When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
To give an idea how much the colour darkened up, here is a pic on the passenger side. You can clearly see the area that was done yesterday is much darker. The lighter areas are what I have continued on with today.
Yeah I'm not sure where you're going with this ... maybe i missed something.
How are you applying this? Spray? Roller? Brush?
Surface prep (cleaning) and masking off unwanted areas is IMPERATIVE prior to coating - otherwise you will be disappointed with the results. I would also avoid doing it in direct sunlight. You can get all that from the instructions on the container, or just take my word for it - I'm a coatings engineer =]
I really like the "StarTech" changes, but it is more work than I want to indulge in...the purple looks terrific, as does the burnt-orange. And I may also get the current "wood", vinyl wrapped the same as the purple interior car has.
I absolutely love these interiors! I haven't bought my XK yet, but seeing these leather and wood options is telling me that I don't need to be as picky.
I'm guessing that replacing the fabric and the wood are very different processes. If I wanted to replace the leather, what is the process? Would I go to a dealer or some sort of aftermarket place to install it or do I buy the materials online and install it myself? What are some reputable websites I should shop at and how much should I expect to pay?
I also want a lot of wood. From what I have gathered you can either buy something that simply sticks on what's currently there or you replace it. Which is better and why? And what would be some recommended shops to buy this from?
Is this just proof-of-concept for an actual replacement top? Because if not....
I usually hate being that guy... but I'll say it... that looks horrendous.
It's an obvious hardware-store-rattle-can paint job, on fabric. Looks unevenly soaked into the fabric, not masked along the edges, no proper prep done at all, and has hardened on all the little 'fabric pills' that have formed to make it look even more amateur. I wouldn't touch this car second hand because my only thought would be "What else has this owner decided to 'modify' by themselves that turned out similar, but can't be seen so easily?'.
Probably the second worst 'modifications' I've ever come across. With the first being the dingus that used hardware store U-Bolts to compress their springs and lower their car. A true DI-WHY job. Next time, get a new top made in your color choice by an upholstery shop, and back away from the spray can.
Then again... opinions are like a$$holes, aren't they?
Last edited by TraxtarXKR; Aug 13, 2019 at 01:24 PM.
Oh you are so going to have claw marks in your back.
In his defense he is using a dye, it looks like crap initially but somewhat evens out.
But yes I too have so many questions, why red top on a black car, why cheapo dye on excellent factory fabric. Why spend time on changing color when car is begging to be washed and the crap is etching through the paint.
3,500 Euroe for just front and rear seats.
It probably goes up from there for the full car.
My advice, you drive the car from the interior; make that your first cosmetic priority.
That's very good advice. Unfortunately, it seems that there are only two combos that are readily available - Black with dark burl or tan with burl. I think I do like the black interior more than the tan, but I may want to at least replace with wood with different wood.
Oh you are so going to have claw marks in your back.
In his defense he is using a dye, it looks like crap initially but somewhat evens out.
But yes I too have so many questions, why red top on a black car, why cheapo dye on excellent factory fabric. Why spend time on changing color when car is begging to be washed and the crap is etching through the paint.
My body is ready. 😂
Usually I have a "live and let live" attitude towards modifications.... This one hurt to see. It might be salvageable with a light sanding on the fabric to remove the pills, and a few additional applications of dye to further even out the color.
The "u-bolt guy" still takes the cake. That is a serious head scratcher.
Anything that pops up as "universal fitment" when browsing eBay for parts raises a flag... Similar to the accessories aisle of AutoZone. Just step away!
Single guy rejected by blind date when she saw his matte black car. Afraid she'd also get murdered out.
P.S. It cost €8,000 more for that matte BRG? There's a sucker born every day. Back in the day, that was called primer and you had to pay a lot more to finish the job with glossy paint. To me, a matte finish on a car is like a person going out in their underwear.
Last edited by Stuart S; Oct 6, 2019 at 07:37 PM.
Reason: Added P.S.
P.S. It cost more for that? There's a sucker born every day. Back in the day, that was called primer and you had to pay a lot more to finish the job with glossy paint. To me, a matte finish on a car is like a person going out in their underwear. :
so true...and then we have the fad of permanently brake-dust-baked wheels which principally serve the purpose of making any and every car less, much less, attractive (yes, that is a subjective assessment; the absolutely ugliest black wheels are on Teslas...But I suppose black wheels give the the advantage of reducing the cleaning time. You can just ignore the wheels because the dirtier and more brake-dust-coated they become, the better. They just become more of what they are. It simply astounds me that people pay for that (and the matte finishes) but taste is definitely individual and cannot be imposed. Besides, the more cars there are like this, the better looks my F-Type in super-shiny BRG Xirallic with bright trim and wheels!
How about vinyl wrap- its the same quality as duct tape, or in the case of matte black, same as electrical tape. And the premise is; you should preserve your lustrous paint for the next owner. You should pay twice to live with cheap vinyl and it cost money to take it off too, if you wait longer than the warranty period, the paint comes off with it.
Mind you, we did silly things like this too and had clear vinyl on our leather furniture.
I wonder what the owner’s manual says about ‘preserving the finish’.
You wouldn’t want to wax it, might get shiny.
Maybe a light sanding with a really fine grit?
