TitaniumTT I'm going to make the drive one day up to your place to learn how to do half the stuff you do. (Fiberglass, Custom door panels, welding, etc...)

 

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Originally Posted by TitaniumTT

Good results huh...... got some pics? I have PLENTY of pics of some really nasty faded blue vinyl pieces that I dyed with that exact product about 5 years ago. I'm quite proud as a matter of fact.

Wow someone's over reacting... and read my first post in this thread. A well known user from the 1st gen section painted his dash and other pieces, as well as dying carpet etc etc... I'm just saying paint will work if you do it decently. I'm not doubting anything about dying interiors or what dye can accomplish if used correctly, I'm just saying that I've read a good bit about painting interiors and it works as well. I've been parting my FC's interior together over the past 2 years, and using paint to get everything one color has worked for me.


Anyways OP, how's the dash going along? You mentioned you had a problem pulling the dash. And did you ever decide what method you were going to use to paint everything?

 

Seriously bro'... If you need a shoulder to cry on regarding the "injustice" of this thread, you should maybe consider the interior/exterior and audio section of this forum. This is the 2nd gen. "tech" section where the focus is actually more on technical "mechanical" related issues... The fact that you're very passionate about "vinyl dye's" is your problem, not everyone else's...

That being said, I speak from my personal experience--having painted many interior surfaces in every one of the RX-7's I've owned... I've also legitimately dyed two sets of rear-carpeting and two sets of seat-covers--using REAL dye and not spray-can dye. I would never recommend this process to anyone, as it's a true PITA... Oh yeah, and I've also used the Duplicolor vinyl/carpet "dye" on carpet, vinyl and leather...

Every off-the-shelf "spray-can" product I've ever purchased and experimented with that has claimed to be "carpet and vinyl dye" has turned out to be flexible PAINT that has can crack, chip and peel. Unable to penetrate the surface of whatever it was sprayed on...

That VHT stuff looks cool--although I would personally never go out of my way to purchase it. Flexible paint (or not) works just fine on interior panels, trim, plastic and vinyl--the surface just needs to be clean. I've never painted a complete dash, but have painted 4-5 glove-boxes and center arm-rests with no problems EVER, and I am confident that a complete dash would be no different, considering it's the same surface material--with less potential for wear. The only worry would be regarding sun-exposure...

 

you know, i was thinking about making a fiberglass dash for my seven, but seriously found it unnessecary, i love the way the stock dash looks.
and youre right on that one TTT, recovering it leather or maybe alacantra would be awsome.

peace

 

Look "bro'" I don't need a shoulder to cry on. I've said this so many times I think I'm just going to write it down in word document so I can cut and paste it into every appropriate thread. I get red in the face mad when people start posting about **** and giving advice about things they don't have a clue about. That would be like me jumping onto a Jeep forum and telling some little kid how to swap a TDI into a Cherokee. I own a Cherokee but that doesn't mean I would know the first specific detail about making a swap like that. I can make a few guesses and point out things to look out for, concerns I would have but I have no direct knowledge or experience with it so I wouldn't post up specific instructions like some people in this thread are. People in here talking about scuffing and sanding vinyl like it's the right thing to do I'm just at a loss for words. You've legitamitally dyed stuff - great - you can talk intelligently about it. I have used that VHT product becuase it was appropriate for my uses - I bought new seats and a new carpet set. I can assure you that the VHT product is NOT a thin flexible paint that chips and peels. It's been on there, for as best I can tell, about 7 years.

I have no experience with the duplicolor "dye" which is why I said nothing about it. But "sanding" down vinyl to paint it with some cheap bullshit fusion spray paint is one of the most assinign things I have every read and I think you'll agree with me maybe?

EDIT: I've painted many an interior piece as well - but they were all plastic and they were all properly preped. I thought about covering everything in vinyl but decided that I would probably break more pieces than I would want to replace so I strayed away from that idea.

 

Come on by - Always happy to help. I was asked by Steve to do an entire write-up on the 'glass panels on GlobalVicinity. Let me know if you want a link

 

I've read it. I think I even posted about/in it awhile ago about the crossover you have in the doors. I couldn't figure out what they were.

 

This looks great.

 

hm, a fellow custom fiberglasser/installer. awsome. ide like a link, although i already know how.

peace

 

I suppose this is where you and I differ... I recognize this is the internet and a great deal of information on this forum is garbage... To get passionately "red in the face" over a discussion regarding vinyl-dye is just silly IMO.

I would recommend scuffing the surface of a dash with a scotch-brite pad in preparation for Duplicolor "vinyl dye". You'd obviously want to avoid visibly breaking the surface... I would use this more as a cleaning procedure for the textured surface.

