Interior and Upholstery Painting my plastic dash questions...

limp · Nov 26, 2022

Going to paint my 83 ( blue ) dash black.. I thought about doing it in Graphite or very dark grey, but I want to keep it simple...
Its been 25 years since I did my Dodge parts and they came out very nice and still look like new...
#1 question.... It seems like I washed them with warmish water and dawn soap multiple times to remove any grease, dirt and Armor All.....
Again its been many years but I remember using some plastic prep ( spray can) to soften and prep the plastic.....
I want to say that I believe the paint store told me to just wipe the plastic down with lacquer thinner to prep it?? Has anyone done that????
#2.. Is the plastic paint ( like SEM) the best to use?? I see that Rust Oleum has some " plastic" paint also??
Whats every one used????
Thanks for any ideas here....

91AOD5.0LX · Nov 26, 2022

I cleaned my interior first with a dawn soap and water mix then used the SEM prep spray then SEM color spray when I did mine and It came out perfect.
There are separate prep sprays and paints if I remember correctly for the plastics and vinyl parts though. Double check that but I think I remember using sprays specific for the material I was painting.
Oh and I also rubbed the interior down with a damp “Mr Clean magic eraser” before the prep spray. That worked wonders! Those things are amazing!

limp · Nov 26, 2022

#3 question I forgot....
What is everyone using, Flat, satin, semi, or gloss? TY again

limp · Nov 26, 2022

91AOD5.0LX said:
Oh and I also rubbed the interior down with a damp “Mr Clean magic eraser” before the prep spray. That worked wonders! Those things are amazing!

Did you do this to your softer material, like your seats? Or the harder plastic like a dash?

91AOD5.0LX · Nov 26, 2022

limp said:
Did you do this to your softer material, like your seats? Or the harder plastic like a dash?

The softer areas. Seats and door panels.

91AOD5.0LX · Nov 26, 2022

91AOD5.0LX · Nov 26, 2022

That’s the paint I used. Doesn’t indicate what the sheen is. Looks Flat or eggshell to me. Definitely not gloss. I got it from NPD but mine was titanium gray. SEM black is also
Available. It says good for plastics and vinyl.
Perhaps it was the prep spray that was plastic and vinyl specific?

General karthief · Nov 26, 2022

Don't use lacquer thinner on plastic/vinyl before painting, or at all, it is porous and takes a long time to evaporate, if it ever does.
JMO.

Potomus Pete · Nov 26, 2022

I think laquer thinner would eat it. I did my Jeep inside complete with SEM and if I had to do it again I would get the primer on it first. I cleaned it up and sanded with 1200 paper and it scrapes off with pressure. Not bad, but not good enough for me.

limp · Nov 26, 2022

91AOD5.0LX said:
The softer areas. Seats and door panels.

My seats and door panels are white.... While I am not a big " white interior" person, I think it might be a good color for here in Florida... Its a vert..
the carpet, dash, WS surrounds and the bottom of the door trim is blue.... Pretty fugly...
My new dash pad is black, dash will be either black or graphite, graphite carpet.... Kee;ping the seats and door panels white....

Mustang5L5 · Nov 26, 2022

the panels I painted, I would scuff them up with a scotchbrite pad and then put some gloves on and wipe them down with alcohol right before paint.

Actually quite impressed with how well it held up in high wear areas.

89notchDude · Nov 27, 2022

I used some orange degreaser then hit it with a scotchbrite. Next I wiped up all the scotchbrite/plastic dust with some alcohol. Did about 2-3 coats of SEM landau black. I was happy with the results.

limp · Nov 28, 2022

89notchDude said:
I used some orange degreaser then hit it with a scotchbrite. Next I wiped up all the scotchbrite/plastic dust with some alcohol. Did about 2-3 coats of SEM landau black. I was happy with the results.

Looks good... That " sheen " looks just about right to me....

jz88vert · Nov 29, 2022

limp said:
Going to paint my 83 ( blue ) dash black.. I thought about doing it in Graphite or very dark grey, but I want to keep it simple...
Its been 25 years since I did my Dodge parts and they came out very nice and still look like new...
#1 question.... It seems like I washed them with warmish water and dawn soap multiple times to remove any grease, dirt and Armor All.....
Again its been many years but I remember using some plastic prep ( spray can) to soften and prep the plastic.....
I want to say that I believe the paint store told me to just wipe the plastic down with lacquer thinner to prep it?? Has anyone done that????
#2.. Is the plastic paint ( like SEM) the best to use?? I see that Rust Oleum has some " plastic" paint also??
Whats every one used????
Thanks for any ideas here....

After dish soap ibuse gray scotchbrite and denatures alcohol and sem came out very nice or lmr paints pretty good also. Vinyl prep sprays waste of $ u dont need it

chrlsful · Dec 3, 2022

? some say primer, others prep spray, & both (but nobody neither)...?

limp · Dec 5, 2022

Here is the dash still wet from a scrub down .....
I found some cracks I would like to address..... Thought about using some fiberglass gel, but without cloth it never seems to hold well and using any cloth might make it too large and in the way...
Any suggestions?

General karthief · Dec 5, 2022

Where are the cracks?
Most can be repaired from the back with a plastic welding technique, that way the repair is hidden.
check the utube for videos.

limp · May 30, 2023

General karthief said:
Where are the cracks?
Most can be repaired from the back with a plastic welding technique, that way the repair is hidden.
check the utube for videos.

I ended up using the Baking Soda, Graphite, super glue mixture method...... worked good

nickyb · May 30, 2023

I painted my blue armrest with black trim Paint from lmr, it's holding up great even in this Vegas heat,and it matches the original interior plastic.

Interior and Upholstery Painting my plastic dash questions...

wrap a little cheese around it and its a done

I have a slight sag in my rear

wrap a little cheese around it and its a done

wrap a little cheese around it and its a done

I have a slight sag in my rear

I have a slight sag in my rear

I have a slight sag in my rear

wonder how much it would cost to ship you a pair

I'm still waiting for the fully nude shots

wrap a little cheese around it and its a done

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell

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wrap a little cheese around it and its a done

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wrap a little cheese around it and its a done

wonder how much it would cost to ship you a pair

wrap a little cheese around it and its a done

I gotta say i never painted my nuts, Never Ever

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