Focus Fanatics Forum banner

Richbrook Brake & Bezel Bling-i-fi-cation

9K views 54 replies 20 participants last post by  chadman86 
#1 · (Edited)
Hey. You may or may not have seen my painted-dash thread from almost two years back (http://www.focusfanatics.com/forum/showthread.php?t=139808&highlight=tacky), but I took things further a few months ago and finally got around to uploading some pics...

Additions:

(1) Euro Focus ST220 shift knob;
(2) Richbrook Ford-licensed ebrake handle (thanks, Waffles!);
(3) Richbrook chrome (nasty!) gear-shift surround, which I had powdercoated CD Silverish, but with heavier flake to make it "pop" from down on the center console.

http://www.richbrook.co.uk/

Next step will probably be two-tone Redline boots (similar to CaysE's, but with blue instead of red, of course); but now that Redline changed its 'Violety Blue' from an almost perfect SVT blue-tweed match, to something much lighter and not even close, my enthusiasm has waned (but I'll probably go with their 'Dark Blue'). One of these days, maybe.

I will say that pics don't do it justice at all - I'm always shocked when I approach the car and/or get in by how much better it looks in person. (And the Richbrook handle feels like sex. Kind of.)

Anyway, enjoy (sorry I didn't vacuum the car first or pull the crap out of the door pockets - wasn't really going for glamour shots).

Project-progress pics to follow later...





















 
See less See more
11
#2 · (Edited)
So here's a sort of step-by-step on the process...

I put the brake on - which was a MUCH bigger pain-in-the-azz than I'd been led to believe (but perhaps if I had a workbench, vise, and Dremel things would have gone better). I got the OEM handle off using CaysE's method of hammering it off (only I did it IN the car, not in a vise - with the console removed and towels covering everything that could get scratched or gouged, it's a pretty safe way to go).

But removing the SVT handle was easy, putting the Richbrook on was a PAIN.

Anyway, the Richbrook comes with two different boot rings (or whatever), as you can see here:

http://www.focusfanatics.com/forum/showthread.php?t=184027

I decided to go with the grooved one:





This required some modification of my stock SVT boot. I carefully cut the stitching to make an opening wide enough for the FAT Richbrook handle to fit through, and decided to see if I could force a zip-tie through it, á la the shift boot, to secure the thing to the boot ring.



As you can see, I was able to do it - but it was about as much fun (and nearly as painful) as trying to insert a catheter into yourself. [NOTE: I did later go out and buy BLACK zip-ties of the proper size...]



The resulting look was pretty sweet, and the overall look in the pics is probably cleaner than the final-result pics (with shift bezel); but maybe that's just because the interior was cleaner! (i.e. recently vacuumed and steam-cleaned) [Note off-white zip-tie clamp sticking out at the bottom - later solved with slimmer, black zip-tie]







Next step was to order the Richbrook bezel. I KNEW I'd hate the chrome, so - before I even received it - I emailed Richbrook to find out what the thing was made of (I was hoping aluminum so I could blast off the chrome and go for a brushed-aluminum/billet look). The girl (Janette Clarke) from Richbrook told me they didn't KNOW what it was underneath (!), but she was totally cool and offered to send me new e-brake handle parts that I'd scratched a bit. Anyway, I was planning to find a metalsmith shop to sand it down or have the thing painted, but then a tech at my friendly neighborhood garage gave me a great idea: POWDERCOATING!

Here's the bezel BEFORE (note nasty chrome), just set in place to get the idea:




Then, one week and $40 later, I was ready to install my newly powercoated beauty...

Console on the operating table:


Powdercoat!






Before (chrome):




After (powdercoat):


 
#5 ·
owe shit i want those pieces! how much were they?, and how do you install the surround thing?, looks badass

and please if you get the redline stuff, could you post them here?!, i wanted to do the same but i was afraid that the blue from redline wouldnt match the svt interior lol
 
#7 · (Edited)
owe shit i want those pieces! how much were they?, and how do you install the surround thing?
EDIT: You can now order direct from Richbrook (http://www.richbrook.co.uk/)

Richbrook is a UK company - there are a ton of different UK sites selling their stuff. I actually got the brake handle here from member 'Waffles ZX3 Kona,' but I think it's between $40 and $50 new (?). I got the bezel from 'passion_automotive' on ebay, shipped from the UK for £26.98.

