I am looking to refresh my interior this fall and I am trying to decide which direction to go on a couple of different issues.

First, I am considering 3 different products for the interior.

Product 1: I have read a lot of good comments about SEM Dyes in this forum. One member said they got good results from this SEM product
( http://www.eastwoodco.com/jump.jsp?i...emType=PRODUCT ) BUT it is called a 'paint. I don't think I want to be freshening up seat bottoms with paint ... even in the same color. But this product says the paint is flexible enough for seats. Can this be right? Is this product actually a dye?

Product 2: Should I just get a known SEM dye?

Product 3: One other product to consider that also received good comments.
http://www.parasolinc.com/dyes_paints.asp

I just don't want to end up with the sticky paint/dye problems I have been reading about the last couple of days.

Lastly, I have an early release 77. According to this interior color chart ( http://www.corvetteamerica.com/cf/di...yword%3A%20dye ) the interior code is 'Smoke Code 67' and I believe it was the only option available. Of course things have faded over time and at differing rates. This chart seems to be a good match for the painted steering column, but all of the vinyl seems to be considerably lighter in color. (More like the 78 Oyster Code 73). The interior is all original and hasn't been changed. So is there a chance I have a different color interior than the Smoke? Is there a way to verify my interior color before I start buying cans to try?

One final note; If you look at my 'Corvette Photos' you can see the interior of the car. Notice the seats are lighter in color than the steering column and the column is considerably lighter than the steering wheel. To my eye, the only part of the interior that looks 'Smoke' is the center of the steering wheel - which is considerably darker than the seats, dash or doors.

Like I said, just want to do this right the first time. Thanks for any help.

 

Your interior code on the trim plate should identify the correct interior color. It could be possible that the 'wrong' color got installed....but not likely. And it would have to be one of the other avialable colors, unless a PO of the car had the interior color changed. It was not unusual for the various interior pieces to be a bit off from one another. If you have leather seats, the color of the leather and that of the vinyl pieces might be somewhat different, because they use different dyes (vinyl dye vs. leather dye). As far as the vinyl dye 'thing' goes, it seems to me that the mail-order cans of 'dye' are the questionable item. I always buy vinyl dye from auto paint supply stores (where repair/paint places buy their supplies), and I buy SEM brand dye. Vinyl dye is almost watery in texture...very thin--but also very pigmented. It covers very well with a light coating and, even if you get some little runs, it dries smooth because the coating penetrates and bonds with the vinyl. If you don't have spray equipment, get a Pre-Val bottle/spray cannister set from the paint store; it works absolutely GREAT and is inexpensive. A pint of SEM dye, the Pre-Val kit, and 2 or 3 extra gas cannisters is all you will need to redo the entire [vinyl] interior. If you also need leather dye, call a leather repair shop and ask where they get their dye and how to best match your seats to the vinyl parts. P.S. I have used vinyl dye to re-color a leather wrapped steering wheel, and it worked well; but I don't want you to do the 'wrong' thing to your seats [I don't sit on my steering wheel with my full weight whenever I'm in the car]. Believe me...you can do this...and get professional results. Just thoroughly clean all the vinyl parts with detergent and water. If they have been Armor-all'ed for years, do it a couple of times and rinse well to get all of the detergent off, also. Let dry and shoot away. {Some folks use a dye primer under vinyl dye; I never have and haven't had any problem. I don't think the auto makers use any primer on theirs.}

 

7T1vette, thanks for all the information. It definately helps clear up some of the confusion.

Anyone else with experience with one of these products?