Leather Dye for UGLY car
#32
The first owner committed suicide in the car by pulling into the garage and leaving the engine on. They found him the next day.
This was one of the reasons that I bought this particular car, fascinating history.
Tony- the door handles are plastic, of course. I guess you are talking about he arm rests? They are holding up fine. Only...they are so uncomfortably hard that I actually looked into buying a pair of used ones on Ebay and having them colored to match...with more padding. In the end, I wound up using some stick-on black felt. I used it on these and the center arm-rest, which had some damage anyway. I don't have a pic, but it looks fine, almost stock since I trimmed them rounded to match the contours of the interior. The nice part about this stick on felt, which is found at Wal-Mart, is that you can remove it with no damage to the leather.
N-
This was one of the reasons that I bought this particular car, fascinating history.
Tony- the door handles are plastic, of course. I guess you are talking about he arm rests? They are holding up fine. Only...they are so uncomfortably hard that I actually looked into buying a pair of used ones on Ebay and having them colored to match...with more padding. In the end, I wound up using some stick-on black felt. I used it on these and the center arm-rest, which had some damage anyway. I don't have a pic, but it looks fine, almost stock since I trimmed them rounded to match the contours of the interior. The nice part about this stick on felt, which is found at Wal-Mart, is that you can remove it with no damage to the leather.
N-
#33
Re: Leather Dye for UGLY car
I have used Surflex Black with fantastic results. I got it from Car Care Specialties (www.carcareonline.com). Very easy to use. Black covers any color with no matching problems. I've found you don't even have to stip the old dye off, but you do have use a strong cleaning agent to get the oils and other old treatments off first. Then I use a terry cloth buffing sponge and just pat the new dye on. You will have to build several layers on let it dty for about 15-20 minutes between coats of dye.
Attached you will see a rear a/c console I did that was a Toffee color. You can see where I need to do a touch up to cover a spot I didn't get well where the seat belt receptacle would be.
Regards,
JE
Attached you will see a rear a/c console I did that was a Toffee color. You can see where I need to do a touch up to cover a spot I didn't get well where the seat belt receptacle would be.
Regards,
JE
Originally posted by Beth
The interior of the '83 is TRASHED!!! It has a tan and brown interior (or used to). The PO left it in the sun way too much and each leather piece is a different color - it's terrible (smells too). But, EVERYTHING is leather on that car. Just about everything except the front seats and the dash in perfect condition, just really, really ugly.
So, we're going to make a black interior. I figured we can just dye the leather. Does anyone have any advice or product recommendations?
Thanks!
(I'd post pic's but I must be retarded cuz I just can't figure it out)
The interior of the '83 is TRASHED!!! It has a tan and brown interior (or used to). The PO left it in the sun way too much and each leather piece is a different color - it's terrible (smells too). But, EVERYTHING is leather on that car. Just about everything except the front seats and the dash in perfect condition, just really, really ugly.
So, we're going to make a black interior. I figured we can just dye the leather. Does anyone have any advice or product recommendations?
Thanks!
(I'd post pic's but I must be retarded cuz I just can't figure it out)
Last edited by JE928Sx4.; 09-21-2007 at 09:48 AM.
#34
Hi Normy,
Do you know what products your guy used on the leather dye? Is some of the interior vinyl? Will leather products work on vinyl (OK, sure leather rejuvenator will not.)
Hi Tony,
The oils from the hand really effect adhesion on grip areas. So prep is crucial. I think leatherique methods/products will work on vinyl too. They have the Porsche interior paint codes. I was very happy with the Porsche black color and prep product and results on shifter ****, and hand brake leather grips.
Hi Beth,
A really good mechanic friend of mine restored tan Weissach seats with Leatherique products. They look great. I personally would use their Porsche color coded tan dye on the interior, and if applicable, brown to restore it to original. Black gets really hot, and does not look as good to me.
Do you know what products your guy used on the leather dye? Is some of the interior vinyl? Will leather products work on vinyl (OK, sure leather rejuvenator will not.)
Hi Tony,
The oils from the hand really effect adhesion on grip areas. So prep is crucial. I think leatherique methods/products will work on vinyl too. They have the Porsche interior paint codes. I was very happy with the Porsche black color and prep product and results on shifter ****, and hand brake leather grips.
