Interiors, how one thing leads to another!

[richard waters]

Well I've done it! In the process of switching from
the old tattered shades to new day/night blinds, I've
pulled about everything out of my '76PB. I have the
entire ceiling down and all the plastic trim from around
the windows. I've added new cables for ethernet,
cable TV, 110AC, 12 VDC and telephone. I have all the
seats out and thinking about getting the rest out .

In the process of providing better access for the various
cables to the dash area I removed the passenger side
panel. What a lot of fun that was! Now I'm faced
with a dilemma. Do I paint the green plastic on the
dash and side panels? Has anyone done that? Can
it be done with the panels in place? I already know
how to refinish the plastic ceiling and window pieces
with white. But what about the green stuff all over
the instrument panel etc?

Any comments are sure welcome.

This is a job with no end. The more I do, the more
there is to do!

Richard Waters '76PB, Troy, MI "Green Weenie"

 

[chuck blanford]

Richard

I can't vouch for painting the dash panels in place, but when I do paint
mine, I'm going to use the same products that I did on the OEM plastic
seatbacks. They were "Harvest Gold", and I used a 3 step process to
permanently change the color to an off-white.

1) The first product is SEM Plastic Prep, #38354, used to prepare plastic
for painting. "Plastic Prep is a mild cleaner specifically designed for use
on plastic parts prior to coating. Will remove fingerprints, grease, mold
release materials, wax, etc., without softening the plastic".

2) The next step is SEM Sand Free #38363 (aerosol), which promotes adhesion
on plastics. "Do not allow Sand Free to dry completely before application
of top coats. When Sand Free has evaporated, the pores of the substrate are
closed which will result in loss of adhesion".

3) The Top Coats are the various colored "paints" that SEM makes.

I found these products at the local automotive paint supplier store.
They're not inexpensive, but appear to be permanent and bullet-proof. YMMV,
but that's how I'm going to change my brown dash panels to a lighter color,
and I will probably paint them in place.

Chuck
77 Kingsley
North Idaho

>Do I paint the green plastic on the
>dash and side panels? Has anyone done that? Can
>it be done with the panels in place? I already know
>how to refinish the plastic ceiling and window pieces
>with white. But what about the green stuff all over
>the instrument panel etc?
>
>Any comments are sure welcome.
>
>This is a job with no end. The more I do, the more
>there is to do!
>
>Richard Waters '76PB, Troy, MI "Green Weenie"
>
>

 

[richard waters]

Chuck,

Thanks for the info.

I have a can of SEM Vinyl & Plastic Color Spray
#15103 Super White. I bought it to see if it would
be suitable for painting the plastic headliner pieces
and the window trim. I was close to just spraying it
on without a thought to the surface prep that you
detailed for me. Now after reading the can I see you
have to buy more materials to get the stuff to be painted
ready.

I have a big decision to make. Do I paint the dash and
surrounding plastic parts now or later. If later, I'll have
to take stuff apart again that's already apart.

However, I have a trip planned in a month and I want to
get the coach ready. I would hate to lose the Summer
because of all the renovations I'm doing. If I could paint
the dash in place then I'd do it now. Otherwise, I think I
better wait until next year.

Richard Waters
dismantled '76PB, Troy, MI
- --

> Richard
>
> I can't vouch for painting the dash panels in place,

> but when I do paint
> mine, I'm going to use the same products that I did on the OEM plastic
> seatbacks. They were "Harvest Gold", and I used a 3 step process to
> permanently change the color to an off-white.
>
> 1) The first product is SEM Plastic Prep, #38354, used to prepare plastic
> for painting. "Plastic Prep is a mild cleaner specifically designed for use
> on plastic parts prior to coating. Will remove fingerprints, grease, mold
> release materials, wax, etc., without softening the plastic".
>
> 2) The next step is SEM Sand Free #38363 (aerosol), which promotes adhesion
> on plastics. "Do not allow Sand Free to dry completely before application
> of top coats. When Sand Free has evaporated, the pores of the substrate are
> closed which will result in loss of adhesion".
>
> 3) The Top Coats are the various colored "paints" that SEM makes.
>