Dumb Idea?
 

OK, I've got an idea and I want to run it past some of you for a reality check. I currently have an 82 Targa SC with black leather interior. The leather is in great shape, but the stiching on the seats has faded a little. I was teaching my son how to properly shine his dress shoes the other day when it hit me...

Use black shoe polish on the seats. Aside from the possibility of rubbing off on light colored pants, I can't think of why it wouldn't work. Any ideas? Alternatives? Has anyone actually tried this?

Thanks,
--Bob

They make stuff for this actually. I re-dyed some sport seats in a 944 once using some stuff called "Surflex", IIRC, and it worked great. I got it from John Paterek.

Mike

Do you remember roughly what it cost?

This was about 10 years ago, but it was probably about $10 for the can. I would have to imagine that one can would do about 25 seats. :>)

I'll try to find some info on this...

Mike

Check this out:

http://www.colorplus.com/products.html

$10.95 for way more than I'll need, not bad. Thanks Mike. I may try out some of the softener too.

The more adventurous side of me is admittedly still curious about the shoe polish idea though. For eleven dollars, I'll get the stuff and do it right, but has anyone tried using shoe polish? Any ghoulish tails of blackened Dockers or hardened patent leather-esque seats? I'm just curious now.

People lucky enough to have black seats have successfully used black shoe polish. If you rub/buff enough...not only will it look great but it won't rub off on white clothes...I'm told.

- Wil

Used some black shoe polish on my seats and they looked good, but did not last very long.

Surflex is a surface dye, it is awesome but it completely covers what was there before. I've used it successfully to change the car's interior from beige to black on 3 cars now ! FAntastic on door panels etc... On seats I'd think it would crack over time and show the previous color...

If you want somethign like a shoe polish, surflex is not it....

Don't use shoe polish unless all your pants are black and you want wax transfer... I used black Meltonian #615 spray on leather and it worked great- try a small sample in a less obvious area 1st

db

Walmart sells a black shoe dye that does not rub off. I have spruced up my SC's interior well with it. All the litle scratches from fingernails on the door panels and the knee pad etc. The stuff is liquid and comes in one of those foam top bottles. You can buy it in the shoe section. It is not shoe polish and will not rub off.

George

I did my black leather with shoe polish (kiwi? with the built-in applicator sponge)) and 2 years later it looks great and never rubbed off or wore off.

Argo
88 Targa