Sources for vinyl dye?

Brad B

Brad B

New member
I have a scratch on the vinyl dash of a 1997 Toyota 4Runner. The tan interior vinyl has been scratched to reveal the black interior color. Any suggestions on where I can get some dye/paint so I can touch this up myself? Obviously the match needs to be right on. Oh, and did I say I need this cheap? ;)



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Brad, i live in a small midwestern town of less than 11,000.

There is an AutoZone and an O'Rielly's, both carry spray vinyl dyes.

If you have one of these or some other, and they don't have it in stock, they can pull out a color chart and order in a can for you.

They run between $7 and $12 a can around here.

Grumpy
 
Oh that's going to be tough to minimize the appearance of that scratch.

The car audio interior modifier in me says to wrap or spray the entire panel.
 
Ron Ketcham said:
Brad, i live in a small midwestern town of less than 11,000.

There is an AutoZone and an O'Rielly's, both carry spray vinyl dyes.

If you have one of these or some other, and they don't have it in stock, they can pull out a color chart and order in a can for you.

They run between $7 and $12 a can around here.

Grumpy
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Thanks. I can do that. I had no idea they carried such things!
 
b34tBoX said:
Oh that's going to be tough to minimize the appearance of that scratch.

The car audio interior modifier in me says to wrap or spray the entire panel.
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Agree, it might come to that. But worth a shot. I'm handy with a brush or airbrush.
 
You live in a large city so you have lots of resources.

Look in the yellow pages for paint/autobody stores, most of them have access to the SEM line, which can give you a close to perfect match.

While you are doing this, pick up a pint or quart of acetone to clean the surface, nothing else will "etch" and "clean" the surface.

Most cans list acetone as the cleaner needed.

I fixed a Mercedes for my attorney last year, his wife scratched the dash and a door panel really bad.

I cleaned, saw how deep one part was, so "very gently" using 1000 grit, sanded the area, keeping as much pebble grain in the substrate showing as I could.

Masked off and put on a tack coat, let it dry, then with the paper blended the dye a bit, resprayed, two coats, hard to find it unless you were looking.

He was trading it in, and wanted to be sure he got top dollar for the trade.

That car is somewhere, today, in your area, as that is where his dealers are.

He's got more toys than me and worth a hell of alot more as well.

Grumpy
 
Just checked the website, SEM Products.

They got some new stuff. This is the company that all the Big 3, etc use for their dyes, etc.

They even have a color chip download you can use, and list over 50 interior colors.

Thought you might wish to know.

Grumpy
 
Ron Ketcham said:
Just checked the website, SEM Products.

They got some new stuff. This is the company that all the Big 3, etc use for their dyes, etc.

They even have a color chip download you can use, and list over 50 interior colors.

Thought you might wish to know.

Grumpy
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Agreed, you definitely will want to go with SEM instead of the DupliColor -- much better product in my experience.



If I were doing that job, I'd mask around the entire airbag cover (I assume that's what I'm looking at in the pic?) and hit the whole thing with dye to make sure it looks even.
 
There is also a product that will pick up the grain pattern for you. It is Leather Masters Grain Copier (about $10) You put it down on a good area and peel it off as a film. You re-dye and re-spray then apply the film you just took off to leave the natural grain pattern embossing.



Or, find a pro leather refinisher/repair specialist in your area. They have the tools and talent to not only match the color but the pattern. In and out in about an hour.
 
I wouldn't spray that area. Get a die and use a kitchen sponge to feather the repair out, it will be nearly invisible if you get a good color match.
 
The Leather Master Grain Copier is one step of the repair I don't have. I'm eventually going to start all over from scratch and re do part of my seat and include it.
 
Ron Ketcham said:
There is an AutoZone and an O'Rielly's, both carry spray vinyl dyes.
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Went to both AutoZone and Advance Auto today. They were totally clueless. So the search continues.
 
Ron Ketcham said:
Just checked the website, SEM Products. Thought you might wish to know.
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Thanks. Checking it out.



UPDATE: Looks like there are no SEM reps in Missouri! Hmph!
 
Ron Ketcham said:
Yellow pages, Autobody Supplies.

Grumpy
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My fingers have been walking all day. Still searching for a place that will sell to an individual. So far places just blowing me off. Grrr.
 
Brad B. said:
Thanks. Checking it out.



UPDATE: Looks like there are no SEM reps in Missouri! Hmph!
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If you can figure out the color/formula you need, you can order it online from someplace like TCPGlobal or Autobody Toolmart...



Color formulas/chip cards can be found here:



SEM Products - Catalog - Color Coat



Potential sources for dye:



SEM Color Coat Aerosol Coatings

Vinyl, Leather, Plastic and Bumper Coatings



I noticed in a search that there's a Sherwin Williams automotive distributor in St. Louis, not sure if they might be able to help you out with sourcing a product to do the job....
 
Isn't there a Finish Master's in the St.Louis area.

They have stores all over, just walk up to the counter and give them the part number of the product.

Can't believe that there are not other stores that sell retail.

Grumpy
 
Ron Ketcham said:
Isn't there a Finish Master's in the St.Louis area.

They have stores all over, just walk up to the counter and give them the part number of the product.

Can't believe that there are not other stores that sell retail.

Grumpy
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I looked at Finishmaster's site, the only branch they list in MO is:



9409 Koenig Circle Drive

Berkeley, MO 63134

(314)427-4202



And you're right, it doesn't appear too far from St. Louis. They would probably be the best route to go; FM is the only local PBE store I deal with anymore.
 
Shiny Lil Detlr said:
I looked at Finishmaster's site, the only branch they list in MO is:



9409 Koenig Circle Drive

Berkeley, MO 63134
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Called these guys this morning and they were not very helpful or interested. They would only order via a product number and could not give me that number. They said they couldn't look up a number based on a manufacturer name/number. I think that's BS, personally. They told me to call SEM and got me off the phone as fast as they could.



I found several vinyl/leather repair places in town and will start contacting them to see if any of them will sell me product. I really want to do this myself.
 
Brad B. said:
They told me to call SEM and got me off the phone as fast as they could.
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Sheesh! Don't you just hate that? I guess they're doing enough business that they don't have to bother with "little guy requests" like yours. :rolleyes:
 
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