Interior plastic problems
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 23,831
Likes: 10
From: Springfield MO
St. Jude Donor '07
Interior plastic problems
I need some help - a lot of the interior plastic in my '77 has a rather "sticky" feel to it. I've tried everything I can think of to clean it, from window cleaner to grease remover, but nothing seems to work. It actually feels like the plastic itself is sticky, rather than having something on it. If anyone has any idea how to straighten this out, please let me know. I really don't want to replace 3/4 of the interior - there are so many other things on the car I would spend money on.
Racer
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 398
Likes: 0
From: Texas
I bought a 74 that must have been owned by a chain-smoker. It left a sticky film on everything. I had to pull all the plastic parts and put them in the sink and scrub them with dish detergent and a fine scotchbrite pad. I repainted everything afterwards with interior dye. Came out looking great. It is really worth the extra effort.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 2,435
Likes: 0
From: largo florida
Im not really sure what the solution is. My steering wheel was the same exact way when i bought the car. Took the wheel off, degreased it, washed it, used everything i could think of. I even took rubbing compound and rubbed the whole plastic piece up. Turned out beautiful. About 8 months later, I get in the car and all of a sudden the steering wheel is sticky again for now apparent reason. Tried cleaning it again. It is fine for a short while and comes back. Im not sure if there is any real long term solution, as it seems the substance keeps seeping back out.
Intermediate
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 45
Likes: 0
From: Mississauga Ontario
If your daring you could try a little bit of laquer thinner on a clean rag. Make sure you try it on a hiden spot to make sure it doesn't take the color off first! If that won't take the sticky off nutin will
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 7,456
Likes: 2
From: Coming home from Luckenbach Texas
Getting the interior detailed IS the problem...but you're not old enough to know that. Because the interior is likely covered with a thick coat of Armor All that's as old as YOU are!!! Detailers are notorious for using silicone-based stuff.
Getting all that old crap off there is a sticky situation at best (no pun intended). Probably the best thing would be a wax/glaze remover, which you can get from a local auto paint supply shop. WARNING: Try a small, unexposed area first. This stuff has thinners in it and could potentially act as a solvent on some materials...
Getting all that old crap off there is a sticky situation at best (no pun intended). Probably the best thing would be a wax/glaze remover, which you can get from a local auto paint supply shop. WARNING: Try a small, unexposed area first. This stuff has thinners in it and could potentially act as a solvent on some materials...
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 917
Likes: 0
From: Vernon British Columbia
St. Jude Donor '05
First C3 General Poster!
Originally Posted by page62
Getting the interior detailed IS the problem...but you're not old enough to know that. Because the interior is likely covered with a thick coat of Armor All that's as old as YOU are!!! Detailers are notorious for using silicone-based stuff.
Getting all that old crap off there is a sticky situation at best (no pun intended). Probably the best thing would be a wax/glaze remover, which you can get from a local auto paint supply shop. WARNING: Try a small, unexposed area first. This stuff has thinners in it and could potentially act as a solvent on some materials...
Getting all that old crap off there is a sticky situation at best (no pun intended). Probably the best thing would be a wax/glaze remover, which you can get from a local auto paint supply shop. WARNING: Try a small, unexposed area first. This stuff has thinners in it and could potentially act as a solvent on some materials...
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 7,456
Likes: 2
From: Coming home from Luckenbach Texas
Vinegar might work. But I forgot to mention...if it is indeed ancient cigarette smoke residue, Windex (or similar) and a toothbrush work wonders!
All of this proves a point: There is only 1 detailer I trust -- his name is ME. There is only 1 mechanic I trust -- his name is ME!
All of this proves a point: There is only 1 detailer I trust -- his name is ME. There is only 1 mechanic I trust -- his name is ME!
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 1,944
Likes: 20
From: The only Corvettes in Highett Victoria
Interiors
G'day cobbers,
My 74 coupe came from the factory with Light Saddle interior and Dark Brown paint. Before it came to Australia, someone(s) had painted the outside metallic green and the interior dark brown!!!!
