you would have to try and sell it again!
Very good idea thank you. That's exactly what I'll do. I have a couple of other tiny items too, so I'll put together a query to him in a day or two. Thanks again, Tony
 

tonycharente

Member
Messages
182
It is possible, logically Maserati contracted a company to chrome it for them in the first place. I would try contacting a local chrome plating company to see if they can help. It's worth a shot, less plastic waste and all that.
I fear there's a big difference between having umpteen thousand brand new " plastic chrome" buttons manufactured (should they indeed be specific to Maserati) and finding someone able to remove the remaining "chrome" finish (which probably isn't actually chrome?) and then applying a new chrome finish, and even if possible I think it would be easier and probably cheaper to try to buy a good second-hand one. But thank you for the suggestion. Tony
 

CatmanV2

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48,543
It might be aluminium. Which means you may well find someone that can vapour deposition on it.
Maybe

C
 

tonycharente

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182
It might be aluminium. Which means you may well find someone that can vapour deposition on it.
Maybe

C
It looks like a plastic casting to me - please see my photos - I think it's white plastic showing through where the "chrome" has flaked off?
Cheers
Tony
 

CatmanV2

Member
Messages
48,543
It looks like a plastic casting to me - please see my photos - I think it's white plastic showing through where the "chrome" has flaked off?
Cheers
Tony

Yes it is. Sorry, I meant the 'chrome' might well be Aluminium. Like the reflectors on your headlights. They are made by vapour depositing Aluminium on the plastic substrate.

C
 

tonycharente

Member
Messages
182
Yes it is. Sorry, I meant the 'chrome' might well be Aluminium. Like the reflectors on your headlights. They are made by vapour depositing Aluminium on the plastic substrate.

C
OK, I'm sorry too ! I understand better now, thank you. But I still think it may be easier to try to find a good second-hand one. I live in rural France so what chance of finding a company able (and willing) to vapour deposit Aluminium having first removed the original coating?
Cheers
Tony
 

tonycharente

Member
Messages
182
Wow ! That looks to be brilliant, (no pun intended...) thank you - I particularly like the pen idea - having successfully tidied up various small faults on my black control buttons using black marker pen.
 

tonycharente

Member
Messages
182
Reporting back....

Having found no-one anywhere willing to sell me just a handbrake button, I thought I would try CatmanV2's suggestion (thank you) and try a Molotow Chrome marker pen. Searching on Google suggested the "chrome" would take ages to fully dry, and that the "chrome" would not last long if frequently touched (let alone pushed). So after THREE coats of the "chrome" followed by TWO coats of a spray on clear varnish, each applied a week apart (hence the delay in getting back...) here are some photos.

The button as removed (it just pulled straight off) with "chrome" breaking off:-
56643

The button with the remaining chrome carefully scraped off:-
56644

The result : 1
56645

The result : 2
56646

Conclusion: I think it looks better than before I started, but not much ! Probably would be better if the "chrome" had been sprayed on, but I don't have a model makers' air brush kit. Anyway, I'll use it and see how it goes (i.e how well it stands up to being pushed). And meanwhile I'm still looking for an as new button or to learn what, if any, other car Maserati "pinched" it from.
Cheers
Tony
 
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