Advice for interior dye
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 1,430
Likes: 8
From: Hamilton NJ
Advice for interior dye
Team:
I am planning on dyeing my dashpad in place, from oyster to black, and will need to apply it with a brush (or something...). I know Corvette America offers quarts of dye:
http://www.corvetteamerica.com/cf/di...yword%3A%20dye
If I recall this dye needs a primer as well.
My questions to you:
I will also be painting the steering column in place...any advice or how-to's? The gauge and tach speedo clusters will be out, as will the bulk of the interior. I expect I will have to just mask like crazy and spray it...
Thanks to all...all relevant thoughts welcomed,
Steve
I am planning on dyeing my dashpad in place, from oyster to black, and will need to apply it with a brush (or something...). I know Corvette America offers quarts of dye:
http://www.corvetteamerica.com/cf/di...yword%3A%20dye
If I recall this dye needs a primer as well.
My questions to you:
- Are there other vendors with comparable products I should explore?
- What is the best way to prep the area for dyeing?
- The dash pad is two different colors now, oyster in front, brown-ish on top. Is there any reason they won't dye the same with black?
- others?
I will also be painting the steering column in place...any advice or how-to's? The gauge and tach speedo clusters will be out, as will the bulk of the interior. I expect I will have to just mask like crazy and spray it...
Thanks to all...all relevant thoughts welcomed,
Steve
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 1,430
Likes: 8
From: Hamilton NJ
Any other thoughts?
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 1,242
Likes: 12
From: Kalispell MT
I just did my steering column in place by removing the steering wheel and then masking carefully. I had a difficult time prepping the column for some reason and wound up sanding it down because I couldn't get the smooth appearance I was looking for. I think this was due to it having been painted poorly at least once before. Once sanded I used sandable grey pimer after wiping well with denatured alcohol then finish coated with 2 coats of satin black.
Spraying the upper dash pad in place sounds tricky, but probably not impossible. I am replacing mine due to cracks in speaker grills. New one has arrived, but I'm still working on Dynamat installation and getting the heater core back in this week. I did spray the speedo and tach bezzels flat black without removing them from the drivers dash by masking very carefully and they turned out great.
Take your time and enjoy it! Best of Luck.
Spraying the upper dash pad in place sounds tricky, but probably not impossible. I am replacing mine due to cracks in speaker grills. New one has arrived, but I'm still working on Dynamat installation and getting the heater core back in this week. I did spray the speedo and tach bezzels flat black without removing them from the drivers dash by masking very carefully and they turned out great.
Take your time and enjoy it! Best of Luck.
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,118
From: Crossville TN
You will only be able to re-dye the areas of the pad you can reach with a spray can. Look carefully at any areas of the pad which show through the windshield glass, etc. If you think you can cover all areas, then go for it. Actually, I would not recommend the spray can method; but I'd suggest using a Preval gas cannister/bottle sprayer which can be bought at almost any auto paint supply store (where the auto painters get their stuff). They can also mix up a pint of whatever dye color you want....it can be matched to an interior piece you bring in or to the GM interior color code [door jamb info plate]. I've had very good success with SEM dyes. Also, you want to clean the dash pad really well before you shoot it. Use Dawn dish detergent & water to remove any Armor-all or other petroleum based protectant {then quit using those kinds of things on your vinyl interior parts}. Then use clear water to get residue and soap off of the pad; flush as much as you need to be sure it's clean. Then allow to dry thoroughly...overnight is best. Mask, then shoot the dye in light, covering coats. Two should be enough (let dry for about an hour between coats), but you can put on as many as you want. 
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 15,118
Likes: 283
From: Salt Lake City Utah
2020 C3 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2019 C3 of Year Finalist (stock)
I just did my steering column, really not too difficult but as 1982 corvettedude suggested, unbolt it and drop it as far as possible, it's the best way to get good results.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 1,430
Likes: 8
From: Hamilton NJ
Thanks to all...I prefer the finish of spray but since it's a dye and not a traditional coating I would expect a brush application would come out pretty good and let me sneak into those tight spots without a ton of masking and prep work. Do you end up with brush-marks or vestiges of the application, or is it more in-uniformity in the sheen or finish of the final coat?