Most of the interior panels were broken and only held together by the vinyl covering, so I ended up pulling out ALL of the panels and fibreglassing the broken ones up on the backside, and I used paint thinners to remove the dark brown paint. It was a hideous task, as it's almost impossible to get the paint out of the hollows in the grain.
I ended up using VHT Light Camel vinyl spray on all of the pieces to bring it back to stock and to have a uniform colour and it looks great. Next project is to get the brown paint off the door panels and have them looking as good as the rest of the interior. Then it's the seats. Yes! They even painted the leather seats dark brown! Maybe by Christmas it will look better. I know this is a bit OT, but the VHT is good stuff if you want to go that way.
Regards from Down Under
aussiejohn
My 74 coupe came from the factory with Light Saddle interior and Dark Brown paint. Before it came to Australia, someone(s) had painted the outside metallic green and the interior dark brown!!!!
Most of the interior panels were broken and only held together by the vinyl covering, so I ended up pulling out ALL of the panels and fibreglassing the broken ones up on the backside, and I used paint thinners to remove the dark brown paint. It was a hideous task, as it's almost impossible to get the paint out of the hollows in the grain.
I ended up using VHT Light Camel vinyl spray on all of the pieces to bring it back to stock and to have a uniform colour and it looks great. Next project is to get the brown paint off the door panels and have them looking as good as the rest of the interior. Then it's the seats. Yes! They even painted the leather seats dark brown! Maybe by Christmas it will look better. I know this is a bit OT, but the VHT is good stuff if you want to go that way.
Regards from Down Under
aussiejohn
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 23,831
Likes: 10
From: Springfield MO
St. Jude Donor '07
Window cleaner and a brush was the first thing I tried - almost 10 years ago. I got a lot of dirt off of the panels, but it didn't help the sticky feeling. I'll try the laquer thinner, acetone, and vinegar ideas. Something has to work...
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 161
Likes: 0
From: Grand Island NY
Originally Posted by lostpatrolman
Do any of you guys have the problem of the sticky stuff coming back, particularly on the steering wheel?
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 24,160
Likes: 78
Originally Posted by Philvet
The steering wheel is made out of PVC (Polyvinyl chloride) the stick feel is caused by the out gassing of the plasticizer. This occurs in old antique dolls that are made of the same material. I don’t know if there is a fix for this but I need to solve the problem, because my 69 is doing the same thing. I’m thinking about wrapping it or going to an aftermarket. I’m going to do some more research if I come up with an answer Ill post it.
Then it got all stickly again. 
I'm thinking either replacing or covering is the only way to fix this one.
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 161
Likes: 0
From: Grand Island NY
There is not much we can do about this problem, found this on the web but not to practical in our situation.
Did find out the sticky chemical is nasty.
The plasticizer traditionally added is dibutyl phthalate, a pale liquid with a boiling point of 340°C. Dibutyl phthalate does not vaporise at room temperature, but starts to migrate slowly out of the PVC soon after manufacture. Migration causes the formation of sticky 'tears' on the surface of objects, making the damaged PVC unsafe to touch. This usually takes place within ten years of manufacture. Dibutyl phthalate is toxic to humans through contact with skin and by ingestion
http://www.natmus.dk/cons/lab/barbie/bb.htm
Did find out the sticky chemical is nasty.
The plasticizer traditionally added is dibutyl phthalate, a pale liquid with a boiling point of 340°C. Dibutyl phthalate does not vaporise at room temperature, but starts to migrate slowly out of the PVC soon after manufacture. Migration causes the formation of sticky 'tears' on the surface of objects, making the damaged PVC unsafe to touch. This usually takes place within ten years of manufacture. Dibutyl phthalate is toxic to humans through contact with skin and by ingestion
http://www.natmus.dk/cons/lab/barbie/bb.htm
