Interior Dye

Anyone use interior dye with headliners, dashpads, that sort of stuff and what luck did you have? I will probably change carpet, seat covers, that sort of stuff. Thanks.

 

I don't know what year car you are doing, I used some on my 20 year old truck door panels just this weekend, worked great.
Before:

After:

Matched the new dash O.K., but it was pre-painted.
The old dash, in case you are considering one of those $99 covers.

 

RichardD...what brand did you use? Since money is tight right now I am going to dye some stuff in my 54 plymouth's interior and am curious as to what you used

 

I got the dye from LMC Truck especially for my vehicle. I paid $12 for the dye and $8 for the prep/cleaner, there was lots of cleaner left, I used all the dye on the two panels.

 

I used SEM products years ago to dye a dash pad for a malibu i had. Worked great. I used thier prep as well to keep it al one brand.
I was just talking with a friend last night about this same subject. The seat in my truck is a dark red/brown color and i want it black to match the rest of the interior i will be doing...
It's an old leather seat from a mid 70's caddy...
I'll probably go with SEM again....
Unless someone has a better product to suggest.

Tony

 

SEM is good stuff.

 

SEM is decent stuff, but a somewhat limited range of color.

You local paint shop can custom mix a quart for the cost of 4 cans and it'll go further. All they do is add a flattener and voila, interior paint.

I scrub everything with dawn and a scotchbrite or steel wool. Dawn cuts silicates left behind by protectants, and the abrasive pad removes the oxidized skin. Just don't go crazy and remove the factory texture.

Cloth seats will take a TON of aerosol dye, and it'll need touched up every couple hundred entry/exits where the bolster is rubbed the worst. Hit em with a (clean & dry) tire brush after the dye dries to loosen the fibers back up.

good luck

 

I've never had bad luck with interior dyes. I just kept scratching it off the driver's side door panel with my wedding ring, watch, and pocket knife clipped on my belt.

Couple of squirts later and good as new!

 

I have used the Duplicolor fabric & vinyl dye with very nice results.

 

My vote is for SEM. I just finished redoing the interior in my '63 Dodge, changing the color from red to tutone gray. Very easy to do and the stuff adheres like glue. Get an extra can to do any touch-ups you may need to do in the future.

I did a Cutlass convert years ago, and the dye wore like iron. I only had to touch up the seat bottoms every once in a while. And that was a change from white to black! I'd do it again in a heartbeat.

 

PM Toast he just did a cougar's door panels and they turned out awesome!!

 

SEM is good stuff, Color Bond is also a good product. We use both at my job (auto interiors) with good result. Like any painting, prep work is crucial.

 

SEM is good stuff as long as you prep everything right. The plastic needs to be really clean. If there are any oily or waxy areas, the SEM will get ugly fish eyes in it.

 

every paint will do that. its all because of armor all!

 

i also use SEM it works great. just follow their procedure.

 

I used the spray vinyl on a headliner and it worked great. Used vinyl filler on splits and spray it with the vinyl spay again it worked out fine. They make a spray cleaner that works good to cleanup things.

CRUISER

 

Any good auto body supply can mix up any paint color in a vinyl dye! you don't have to comprimise on color selection.
And they will mix it in gloss, semi, or flat finish for you!
They have color codes to match a factory color interior, as well as exterior colors.
I painted my 80 Regal in 57 Chevy tropical turquoise, and had the interior done in 57 Chevy vinyl. I couldn't get a matching headliner, so I got a white vinyl one from JC Whitney, and sprayed it with my body supply's version of the 57 color. Matched perfectly, and held up for as long as I owned the car. I also did the hard plastic door panels, which see more abuse, and they worked well, too.
If you do seats, though, put a clearcoat on them, they'll last longer.

 

I've had great success with SEM.

 

I used SEM rattle can interior paint on my carpets, Vinyl rumble seat, door panels,etc. and it worked great. The interior of my roadster was navy blue and I changed it to cordovan brown.

I bought it at my local auto paint supplier. 4 cans to do a small roadster interior.

 

X2 on SEM products....I just use lacquer thinner to clean the plastic pieces first then spray away....they also have clear coats in various grades of shine which are a must if you dye seating surfaces and don't want color on your backside on hot days

 

Looks like SEM wins. Thanks guys.