Which interior dye to use?
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 240
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From: Norman Oklahoma
Which interior dye to use?
I'm gonna dye the door panels and dash in my 79 w/ doeskin interior. Mostly I've heard of people using the corvette america stuff or the SEM stuff. Which one is better? and could I just use the aerosol can or do I need to use a spray gun?
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 12,676
Likes: 329
From: Scottsdale Arizona
Aerosol on both. I did notice on the weekend that my dye can is starting to spatter a little so it probably doesn't have much useful life left, but I'll just get another can rather than switching to the liquid version of the dye.
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
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From: Crossville TN
SEM "Color Coat" is the 'real stuff'. I've never used the Corvette America stuff, but other descriptions of results leaves me scratching my head about whether it is dye or paint.
Get SEM at professional auto body paint supply stores. Also buy a ($5) PreVal bottle sprayer and a couple extra gas cannisters. It really does a fine job with the thin "Color Coat" fluid. You really don't need good spray equipment like you would for body paint.
Get SEM at professional auto body paint supply stores. Also buy a ($5) PreVal bottle sprayer and a couple extra gas cannisters. It really does a fine job with the thin "Color Coat" fluid. You really don't need good spray equipment like you would for body paint.
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Instructor
Joined: Jun 2010
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Which color of the SEM color coat should I get for a 79 doeskin interior? I'm looking to redo the dash and door panels.
SEM color coat is a unversial mixing base so there for anything or any interior color can be created. You can either take a interior code from something you like or pick one from the many various car makers interiors out of the color book your auto supplier will have to look threw. The preval sprayer is a great lil jobber but if doing alot maybe borrow a jam gun if you know someone that has one or buy cheapy what we call throw aways in my trade but great for the home weekend warrior that don't use them alot.
usely sold in pints i just did my whole interior and took me a quart.
also a sugggestion for great adhesion promotion is SEM's sand free it's in a aerosol can works wonders.
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
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From: Crossville TN
The most important factor in getting good results with interior dye is to get rid of all the cr@p you've put on the panels over the years. Armor-All is particularly difficult to remove. But if the panels are not 'squeaky' clean, you can get fish-eyes for poor finish. Clean is good...
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2000
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From: Chicago
I did some interior pieces last weekend with the corvette america aerosol dye (buckskin to black) and the parts turned out great. The dash I dyed was brand new (Al Knock) and it was coated heavily in some protective coating. I used a house hold cleaner (fabuloso) first, followed by some paint reducer on a paper towel and finished with 70% isopropyl alcohol. The dash was very clean almost tacky prior to laying down about three light, even coats of the dye. I'm ordering more today. 
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2000
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From: Southbound
Cruise-In II Veteran
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 2,541
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From: Chicago
Eastwood makes good products, I have not used their dye though. As far as the difference, imagine dying a shirt vs painting it. The dye actually impregnates and bonds with the base material where most paints cure over the base material, which allows for chipping/scraping.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 5,447
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From: Syracuse NY
I've used both SEM and the dye from Corvette America with the same good results.
I used the SEM to redye my black panels black and the dye from Corvette America to dye black parts Saddle Tan.
I used the SEM to redye my black panels black and the dye from Corvette America to dye black parts Saddle Tan.
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2010
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paint such as SEM is a paint based product with a large amount of a flex agent in it. there for is more suited for harder plastics but also works wonders on vinyl and other soft flexible materials.
eastwood interior stuff is SEM relabeled
Last edited by elke_10; Jul 21, 2010 at 03:56 PM.
Drifting
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 1,970
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Paint changes surface color.
Vinyl/plastic are solid, non-purous materials,colored in manufacturing.
Relating to the topic, in order to color either vinyl or plastic, a flexable paint,(elastomeric), is used. You may find your interior parts manufactured a solid color, or painted during assembly. In service parts, once a color was depleted, generic pieces,(black) were used and" colored to match". Dupont was the supplier, and I found their color formulas to match best. Bad news is you would have a difficult time finding it.
It appears SEM is the choice of many, although I have not used it. I did however use REM back in 78 to color my saddle silver and it held up for 20+years until I went back. As stated, it's all in the prep.