Hi Beth,
A really good mechanic friend of mine restored tan Weissach seats with Leatherique products. They look great. I personally would use their Porsche color coded tan dye on the interior, and if applicable, brown to restore it to original. Black gets really hot, and does not look as good to me.
#35
Jessa:
I am the someone on the rennlist forum to which Thom refers that is unhappy with JustDashes. He makes the understatement of the year.
Please listen carefully: Before you send any money to them, take a look at my dash and pod. Ask Nicole, who has seen it. Then you may be excused to be nauseated for awhile. It is awful. And their attitude is even worse.
They sold me a kit to "blend" the old adjacent pieces to the newly refinished pieces for $250. I threw it in the trash. Better use the money as toilet paper. The new dash and pod were so far off, the blend kit wouldn't blend enough of the original interior to matter. I had sent a console piece and another interior leather part to use as a match, and they entirely ignored that color. Also, the process they use builds up the surface in such a way that the corners are rounded, not sharp as in the original and the fit is a nightmare. It doesn't fit at all. And the pod is prevented from moving upward without interference with the dash. And then there are the incessant squeaks from all of the rubbing where the dash no longer fits properly.
Bottom line? I am trashing the dash, (or giving it back to Devek) and buying a new dash from Porsche ($1200 !!!) and re-dyeing the recovered pod. Including labor, this has been a huge Ouch! JustDashes said to live with it and hung up the phone. Of course, I am partly responsible for that since I told them where to shove their dash job.
I am the someone on the rennlist forum to which Thom refers that is unhappy with JustDashes. He makes the understatement of the year.
Please listen carefully: Before you send any money to them, take a look at my dash and pod. Ask Nicole, who has seen it. Then you may be excused to be nauseated for awhile. It is awful. And their attitude is even worse.
They sold me a kit to "blend" the old adjacent pieces to the newly refinished pieces for $250. I threw it in the trash. Better use the money as toilet paper. The new dash and pod were so far off, the blend kit wouldn't blend enough of the original interior to matter. I had sent a console piece and another interior leather part to use as a match, and they entirely ignored that color. Also, the process they use builds up the surface in such a way that the corners are rounded, not sharp as in the original and the fit is a nightmare. It doesn't fit at all. And the pod is prevented from moving upward without interference with the dash. And then there are the incessant squeaks from all of the rubbing where the dash no longer fits properly.
Bottom line? I am trashing the dash, (or giving it back to Devek) and buying a new dash from Porsche ($1200 !!!) and re-dyeing the recovered pod. Including labor, this has been a huge Ouch! JustDashes said to live with it and hung up the phone. Of course, I am partly responsible for that since I told them where to shove their dash job.
#36
I almost had all my interior pieces redone by Just Dashes but DEVEK had all the parts in pretty good (used) condition and in stock. Now I'm glad I didn't go the Just Dashes route...
#37
FWIW, I have a leatherique kit en route, Oil, cleaner, leather & carpet dyes, but my interior isn't in really bad condition. I will only need the dye to touch up some of the piping where it is slightly worn. and to perk up the carpet which is only slightly faded. There are "before" pics on my member website, and I expect to have "after" pics sometime in the next couple of weeks.
D
D
#38
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I have seen Ron's new dash, and I can tell you there is no way in hell I would accept this kind of quality for a 928 (or any other Porsche).
The thought that maybe some day this will be the only option to restore a 928 dash is a really scary one...
The thought that maybe some day this will be the only option to restore a 928 dash is a really scary one...
#39
Thom- I'm not sure what this guy used product-wise, but I'll try to find out. I know that he made a big deal of stripping all the old stuff off- I went over to the shop when he had it all stripped and it scared the hell out of me since all the leather looked like cardboard! He had the car for two weeks as well. Whatever he used is holding up well. Tony asked about the door handles- even these are mark-free after three years of use. If I had to do it over again, I'd probably do it all in black since I have to clean the interior of this car all the time- champagne looks nice but it shows dirt quick!
The interior is leather with the exceptions of the pod and the ceiling panel. The ceiling is painted with the same stuff, and it works fine apparently. I do remember this guy telling me that he had to use something different on the glove box door, but I don't know why.
N!
'85 S2 5 Speed
The interior is leather with the exceptions of the pod and the ceiling panel. The ceiling is painted with the same stuff, and it works fine apparently. I do remember this guy telling me that he had to use something different on the glove box door, but I don't know why.
N!
'85 S2 5 Speed