MountaineerTom
LJ Enthusiast, Retired USAF Weapons Loader
Supporting Member
Ride of the Month Winner
Yeah, I'm happy with them. I hope I did everything correctly and it holds up. LOL
Can't wait to get everything back together.
Interior Maintenance Restoration and Repair
- Thread starter bedhed
- Start date
Yeah, I'm happy with them. I hope I did everything correctly and it holds up. LOL
Can't wait to get everything back together.
MountaineerTom
LJ Enthusiast, Retired USAF Weapons Loader
Supporting Member
Ride of the Month Winner
Thank you for posting this. Annette at Vinyl Pro in Atlanta is who I have been working with. I have an 02 Sahara with a M5KG interior code, so that's a 5020 medium camel. Finished the inside of some 1/2 doors this past weekend and my wife has asked me to redo all the plastic in her Jeep with the 5020. I had no idea how much it had faded. The new color matches the console next to the seats (not faded as much) very close in color. I used the SEM plastic soap (SP39362), Plastic/Leather Prep aerosol (SP38353), XXX Adhesion Promotor (SP77723). 1 can of the paint did both panels with 3 light coats with enough left over to do another small piece. Maybe the defrost vent under the windshield. I have a about a 1/2 can prep and XXX left over and enough soap I will never to need to purchase again. I did use the grey scotch bright pads as suggested. Im going to do the rest of the Jeep, so I have 2 cans of color and one can each of the promotor and XXX coming. Annette said one can of paint covers approximately 8 sq.ft.
Thanks. I'm glad it's getting some use. I'm in north Florida, close to Tallahassee. The armpit as I call it haha. What area are you in?
Naw-- thats called the "big bend area"
I love it up there "tally" way
I am down in citrus county- Near Crystal River
Looking into buying the supplies you listed
I love it up there "tally" way
I am down in citrus county- Near Crystal River
Looking into buying the supplies you listed
Wow. Huge difference. Looks like a brand new door panel now. Like you mentioned with the fading, I've got a bit of that in mine too. That and discoloration. Between the 2+ different colors that come about from aging, I couldn't determine what was normal until I checked the underside of the shifter bezel. I think I posted a picture of that. Great match!
Anyway, nice job with your panels. Looks really good.
Oh man, that's a nice area. Took a trip to Crystal River many years ago to do some diving. We've got some great springs and waterways here, but Crystal River was pretty mind-blowing. Even for a Florida native like myself. We went there Devil's Den, and Ginnie Springs.
The big bend area is beautiful. I'm not in that area. I'm further west. Right in the eye's path of Hurricane Michael. Before that rolled through, I'd never imagined that there would be a time that simply seeing full oaks and pines would have me staring in amazement. Very weird.
Since we are on about the interior restoration-does anyone know where we can get OEM or equivalent replacement seat cloth for the Sahara seats? Mine is a '98 and I know there are others looking for the same information.
I asked a similar question before about the khaki fabric in mine. I'll have to look back to see where the info is that someone sent me, but there is a place in Florida that they referred me to.
When I find the info I'll send it over.
Found it quicker than I had expected.
The Miami Corporation
https://www.miamicorp.com/
National Fabric Company (located in Kansas City)
https://national-fabric-company-inc.business.site/?utm_source=gmb&utm_medium=referral
I haven't dealt with either of them, yet, but these are the places that the guy told me he uses for oem fabric.
I went onto the Miami Corp website, but didn't see the fabric that the guy sent to me in a picture, so I'm not sure if they continue production of older fabrics or not. Probably best to give them a call.
Here's the picture that was sent to me from the sample book that he uses.
The Miami Corporation
https://www.miamicorp.com/
National Fabric Company (located in Kansas City)
https://national-fabric-company-inc.business.site/?utm_source=gmb&utm_medium=referral
I haven't dealt with either of them, yet, but these are the places that the guy told me he uses for oem fabric.
I went onto the Miami Corp website, but didn't see the fabric that the guy sent to me in a picture, so I'm not sure if they continue production of older fabrics or not. Probably best to give them a call.
Here's the picture that was sent to me from the sample book that he uses.
No problem. Hopefully they still have what you/we need for our jeeps.
If you will, let us know what you find out from them.
Ok, so what I have found for the cloth seat covers for the early Saharas:
The original Moss Green Trailcloth (C5044) is "no longer available for purchase". There is a link to a "crossover" (substitute) color which gives you the exact same color code and name, and with a lead time of 81 days. I called and spoke to customer service, and they said they are pretty sure it is no longer available and that there is no direct crossover, and I should request several other color sample swatches and see if I can get a close match. Link.
