Project: Dyeing dove grey interior to imola red & black

Originally Posted by Busabos77

Just finished cleaning my interior with Meguiars interior detailer... I took some photos but the interior cleaner made it a little shiny. Once the cleaner dries out and gets absorbed, it should go back to matte finish... I installed my grey front seats to be able to drive the car and see if there was anything else that we forgot to connect... So far so good... All the controls, dash lights and ac vents are working... Only problem I had was the sport button mode. I tried pressing it and I just did not feel the pedal sensitivity that it normally gives. The light for it turns on so its not the fuse or connection. I even texted m3freak86 (Chris) and Josh about it and also tried to contact EVOLVE... Finally I got the answer from EVOLVE... The battery of the car was disconnected for 2 weeks to avoid the airbags blowing up on me. Sal at EVOLVE told me to give the car to adapt again since the adaptations get reset if you unhook your battery for that long... So for all of you guys that have the EVOLVE Tune, if you do plan in storing your car over winter, get a trickle charger. I have a Trickle Charger but like what I said, had to disconnect the battery because of the airbag... So all is well!!! Right now, the car looks funny because of the grey seats up front but it felt good to drive the car yesterday and today and hear it! Damn I hate driving my other car!!! LOL!

DETAILED PHOTOS FOR BRANDON... (He asked me to take some to see the stitching/pipings)








REAR SEATS ( Still need to install the middle part)




HOW THE CAR SITS AS OF NOW...

I can't believe how awesome this is turning out. I have been watching this post from day one impatiently waiting to see the end result. Haven't been able to check it for the last week because of all the work required getting my new detail shop up and going but dang you've got a lot done. Very impressed with the detail. This might be a dumb question but what did you use for CF on the trim pieces. It looks amazing. Keep up the good work and the detailed posts!

Originally Posted by Nick_M3

I can't believe how awesome this is turning out. I have been watching this post from day one impatiently waiting to see the end result. Haven't been able to check it for the last week because of all the work required getting my new detail shop up and going but dang you've got a lot done. Very impressed with the detail. This might be a dumb question but what did you use for CF on the trim pieces. It looks amazing. Keep up the good work and the detailed posts!

Thanks man! yeah... a lot of work done and just the 2 front seats left... The CF wrap are just the 3M Dinoc ones...

Wow, nice project. I thought about doing this same thing. I kinda was turned off as I did a set of Corvette Seats, and they turned out beautiful. Then I started noticing that the black was rubbing off on my shirts. Anyway. Project looks great and I must applaud you on the attention to details.





I eventually got sick of shirts getting ruined and had them reupholestried.


Let us know how they are in a month. I hope to hear they are still great, because I am tired of searching for a nice imola interior.

Holy crap...just the amount of time you are spending on your car (and the ability to return the car's guts to their proper position) is to be commended...here's hoping that it has a nice long life....

Updates:

Just finished swapping my OEM steering wheel components to my newly alcantara wrapped steering wheel by COBY WHEEL. I am very pleased with the customer service of Mike @ COBY and the wrap. It took me about 30 minutes to take out the steering wheel, transfer the parts to the other core and install it back on the car. I will apply the finishing coat to the rear seats tomorrow as well as swap the **** boot to the alcantara one too. Hopefully I will have enough time to disassemble the front seats and be able to apply the Leatherique rejuvenator and leave it for 2 days until monday night.
I will take better photos tomorrow during daytime!

COBY WHEEL ALCANTARA WRAPPED STEERING WHEEL AND SHIFT BOOT












STARTING TO SWAP THE PARTS TO THE OTHER STEERING WHEEL




ALL DONE!!!

Originally Posted by ///Mlifeforum

Wow, nice project. I thought about doing this same thing. I kinda was turned off as I did a set of Corvette Seats, and they turned out beautiful. Then I started noticing that the black was rubbing off on my shirts. Anyway. Project looks great and I must applaud you on the attention to details.

Let us know how they are in a month. I hope to hear they are still great, because I am tired of searching for a nice imola interior.

Thanks! I will for sure update you guys on the condition of the dye after some time...

Originally Posted by TechieTechie

Holy crap...just the amount of time you are spending on your car (and the ability to return the car's guts to their proper position) is to be commended...here's hoping that it has a nice long life....

Thanks! It will have a long life for sure!

Great work... yet I always wonder why people just wrap the bottom of the wheel and not the top with the controls.

wow this is great i def wanna do this!

Dude... seriously!!!? You did an awesome job. A + on effort, work, and results!! Oh yeah... have you stabbed it? With a knife or some other sharp object? Just to see if it fails and peels?

Originally Posted by benzovs

Dude... seriously!!!? You did an awesome job. A + on effort, work, and results!! Oh yeah... have you stabbed it? With a knife or some other sharp object? Just to see if it fails and peels?

lol funny guy this guy

Updates:

Today, the weather was nice... It was about 70's so I decided to just dye the rear seats outside the house to see it better and have an even spray with the help of the day light... The pieces came out great and better vs the previous coat that I did. It's not soooopah shiny and very close to the OEM Imola interior that I saw at the dealership. I was also able to install the alcantara shift knob that matches the steering wheel.. I stored the rear seat pieces inside my SUV so that the heat can get to it during the day to let it dry (like an oven LOL!) until Tuesday then install them in the car. I will try to get to the front seats tomorrow or Monday. ALMOST THERE!!!


The rear seat pieces that were re-sprayed. ( They came out great!!!)





















ALCANTARA STEERING WHEEL AND SHIFT BOOT

To the OP: I have not read every single page of this thread. But I did do a bit of research when I followed that guys link to why one step processes are bad.
I think what you did so far is fine...not use the 400 grit but used scotch brite instead. The Leaherique paint has the benefit of an exact Imola match so I would use that too.
Now, here is the best idea of all. Go the the UK site of the Furniture Clinic and buy their matte clear finish. Evidently that gets rid of the tendency for the Leatherique paint to be too glossy. But most importantly it extends the durability of your job by THREE times!!! You just cant ignore that. Plus it is the proper way to do it. BMW applies a clear coat evidently.

I think you need to email the Furniture Clinic to get just the clear coat in a matte finsh. I highly urge that you do this since you have done such a great job so far. Three coats of the clear will make your job last WAY beyond two years. They say that with out the clear coat you can see significant wear in just two years. The clear will extend the wear to 7 years and possibly beyond.

To anyone thinking of doing this job I would defintely email the Furniture Clinic first. They DO offer custom colors and specialize in re coloring auto interiors. They even have a complete kit for that. Nobody knows leather like the Brits. Even if the place is owned by a Jamaican LOL.

I think I would try talking to them first. not to discredit what the OP has done. It will likely be fine too as long as he uses the furniture Clinic's clear coat.

Originally Posted by taylor192

Great work... yet I always wonder why people just wrap the bottom of the wheel and not the top with the controls.

I think that's how the OEM carbon trims are done that's why we just do the bottom half...

Originally Posted by omarmarji

wow this is great i def wanna do this!

Originally Posted by benzovs

Dude... seriously!!!? You did an awesome job. A + on effort, work, and results!! Oh yeah... have you stabbed it? With a knife or some other sharp object? Just to see if it fails and peels?

thanks.

Originally Posted by omarmarji

lol funny guy this guy

+1!

Originally Posted by Bdave

To the OP: I have not read every single page of this thread. But I did do a bit of research when I followed that guys link to why one step processes are bad.
I think what you did so far is fine...not use the 400 grit but used scotch brite instead. The Leaherique paint has the benefit of an exact Imola match so I would use that too.
Now, here is the best idea of all. Go the the UK site of the Furniture Clinic and buy their matte clear finish. Evidently that gets rid of the tendency for the Leatherique paint to be too glossy. But most importantly it extends the durability of your job by THREE times!!! You just cant ignore that. Plus it is the proper way to do it. BMW applies a clear coat evidently.

I think you need to email the Furniture Clinic to get just the clear coat in a matte finsh. I highly urge that you do this since you have done such a great job so far. Three coats of the clear will make your job last WAY beyond two years. They say that with out the clear coat you can see significant wear in just two years. The clear will extend the wear to 7 years and possibly beyond.

To anyone thinking of doing this job I would defintely email the Furniture Clinic first. They DO offer custom colors and specialize in re coloring auto interiors. They even have a complete kit for that. Nobody knows leather like the Brits. Even if the place is owned by a Jamaican LOL.

I think I would try talking to them first. not to discredit what the OP has done. It will likely be fine too as long as he uses the furniture Clinic's clear coat.

Gotcha! Thanks for the info. I'll try to ask contact furniture clinic next week and see what they have to say.

Updates:

Last night, I started working on the driver side front seat. I got a little frustrated trying to take pieces apart but thanks to deadlysyns and LSBE46M3 for posting the DIY threads, I was able to disassemble it. The back rest was able to move up to give me about an inch or two space from the lower seat part to work with the dye. I applied the rejuvenator and will leave it for about a day. I will work on the front passenger seat tonight and apply the rejuvenator and hopefully by tuesday night, I can start cleaning it and be able to apply the prep agent to get both seats ready for dyeing. I plan to finish the dye on the front seats early next week. Again, thanks guys for all the help!


THE PART THAT GAVE ME HELL LAST NIGHT
I got confused on which bolt I needed to take out since they all seemed to be connected to both the seat and the back rest.



I called LSBE46M3 (Kevin) this morning and asked him if he can remember how he took his seat apart and the rest was history! Thanks again Kev! I only needed to take out this one bolt on each side and the back rest slid up and gave me enough working space! It was hidden underneath the leather cover! We are back in business! WOOT!!!




PLASTIC PIECES AND BUTTONS TAKEN OUT




SEAT REJUVENATED










ENOUGH SPACE BETWEEN THE BACK REST AND THE SEAT TO WORK ON THE DYE!

Updates:

I was finally able to apply the pristine clean to wipe the driver seat down. I also started to scuff the leather with scotch brite pads and the leatherique prep agent. All the parts of the seat that will not be dyed were masked with tape and saran wrap. The headrests were applied with the leatherique rejuvenator and stored in a plastic bag until thursday night. I plan to work on the passenger seat and disassemble it tomorrow night and apply the leatherique rejuvenator and have it also masked and ready before saturday. I will start to apply the dye on both seats and the headrests on Saturday since it is supposed to be warm that day! Possibly 2 to 3 coats of dye with sanding in between.


DRIVER SEAT WIPED WITH PRISTINE CLEAN AND DRIED WITH THE HAIR DRYER






AFTER APPLYING THE PREP AGENT AND SCUFFING THE SEAT WITH SCOTCH BRITE PADS






SEAT MASKED AND READY FOR DYE!!!

Great job! This looks awesome! Nice to see another mountain biker also...

Brian, your project is looking good bro!!! When you get that matte clear on your seats is going to look perfect!!! :drool

Updates:

Tonight after work, the rear seats that I re-dyed were installed. My wife and I sat on the rear seat after I installed them and just looked at the interior of the car. She said she likes it a lot better than the grey one that we originally had in the car. I was also able to work on the passenger seat. Disassembled the plastic pieces and applied Leatherique rejuvenator. So far, everything is on schedule. I plan to finish prepping up the headrests and the 2 front seats by friday night so that they could be dyed Saturday!

I promise I will take better photos during the day for you guys to see the color and texture better!

ASSEMBLED THE REAR CENTER ARM REST TO THE SEAT







REAR SEATS COMPLETE AND INSTALLED!













PASSENGER SEAT WITH THE LEATHERIQUE REJUVENATOR APPLIED

Originally Posted by fatskidmark

Great job! This looks awesome! Nice to see another mountain biker also...

Thanks!

Originally Posted by cak323i

Brian, your project is looking good bro!!! When you get that matte clear on your seats is going to look perfect!!! :drool

I'll get that later on... I think this looks great already Charlie! Thank you and I hope that you are enjoying that warm weather there!!!

Brian,

The quality of work you're putting into your project is EPIC! This, by far is the best I have ever seen!

Can't wait to see the completed interior in person :drool

Yeah, enjoying the warm weather and my friend's R8