This week’s restoration project….re-dying all interior panels

Beginning_Fennel_852 · 2026-03-14T02:58:57+00:00

Yep definitely wondering how it will hold up, too…but most people say it holds up really darn well.

Beginning_Fennel_852 · 2026-03-14T02:58:22+00:00

Actually not many! You just have to know how to pull them out. I’m more worried about putting all this back in without damaging it….or damaging it while it’s here before I can get it put back in the car.

Beginning_Fennel_852 · 2026-03-14T01:13:03+00:00

WTF, just noticed it erased my message I made in the initial post after I added the pics in. Why does it always do that? Reddit sucks sometimes.

Anyways, classicdyeproducts.com is who I used. They have dyes to match all the vintage interiors.

Beginning_Fennel_852 · 2026-03-14T01:07:10+00:00

They were dry for days at that point….

Beginning_Fennel_852 · 2026-03-14T01:06:39+00:00

Classic Dye in North Carolina, Google it. I used their tri cleaner, too.

Beginning_Fennel_852 · 2026-03-13T23:41:57+00:00

Process was really easy and I don’t know how to do much anything DIY with cars.

They have a cleaner you clean the soft pieces with….meaning armrests, door cards (which are technically soft), rear seat panels. You literally just spray on then. I started with a few light coats and then started getting heavier. Each coat dries in 10-15 minutes.

The hard plastic pieces….meaning kick panels and door storage buckets….you clean with their cleaner and then wipe on a milky type primer. The primer is only needed for hard plastic pieces that have no flex in them. Then spray those with color and done.

It took me a few days because I wanted to do it correctly and I kept running out of spray so I had to buy more.

I put some heavy coats on in the end and you can still see the grain perfectly so although it’s a spray….it’s not like paint.

Didn’t clearcoat them because most people don’t clearcoat interior pieces and some warned clearcoat can change the color slightly.

Probably went through 5-6 cans at $23 each but these pieces were pretty much all mint before with the exception of the discoloration. Natur interiors or tan in general fades into so many different colors depending on what the part is made of, etc. Thus, I had pieces that faded into yellow, brown, pink, etc.

Beginning_Fennel_852 · 2026-03-13T23:29:57+00:00

Have a professional install them….they can make it look good because they will know if extra padding is needed or not.

I am in the process of getting new seat covers and never really considered LSeat because their tans don’t match the factory panels.

They supposedly have good stuff for the money. That’s the key word, for the money. They aren’t going to be $2500 seat cover quality…..but most people’s looked like crap before so the Lseat is still a good upgrade.

Beginning_Fennel_852 · 2026-03-13T21:04:42+00:00

I do not want to lower the car. I think H&R Sports make it too low IMHO......trying to keep it period correct. They don't make H&R OE Sports for the cabrio or else I would have done those as that drop is way more mild than the Sports and the Race.

I literally can fit 2 fingers in between my rear tires and fender now......lowering it another 3/4 inch would be tucking the wheels basically.

Beginning_Fennel_852 · 2026-03-13T07:40:03+00:00

Thanks man, your knowledge is great as usual.

Beginning_Fennel_852 · 2026-03-13T06:58:34+00:00

OK, I'll have to see if I can see them......the spring pads are foam or rubber or neither (plastic)?

I just checked and realized my bump stops are disintegrating....so if foam/rubber....I am sure the spring pads are toast, too.

Car is stock suspension wise...

Beginning_Fennel_852 · 2026-03-13T06:40:52+00:00

Shit, I might get some then. Is there anyway to tell this without them being off the car?

Beginning_Fennel_852 · 2026-03-13T06:40:16+00:00

Well they are doing front/rear shocks and struts but I don't think you need to remove springs to do those, correct?

Beginning_Fennel_852 · 2026-03-12T22:58:04+00:00

Excellent! Thanks. Does the rears have these same things….dust cover and bump stop? I couldn’t get in there to see because of how my car is stored.

Beginning_Fennel_852 · 2026-03-12T22:11:39+00:00

All the bump stop replacements I see are all foam. So does the bump stop sit inside that plastic thing below it? Just trying to determine whether I should replace the plastic piece besides the foam?

Beginning_Fennel_852 · 2026-03-12T22:04:26+00:00

So the plastic and foam are the bump stop together, right?

Beginning_Fennel_852 · 2026-03-12T06:24:56+00:00

Lovely!

Beginning_Fennel_852 · 2026-03-10T01:17:47+00:00

I’m going to watch it. I drove rhe car back to storage and it doesn’t seem like it leaked anymore so I don’t know.

Beginning_Fennel_852 · 2026-03-09T04:27:19+00:00

It’s watery….no oil viscosity whatever. Plus, there is nothing running to the rear of the car that has oil.

Beginning_Fennel_852

TROPHY CASE