Where to buy: Charcoal Vinyl Dye/Paint

[ratdude747]

As a long belated Christmas (and Easter) gift, my mom is (probably) buying me some much needed door parts for my bull.

The door panels and armrests will need to be dyed or painted to match my charcoal interior.

Thing is, I've never seen such dye in stores. Something I need to order from Eastwood or the like?

Also, any suggestions on something that will be a close match? And on a UV protectant?

[Gary Lewis]

Check out our page at Documentation/Specifications/Interior Paint.  The color code for your paint is there, but note that you will not find it on the shelf.  It will have to be mixed, but there is a link on the page to Vinyl Pro, which mixes the paint and ships it to you.  You'll love working with them.

[FuzzFace2]

SEM don't have that color?
Is this the color you are after?

Dave ----

[Gary Lewis]

FuzzFace2 wrote

SEM don't have that color? Dave ----

SEM has the color codes for that color, and all interior colors for our trucks. You get the color codes on the page referenced above. But, as it says on that page, all SEM matching colors are mixed on demand. Saying it another way, SEM says that none of their matching colors will be found on the shelf as they don't sell them that way to dealers. But Vinyl Pro does mix SEM paints and ship them, and they are great to work with. Again, a link to them is on that page.

[Machspeed]

I'm looking into this now and speaking with the people at Vinyl Pro. They appear to be a class act and have been very responsive to my emails. Fellow members here have all raved about their products and business.

They sell SEM and can mix any color but it is a little pricey. There is a $25 fee for paint matching and a single can is about $30. I'm going to send them a part to paint match this week sometime.    

[Gary Lewis]

So, you aren't going with the SEM color code, but having them scan it and mix to match.  Cool!  Didn't know that was an option.

But, on Big Blue there were several different shades of the original color.  I'm confident that all the panels were original, but they didn't match.  The door panels matched each other, as did the A-pillar trim, and rear corner trim.  But each pair was a different shade of blue, as is the dash and dash pad, which didn't quite match.

So, which panel are you matching?

[Machspeed]

Gary Lewis wrote

So, you aren't going with the SEM color code, but having them scan it and mix to match.  Cool!  Didn't know that was an option.

But, on Big Blue there were several different shades of the original color.  I'm confident that all the panels were original, but they didn't match.  The door panels matched each other, as did the A-pillar trim, and rear corner trim.  But each pair was a different shade of blue, as is the dash and dash pad, which didn't quite match.

So, which panel are you matching?

Yeah, gonna have them mix my interior paint as they don't have it. They were kind enough to send me color samples and while a couple are close don't think they are spot on.  

[ratdude747]

Didn't know who made such. I'm a noob to vinyl dying/painting.

As for a pic:



The glovebox latch center needs colored too... it was an an ebay used replacement, likely off a chevy (same part, though).

[FuzzFace2]

Gary Lewis wrote

So, you aren't going with the SEM color code, but having them scan it and mix to match.  Cool!  Didn't know that was an option.

But, on Big Blue there were several different shades of the original color.  I'm confident that all the panels were original, but they didn't match.  The door panels matched each other, as did the A-pillar trim, and rear corner trim.  But each pair was a different shade of blue, as is the dash and dash pad, which didn't quite match.

So, which panel are you matching?

Gary, AMC had the same color match issue with the tan parts.
This because each part / pair were made by different companies.
I bet Ford and others did the same.
Dave ----

[Gary Lewis]

Yes, I'm sure that is the issue.  I don't know if the parts didn't really match the day the trucks were new, but they sure don't now.  Perhaps the different paints or dyes fade differently?  The different plastics might age differently?  Dunno.

[Machspeed]

ratdude747 wrote

Didn't know who made such. I'm a noob to vinyl dying/painting.


The glovebox latch center needs colored too... it was an an ebay used replacement, likely off a chevy (same part, though).

Your interior appears to be the same color as mine, which is Med Grey. Can't remember the code for it though. Interestingly, I was thinking this gray was first used in 86.

Your glove box latch should be painted black. I need to repaint mine as well.

[ratdude747]

Mom ordered all the door R&R parts

Doing my own research... as late as 2016 SEM has the "4001 Charcoal/Oxford" listed color lists.

Funny enough, I've heard suspicions this of all things will do it:

https://www.amazon.com/SEM-39153-Charcoal-Bumper-Aerosol/dp/B000HAYWNO/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8

Which would ironically make sense... the bumpers on my former Escape were indeed a similar color.

The color swatch on vinylpro is wrong... looking elsewhere, it *isn't* green.

Looking elsewhere though, it looks too dark (like an actual charcoal)... and not blue enough. Maybe a match for NEW parts... Ugh IDK here.  

[Gary Lewis]

If you figure out what is the right code please let me know so I can update the spreadsheet.

[ratdude747]

Machspeed wrote

ratdude747 wrote

Didn't know who made such. I'm a noob to vinyl dying/painting.


The glovebox latch center needs colored too... it was an an ebay used replacement, likely off a chevy (same part, though).

Your interior appears to be the same color as mine, which is Med Grey. Can't remember the code for it though. Interestingly, I was thinking this gray was first used in 86.

Your glove box latch should be painted black. I need to repaint mine as well.

It's not supposed to be color matched to the rest of the glovebox?

[ratdude747]

Here is the chart from 2016:
CC_MASTER_Sept_2016.pdf

Found that through a google search... this is the list of "recipes" for the various colors they "offer"

Oxford gray is listed as 4060 with a much simpler recipe... different paint codes shown too.

Found another "charcoal" ford listing as 3038... and more after. will keep digging to see if any other "possible" codes show up. Edit-4109 and 5792 are also "charcoal" colors listed for Ford. Ugh... clear as mud.

[Machspeed]

Mine is black and I think the buttons to open are chrome. Let me verify that tonight.

As we seem to have the same color interior, I'll be real curious to see what you come up with in color matching. I know Vinyl Pro can match my interior but again, it's not cheap.  

[ratdude747]

On the bumper coater: found the "official" color chart for the product:

BumperCoaterTrimPaintsPrimers_0518_web.pdf

I'll take a closer look in the morning. Looking at the armrest, this looks like a viable match... it's also dark. The hard plastics of the interior faded more (duh), hence why it seemed too light.

No help for the spruce interiors, but for us with gray, there's hope...

[ratdude747]

Took some pics of interior areas that aren't as faded, and tried to make a comparison to the SEM swatch in the PDF:









GIMP file for the comparison, in case somebody wants to try other swatches:

BumperCoater_39153.xcf

Hard to say... doesn't quite match, but SEM also said paint chips might vary... I've read of 85-86 mustangs getting repainted interiors with such, which is why I thought it could work. At $23 a can though... to gamble, or not gamble is the question. My concern is that I'm painting over black for the new parts, so it won't get any lighter... Then again, looks like none of the non-mating parts match, so since I'm doing arm rests and door panels (for now), may be OK? This isn't a museum piece...

Thoughts?

[Gary Lewis]

In my experience the color you get doesn't match the swatch on a card.  And trying to match things in pictures taken in differing light is futile.

Towards the latter, here are two shots taken with the same camera in different light.  That's the same door panel.  So I'd never try to match via pictures.

[ratdude747]

I know. I had to be a bit subjective in ID'ing where to pick the color from.

I'm just trying to avoid blowing $23 on possibly bad paint...