Has anyone got experience of succesfully re-colouring leather or plastic interior parts - I'm about to embark on re-colouring some rear headrests from biege to taurus red - so far I'm looking at Bradleys Plastic and Leather Finishers as (highly) recommended by a reputable local car trimmer and re-upholsterer.
All advice, tips, pointers gratefully received.
Sharkfan.
Re-colouring leather
Moderators: GRNSHRK, ron, bfons
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UKDaveJ
Re: Re-colouring leather
I posted on this forum sometime ago about re-colouring, as I'd seen a product that Frosts do. I recall Quendil wasn't overly positive about it.sharkfan wrote:Has anyone got experience of succesfully re-colouring leather or plastic interior parts - I'm about to embark on re-colouring some rear headrests from biege to taurus red - so far I'm looking at Bradleys Plastic and Leather Finishers as (highly) recommended by a reputable local car trimmer and re-upholsterer.
All advice, tips, pointers gratefully received.
Sharkfan.
I don't know the firm you've been recommended mate - do they have a website?
Good luck
Dave
I cut a sample and ordered a set of sprays from this Bradley's company; they came return of post with a bit of the original sample and two sprayed up samples; plastic and leather. The set consists of a Plasticlean spray for complete cleaning, a preparation spray and the colouring itself - also a spray - total cost 45 GBP
Due to a complete lack of skills and confidence myself, and a desire to have a really good job done - I took them back to the local Car Trimmer who has used these products before and he says it's about an hours work - so I dropped them off Saturday and should get them back this week - I'll let you all know the results when I can, and maybe post some pics.
Cheers, Sharkfan.
Due to a complete lack of skills and confidence myself, and a desire to have a really good job done - I took them back to the local Car Trimmer who has used these products before and he says it's about an hours work - so I dropped them off Saturday and should get them back this week - I'll let you all know the results when I can, and maybe post some pics.
Cheers, Sharkfan.
Very quick update - got the headrests and surrounds back tonight - even my normally suffering but sceptical long (6er) suffering wife said they look fab
I will take some pre-installation piccys (for comparison) with the still pearl beige front headrests that came with the rears then post the spray details for all the UK guys - I know you US guys have got Leatherique and this sounds a very similar product.
As I said, very impressed, not least with the trimmer who did the job for me - they're flawless - well worth 2 hours of his professional time rather than hours and hours of my arseing around buggering the whole job up - a big hand for the experts willing to take on little jobs for the enthusiasts
Just a little update. From a well-happy customer
I will take some pre-installation piccys (for comparison) with the still pearl beige front headrests that came with the rears then post the spray details for all the UK guys - I know you US guys have got Leatherique and this sounds a very similar product.
As I said, very impressed, not least with the trimmer who did the job for me - they're flawless - well worth 2 hours of his professional time rather than hours and hours of my arseing around buggering the whole job up - a big hand for the experts willing to take on little jobs for the enthusiasts
Just a little update. From a well-happy customer
Hi
here's the finished items:
As you can see, it's a pretty good match for the leather.
If I were being picky I'd say there's a slight difference between the headrest supports and the speaker pods but this can easily be cured by
1. Giving the pods a damn good clean, or
2. Re-spraying the pods as well
These particular headrests started out Pearl Biege as you can see:
And one tin of spray was just enough for several coats. I expect durability to be good, as the vinyl can be gently pressed without any cracking whatsoever, and the finish being even and level throughout - truth be told, you'd be hard pressed to tell they're sprayed rather than original - I doubt whether I'd have done the job so well.
There are more photo's at:
http://khills.photosite.com/M6Headrests/
as well as photo's of the rest of the cars.
I'd strongly recommend these products - but as the trimmer said, it's all in the preparation - that's why I got him in to do the job
here's the finished items:
As you can see, it's a pretty good match for the leather.
If I were being picky I'd say there's a slight difference between the headrest supports and the speaker pods but this can easily be cured by
1. Giving the pods a damn good clean, or
2. Re-spraying the pods as well
These particular headrests started out Pearl Biege as you can see:
And one tin of spray was just enough for several coats. I expect durability to be good, as the vinyl can be gently pressed without any cracking whatsoever, and the finish being even and level throughout - truth be told, you'd be hard pressed to tell they're sprayed rather than original - I doubt whether I'd have done the job so well.
There are more photo's at:
http://khills.photosite.com/M6Headrests/
as well as photo's of the rest of the cars.
I'd strongly recommend these products - but as the trimmer said, it's all in the preparation - that's why I got him in to do the job
Oops, no photo's 
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sohlman
The headrest i bought were the exact same colour as yours. I however had to colour them blue.
The leather came out comparible well, but the vinyl is very delicate to scratching off. The leather place did not charge me for this.
Your job is much better. I think i would like to use this stuff and do mine again. I also want to do the rear pods as these are old and the colour is tired.
Looks like a weekends job to do it properly.
James
The leather came out comparible well, but the vinyl is very delicate to scratching off. The leather place did not charge me for this.
Your job is much better. I think i would like to use this stuff and do mine again. I also want to do the rear pods as these are old and the colour is tired.
Looks like a weekends job to do it properly.
James
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siscobmw
My '83 635 had pacific blue leather, but the colour was getting clear every day, then I had some scratch....
I sent to SWIZOL( swizol.com) a leather sample froma a hidden part of a seat, in order to reproduce the same colour of the leather whenit was new....
The sent me the colour(2 bottles and You can recovery a 635 with not much problem) for 58 euro, then I bought the leather care kit, for the same amount.No scratches , no more bad colour....It takes me about 2 days of had work....but those products worth every penny You spent....
Francesco from Italy
I sent to SWIZOL( swizol.com) a leather sample froma a hidden part of a seat, in order to reproduce the same colour of the leather whenit was new....
The sent me the colour(2 bottles and You can recovery a 635 with not much problem) for 58 euro, then I bought the leather care kit, for the same amount.No scratches , no more bad colour....It takes me about 2 days of had work....but those products worth every penny You spent....
Francesco from Italy
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siscobmw
if You want to see the "before and after" picture of my seats treatment. go here:
http://www.zetauno.it/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1631
There's only one picture, but You will notice the difference between the dry and decoloured leather of a unused rear seat(unused as I have not a 3 years old baby in my family, and the rear compartment is quite cramped also for a 1,60m tall woman)and a coloured and greased leather on one other seats(no tricks of touch up picture like those ads that say " You are 140 kgs ? in 1 week You will become 80 ...see the before/after picture...
)
Francesco from Italy
http://www.zetauno.it/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1631
There's only one picture, but You will notice the difference between the dry and decoloured leather of a unused rear seat(unused as I have not a 3 years old baby in my family, and the rear compartment is quite cramped also for a 1,60m tall woman)and a coloured and greased leather on one other seats(no tricks of touch up picture like those ads that say " You are 140 kgs ? in 1 week You will become 80 ...see the before/after picture...
)Francesco from Italy