Dye vs Paint

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Hipster

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Most paint jobbers can mix the correct color and load it in a spray can so there no need to use "not the right color". Dupont, PPG, Sem etc have formulas. I've never had a problem with any of them as long as proper prep was followed as per whatever paint system you are using. I've never seen where trying to dye a carpet or fabric seats has come out all that well.
 
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kennythewelder

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X-2 on the Duplicolor vinal and fabric paint. The med gray is a perfect match to the OE color. Also the orginal plastic, is all black ( on the dash anyway) that has been painted by GM, or the plant that built the dash board. Im working on my dash now, and did the cover over the drivers seat belt real in the floor. The belt wore a slot in the plastic. I used JB weld to fill it, then sanded it, and blend painted it. On the dash, there was a crack and small hole between the screw, and where it curves down. As for the bezel, thats still a work in progress.
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PlayingWithTBI

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My speaker covers on the dash have faded to a pretty purple shade (ha ha) from the original blue and my door arm rests are faded/worn lighter too. What would I want to use for them?
 

dmhscorpion

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SEM saddle tan matched the med beige in my truck pretty close. It wasn't exact match. But blended well with the various "tans" in the dash. The trim came out great. With the prep, adhesion, and dye/paint. It's held up very well.

I used the SEM system as well when I installed a Escalade console in my 1999 2 door Tahoe. It worked well on the plastic as well as the leather insert. It has held up for over two years without any sign of wear, even on the arm rest.
 

kennythewelder

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My speaker covers on the dash have faded to a pretty purple shade (ha ha) from the original blue and my door arm rests are faded/worn lighter too. What would I want to use for them?
Duplicolor plastic,vinal, & fabric paint will do the job. I also used it on my speaker grill covers on the door. Also painted a small spot on the carpet, and did the seat, and arm rest where the fabric was worn, and the under neath black was showing through. Only issue on the fabric is, when the paint dries, its kind of stiff. I worked it down, and blended it in with some acetone on a rag, once the paint dried.
 

Erik the Awful

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Did you use any kind of adhesion promoter?
I scrubbed the panels with Barkeep's Friend because I didn't have any Comet. Then rinsed, dried, and shot the paint. Done. I considered using SEM, but it's more expensive and every O'Reillys in the nation has a couple cans of black Duplicolor on the shelf. KISS principle at work.
 

beaugranbois

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I have been doing a color change on my 95 Sierra from grey to red. I did a lot of resource but I guess you never really know until you put some miles on your own work. I’m using Color Bond but have heard great things about SEM. Prep is everything just like any paint job. I have been using a all purpose cleaner first to knock the dirt and grime off, simple green is what I use. Second I use a Color Bond prep cleaner with a grey scotch bright, grey is a finer grit than the red scotch bright. Than I rinse with water and blow off with compressed air. Third I wipe the panel down with rubbing alcohol and blow it dry. Then I spray a coat of adhesion promoter before 2-3 coats of dry. It looks great and doesn’t cover the grain like a paint would.
 
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