Interior panel yellowing
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 269
Likes: 1
From: Flemington New Jersey
Interior panel yellowing
Hi all
In my 76 (smoke grey deluxe) interior the top windshield moulding and the t top panels are a yellow/tan like color, yet the panels, including the rear view mirror mount cover are still grey. Any cleaning recommendations or is this just age colored?
In my 76 (smoke grey deluxe) interior the top windshield moulding and the t top panels are a yellow/tan like color, yet the panels, including the rear view mirror mount cover are still grey. Any cleaning recommendations or is this just age colored?
Racer
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 420
Likes: 5
From: Springfield Missouri
Doesnt sound like UV damage if it's just those panels. Any chance you or one of the previous owners was a smoker? Could be nicotine staining.
In the event that it is just age discoloration, you can always just dye it back the proper color. Plenty of threads here on that topic.
In the event that it is just age discoloration, you can always just dye it back the proper color. Plenty of threads here on that topic.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 269
Likes: 1
From: Flemington New Jersey
im the second owner and the first wasn't a smoker either. It's not uv as the car is a low mileage garage kept car.
Guess it's just age but the odd thing is that there are small areas of grey that seem to have retained their color.
Guess it's just age but the odd thing is that there are small areas of grey that seem to have retained their color.
Racer
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 287
Likes: 8
Had the same issue with smoke grey interior (77), I just took off my panels and re-dyed them and they look brand new now. Got a can of the spray dye from mamotorworks. Now the only problem is that since they look so clean/new now they make my seats (smoke grey) look yellow, so now that's my next project.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 269
Likes: 1
From: Flemington New Jersey
So you also had the carpet that went from Dark Smoke to rainbow? 
I will hold off as long as I can until it really bothers me and then Dye time.
Between the color fade on the carpets and interior and the urethane bumpers falling apart.. I wonder how many original survivor cars are left looking good from the 74-77 period.
I will hold off as long as I can until it really bothers me and then Dye time.
Between the color fade on the carpets and interior and the urethane bumpers falling apart.. I wonder how many original survivor cars are left looking good from the 74-77 period.
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 12,680
Likes: 3,134
From: Shamong, NJ
There must be something about the gray dyes, that Chevrolet used in the 70's and 80's, that caused some parts to yellow.
Note the colors of the rear compartment door frames, in the picture below. The main frame is still a nice gray color, but the door frames have become a (ugly) yellow/brown color. These parts are in my 81. I'm the original owner, and no one has ever smoked in the car. This is a 44,000 mile car, that has always been garaged and covered. For some unknown reason, the door frames have changed color as they aged. It is strange that only the door frames changed color, and not the main frame too.
As a side note, the rear compartment door and main frames, were originally molded in color, unlike the repros that are molded in black, and then spray dyed to match.
About the only thing you can do, if you want to keep your original pieces, is dye them.
Note the colors of the rear compartment door frames, in the picture below. The main frame is still a nice gray color, but the door frames have become a (ugly) yellow/brown color. These parts are in my 81. I'm the original owner, and no one has ever smoked in the car. This is a 44,000 mile car, that has always been garaged and covered. For some unknown reason, the door frames have changed color as they aged. It is strange that only the door frames changed color, and not the main frame too.
As a side note, the rear compartment door and main frames, were originally molded in color, unlike the repros that are molded in black, and then spray dyed to match.
About the only thing you can do, if you want to keep your original pieces, is dye them.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 269
Likes: 1
From: Flemington New Jersey
Its so strange. My 76 is a 23K mile car and always garage kept. The areas that don't see sunlight at all faded as well. the carpet and the headliner on the T-Tops.
I saved pieces of the old carpet to show how they faded and why they were replaced. I also kept all the carpet mfg labels showing the Jan-Mar 76 production dates.
It killed me to do the carpet but a heater core forced the issue. The frames on our compartments are plastic riveted on so if you replace the carpet you are replacing the door frames at a minimum. (My frames didn't fade)
I also noticed on the dash areas that look like dirt are actually spots where the color is just gone.
Great 70's quality.
I saved pieces of the old carpet to show how they faded and why they were replaced. I also kept all the carpet mfg labels showing the Jan-Mar 76 production dates.
It killed me to do the carpet but a heater core forced the issue. The frames on our compartments are plastic riveted on so if you replace the carpet you are replacing the door frames at a minimum. (My frames didn't fade)
I also noticed on the dash areas that look like dirt are actually spots where the color is just gone.
Great 70's quality.
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