Projects Dyeing Mohair Interior Black

I've got a tan original style mohair interior in my 33' Sedan. I just installed a new pair of black TMI sport seats with red s***ch, which I love, but they stick out like a sore thumb in the car. My intent for the time being is to dye the mohair (door panels/pillars/rear seat cover) and carpet with some sort of interior dye black to match. I'd prefer not to have to remove the panels from the car as the upper panels appear to be tacked in with tiny trim nails. The carpet is about the only piece that can easily go in and out. Does anyone have experience dying mohair? I've looked into RIT but reviews are mixed. Any help or tips from experience are appreciated.

 

Just a guess but I’d imagine that would make the mohair very stiff and scratchy.
I’d like to suggest something different.
The tan interior looks like it belongs to the blue exterior. It also looks to be in very good shape.
I’d consider changing the material of your seats to match it.

 

Recover your seats or dye them to match the mohair. Mohair looks much better than the black.

 

Both reasonable suggestions. I'll reach out to TMI and price out new upholstery for these in what I imagine would be their "camel" or distressed camel color. https://www.tmiproducts.com/products/pro-series-universal-sport-low-back-seats

I got a great deal on these seats second hand but unused. The car has red pinstriping and wheels, and I like the idea of bringing some red into the interior too. Seats have red s***ching. Thought I might go all black on the paneling ans rear seats and maybe paint the dash red, perhaps go red on the carpet too, add some pin striping to the garnish moldings etc.

In the meantime, today's project is front seat belts. Rear belts were the first thing I added after buying it a few years ago so I'd feel a little better about letting my kids ride in this thing.

 

This doesn't address your question about dyes, but I just gotta speak up. You've got two different vibes going here and the two are not compatible. I'm ***uming you want the bucket seats for comfort, which I understand, but combine with the existing mohair..... just doesn't cut it. Even going with the camel colored buckets, the difference in material will stand out like a sore thumb.
If you have a nice, matching front seat, I would consider selling the front and rear seats, door panels and rear panels, and re-doing the panels and rear seat to match your choice of front buckets. The "stock" interior should go for enough coin to cover your changes (I don't think the headliner needs to be changed, although it would tie the interior together).
Nix on a red dash...... just pinstriping will bring it together.
Although I have no personal experience with fabric dies, I think the stiffness factor would be aggravating and not too long-lasting, and you may not get an even die job.
DO it right so it all looks thought-out, and not a mishmash of after thoughts.
JMHO....YMMV

 

'28,
Totally agree on the two opposing styles with the present set up. Cpnverting the whole interior to match the new front seats would be the real goal. I tried to look today but had a hard time finding any suppliers of the interior pannels I would need to recover or buy and have convered to match.

Also, in looking at what a matching rear seat from TMI would cost (custom bc they only offer 38", 48" and 55" benches), I'd consider matching buckets in the rear.

This car is a very mild custom currently. 12v conversion, SW gauges, juice brakes, solid wheels, and 24 stud flathead. My plan is to push it more into the street rod. Get it to sit a little lower, cam it, upgrade the suspension and steering as well as I can while staying old school, etc.

 

Back in high school when I build my first hot rod (1969 with no money) I put in a pair of black vinyl bucket seats...the rest of the interior was tan mohair.

I bought a bunch of cans of Martin-Senour black lacquer spray paint and painted the rear seat, door panels and head liner.

It worked fairly well...it covered quite good (2 coats), made the mohair a little stiff and didn't come out black-black...more like a charcoal/greyish black. Also, spraying the headline left overspray EVERYWHERE

Overall, it was an improvement over that tan mohair.

 

Hello,

You will get a lot of suggestions about the seats. The mohair seats have no adjustability as the new black bucket seats. Those black units fit the kids, you and anyone else in comfort and some side bolster in short or long distance driving. Having bucket seats similar your mohair units, in our 40 Ford Sedan Delivery, was nice. But at the time, the two things going for it were: it was upholstered in the same material as the doors and top and back cave. And it was much more comfortable than stock bench seating.

But, if the bucket seats from a newer model was available at the time, there would be no contest as to which one would be in our 327 powered sedan delivery. we used leather dye purchased from a leather goods repair shop and it covered small marks well. But, since yours are black, any dark leather dye will cover the red s***ching. Plus, the small amount of dye on the s***ching will not be as noticeable as the color dye on the mohair. Yes, it may get a little stiff and rub off with every person sitting on those seats.

Jnaki

I see where this is going… you want to match the light brown interior, instead of spending time and money on getting matching black panels and rear seats. The black goes better with your dark blue paint. We once had a dark metallic blue car with black upholstery and it looked outstanding. It is a better contrast than the light brown or tan upholstery and there are usually no problems with spills or marks from clothing.

The light tan mohair is not the most long lasting material as one consistently gets in and out on the driver’s side, you will see a pattern and wear. With the black bucket seats, eventually a pattern will show up like all upholstery, but it will last longer and stay in physical shape better than Mohair. IMHO.

Note:

The upholstery shop can match your black seat material and can match your red threads in the current black bucket seats. Your back and posture will thank you many times over with the black bucket, supportive seats. Don’t worry about black seats being hotter than any other material… that is why we all have A/C. Ha!

Now, changing lanes, going around curves and other side motion will not be hindered by a sliding body or bodies on the Mohair seats. Forget the cost. If cruising in comfort is part of your plan, then comfort starts with great seats and you already have those great black bucket seats, so get the rest to match and you are in a good place…YRMV

 

Why not redo the new seats in tan mohair?

 

I find the mohair to be the least comfortable upholstery I've experienced. I'm sure opinions vary, but there's got to be a reason it fell out of favor in the 40's.