Results 1 to 12 of 12

Thread: WTB: Wooden Hand Brake lever

  1. #1
    2,000 rpm - light wheelspin, no bog here! Joelioooo's Avatar
    Drives
    Laguna Blue 1994
    Location
    New Zealand
    Join Date
    Aug 2013
    Posts
    207
    Thanks Given
    72
    Thanked 230 Times in 92 Posts

    WTB: Wooden Hand Brake lever

    Hi guys, I'm looking for either a Zeromotive or factory Wooden Handbrake sleeve in decent condition (with the clear finish still entirely intact if possible) to match my Wood Nardi.

  2. #2
    3,000 rpm - starting to feel the power MLambert19's Avatar
    Drives
    1991 LS3 R.I.P. 1990 Donor Chassis in Progress!
    Location
    Western Maine
    Join Date
    Aug 2014
    Posts
    931
    Thanks Given
    430
    Thanked 594 Times in 310 Posts
    I don't have one to sell, but I'm in the process of refinishing the one from my 91 BRG. If it comes out well, I'd gladly let you know how I did it. It might be easier & cheaper to buy a dinged-up one and refinish it!

    Good luck! -Matt

  3. The Following User Says Thank You to MLambert19 For This Useful Post:

    Joelioooo (10-22-2014)

  4. #3
    2,000 rpm - light wheelspin, no bog here! Joelioooo's Avatar
    Drives
    Laguna Blue 1994
    Location
    New Zealand
    Join Date
    Aug 2013
    Posts
    207
    Thanks Given
    72
    Thanked 230 Times in 92 Posts
    Would be good to have in the DIY section

  5. The Following User Says Thank You to Joelioooo For This Useful Post:

    WASABI (10-23-2014)

  6. #4
    3,000 rpm - starting to feel the power MLambert19's Avatar
    Drives
    1991 LS3 R.I.P. 1990 Donor Chassis in Progress!
    Location
    Western Maine
    Join Date
    Aug 2014
    Posts
    931
    Thanks Given
    430
    Thanked 594 Times in 310 Posts
    What does shipping from Moss cost to NZ?

    http://www.mossmiata.com/Shop/ViewPr...GrkaAu4p8P8HAQ

  7. #5
    6,000 rpm - mere mortals would shift JamieH's Avatar
    Drives
    Black & Tan '97 - Betty
    Location
    Kinston, NC
    Join Date
    Jan 2012
    Posts
    5,554
    Thanks Given
    2,805
    Thanked 3,021 Times in 1,162 Posts
    I can tell you right now the only way you are going to get one that matches what you already have is to refinish one. It's incredibly easy to do as well. I wish I took pictures of the process when I did mine. Really, the hardest part is picking out the right stain, or stains to mix, to get a match. Everything else is just labor.

    I sanded an OEM NA Nardi handle down to bare wood. Then I applied a pre-stain wood conditioner to ensure the stain would be absorbed by the wood evenly. After that a few coats of stain until I achieved the color/tone/darkness I was aiming for. Finally finishing it off with 5 or 6 coats of spar varnish. I used Minwax stuff and just followed the directions on the labels. I applied the stain with a foam brush and used aerosol spar varnish. I left the handle attached to the lever as well. Just removed the button and masked the rest off. Here's how mine turned out.

    Spar varnish is vital. It'll guard against sunlight, changes in temperature, and oils (such as those in your hands). All in, I think I had about $30 or so in materials. Sadly, I spent about... $60? Or so? On the handle that I thought looked good enough from the pictures that it wouldn't need refinishing. Anyways, mine's been in the car for months now, around half a year at least, and it still looks just as good as when I was done refinishing it.

    Also, it was the first time I attempted to refinish some automotive wood. I had a problem getting the varnish to lay out properly the 1st time around. Kept getting pockets/pinholes where it wouldn't cover. I just sanded it back down, did the best I could to clean contaminants off and reapplied the varnish. I also sanded it back down once at the staining stage because at 1st the color/tone wasn't quite right. What I'm saying is, don't be afraid to refinish one of the old wood handbrake handles. If you screw up, just sand things back down and start over.

  8. #6
    2,000 rpm - light wheelspin, no bog here! Joelioooo's Avatar
    Drives
    Laguna Blue 1994
    Location
    New Zealand
    Join Date
    Aug 2013
    Posts
    207
    Thanks Given
    72
    Thanked 230 Times in 92 Posts
    @MLambert19, I'm not sure just yet I may send an email asking, thanks for the link.

    @JamieH, I had a look at your build thread earlier today and I'm a big fan of your interior and read over your progress on the wood bits. I actually think that a good condition factory handle will be a close match to my Nardi 320mm as it isn't nearly as dark as your one is, however, refinishing isn't out of the question if I'm not satisfied with the outcome.

