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1981 Interior Plastic Paint for Seat Backs

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Old Mar 28, 2013 | 09:22 PM
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Default 1981 Interior Plastic Paint for Seat Backs

Hello,

I have been restoring the interior in my 81. Carpet, Door Panels, new leather seats mounted on new foam, etc...I am trying to find paint for the seat backs. It seems that there must be some paint for plastic out there that is color matched to the Medium Red interior that it has. Does anyone know where I can get paint for plastic to match the original color?? Thanks in advance for your response!!
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Old Mar 28, 2013 | 09:55 PM
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Get some spray dye to match the interior color. Just did mine last week and works excellent.
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Old Mar 28, 2013 | 10:05 PM
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I have tried that and it works OK, however, there are spots on the plastic that are chipped and showing the black plastic under the original paint. The dye does not cover the black spots.... If you had chips, how do you handle that?
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Old Mar 28, 2013 | 10:39 PM
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Originally Posted by Ron Butler
I have tried that and it works OK, however, there are spots on the plastic that are chipped and showing the black plastic under the original paint. The dye does not cover the black spots.... If you had chips, how do you handle that?
Prime them first, using the primer made for use with interior dye.
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Old Mar 28, 2013 | 11:03 PM
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Not sure what to repair the chips with, but as far as the black coming thru. Did you use the sealer(I think that's what it is) and the primer before spraying the dye?
When I did mine, it took quite a bit of the dye to get the coverage I wanted. Enough that I need to get more to finish up what I started.




Before:


After:
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Old Mar 28, 2013 | 11:15 PM
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Corvette America is a site sponsor so I'll toot their horn because I used their product. Buy the interior dye kit from CA. It includes the primer, adhesive, dye (color coded to match your year) and sealer. Use as directed; follow the proper steps and you'll get a beautiful and durable finish.
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Old Mar 29, 2013 | 12:04 AM
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Vinyl dye will stick well to plastics or to other vinyl dye. It will not stick well to 'paint' or metal. 'Paint' is NOT the right product to recolor plastics/vinyl/leather/rubber. You need an "elastomeric recoloring agent", aka, vinyl dye.

If you have plastic items that have been 'painted', for best results you need to remove that paint before you 'dye' them. But, that's not so easily done.

I would suggest that you take the car to your nearest professional auto body paint supply store and ask someone to see what you have and recommend what needs to be done to correct your "problem".
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Old Mar 29, 2013 | 04:33 AM
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Oven cleaner removes paint without damaging the plastic part or the grain.
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Old Mar 29, 2013 | 08:18 AM
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SEM automotive interior dye. Good stuff.

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Old Mar 29, 2013 | 11:04 PM
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Assuming that you can get rid of the 'paint'. Otherwise, it just recolors that peeling paint.
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Old Mar 30, 2013 | 01:34 AM
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Originally Posted by Easy Mike
SEM automotive interior dye. Good stuff.

i did all the plastic with this product it is really the least expensive, $13 for a large can, the most durable and easiest to use. just prep as if painting ( wax/grease, laquer thinner and shoot it) and mine is buckskin also which is SEMs color name too

Last edited by vettestu; Mar 30, 2013 at 01:35 AM. Reason: more info
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Old Mar 30, 2013 | 09:36 AM
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Originally Posted by 80Baby
Corvette America is a site sponsor so I'll toot their horn because I used their product. Buy the interior dye kit from CA. It includes the primer, adhesive, dye (color coded to match your year) and sealer. Use as directed; follow the proper steps and you'll get a beautiful and durable finish.
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Old Apr 10, 2013 | 05:58 PM
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Okay! Great!! I have now gone through the steps of using the Plastic Prep as well as the Flexible Bonding prep, and have applied the dye. After "several" coats (1 can per seat), it is looking really good. I have ordered one more can of the dye to complete the project.

Next step, I am trying to order the leather 2" bolster seats mounted on the foam. It seems to me that Mid America is the only one who gets the fact that for '81, there was a red that was used exclusively on the '81. It is color code 752 and they want $900 for them. Is there anywhere else that I can get that specific color for a little less??????? No one else seems to realize that there is a specific red for that year....
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Old Apr 10, 2013 | 09:37 PM
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That area is fiberglass anyway as I recall..
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