I have a 1976 280z.  I am putting in a new dash and would like to restore the eyeball vents, mainly by stripping/painting the flaked off fake chrome coating.  I can remove the round center section but can't figure out how to remove the flaps that open or close the vent.   I see how they attach to the round part but without removing the knob I don't know how to get it out   Is the knob non removable?  

 

Are there aftermarket replacements?

 

 

 

6 hours ago, fusion said:

the flaked off fake chrome coating. 

Nothing fake about that chrome.. it's real chrome!!  (it's damped (Vapor deposited?) on the plastic..)

btw.. i don't know if the knob is removable, take some good lighting and a lot of patience, maybe you see how it's constructed.. and see a way out.

There are aftermarket replacements for the 240z eyeballs vents, but not the 280z ones. Going to have to find a better set of used ones or someplace that does plastic chroming. 

Thanks guys.  But does anyone know how to remove the flaps?

Just now, fusion said:

Thanks guys.  But does anyone know how to remove the flaps?

Also do the 240z versions fit into the 280z dash?  I am not hooking it up to any vents, just need it to physically fit

Here are the dimensions of the 280z piece, if anyone knows or could measure the 240z version, that would be sweet.

 

 

It's the smallest ring that has some damage.. i would paint that one black and polish the rest.. you be surprised how nice they are when polished.

All that green stuff is removed easely.. (it's the copper in there that makes them greenish..)

Take a small drillbit in your small powerdrill and put some cotton around it and polish away..

Mine were pretty green and with some polish came back to life pretty nice. You could clean them as best as possible and then try to touch them up with a chrome pen.