What color should I dye my dashpad?

[bigblock73]

Ok folks, I need some help here.

I am in the process of dying my interior trim pieces. I have dyed all the headliner and foot mouldings light buckskin (a tan color), my carpet is tan...as are the headliner and sunvisors.

My question is, what color should I paint the dashpad?

I think tan would be good, but I am worried it would be too much tan. I could dye it a darker tan, but I am not sure how it would match with the rest of the trim. I do not want to dye it brown (which is what GM did for tan interiors I believe), and I am unsure if black would look OK or out of place.

So, let me know what you think...and if anyone has any tan interior pics, I would love to see them if possible.

Thanks!

[PHOENIX]

I dont have any tan interior pics sorry.
But I am wondering how is the tan interior going to look on a yellow truck?
I dont think I ever seen that and am interested to know how they look together.

[bigblock73]

Originally Posted by PHOENIX

I dont have any tan interior pics sorry.
But I am wondering how is the tan interior going to look on a yellow truck?
I dont think I ever seen that and am interested to know how they look together.

Eddie, the yellow and tan go real well together. I don't have an old pic to show though.

[Jonboy]

Definitely tan. You did get the pics I sent you of my truck, didn't you? That is how the yellow and tan will look.

[The Dude]

i would go with the same color tan so everything matches.

[PHOENIX]

Jonboy can you post the pics?

[Jonboy]

I will post them tonight, they are at home.

[bigblock73]

Originally Posted by Jonboy

Definitely tan. You did get the pics I sent you of my truck, didn't you? That is how the yellow and tan will look.

Yes I got them, but mine is slightly more tan and a little lighter in color.

Here are his Pics Eddie...nice looking truck too!

[87Silvy]

I think black would look good. It would give you a good separation from the tan, plus it will compliment the yellow.

[MylilBowTie]

I was thinking black or some shade of gray, but I dunno about those colors mixing with the tan and yeller.

[Captkaos]

I think you should make it all tan and then break it up with brush aluminum (isn't that what you dash is) accents. Go look at a new model truck, everything is Tan in them...

Better yet, post the above pics in photoshop and get them to make it the colors you are thinking about. That way you can see what they will look like beforehand.

[N2TRUX]

Jeff,
A lot of it has to do with what else you plan to go with. If your door panels are going to be all one color, with no cloth/leather/whatever insert then go with the same color. Keep in mind the reason GM went with a darker color dash was because the glass in those days did not offer any UV filtering. The reflection on a light colored dash is killer.

What seats are you going with? Are you going to have a console? If you are going with two tone seats, or a console then you could go with a drak pad and match the console to it.

I guess what I'm saying is don't make the pad dark if that's all that dark. If it will match other parts in the truck, like door panel inserts it will look good. If not keep everything the same color.

[bigblock73]

OK, so tan it will be. I am now only concerned it will be too light of a tan and not look very good. I guess I will have to dye it and install it first before I pass judgement.

Here is the seat I am putting in, the shifter, and of course the gauges. I will also have matching brushed aluminum accents on the pass side dash and door panels. The shifter is brushed aluminum too.

[Jonboy]

Do the parts you dyed look to be the same color as your seat? If not, just redye them. I lucked out and found the right color dye the first time, and I dyed the headliner trim, kick panels, etc. SEM makes a lot of colors in their line of aerosol spray dye, or your paint jobber can custom mix you something if you are using a spray gun.

[Captkaos]

FYI: All tan won't look bad in my opinion.

[Jonboy]

FWIW, I was thinking about painting the bottom of my dash in the blazer tan to match the interior. I figure if I don't like it, I can always repaint it.

[sudzinabucket]

This is my 'almond' colored pickup with brown dash.

[rolson1039]

I cannot post pics but i have two beige trucks that have tan interiors. One is a 76 and the dash pad is the same basic color as the interior a tan color. The newer one is a 1986 and the interior is a light tan ( buckskin) and the dashboard is a dark brown color. Both of these trucks were factory when i got them and were old municipal fleet trucks so nothing was ordered special for them and they were the basic old trucks. thats standard color im told for those interiors.(the above post is just like my 1986 )
Tan and yellow will be a nice combo

[swervin ervin]

Jeff,

does your seats match the color of the trim? If so, I would dye the dashpad the same color. If not, I might be inclined to match the seats. It might look strange if the seats are the only thing their color.

[Gregsmx]

Jeff, what brand/type dye are you using? Is it durable and scratch resistant?
Thanks, Greg.

[1FaastC10]

i would think keeping the interior all the same color would look better. my first 82 had a red interior with a black pad, and i hated it. it just looked out of place. Mike brings up a good point though, if the seats dont match perfect, use the dash pad (and possibly the door panels, IMO) to tie them into the interior.

[bigblock73]

Mike and Jeremy, you bring up a good point. I will have to compare the newly dyed trim to the seat and go from there. If it is off (which I don't think it will be too much), I will go that route.

Greg, I am using the SEM stuff from Eastwood. I haven't put it to use yet, but so far it appears to be of very good quality and seems durable.

[swervin ervin]

The SEM stuff from Eastwood is a great product. I dyed my stuff black and it's just like it was when first done. It's expensive, but works. Use their vinyl and plastic prep too. It will make it bond. I highly recommend it. As with any painting/dying, prep is the key. I also used their pre cleaner.

[bigblock73]

Originally Posted by swervin ervin

The SEM stuff from Eastwood is a great product. I dyed my stuff black and it's just like it was when first done. It's expensive, but works. Use their vinyl and plastic prep too. It will make it bond. I highly recommend it. As with any painting/dying, prep is the key. I also used their pre cleaner.

Mike, I did exactly the same and followed their instruction to a "T". I have a question for you, did you paint the four metal headliner trim pieces with the same exact paint you painted your plastic pieces with? I can't remember what the can said exactly, but it recommended a different kind of their paint.

[1FaastC10]

we use some SEM adhesives at work to hold the fiberglass sidewalls to the framework of the motorhome. if the paints and dyes are anything like the adhesives we use, they'r worth any price. between a 2 x 4 aluminum tube, and a piece of 1/4" thick fiberglass sidewall, it takes everything i've got with a 6' pipe and a 12" wide blade on the end to get it apart.