Check out their site and downloadable pdf "catalogue"s: http://www.richbrook.co.uk/

You could email Janette Clarke at Richbrook, and she could probably recommend a seller or two - perhaps they even sell direct: janette.clarke@richbrook.co.uk

Anyway, they're both really nice pieces. Steeda used to offer a PLASTIC shift surround that looked exactly the same, but I'm so happy that I procrastinated until they didn't offer 'em anymore (NO ONE offers 'em), and then went nuts for a long time until I found these sweet METAL ones.

how do you install the surround thing?
If you notice how I have it - in chrome - just draped over the shift boot, well if you push down HARD on it, the plastic ring in the boot will help you line it up - then you just mark your four drill holes with a pencil, and... drill (after removing the boot and such). That being said, it's really easy to drill the holes too wide - the console plastic is pretty soft. Indeed, I had to run to the hardware store for stainless screws, because the hex screws supplied by Richbrook just slid right through the holes I drilled (I also think there was a metric versus non-metric hex screw/drill bit screw up at play - can't remember if I used the Richbrook-supplied bit first, or one of mine - so I shouldn't blame the console's plastic). Anyway, my hardware store only had black hex screws in the right size - which I might try sometime to see if I like the look - but I actually dig the look of the stainless philips heads.

looks badass
Thanks [thumb]

and please if you get the redline stuff, could you post them here?!, i wanted to do the same but i was afraid that the blue from redline wouldnt match the svt interior lol
Yeah, the blue DOESN'T match anymore (but it USED TO, damnit!!!). I ordered samples from them two years ago (Violety Blue, Dark Blue, Charcoal, and Black). The Violety Blue was a near-perfect match when you laid it on the SVT seats. But then I didn't order the boots, because I started thinking about different shift knobs and console options, and wanted to get that sorted first...

So this thread discusses the next, tragic part of the story: (http://www.focusfanatics.com/forum/showthread.php?t=185965&page=3). Too bad his pics are gone, but if you go to my post #23, you'll get an explanation, and then my post #29 has photographic proof.

I'd say their new 'Violety Blue' is like the blue of the original RS Focus wheel - which looks nasty (bad nasty) in an SVT interior methinks.

When I lay those two swatches on my seats, I practically want to cry - WHY did he have to change his supplier before I could place my order!??!?
 
  • Like
Reactions: SVTRSST
#6 ·
that looks great, prerfect example of the right way to paint the interior.

where did you get that shifter surround, i've been wanting to find one of those for the longest time, just never knew what it was or where to look.
 
#8 ·
that looks great, prerfect example of the right way to paint the interior.
Thanks - I like to think so.

(But for some alternative - ahem - "taste"s, see pics below...)

where did you get that shifter surround, i've been wanting to find one of those for the longest time, just never knew what it was or where to look.
Yeah, I'd been eyeing the Steeda ones for a while, but kept thinking I could just remove the center part of the SVT bezel and have that professionally painted (NOT! Only the SVT bezels with traction/seat-heater buttons remove); then thought I'd get an ST170 one with the silver bezel...

Anyway, when I finally decided to go Steeda, they didn't offer 'em anymore.

I freaked for a few months and somehow discovered the Richbrook one - perhaps by surfing eBay. Then I saw a number of happy customers on www.ffoc.co.uk and went for it.

It's a nice, solid piece, and takes powdercoat real well - as you can see (unless you like chrome).

(Oh yeah, see my response to SVTRSST above for leads on where to get it...)

Here are some pics from www.ffoc.co.uk (not saying they're my cup of tea or anything), but you can see more examples of it in chrome (not to mention my e-brake handle in the first car - although I don't know what he was thinking with the brake-boot fitment):











 
#16 ·
Looks awesome, Shep! [thumb]

The shift knob and e-brake flow very nicely together. I don't know if I'd go with colored boots, though. I think solid black ones from Redline would look great, but then again I'm a little biased. [:D]
 
#18 ·
I don't know if I'd go with colored boots, though
Yeah, I'm not losing any sleep over going that route, especially because it's already been enough of a PITA getting that console close to what I had in mind. (That and the fact that Redline doesn't have the right blue leather anymore...) And maybe the two-tone look would push everything too far, I dunno.

