Interior colour change debate!

[Gjk]

Thinking of changing my sand interior to black! Yes, No, Please answer, vote, agree or dismiss !

[andydclements]

Yes, but don't go for one of the furniture or car sets that are water based. I think that for a '01 car it needs to be cellulose as that's what I believe your car was originally done with.

 

[Gjk]

So, regardless of colour it needs to be a cellulose base? Have to admit, I did not know that! Thanks @andydclements 👍

[Rambo]

Don't do it. But if you really, really want to, go to a professional.

[andydclements]

To be certain what yours was done in, if you have a small amount of cellulose thinner, rub an area (hidden area) with a cloth that has thinners on. If it goes tacky then it was originally done in cellulose, in which case you really should stick with that type of colour *it's not a dye it's basically paint with an additive to make if flexible)

[jep]

In the words of a former Prime Minister: no, no, no.

Justin

 

[Gjk]

I did clean the interior in the summer just gone with “furniture clinic” - leather ultra clean. It did remove a lot of old “colour product” applied by a previous owner.

the furniture clinic leather protection cream, I applied afterwards left the interior a bit “sticky” and the only way I got rid of it was to go over the interior with rubbing alcohol, wiped off after application.

[andydclements]

I  think the FC stuff is designed for water based system, so wouldn't soak in well on cellulose based.

[Gjk]

The FC products are water based so, they are a no go. I was thinking of using Gliptone product but not sure of the base?

[andydclements]

Try giving Steve Fulcher a call, he may tell you a firm that can supply it (he may not, but it's worth a try). he does use it and has hopefully got some sitting there waiting for my Excel to have a sympathetic re-colouring where the colour has cracked off with age.

[Gjk]

Ok, thanks @andydclements. I’ll give him a call in the new year. Is your Excel leather colour cellulose based?

I possibly should have mentioned that I plan to change the carpet colour from beige to red, we’ll scarlet.

[andydclements]

Yes my Excel is cellulose and is approx the same age as your Esprit.

[Gjk]

I spoke to Steve, very helpful man, and he said that my 91 year car was produced at a time where lotus were just changing from cellulose based leather dyes to water based.

Steve informed me that he uses a product called Kolorbond and that it can be applied over original cellulose based products with the correct prep.

armed with this information I will be contacting Thechnispray paints ltd and weather permitting, getting a leather sample from my car to send off for colour matching.

P.S I’m not changing the interior colour to black!

[andydclements]

Glad it worked out, and was sure Steve would help but I just couldn't be certain as you never know what may be going on in the background. Having seen some of the stuff where they are using the spray to change colour of some donor parts to then suit another car, you will think it's like new.

[Gjk]

Interior recolour (back to original) is going well. Just the dashboard to do now. Not looking forward to masking it all up!

 

[Gjk]

Got the dash done. 4 hours of masking up the interior 🙄

 

 

[Chillidoggy]

I think you’ve made a wise choice with the colour.

[Gjk]

Cheers Ian. You’re right, with hindsight my original intention of black would have looked ghastly! I’m so, so glad I went with the original leather colour. Not quite magnolia, more of a sand. I still have to give all the leather a good feed of Connolly hide care and fit the awesome carpet set supplied by @Steve V8 but I’m getting there…

[mattthesparks lotus esprit]

Anyone used a company company called magic mend based in Kent sittingbourne ? 

Having all my leather re-connised.

 

[Gjk]

Carpets are in! Many thanks to @Steve V8 for the carpet set. Very well made and not to hard to fit. A few more things still to do but we’ll on the way to getting back on the road.

 

[Gjk]

Here’s a before and after of the passenger side

Before

 

after

And here’s the drivers

before

 

after

 

I am over the moon with the transformation of the interior. The leather is now the colour it left the factory and the carpet is not a horrible (dirty) shade of beige. Admittedly the carpet is not the colour it left the factory with but, I feel it suit’s the car. the keen eyed will notice the lack of radio and gear lever gaiter. I have left these out as I still have to overhaul the gear selector master.

[Gjk]

A bit of a thread resurrection.

Since having completed the re-colouring of the interior, it had always been in the back of my mind as to why the steering column shroud and binnacle were trimmed in a dark grey leather and not the same as the rest of the interior.

Having mulled over the idea of changing the colour of these pieces for months as once changed would be a real pain to reverse, I finally took the plunge and did the steering column shroud.

Below are a couple of photos of the result. Personally I think the shroud should have been the same colour as the rest of the interior as it protrudes from the dashboard.

I’m still in two minds about the binnacle though. Would it be too much?

 

[drdoom]

I believe the underlying wisdom in the OEM colour is that it minimizes distracting reflection back to the driver off the screen.

Cheers

[Gjk]

That does make sense @drdoom. Only problem I have is once you feed the leather the product requires buffing off which leaves a sheen and that reflects on the windscreen. I have been using Connolly hide care - recommended to me by Fulcher Coachtrimmers. 

TBH even if I re-coloured the binnacle it would still require the hide care cream and buffing so the sheen would still be there.

The re-colour would be purely cosmetic.

[Chillidoggy]

Beware reflections!

Even with a cream interior, the binnacle and crash pad are dark grey from the factory for that very reason.