Colour Change

[kevh]

I am ordering a new interior kit for the roadster in a different colour, comprising of everything (carpets, seats, door cards) except the inner wheel arch and speaker covers so I need to change the colour of the existing ones. Has anyone done this? If so what did you use?

[AussieEtype]

Mine were changed 30 years ago and the upholsterer at the time stitched and glued vinyl over them - looked good at the time but has not worn all that well.

I think the modern approach would be to spray them with a quality vinyl spray made specifically for the purpose (like what car manufacturers use for seats etc) - not one that you would buy from the paint section of your local spare parts shop.

Garry

[kevh]

Hi Gary,
Thanks for the reply.
Yes I think the shape of them means covering with material is not an option, that is probably why the covers are not included in any of the interior kits available.
I was looking towards either dyeing or painting but wondered what had previously been used and what results were acheived as there are many different products available and they all claim to be the best thing since sliced bread, they may all be excellent but some sort of endorsement would be nice.

[AussieEtype]

Originally the two pieces per side were made out of black moulded plastic. They were then covered with vacuum formed plastic of the required colour - a very common practice these days.

I agree I do not see why these four panels could not be reproduced and included in trim kits. I have previously tried to source the coloured panels but had no luck - I could find the basic moulded plastic panels but not in the required colour. Spray painting is an option but the original coloured plastic did have a grain to it so if the original coloured plastic has parted ways from the original panel then painting does not provide a grained finish.

Garry

[MarekH]

There are several options.

They can be recovered with leather. It isn't going to be a job the upholsterer wants to do ever again as the bulge on the front panels is excessive and there is a high probability of the leather lifting afterwards.

They are also available in plastic with the stippled pattern premolded onto them. This is unoriginal, but does look reasonably good. I think Aldridge might have these. I was going to reproduce them, but discovered these repro items were already available and it'd have been uneconomical to reinvent the wheel.

Mine are recovered in leather. If trying that yourself, the advice I was given was to do the bit which is in need of stretching the most, first.

kind regards
Marek

[kevh]

Marek,

You are correct, Aldridge do show the wheel arch covers but not the speaker covers which, considering the fact that they fit alongside each other and need to match, I find a little odd.

[AussieEtype]

Don't forget you need the little chrome strip that goes on the leading edge of the inner panel.

[kevh]

Where's that Garry? I don't have any chrome strips on mine.

Ignore that, just seen it on the sng drawing, is that the same ubiquitous strip that is available for 25p a mile on ebay?

[AussieEtype]

I dont know anything about the strips on ebay but the genuine strip is correctly shaped and fits over the leading edge of the cover - also prevents the plastic from peeling back from the front edge.

Oh and they break easily is something catches them.

[kevh]

Oh is that a properly formed steel trim, I was thinking it was something like what is on the under bonnet air scoop which is just a generic flexi trim.

[AussieEtype]

No they are chromed plastic.