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Dash pad, what paint/dye to use?

Evan Frucht

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I just purchased an original used dash pad for my 1964 fury wagon. It has a couple small cracks on each corner that I plan to fix with a combination of some sort of flexible vinyl repair compound followed by a skim coat of filler putty to finish it off. The majority of the dash pad is in great shape actually and hasn't been repaired before. I also have a steering wheel that is cracked I want to restore and apply the same color too.

The pad is a light brown tan color but I want to change the color to turqouise as that is the color of my car.

The original color of my car is a medium metallic turquoise and it retains the original paint on dash and inside metal trim pieces (which is in nice shape the PO had stored away indoors for years) I plan to leave the interior paint the way it is. I like the "patina" and this is just a driver for me to have fun with not a serious show car.

The outside has been painted over a couple times and there is lots of bad body work and dings that need to be fixed... So I plan to re-spray the exterior of the car, door jams, doors, etc... in a couple months.

One creative choice I'm thinking about making is to shoot the exterior of the car in a single stage urethane that is NOT METALLIC but instead is a solid turquoise color. I already have two gallons of the paint I would use. I simply prefer solid colors over metallics as a personal preference. The car is sort of a survivor and I'm not doing any major modifications to it but it's not exactly 100% original either and I'm not trying to make it that exactly. I know contrasting a metallic interior with solid exterior it's not something you commonly see but I think it will "work" as a color scheme. Anyways....

I have two options I'm trying to decide between. Kind of leaning toward the first one.

Painting the dash pad and steering wheel to match exterior color and using the same catalized single stage urethane I plan to paint the car with.

Has anyone used catalized auto paint on vinyl on plastic interior parts. I'm thinking single stage urethane should have a little flex to it. If I go that route I'd still use the sem vinyl prep and an adhesion promoter.

Or use that flexible paint they sell such as SEM vinyl paint. They have only 1 turquoise color in the marine vinyl paint line. The color coat line doesnt have a turqouise and neither does Herbs. The other problem I see with these is the durability given the fact its solvent based and not catalized? I'm not that convinced of its durability yet even with everyone swearing by it. I've been conditioned to believe catalized coatings are always a significantly better choice. And I've never had good results using rattle can anything that actually gets used. It looks fine right after the repair but always stays soft and therefore gets messed up quickly.

Sorry for the long winded post. Thansk for reading. Any input appreciated
 
Agree with 66383 Herb's. I toyed with a few interior paints that were crappy most to do with off color. Someone on our forum suggested Herb's found Herb's to be the way to go. I had painted my visors with another brand that was off color then used Herb's on the modified leather console I installed and match came out nice. Attached before & after off the console using Herb's as FYI...only thing is the seats have seen years of daylight; but real happy with the match.

Console 1 pic Plymouth.jpg Ply Console L.jpg
 
Re-reading you post sounds like you know your paints and didn't catch that you've done some checking on paints suggested. I'm no expert; but from what I've read about interior upholstery paints is concern for the deterioration of vinyl (also with plastics as I've painted as well) that the paints may contain and long-term flexibility no cracking on soft surfaces...no new-news here but last thing I wanted encounter was irreversible damage. Concern I see with interior paints is not exposing them to harsh substances or cleaners such as alcohol/solvents as this will remove the paint. I painted some mule pieces checking this out. So seems that ya might to try some experimenting with what you want to do who knows you might find a whole new evolution in painting interiors!
 
I wrapped a dash pad in vinyle, turned out nice. Used spray tac and superglue.
I had armrests done with spray dye and they smelled.
 
I used Herb's Vinyl paint on some interior white handles on our Boat. They turned black and grimy looking so I painted them with his white after cleaning them. 9 months later they still look like new...
 
I heard good things about Herbs so I checked the colors out and they just dont have any turquoise. Sem has 1 turquoise in there marine vinyl paint line but it's not correct. Now I'm thinking I will probabaly do the dash pad in a metallic turqoise to match interior and then use a solid turqouise paint (probabaly regular catalized single stage urethane) for the steering wheel since it was never really metallic to begin with.

There seem to be some other companies who have their own line of vinyl paints with metallic turqoise options available.

For instance, I was looking at this https://www.npdlink.com/product/interior-vinyl-dye-medium-turquoise-metallic-gulf-turquoise/122740 but I have no way of knowing if it will be a good color match. It doesnt need to be perfect considering the interior metal panels and dash the original paint is a little faded at the top and slightly scratched up and discolored in places
 
Agree with 66383 Herb's. I toyed with a few interior paints that were crappy most to do with off color. Someone on our forum suggested Herb's found Herb's to be the way to go. I had painted my visors with another brand that was off color then used Herb's on the modified leather console I installed and match came out nice. Attached before & after off the console using Herb's as FYI...only thing is the seats have seen years of daylight; but real happy with the match.

