Painting dash cover

[inaminit]

I am trying to decide whether to change the color of a new vinyl dash cover from black to lobster red. I am not really interested in having it recovered, mostly due to wait time. Can you paint a dash cover with rattle can paint? What product is best? What kind of prep is needed? Thanks in advance for your answers.

[Shaun @ Tru6]

SEM has a line of vinyl paints, both brush on and spray. Like anything, it's all in the prep according to MFG specs.

[pkabush]

I used SEM vinyl paint on a motorcycle seat years ago. I went from red to black. I was impressed with how well it worked. Especially on such a high wear part. Obviously it’s going to cover better going from red to black as opposed to the other way around but definitely worth a shot. Let us know how it works.

[bahman]

I have had excellent experience with SEM products. Their web site has a complete array of aerosol paints, and prep chemicals.

[Tony V]

Painting the dash red will really show reflections in the windshield.
Tony

[rwest]

Originally Posted by Tony V

Painting the dash red will really show reflections in the windshield.
Tony

My factory cork dash has this issue- I’ve toyed with the idea of having the flat section done in black and the the curved areas left in cork. You could try red only on the curved section first. Then maybe laying some red construction paper on the flat to see what you think?

[inaminit]

Thanks for all the tips and comments!
My current dash is a lobster red dash cap over the original vinyl dash that has cracks that rival the grand canyon. I have not noticed a lot of reflections, but I have only driven it during daylight so far. The interior has red seats, red door cards, and red reat seats and side panels. The door pulls are black. So, its already a mostly red/some black interior. The new dash is black, so it would look ok if I used it as is, although I would probably want to paint the door tops black.
Right now I like it the way it is, and visitors to our shop have all said they like the black body and red interior.
I have to think on this some more....

[Otter74]

By the sound of your interior, I think the dash would look best in red. Since you’re considering painting it, you could perhaps do the top portion in a flatter finish to minimize reflections.

[Dpmulvan]

I’m really not a huge fan of duplicolor after their engine paint burned off a motorcycle resto I did.but this door top was done about three or four years ago with their vinyl/ fabric paint.

[Superman]

I'm going to offer some advice that I strongly recommend you follow. It came from a guy who is a masterful auto upholstery repairman. In my project, I was replacing a headliner and I wanted it to match the old one and the rest of the interior which is burgundy. Burgundy 911SC headliners cannot be purchased. Below is the email from him explaining the process. "LT" is lacquer thinner. "Wax and Grease Removing" is a real thing, and so are lint-free paper towels. Available at your local auto paint store:

__________________________________________________ __________

The LT will bring the contaminants, IN the vinyl to the surface.
That's what I want.
That's why I hit the W&G Remover first. It gets all the silicones, crud, oils, grease etc OFF the vinyl surface.
(this is AFTER the vinyl has been scrubbed with soap (a mild dish soap, IE: Dove, Palmolive, Ivory) and warm water then thoroughly rinsed and completely dried the day before.)
I hit it with the LT next to get any remaining wax, grease and silicones OUT of the vinyl to the surface for the LT to more easily and thoroughly remove.
I find it a better result when the the first and thickest batch of adhesion defeating contaminants have been removed from the surface first with the W&GR.
I suppose it's a professional philosophy. One method isn't 'right or wrong'...... I've just found it a better process with fewer issues down the road to finish the prep with the heavier, stronger solvent as the final step before application.
1) Wash with soap and water
2) Scrub with wax and grease remover using lint free paper shop towels
3) Scrub with vinyl lacquer using the shop towels.
4) Spray color coat in light applications allowing each coat to become mostly but not quite dry between coats.
FYI: I like to hit the backside overlap and then any 'nooks, creases, crannies and folds' on the face before I start the actual color coating of the flatter surfaces.
Those are the most difficult to properly color and most likely areas for runs and fisheyes from missed cleaning and prep or just too much color spray.
Hitting them first, you can take care of any issues needing touch up or redoing that might occur without damaging your finish color coat.

[Superman]

I used the SEM spray vinyl that Shaun mentioned, Good stuff.