Polishing a Turd

Today it was a nice spring day outside so I decided to work on getting the Jeep one step closer to heading out on the trails. I pirated the grungy old Tuffy security console out of my old Wrangler and refinished it to go in the "new:" Wrangler.

I have always loved the set up for its bullet proof construction, secure CD player slot and all around functionality.....however the finish on it has always been less than up to par. At some point along the way it was spray painted and was badly faded.  9 years ago I painted it with a "do-it-yourself bedliner"........and regretted it within a week. The texture was rough enough unlocking it often resulted in skinned knuckles. Not to mention it was impossible to keep clean. Here is what I started with:

I applied a coat of aircraft paint stripper and let it do its business:

After the first application/ scraping with a razor blade.........starting to wonder if I had made a big mistake, it looked a mess:

 Two hours of scraping and a rattle can of rustoleum later..........

I took the liberty of adding a padded armrest. I used a scrap of plywood, an old sleeping pad, 4 screws and some vinyl from the craft store. Total cost: around $30......new one $260 + shipping! I think it turned out decent don't you?