KadesVette

I did a forum search and found some info on interior dyeing, just want to do it right the first time. This is what I know so far:

1) Clean, Clean and then Clean again, but what is the best cleaner to use? Comet, Simple Green, any other suggestions?

2) What's the next step? Vinyl cleaner? Alcohol?

3) If I'm re-dyeing the same color, gray, do I need a primer?

4) It seems the best method is multible lite coats

5) Let dry for a couple of days before reinstalling.

Am I missing anything? Any other suggestions?

Thanks

Theiskell

If you are going grey I can give you one thing to do: A test piece! I had gunmetal gray interior and could not match it up for anything. I tried 3 different manufactures and all were just a bit different shade and none matched my seats.
It looks like you have the basics down though. I used alcohol to clean the stuff I did and it worked good. For the really dirty stuff you can use simple green then a final wipe down with the alcohol.

thrilher

not sure what the base product is in the dye, but i would suggest you clean it with simple green,then to rid it os the residue from the detergent, wipe it down with whatever your primer calls for as a cleanup chemical,let that dry good, prime it with a clear primer, then yes several light coats of dye is best. if you just use the dye, then wipe it down with whatever that calls for as cleanup....g'luck

7T1vette

After you thoroughly rinse any detergent/soap off the parts, let them dry completely, then DON'T apply any other cleaners. Volatile cleaners will get absorbed into the vinyl and dye won't stick. Also, if you want the dye to match what you already have, take one of the interior pieces to an auto paint supply store and let them color match it. The dye will be a great match that way. If you are restoring ALL the interior pieces and you want to color to be factory-correct, just give them the GM color code (on the door jamb plate); they already have the formulae for them.

KadesVette

Thanks for all the help and suggestions, if the weather is nice here in the Houston area this weekend, I plan on painting.

Kade

blckslvr79

Painting or Dyeing???

drys

been at this a while looks like previous owers use armorall on the interior. get fisheyes on smooth panel. I tried everything how do you get rid of it. I even stripped the paint off the ash tray door to bare metal and still no luck. I have a set of door panels i have to dye i hope there's none on them. been a long winter cleaning:

7T1vette

Two possibilities: 1). You need to use a stronger detergent to get the "grease" out of the vinyl--soak the pieces in a tub with warm water and plenty of Dawn dish detergent. As long as the piece is all vinyl material, it won't be damaged; don't put the fiber-backed interior pieces in the tub...just scrub the vinyl surface really well and rinse really well.
2). Someone previously painted the interior panels. You might find an out-of-sight area on the piece and use a knife to scrape a bit of the surface. If you get a "paint chip" to come off, you'll know what you are up against. If it has been painted previously, any dye you put on it will not stick well; you would be better off to paint them again.

1Z87L8

I use a product called spraynine for cleaning i also wear latex or nitrile gloves so i dont get any sweat or oil from my hands on what im dying.

as stated clean and clean some more, then light coats of dye, i used the VHT in the can which had the brown i was after.
i did my steering wheel, visors,seats and door panels and have been
very happy with the results
http://hometown.aol.com/coronet69/page21.html

'75

I have had problems with fish eyes on potmetal pieces that have small pitting. Nothing cleaned them good enough to stop the problem. The only thing I found that works is to heat them. For my windhield wiper sw bezel, ashtray lid and climate control bezel, I cleaned them as good as I could and then put them in the oven at 350* for an hour. the paint stuck very well and no more fish eyes.

7T1vette

You can clean all you want with soaps, cleaners, detergents; but you MUST thoroughly rinse all that cleaner residue from the piece or the dye will not adhere well. Rinse, rinse, rinse in clear water; then let dry thoroughly {overnight if necessary}.