Cleaning and recondition of interior plastic

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Hi All,

After searching I can't find any posts on this which surprises me (or I'm doing it wrong).

I have been collecting bits and bots of black plastic console and dash trim as I want to change from grey to black. The problem is used 30 year old plastic trim is never going to be in perfect shape.

It's amazing what hot soapy water will do, but the problem is the last piece I acquired that has what looks like white paint splashes on it. Nail varnish remover has taken off a lot of it (don't tell SHMBO), but you can still see where the paint was.

Has anyone painted their plastic before, and if so what paint did you use (is a special one)?

Alternately can anyone recommend a good cleaning product as if I paint one piece I'll probably have to do the lot to keep the look even through out the car.

Cheers

Chris

[FI Spyder]

You use plastic paint, paint designed for interior auto plastic. You have to be sure to get all of the silicone and whatever cleaning/restorative products were used on it in the past (just as you do before painting bumpers with bumper paint). On rubber bumpers you use acetone to do this, I'm not sure if/how this works on plastic dash parts. You would have to experiment to make sure it doesn't melt it. People usually paint their dashes grey (from black as that's what the charcoal of later years actually were). Check your auto parts stores or your auto paint stores if you have any near you. Some one on this site did an interior in lighter than charcoal grey and it looked pretty good.

- - -TR7 Spider - - - 1978 Spitfire- - - - 1976 Spitfire - - 1988 Tercel 4X4 - Kali on Integra - 1991 Integra - Yellow TCT

[DNK]

Chris, I want to change from black to grey


Don
Stick a Wedge In It
80 TR7 V8 Kick in the pants

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Thanks for the replies.

DNK - Shame you are in the States - we could have done a swap:)

I've had another google and it seems that people have had success with Plasti-kote paints, and I fount this informative page http://www.torquecars.com/styling/plastic-painting.php and they say not to bother with 'special' paint.

I'll give it a go on a small part first

Cheers

Chris

[DNK]

Am planing on using them when I switch

Don
Stick a Wedge In It
80 TR7 V8 Kick in the pants

[FI Spyder]

Plastikote make a vinyl paint for dashes. I wouldn't do the fine sandpaper step as it would wear down our surface grain. They make a plastic primer. They make a wide variety of paints so make sure you get the right one.

http://www.plastikote.ca/products/Primer/Plastic-Primer.html



- - -TR7 Spider - - - 1978 Spitfire- - - - 1976 Spitfire - - 1988 Tercel 4X4 - Kali on Integra - 1991 Integra - Yellow TCT

[Beans]

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Century Gothic, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by scribe</i>

...Has anyone painted their plastic before, and if so what paint did you use (is a special one)? <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
I have used Vinylkote twice together with their cleaning product.
The first time on the interior of my FHC in the mid 90's,
and more recently on the DHC's dashbourd. So far no problems ...

http://tr7beans.blogspot.nl/2009/09/dhc-report-nr-48-dashboard-rejuvenation.html

<center>
<font color="blue"><i>1976 TR7 FHC (needs some TLC ...)
1980 TR7 DHC (my first car, a.k.a. Kermette)
1981 TR7 FHC (Sprint engined a.k.a. 't Kreng
</font id="blue"><b>[url="http://www.tr7beans.blogspot.com/"]<u><b><font size="3"><font color="red">My full Weblog</font id="red"></font id="size3"></b></u>[/url]</b></i></center>

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Thanks for the link.

My wife has a steam cleaner that I'll use first, and then probably white spirit (testing it first - don't want to dissolve the plastic), and finally panel wipe before painting.

On a related note, is anyone aware of any site that has all the factory trim colour combinations (with pictures)?

Cheers

Chris

[Spectatohead]

The gray paint on mine is coming off around the grab bar and the black plastic is showing through. I've been toying with the idea of painting it a dark brown or lighter tan when I get around to redoing the whole interior. I did use upholstery paint on my vinyl panels just as a cheap way to freshen them until I could afford to do them right. They seem to be holding up pretty good so far and they do look better than they did when they were faded and stained. I believe that our interior hard plastics were all molded in black with the later cars being painted gray. Most the the gray in mine has held up for 34 years I don't see why repainting them a different color would be any less durable.

Jim Clark
'80 TR8
'97 Maxima 5spd

[silverseven]

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Century Gothic, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by FI Spyder</i>

I wouldn't do the fine sandpaper step as it would wear down our surface grain. They make a plastic primer.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">



-actually a scotchbrite pad would be a better choice for prepping the plastic part (not sandpaper) then a good wipe down or two with some "surface prep" to remove any silicone/oil/dust/grim.
You want the surface to have a little "bite" for the primer/paint to stick properly.


A lot of paint companys make trim dye and paint in areosol cans.
I prefer SEM products , but honestly I don't think there is that much difference when it comes to spray bombs.

Ron.

[busheytrader]

As per Beans, I've heard good things about this company's products although not used them myself.

http://www.kolorbond.co.uk/

Adam



TR7 V8 DHC Jaguar Solent Blue. 9.35cr Range Rover V8, Holley 390cfm, JWR Dual Port, 214 Cam, Lumention, Tubular Manifolds, S/S Single Pipe Exh, 3.08 Rear, 200lb Spax & PolyBushes all round, Anti- Dive, Strut-Top Roller Bearings, Capri Vented Discs & Calipers, Braided Hoses, 4 Speed Rear Cylinders, Uprated Master Cylinder & Servo, AT 14" 5 Spokes or Maestro Turbo 15" Alloys, Cruise Lights, S/S Heater Pipes, Replacement Fuel Tank. No Door Stickers. Mine since July 1986, V8 from 1991 courtesy of S&S V8 conversion and big brake kits.