Hi.

A while ago I posted about the leather handbrake boot that it turned out was intended for only Fabia's with STRAIGHT "metal" hand brakes. Earlier Fabias seem to have Bent metal hand-bakes regardless of button color as first thought. maybe it's a drum Vs. Disc thing.. anyhow.

A years thinking and stalling and yesterday I finally decided to give it my all and work out a way to fit the leather boot to the bent metal handle..

I DID IT (ish).

I'll got into more detail later.. but basically.. you can peel the leather of the plastic boot for a straight handle and re apply it to your original plastic boot for the bent handle..

It's not easy.. it takes patience and it's only really 96% successful but.. one on it looks 99% and works 100%

Heres an early pic.. more pics, detail, and maybe a guide later... I've gotta go fit my new woofers now.

Rob

Edited 8 October, 200916 yr by reflex88
attachment.

Going by the lack of replies is it safe to assume everyones either sold these on or bodge them somehow? I remember last year there was a few people in the same ship.. that said, they may have all been sold now!

If no replies I'll let this sink, if you find this is 6 months or something PM me for any help.

Rob.

I'm still interested in how you did it even if no-one else is!

I managed to get mine to fit as it was but it's not perfect and SWMBO keeps pulling it off because if it moves fowards slightly, it catches on the back of the slot in the console, which then pushes it right off.

I still have one to fit for my mother in her Furby, although I have to say that her hand brake lever looks straight even though it is an 04 model with a black button.

Apologies for dragging this up from the past:O

I've managed to peel the leather from the wrong lever i got for peanuts and after carefully removing all the horrid glue residue from the inside of the leather got it to fit over the black onyx lever in my elegance.

It doesn't sit right underneath the handle and i'd love to know how you managed to remove the annoying wrinkles before I get out the impact adhesive.

PS I'm bu**ered if i can get the onyx plastic off the lever to do this out of the car.Any suggestions as to how to remove it (so i don't have to remove both seats as well as the centre console to glue it) would be gratefully received.

I know the other threads on this subject say either tug it really hard towards the dashboard or free the locking tab with a screwdriver first, but my lever has a slot underneath where a screwdriver will fit, but no discernable tab, and I don't want to wreck the perfectly serviceable handbrake lever in the process of removing it.

Ok, let me cast my mind back....

Wrinkles!

I snipped the very bottom of the stitching at the front, this loosened it all a bit and meant I could massage out the wrinkles.. and it really is a case of working the leather and smoothing out the wrinkles..

I also remember the front stitch line that sits underneath the centre console was un done upto about an inch.. you can pull on these then and tape one around / over the other pulling out any wrinkles and taping it back together.. again, all under the console so you can't see it..

Hang on, this'll be better with pics that I know I have somewhere... back shortly.

Right, see below!

In the 4th pic I've drawn a box, this is the stitching you have to slacken off a bit and then fold over it's self a little.. securing it right at the bottom, I used Electricians tape

From 1 to 4 was just working the leather and gently stretching out the wrinkles..

The biggest problem I had was getting the stitching straight along the top.. That takes quite a bit of work I found, and is only ever 95% straight.. but, tbh, you'll never ever notice once it's in!

Edited 8 October, 200916 yr by reflex88

Oh, should add.. I left what glue was on the leather where it was, it made getting it on and straight easier by making it stay in place, but harder by making it difficult to move around.. at one point I was sticking dinner knifes up it to give me some slip!

The stitching will always bulge under the retaining clip doing it this way because there just plain isn't enough leather.. but you never see or feel it.

If you could find a gummy sticky glue to apply that won't set quickly it may help you get the wrinkles out by allowing you to work it all tight.

you could always apply a little glue and then use a hair drier to keep it tacky and soften the leather.

As for getting the boot off? Yeah, I remember it taking me something like a hour.. it's one of those slips that once it's off you can't believe it was so simple!.. I really recommend you remove it to work on it though, cuz if I remember correctly, sticking this leather in place covers the release tab.. it's gamble you take, if it brakes you just have to peel it off again in situ.

Edited 8 October, 200916 yr by reflex88

Thanks for that:thumbup: