Anyone have experience with fabric dyes?

[Breadfan]

At the Carlisle Ford nationals, I got a pair of SN95 Mustang front seats for my '90 GT. They're in fair shape, and were quite cheap. The fabric is in OK shape - a tad dusty but I think they'll clean up great.

They're not the right color though, they're a nice grey, but doesn't quite match my GT's interior as is. They'd work, and not look too outta place, but in the long run I'd prefer black seats and black carpeting.

So...anyone ever dye fabric? What the best way to do it for a consistent look? Will it fade easily?

Will the spray-on cans work OK or so I need to remove the seat fabric completely and soak them in something?

Just wondering if I can do this at home on the cheap with good results (ie. not blotchy or fades in a month).

Anyone have experience with this?

[fastblackmerc]

You might want to contact a vinyl top place in your area. They should know what to do. I'd imagine it's like most other "paint" work...... good prep and quality materials.....

[DEFYANT]

You could recover them with the color material you want. Not auto store seat covers. It's not hard. Takes some time though.

I never sprayed seat as you suggest, I'd be worried about the paint coming off on my clothes.

[Breadfan]

You could recover them with the color material you want. Not auto store seat covers. It's not hard. Takes some time though.

I never sprayed seat as you suggest, I'd be worried about the paint coming off on my clothes.
Is recovering them really that easy? I don't even like those "custom" close fit covers - they still look like seat covers to me, just a bit tighter than the $12 walmart ones. For me the only thing I'd be happy with was new OEM-fit covers. That would require stitching the new fabric to match the original.

I've seen it done, but not sure I can do it...maybe this is the time to try though, would have to borrow a sewing machine! I've seen how-to's on TV shows like CCR on Speed about building new covers by using the original covers as guides...

As for the dye, yeah, I'm afraid of that. Especially since I drive this car to work and sometimes wear white shirts!


I'll keep looking at my options. For now I think I'll shampoo them today and go ahead and install them in my Mustang. I'll see how they look and enjoy them while i ponder the color.

[fastblackmerc]

Have you checked to see if they make aftermarket / OEM seat covers? You might be able to find an upholstery shop to make you custom ones.

[Breadfan]

Yeah, I sorta checked. Ebay has the close fit ones that look OK but still have wrinkles when installed - they're about $50 for a kit though.

I think OEM style covers or custom ones would be well over $100 - by the time i start hitting $150-200 I could've bought a nice set of black leater SN95 seats that need nothing. So I doubt I'll go in that direction.

I'd spring for the $40-50 ones, but i'd prefer to find ones that are real close fitting and wow it'd be nice to find ones that attach just like OEM's for that price...

[Mike Poore]

Yeah, I sorta checked. Ebay has the close fit ones that look OK but still have wrinkles when installed - they're about $50 for a kit though.

I think OEM style covers or custom ones would be well over $100 - by the time i start hitting $150-200 I could've bought a nice set of black leater SN95 seats that need nothing. So I doubt I'll go in that direction.

I'd spring for the $40-50 ones, but i'd prefer to find ones that are real close fitting and wow it'd be nice to find ones that attach just like OEM's for that price...

Did you see the booth where they make/sell sets for any Mustang; "Sport" seats or exact copies. I attended his seminar on Friday, and was impressed with the product; I'll look up their booklet. The neat thing is, they have "Pony" interiors for any model of Mustang that really look cool.

You can dye them, though, with quality stuff, that won't do bad things to your clothing. I'd think you could Google upholstery dyes and come up with a ton of stuff.

[sspmustang]

Yeah, I sorta checked. Ebay has the close fit ones that look OK but still have wrinkles when installed - they're about $50 for a kit though.

I think OEM style covers or custom ones would be well over $100 - by the time i start hitting $150-200 I could've bought a nice set of black leater SN95 seats that need nothing. So I doubt I'll go in that direction.

I'd spring for the $40-50 ones, but i'd prefer to find ones that are real close fitting and wow it'd be nice to find ones that attach just like OEM's for that price...
It depends how picky you are. I have had it done professionally on my '86 SSP because I was unable to find the correct seat material at the time, and the red was very badly faded from the Florida sun. Although it looked better, it feels a bit 'stiffer'..I eventually found the right material and had the seats re-done. If you can find the dye cheap enough, it may be worth a try.
--Mike

[Breadfan]

Cool, I got them in...here's some pics...see how they look installed and how well it matches - better than I expected so for now I won't do anything.

Originals:
http://www.neuralimpulse.com/cars/100_0326053.jpg

SN95's - V6 Cloth, Good shape for $25. This pic seems to show how they cleaned up pretty well.
http://www.neuralimpulse.com/cars/100_0328055.jpg

Installed, the tear on the side is the only defect I found. Flash really brings out the nastiness of my carpet! It's next on the list now that I have new places to sit. How do you feel the color matches???
http://www.neuralimpulse.com/cars/100_0333060.jpg

Passenger side shot:
http://www.neuralimpulse.com/cars/100_0335062.jpg


I ended up using my GT seat tracks on both sides, first to keep them the same, second, becuase on the V6 passenger seat the left front mount hole was not a wide opening, but just big enough for the bolt to come through. Because of that, I could not line the front holes up over the bolts...maybe with some persuasion I could've, but my seat tracks are fine so I just swapped them out.

I took it for a drive, they do sit a tad higher but I'm already used to it - the bottoms are more comfy than my GT seats, but the seat backs are not, I'll have to get used to them.

I'm not tossing out my GT sport seats though, they're still in OK shape aside from the uphosltery being ripped.

Also, I got new door threshold plates at the swap meet to go in. And I'll probably do a rear-seat delete too and just put the rear seat away with the original front's.