  9. #7
    6,000 rpm - mere mortals would shift JamieH's Avatar
    Drives
    Black & Tan '97 - Betty
    Location
    Kinston, NC
    Join Date
    Jan 2012
    Posts
    5,554
    Thanks Given
    2,805
    Thanked 3,021 Times in 1,162 Posts
    Well, the thing about good condition is that we're talking about a part that's 17+ years old. So the sun alone has made most of them lighter than they originally were. And they weren't all the same color. Some were a bit lighter, others darker. It's the same way with the OEM Nardi teardrop wood shift knob. I've had three of those and not a one of them was the same shade.

    I looked for months and months for one that was the right shade and condition. I'd find one that'd be in good condition, but the wrong shade, or the right shade, but poor condition. The only way for a near perfect match is for them to all be from the same car, a matched set straight from Mazda, get lucky after looking at dozens and piece a really nice set together, or you refinish all of them together. And what sucks about finding one online is that pictures never show the exact shade/darkness. In pics mine looks completely different depending if it's in the shade, sunlight, and if the pics are taken with or without flash.

    Mine is a compromise. The wheel and shifter are slightly different shades and darkness, so my handbrake is an attempt to to bridge the difference. But, being all Nardi pieces the grain matches just fine. Which is why I'm not a fan of the aftermarket wood handles. They look cheap in comparison and none of them have a decent grain.

    Though, I hope ya do get lucky and find one that meets your specs and matches how ya want without having to refinish. Because it did kind of suck having to put off installing mine once I got it to refinish it.

  10. #8
    5,000 rpm - there be torque here! WASABI's Avatar
    Drives
    1991 British Racing Green
    Location
    Amesbury, MA
    Join Date
    Dec 2011
    Posts
    3,864
    Thanks Given
    6,206
    Thanked 1,464 Times in 795 Posts
    Wait, the stock wooden hand brake handle is a Nardi? The shift knob in my '91 BRG is a Nardi, and has the Nardi logo, but the hand brake does not.

  11. #9
    3,000 rpm - starting to feel the power Rogue's Avatar
    Drives
    93LE #737, 93LE #783, 92BnT, 95M, 90A and now a 97PEP
    Location
    Propwash 16Xray (D/FW, Texas)
    Join Date
    Dec 2011
    Posts
    698
    Thanks Given
    376
    Thanked 505 Times in 271 Posts
    Quote Originally Posted by WASABI View Post
    The shift knob in my '91 BRG is a Nardi
    And is not wood…..
    I'm doing the same on my wifes '92, trying to match the sweet Nardi wheel and NB 5sp nardi.
    1992 BnT, 93LE #737, 94M, 95M, 96M, 97PEP, and a few 90s

  12. #10
    5,000 rpm - there be torque here! WASABI's Avatar
    Drives
    1991 British Racing Green
    Location
    Amesbury, MA
    Join Date
    Dec 2011
    Posts
    3,864
    Thanks Given
    6,206
    Thanked 1,464 Times in 795 Posts
    Quote Originally Posted by Rogue View Post
    And is not wood…..
    I'm doing the same on my wifes '92, trying to match the sweet Nardi wheel and NB 5sp nardi.
    My shift knob IS wood, and has the little Nardi plaque. I thought if the e-brake was Nardi, it would be labeled somewhere on it, like the steering wheel and knob.


  13. #11
    Admin / Pit Boss / Miataholic Phatmiata's Avatar
    Drives
    Kirin the '93LE Roadster #1073
    Location
    NEW Tampa > OLD Tampa
    Join Date
    Apr 1994
    Posts
    33,605
    Thanks Given
    13,678
    Thanked 9,518 Times in 4,641 Posts
    hand brake handle on the '91 BRG and '92 SE was Nardi equipment here in the USA

  14. The Following User Says Thank You to Phatmiata For This Useful Post:

    WASABI (10-23-2014)

  15. #12
    6,000 rpm - mere mortals would shift JamieH's Avatar
    Drives
    Black & Tan '97 - Betty
    Location
    Kinston, NC
    Join Date
    Jan 2012
    Posts
    5,554
    Thanks Given
    2,805
    Thanked 3,021 Times in 1,162 Posts
    Quote Originally Posted by WASABI View Post
    Wait, the stock wooden hand brake handle is a Nardi? The shift knob in my '91 BRG is a Nardi, and has the Nardi logo, but the hand brake does not.
    It is if it's the right shape and grain. There is absolutely no markings to identify it as such. But, from everything I've read, the OEM wood handbrake is Nardi.

    The shape is mostly identified by the deeper finger grooves on the bottom than most other wood grips, that come to slight points between the grooves. Which can be seen in the pic I linked to above in my 1st post.

    The grain should be the same speckled and striped grain Nardi wheels and teardrop shift knobs have. Here's mine bare, stripped of the clear and stain.



    The teardrop Nardi wood knobs that came in the NBs were usually a matched set with the handbrake. You could even order a matched set through the dealer back in the day. There's a thread on another forum where a fellow talks about this and provides the Mazda part numbers for the knob and handle. I'll grab that info later and add it here if y'all would like.

  16. The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to JamieH For This Useful Post:

    Joelioooo (10-23-2014),WASABI (10-23-2014)

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •