Old Interior Plastics Help?

[GypsyR]

Specifically the inside big quarter panel trim pieces. Have some on a '86 hatch that are pretty rough with UV fade and abuse from backseat passengers. Finally getting around to working on the exterior of the car and realized I'm going to have to do something about the interior too once the outside starts to look nice.
Even if there are new ones I don't think I want to spend a bunch on this particular area of the car. But I don't want to go with ghetto vinyl paint/dye either. Something in between, maybe?
What started this was when I was raiding a junkyard donor for other stuff and noticed the panels were a lot nicer than mine. About to start yanking them and realized some jackwad had cut speaker holes right above the armrests. It's not a high priority repair right now but it's one of those things that will niggle at me forever. I'll need to do something about them at some point, probably the coming spring.
Any ideas beyond searching for better used ones?

 

[7991LXnSHO]

If you do the prep work and use a good dye, this is not a "ghetto" solution. Just using regular Krylon to spray your faded red parts black is not doing it right.

 

[GypsyR]

The snazzy, but blue, Fairmont dashpad I scored I "dyed" gray and it still looks pretty good. Still not even the same as plastic/vinyl you can clean with whatever and wipe down with ArmorAll without worrying about the color coming off.

 

[79dog]

Without seeing the panels this will be hard to answer. Here's a pick of the dash using Dupli-Color Grease & Wax Remover and Dupli-Color Vinyl Fabric. At first my son thought we were wasting our time. When he seen the dash done he really liked it.

 

[GypsyR]

We've had this car for like 15 years so long term durability is a concern. The panels have been scratched by...life. And small rear seat passengers. A main concern is how the plastic is a bit "crispy" right at the quarter windows. I figure anyone in the south whose car sits outside all the time would be able to identify with that issue.
Though I sprayed the dash pad with DupliColor I don't think I'd spray the dash itself. My '67 has a metal dash which I happily refinished with "correct" paint to match the restored doors and THAT hasn't been nearly as durable as I would have liked.
I just have doubts about paint/dye on interior plastics. I've seen a few such "repairs" appear to have leprosy after some time. Not something I want to see on my stuff. And yes, I know, it's like any other paint work you might see out there. We have no idea what kind of prep work the repair person did on such stuff. If any at all. I dyed the dash pad in my old F100 with DupliColor years ago and it looked good for about two years then a couple of spots started flaking off. I did the most thorough prep work I could on that one too.

 

[7991LXnSHO]

Leprosy is a bad look.

So what type of option are you looking for? A garaged parts car? A interior donor from Seattle? An NOS stash? Short of them, I still say use Eastwood for best results.

 

[GypsyR]

Haven't looked at Eastwood's in particular. I might score some and see how it compares to the Duplicolor stuff.
I was curious if someone had found a different option. Some ATV guys are redoing their faded plastic bodywork by giving them a gentle going over with heat guns. Thought somebody might have found something creative like that.
As for decently well preserved originals, they exist around here. I mentioned above that I had already found a set but someone had butchered them in a manner I find unacceptable. They're still there. Might go have a another and closer look at them tomorrow.

 

[7991LXnSHO]

The Eastwood Company specializes in restoration products and tools. If there is a right way to do it, they probably sell it. Restorers know this place well.

 

[GypsyR]

Yep, I first ran across Eastwood about 1987 when I bought a spotweld gun from them. This car was only a year old back then, I bought the welder for a '68 Mustang restoration I was doing.
I did go back and look again at those panels. The sunburn and scratching wasn't bad at all and I would have considered them viable. But this.
View attachment 109885

 

[modedcb2]

several things:
* Eastwood or even Duplicolor dye products work well when done properly and last a long time. even in high wear areas. soap water, then wax grease remover, repeat 2 more times front AND back. My experience is the flake/peel happens at the extreme edges, so spraying around to the back a good 4-5" is critical. Also Bully Dog brand adhesion promoter will help tremendously.

* scuffs and scratches: take a red or green Scot-brite scuff pad and 220 sand paper and knock down the high spots and edges. then scuff with the pad. go about 6" around the scratch(es) to blend it out. If its deep you can get a vinyl repair kit and use the adhesive/glue as a filler. Works really well.

* on those rear side panels where they aren't going to be seeing alot of contact consider using PLastic-Dip spraay its rubbery, fills sratches/gouges well and if you are really OCD about the prep and give the entire panel a red scotch-brite scuffing it will last a long time. If it gets nicked or peels, simply peel it all off and respray.

* speaker holes: take some 1/8" masonite panel board form lowes/HDepot, make a paper cardboard template of the entire dressed area. make 2, one left, one right, trace to hardboard. cut to the INSIDE of your line by an additional 1/16-1/8". use HD velcro or little earth magnets on the corners and top bottom in the center. Cover in contrasting fabirc or speaker grill cloth that is UV treated. Viola' speaker holes covered. Oh!: if you do grill cloth, only spray the 3m Super 90 adhesive on the BACK of the hardboard. WRap and pull tight. If you have an Arros brand hand stapler they make 1/16" x 1/4" staples to make it secure. Depending on where you live, No spray glue holds up here in Texas.

Lastly on arm rests console lids visors and even some door panel tops,best to cover in new fabrics. May be worth a $100 to have an uphostry shop do those right.

~Rob

 

[7991LXnSHO]

Putting a padded or at least covered MDF panel over the hole would be a nice looking solution. I would hold them on with the domed washer upholstery screws. I had to add one of the screws to the speaker panels in front doors, and it does not look out of place.