But I definitely saw from your pics that even just their black boots are an upgrade over the SVT's (especially the brake boot - I think the SVT's shift boot looks okay).

Some day, maybe.
 
#19 ·
Well done. [:)]
Thanks! Does that mean I can call it "CaysE Approved"? That'd definitely help my street cred! [rofl]

That's news to me that you can buy direct from Richbrook. I used to order my Richbrook stuff from speeding.co.uk.
Yeah, I didn't discover that until this morning - and here I was corresponding with Janette Clarke (Richbrook Sales Administrator) a few months ago...
 
#20 ·
You know, I don't usually post about someone's interior work, and frankly I cringe when I see the title "painted dash" (which usually is code for "bright yellow" - just not my style).
I will give you a high compliment - it looks like what Ford should have done from the start! <g>
 
#21 ·
^^ You should imitate me and do a Liquid Gray interior - THAT would be HOT! (Or maybe not - maybe not enough contrast with your other interior bits? Gotta love Liquid Gray, though - wish they'd offered it on the SVTF.)

But, yeah, I agree with you big time on the painted interior thing in general. In fact, the only thing that got me considering it in the first place was the dreary, washed-out, faded-gray (or whatever) of the SVT vent rings. If I'd discovered CaysE and MJMallon's thread (on FocalJet?) about the true BLACK rings from Europe sooner, I might never have gone the painting route...

Then again, my interior looks awesome (really: 10X better in person), so I'm happy I did it.

(OH YEAH: and since you dig my painted look, check out my old thread if you haven't already - http://www.focusfanatics.com/forum/showthread.php?t=139808&highlight=tacky - because those pics really show off the paint job that PatternTek did for me...)
 
#26 ·
just ordered mine thru an ebay seller on ebay.co.uk

was 14.99 GBP and 8.74GBP for shipping.

pretty good deal if you ask me. I had a $25 dollar voucher with paypal so total I'm only paying $15.76

woohoo!
 
#29 ·
Awesome deal - congrats!

You gonna leave it chrome, or do you have other plans? Feel free to post pics of it here whenever you're done (or a link to a new thread if you start one).
 
#34 ·
Well, it's from the Euro MKII Focus ST220 (and some Mondeo edition).

Got it here:

http://www.fordpartsuk.com/shop/focus_mk2-aluminium_finish_gear_lever_knob_576.htm

But note the "THIS PART IS CURRENTLY BACKORDERED AT FORD
NO DELIVERY DATE IS AVAILABLE AT THIS TIME" part... It's been that way for a few months now - so this part may or may not ever be available again (wish I'd bought two).

I guess you could go with this one instead (http://www.fordpartsuk.com/shop/focus_2008_aluminium_finish__6_speed_gear_lever_knob_930.htm), but I don't know if it'd fit (it prolly would), and I don't know how good it'd look, it being "stubby" and all...
 
#35 ·
Looks GREAT shep, only thing I would do is fill in the screw holes or replace the philips with either Allen-head Cap bolts or Hex headed screws.

Always love reading your threads.
 
#36 ·
^^ Yeah, it came with Hex (or Allen?) screws, but I drilled the damn holes slightly too big (Richbrook DID provide a drill bit, but I can't remember it it was wrong or I just screwed up by picking one of my bits instead).

And my hardware store didn't have bigger Hex screws in stainless (color), only flat black. Not sure I'd dig the black (although I bought them, too).

But I was thinking of revisiting all that (i.e. trying to find the proper-size stainless hex screws at some other store, or trying out the black) if/when I get around to installing custom boots. Maybe if I drove the car every day, it'd bug me - but I only really get to see her on the weekends (my wife is the lucky one who commutes in her every day - I walk).

But like I wrote before, the philips screws don't bug me - I kinda like 'em.

Thanks for the compliments, though (and imagine my disappointment when I clicked your profile thinking that was YOU in your avatar pic...).
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top