View attachment 889509 View attachment 889510
What is the console originally out of? It looks very nice. Got any close up pics of it?
 
What is the console originally out of? It looks very nice. Got any close up pics of it?
It's from a '78 Lincoln leather having an idiot light bar I reconverted to display blinkers, brake and headlights. Used the stowage cove it had for extra gauges and added cup holders a buddy machined from a scrap alum block. Got the console at a swap meet some 15 years ago for 10 bucks. Still a few things left to finish. It's the correct red from Herb's; but the seats and dash have have many years in the sun as a drop top so they're faded not producing a perfect match. Attached a couple pics showing it during install as it was a maroon color initially. The card board piece you see was the template to make the side aprons from panel stock, foam, and vinyl covering.

Console 2 pic.jpg Ply Console Bld wiring.jpg Ply Console r.jpg Ply Console Bld Level.jpg
 
Maybe try Kolor Korrect in NJ 732 846-1044. They do Mopar interior dyes. I have never used them but told they have a color " Bermuda Turquiose". Web site not great, will probably have to call them. Please come back on and let us all know the deal with them if you could.
 
Maybe try Kolor Korrect in NJ 732 846-1044. They do Mopar interior dyes. I have never used them but told they have a color " Bermuda Turquiose". Web site not great, will probably have to call them. Please come back on and let us all know the deal with them if you could.
I did call them they seem like a good company, very friendly and helpful on phone. Unfortunately their prices were too high for me.

They charge $80+ for a tiny 5 oz rattle can and about $200 for a pint of their laquer based vinyl dye.

I just cant justify paying that much when SEM and other brands charge 15 bucks for an 11 oz rattle can, my restoration does not need be that perfect. Maybe if I had more spare money to spend.

I will let eveyone know what I end up using.
 
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Speaking of dyes. I phone AMS Obsolete parts. To get Herb`s # 100 black to match my console and kick panels I will have to find a clear to put on top. Good thing I have a broken console to practice on.
 
I did call them they seem like a good company, very friendly and helpful on phone. Unfortunately their prices were too high for me.

They charge $80+ for a tiny 5 oz rattle can and about $200 for a pint of their laquer based vinyl dye.

I just cant justify paying that much when SEM and other brands charge 15 bucks for an 11 oz rattle can, my restoration does not need be that perfect. Maybe if I had more spare money to spend.

I will let eveyone know what I end up using.
Dang , had no idea their prices where that high. Hope there is something out there we can use , i'm in the same boat as you trying to find turquoise dye that will be a good match.
 
I did call them they seem like a good company, very friendly and helpful on phone. Unfortunately their prices were too high for me.

They charge $80+ for a tiny 5 oz rattle can and about $200 for a pint of their laquer based vinyl dye.

I just cant justify paying that much when SEM and other brands charge 15 bucks for an 11 oz rattle can, my restoration does not need be that perfect. Maybe if I had more spare money to spend.

I will let eveyone know what I end up using.


Evan, I had pretty good luck with Ecklers. You would be surprised how close Ford colors match the Chrysler products on the older cars. I found my Beige in a Ford formula. I found the interior "rose" on Ecklers site. Bought the vinyl "paint" for touching up the interior. Worked perfect on the vinyl and plastic. Perfect match, Good product.

Here's a list of their turquoise colors...

https://www.ecklers.com/catalogsearch/result/?&q=Turquoise interior paint&rows=30&view=grid&start=0

Go online for Ford paint chips to find your color.

20200203_191140.jpg
 
Evan, I had pretty good luck with Ecklers. You would be surprised how close Ford colors match the Chrysler products on the older cars. I found my Beige in a Ford formula. I found the interior "rose" on Ecklers site. Bought the vinyl "paint" for touching up the interior. Worked perfect on the vinyl and plastic. Perfect match, Good product.

Here's a list of their turquoise colors...

https://www.ecklers.com/catalogsearch/result/?&q=Turquoise interior paint&rows=30&view=grid&start=0

Go online for Ford paint chips to find your color.

View attachment 904305
Thanks! Ill look into that
 
Yes Some Ford colours are close, I believe there is a possibly 1987 THUNDERBIRD colour that is close to the 67 Mopar Dark turquoise green.
 
I personally wouldn't use anything out of a rattle can although many do and have good luck. I would use epoxy primer(SPI) and single stage mixed to your color. It should have much better holdout better UV resistance.
 
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