Interior Plastic Restoration Journey

[kawahonda]

Fiancé and I did our backseat inspection.

You be the judge.

I'll take this over metro panels any day.

Second photo should how close I got texture to rear panel that wasn't redone (passengers rear).

Anyone who tells you factory panels cannot be redone doesn't know what they are talking about...send them to me.

[kawahonda]

A guy in a FB paint forum I joined tried to paint something, just industrial paint, and got this surface, looks pretty close to our panels.
He was going for a smooth paint... 

Yep....been there and done that...

Both are incorrect. He drop sanded too much in the left image and WAY too much in the right image.

None of those matters if you do every single piece, but if you're trying to get close to other OEM panels, you definitely will want to follow my methods. Shoot fine, shoot 3-4 light and distant coats (minimum) to match OE texture density. He went heavy on the drop sand.

You posted a good example of a texture looking like what anyone's interior house looks like. You'll be upset if that's how it came out to be. I would....it can be done better!

I'm happy to elaborate and help with anyone that has further questions and help. This is not difficult, but it does require some investment. Less than buying new aftermarket stuff though. Like I said, my texture is not perfect. You cannot get it perfect to OE---it's impossible. but you can give it the right density, sheen, and man, it's pretty hard to notice in the end...

Save your originals.

[Jay Bee]

Anyone who tells you factory panels cannot be redone doesn't know what they are talking about...send them to me.

Are you seriously offering this service?

[Jay Bee]

 @kawahonda  it's been a year since the reveal (Reply# 64) and I wonder how they held up through the seasons as in winter storage, summer cruising. Did they fade, get scratched or anything else happen to them. Any update would be appreciated.

[kawahonda]

I was noticing today on FB that it has been one year!

They have held up fantastic. No peeling, chipping, scuffing, fading, or anything like that!

There was some normal wear where the front door panel "rubs" against the rear panel during opening/closing, but I'm very happy with how it's held up.

I can take pictures if you'd like. I would absolutely use this process again without thinking.

[Jay Bee]

If they haven't changed in the year then probably not necessary.

One spot I'd like to know about is the top of the drivers door panel. When I drive my arm rests there and the panel gets very dirty, being white doesn't help matters either. Cleaning it, and my arm on it, over the years made it as smooth as a sheet of paper.

[kawahonda]

I'll snap a shot when I can get the car out. House is being remodeled and the Challenger is covered.

The texture + elastomeric paint is a very hard finish. It's not going to wear out. At least mine hasn't. I've probably driven 500 miles last year though.

[Mr Cuda]

I just read your thread. You should have gotten rock star status for your effort. I hope people are inspired to try to it on their own faded scratched panels.
I am going to the same thing,  but with different products.

[7E-Bodies]

@kawahonda ...  Suggested for the seat backs on a 70 RT that are scratched fairly deep in a few spots? Color is F8 green. Someone had stored a valance in the back seat. The rest of the interior was near perfect.

[kawahonda]

@kawahonda ...  Suggested for the seat backs on a 70 RT that are scratched fairly deep in a few spots? Color is F8 green. Someone had stored a valance in the back seat. The rest of the interior was near perfect.

I'm 2-3 years late, but the seat backs can be restored just like any other panel. Sand off the chaulk and retexture just like shown. The scratches show likely because it's chaulked.

Take off a non-faded interior panel and go to your local paint store and have them match it in the paint that I mentioned. Follow the proceedure.

My Challenger's interior still looks the day I installed the panels this many years later. I am 100% confident in the process I outlined.

[Fern]

Process:

Sand chalked pieces with 180 grit. If you can scratch it with a fingernail or a guitar pick, it needs to be sanded off.
Use a flexible filler for any scratches/mars that you can feel with your finger. Mine only had 4-5 little spots across 5 panels. Adhesion promote areas before filling.
SEM plastic soap and scotch pad and nylon brush to clean panels. Rinse with water.
Wipe down with wax and grease remover. Don't get it too wet, just enough for a good wipe.
Spray adhesive promotor. Wait minimum 5-10 minutes. With Bulldog, the spray is good for 24 hours.
1 coat reduced PPG DP Epoxy. I let mine dry overnight.
3-4 light coats of NAPA rock guard (texture). I would recommend going with the white spray if you have anything other than black panels. Look at my earlier posts for tips on spraying.
Let texture dry overnight, although a few hours will be fine.
Lightly hit with 320 grit to create texture profile
Clean with tack-free cloth, no need to clean with any solvent
3-4 coats of color spraying. Add additional spot coating if needed. I used PPG Elastomeric "OneChoice" which is available for mixing at any paint shop. DO NOT TRUST any "Dye" from a can for a match when you change your substrate (such as what this process does).

Build paint chips like I did. Your paint shop should be happy to give you sample.

Doing 5 panels took me about 25 hours of time and roughly about $250 of materials, not including my sunken cost of 5 cans of Herb's spray which I didn't use. I also had some PPG Epoxy on-hand and a roll of 180 to use.

Just read this, very good work. I have some old panels i will try it on.
Thanks

[Katfish]

Glad this was brought back, interesting stuff!

[Lunchbox]

 Very good read, thank you!