Just curious...I will probably try to spray it but I would feel more comfy going the brush route, simply because the application is more controllable. Any other thoughts?
Just curious...I will probably try to spray it but I would feel more comfy going the brush route, simply because the application is more controllable. Any other thoughts?
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Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 1,430
Likes: 8
From: Hamilton NJ
http://www.zip-products.com/Zip/prod...D75287DF053B2C
Anyone have any experience with these dash covers? Might be a reasonable short term fix until I can redo the dash pad. My cynical prediction is that they're not worth the price of the shipping let alone the cost...
Anyone have any experience with these dash covers? Might be a reasonable short term fix until I can redo the dash pad. My cynical prediction is that they're not worth the price of the shipping let alone the cost...
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 1,097
Likes: 0
From: Olive Branch MS
St. Jude Contributor
http://www.zip-products.com/Zip/prod...D75287DF053B2C
Anyone have any experience with these dash covers? Might be a reasonable short term fix until I can redo the dash pad. My cynical prediction is that they're not worth the price of the shipping let alone the cost...
Anyone have any experience with these dash covers? Might be a reasonable short term fix until I can redo the dash pad. My cynical prediction is that they're not worth the price of the shipping let alone the cost...
Instructor
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 206
Likes: 0
From: Barrie Ontario
It's going to be easier than you think...I did mine last summer...just a lot of prep work, ie. taping and taking off the steering wheel, and dropping it down to the lowest position. SPRAY...ONLY. Go to your local automotive paint supplier and they have a "bottle attached to a pressure can" you can add your dye directly to the bottle without mixing anything..with no problem. You can't have it directly put into a spray can like other paints, it's not the same texture or consistency. If you want you can buy the correct colour from the supplier and they will show you how to do it correctly. And it's going to be much less than the other corvette vendors. Remember prep is the key, clean, clean, clean and then again. Over years, the oils from the cleaners have impregnated into the material and you have to release it all or else you will get "fish eye" for sure. When you mask off the inside of the windshield make sure you cover the entire outside of the car and any other areas like the seats, etc Only have the dash and the column visable. Hope this helps in your decision...Good luck and take your time.
Domer
Domer
Instructor
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 143
Likes: 0
From: floral city fl
i am in the process of redoing my interior and i am at that point of removing the dash. i unbolted the steering colum to lower it to paint it but it will not move is there another bolt i don't know of.
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,118
From: Crossville TN
If you are referring to the upper dash pad, the answer is "Yes". Behind the right side dash/map pocket panel there is a firewall brace which holds the upper pad with one screw. The pad is then clipped to the firewall at the window-side edge (several clips). If you want to remove the upper pad, good luck; usually after this much time they get very brittle and crack or break trying to remove them.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 1,430
Likes: 8
From: Hamilton NJ
I'm guessing you're talking about the column and not the dash pad...you need to loosen the two bolts that secure the column at the firewall...a bit of calisthenics required but then it will drop. Don't force it! If it's not moving you haven't loosened everything yet...once all bolts are free (not out, just loose) it'll drop a couple of inches.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 1,430
Likes: 8
From: Hamilton NJ
good call...it claims it is paint to match, so I'm guessing it's molded in black but needs top-coating to make it look ideal? Are they worth it?
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 1,097
Likes: 0
From: Olive Branch MS
St. Jude Contributor
http://www.mamotorworks.com/corvette?frame=4.1631
good call...it claims it is paint to match, so I'm guessing it's molded in black but needs top-coating to make it look ideal? Are they worth it?
good call...it claims it is paint to match, so I'm guessing it's molded in black but needs top-coating to make it look ideal? Are they worth it?
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 1,097
Likes: 0
From: Olive Branch MS
St. Jude Contributor
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 1,430
Likes: 8
From: Hamilton NJ