Fantastic. The Duplicolor faux-dye will also 'stay on a surface' for years, but if you were to heavily scratch the "dyed" surface with your fingernail--you might be disappointed. Again, we both speak from relative experience. VHT-products are not readily available in most retail-outlets, whereas Duplicolor and Krylon products are... I made my addition to this thread knowing that these 'off the shelf' vinyl-dye's were somewhat misleading in name. Unless they've changed the formula to actually penetrate vinyl surfaces--nothing has changed. AFAIK, the name "dye" in these product titles alludes to a penetrating liquid--as opposed to a surface coating (I.E. no residual surface layer).

I would never sand vinyl. I know exactly what would happen and how the surface would be damaged. So yeah, I agree with you.

 

Well - I feel enough people can make a difference and if being a blatant ******* keeps a few people from infecting other threads with horrible information that someone may come along and actaully use, I'd feel better about my assholish ways. I already do



I was skeptical about the VHT stuff so I TRIED to scratch it and muss it up..... wouldn't happen. I liked that stuff & I would consider Summit racing kinda maybe off the shelf.. they are almost overnight for me

 

Alright then. As an olive-branch I will purchase the VHT product for a blue-to-black dash conversion... It will be a while, considering I have several other RX-7's in line, but I will be sure to mention it's use when this particular RX-7 is finally presented.

 

Had to wait until Team was back up

http://forum.teamfc3s.org/showthread.php?t=51432

http://howto.globalvicinity.com/gv_w...=121&co=1&vi=1

 

Alrighty..here is a Question..Is there a Way to Die the Dash,Without Taking the darn thing out?.On the list this Spring is to take the crappy Burgundy out and Put in a blue interior.So If I do not have to take the dash out,It would be One less thing I have to do..good info on the Dye.Myself I would rather use a "dye" compared to Paint.I just can't "see" painting a Dash..Well,I have seen painted dashes,but it is not my Style..Thanks guys.(Thanks to the OP for starting the thread!)

 

You would need to take it out. There should still be a write-up in the archives which will give you a good idea of how to remove the dash... First time will be semi-challenging, but you should get the hang of it. Just be gentle when trying to coax it out--some of the mounting plastic is brittle after all these years.

 

actually. I found out that there is a difference between the s4 and the s5 dash. The s5 is made with a brittle yellow piece of plastic. The s4 is made with a Strong black plastic. The s4 is the way to go.

 

Yeah - I remember my first time pulling the dash and getting so pissed off that the thing wouldn't come out until I had the great idea to look @ the FSM and try to locate bolts. Hey - I was maybe 20 at the time.... I didn't know jack about **** After over a dozen times at this point I bet it's down to under an hour I bet. But yeah - take your time, don't force anything, refer to the FSM to make sure everything's been removed.

-B

 

I wanna do the same thing but I was thinking, being as inexperienced with interior work...should I just go to the wreckers and find all the black interior parts I can and buy them all? Or should I just dye my existing blue and grey interior? (Yes my seats and door panels are blue and the rest of the interior is grey.)

Recommendations would be nice. I already read how Titanium said use the VHT Vinyl Dye but what else would I need to dye my entire interior black.

 

Well my father owned a interior shop. He knows how to re cloth seats and vinyl. He used a dye that is sold at a store in oklahoma. I'm going to use that dye and see what happens. If it works out good then I'll let you guys know with pictures.

 

Seriously guys, there is nothing at all to spraying interior plastics with generic semi-flat 'black' spray-paint. It will stick, and will look OEM. Just make sure all of the parts are cleaned with soap and water--and maybe some wax/grease remover and thoroughly wiped and dried. You can use "trim" paint, vinyl/carpet paint or even generic semi-flat indoor/outdoor paint...

I still don't believe that even the VHT "dye" stuff is true dye--meaning there will *still* be surface residue/coating (like paint, unlike *ink*)--even if it has some penetration. For an interior-surface/trim with minimal flexibility and wear-potential I would just go with what's cheapest and readily available. No need to be intimidated by the process.

 

I don't know what to tell you, it is. I've cleaned them, scrubbed them, scratched them beaten them, left them in the sun - whatever. VHT FAR> than paint and it's the same effort as paint. If you're trying to change the color of a plastic piece - paint it. If you're doing the vinyl, use the right tool for the job and don't paint it.

 

I found this a while back on removing the dash, hope it helps.

 

Here is my progress.

 

how hard was it ro remove the dash?

 

Ummm it wasn't to hard let see. There are 3 bolts at the top of the dash close to the windshield so you will have to use a wrench for that, to bolts on each side of the dash (open door and pop the vent and the plastic cover), two on each side of the transmission case, Your hood realease latch has to be unscrewed, Some little wiring that has to be disconnected. There is alot of wires running along the dash so you have to get your needle nose pliers and unhook those. Basically all the wire you have to unclip is on the driver side I dont think there is one on the passenger.

It took me about 2 days to pull it. I live in oklahoma the weather was crazy.lol