The original Saddle Trailcloth (D6031) is also "no longer available for purchase". However, there is a valid link to a crossover color, and this does show availability of 17 yards in stock and ready to ship. The crossover color code is C60414. Link.
Edit: Here are some links to a few other colors that may match the moss green trailcloth:
Weathermax 80 Moss
Weathermax FR Moss
Sunbrella Forest Green 54
Lindy Spruce Extra Durable
The original Moss Green Trailcloth (C5044) is "no longer available for purchase". There is a link to a "crossover" (substitute) color which gives you the exact same color code and name, and with a lead time of 81 days. I called and spoke to customer service, and they said they are pretty sure it is no longer available and that there is no direct crossover, and I should request several other color sample swatches and see if I can get a close match. Link.
The original Saddle Trailcloth (D6031) is also "no longer available for purchase". However, there is a valid link to a crossover color, and this does show availability of 17 yards in stock and ready to ship. The crossover color code is C60414. Link.
Edit: Here are some links to a few other colors that may match the moss green trailcloth:
Weathermax 80 Moss
Weathermax FR Moss
Sunbrella Forest Green 54
Lindy Spruce Extra Durable
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Good deal. I'm interested in seeing the comparison when you get a chance.
I've just done a little more searching around on Miami Corps website and came across a page for downloading specific Detroit sample books via pdf file. I did that and I believe I have found both fabrics for mine, but of them are showing unavailable also.
Here's the link to the Detroit books:
https://www.miamicorp.com/default.a...e=customer/micorp2/customerpages/original.htm
I tackled the Defroster Vent Trim over the last couple day.
I purchased an intact Slate Gray part from a local yard for $35.
Since this was more or less a proof of concept for me I got a grade 'B' panel in case I wasn't happy with the results. The imperfection in this panel was a cigarette burn.
I washed it down with dish soap using green and blue Scotch pads. There was a lot of grease and smoke embedded in the plastic.
Next, I drilled out the burn mark and beveled the hole on both sides with 500 grain sand paper wrapped around a small wooden dowel.
Next, I used JB Weld Plastic Bonder epoxy to create a plug for the hole.
Taped it off...
... and filled it with epoxy. The reason I beveled the hole on both sides was to create an hourglass shaped plug that would have more surface for adhesion.
I thoroughly cleaned it using Plastic and Leather Prep (SEM 38353). First with a blue pad then with paper "shop towels" and finally with a tack cloth.
I applied a light coat of Plastic Adhesion Promoter (SEM 39861).
Finally I sprayed 5 very light coats of SEM Color Coat in Khaki (Custom Color 5545)
Here's the final results next to the broken one.
The color is lighter however I have not cleaned the existing one at all.
I was very pleased with the results of the epoxy fix (it's at the mid-point of the lower half of the piece). In this photo it's unnoticeable and in person you have to look for the fix to see it.
My final impressions:
The color coat's color is slightly off from the Khaki of the original part. This may be because the original needs to be cleaned. I'm going to clean is with the same process and see if it makes a difference.
The level of gloss is much flatter with the paint at this point. This may change once it's fully cured. I will do a light buff on it tomorrow and see if the the surface can be polished a little.
For me this was a proof of concept for my driver door panel which has the typical crack. I'm impressed with the Color Coat so far and was surprised by the epoxy plug results. I will install, buff it out and see how it wears for a month or so before I tackle the door panel.
Here's the color match test with the rest of the interior. I'd say the color difference is not noticeable at all.
I purchased an intact Slate Gray part from a local yard for $35.
Since this was more or less a proof of concept for me I got a grade 'B' panel in case I wasn't happy with the results. The imperfection in this panel was a cigarette burn.
I washed it down with dish soap using green and blue Scotch pads. There was a lot of grease and smoke embedded in the plastic.
Next, I drilled out the burn mark and beveled the hole on both sides with 500 grain sand paper wrapped around a small wooden dowel.
Next, I used JB Weld Plastic Bonder epoxy to create a plug for the hole.
Taped it off...
... and filled it with epoxy. The reason I beveled the hole on both sides was to create an hourglass shaped plug that would have more surface for adhesion.
I thoroughly cleaned it using Plastic and Leather Prep (SEM 38353). First with a blue pad then with paper "shop towels" and finally with a tack cloth.
I applied a light coat of Plastic Adhesion Promoter (SEM 39861).
Finally I sprayed 5 very light coats of SEM Color Coat in Khaki (Custom Color 5545)
Here's the final results next to the broken one.
The color is lighter however I have not cleaned the existing one at all.
I was very pleased with the results of the epoxy fix (it's at the mid-point of the lower half of the piece). In this photo it's unnoticeable and in person you have to look for the fix to see it.
My final impressions:
The color coat's color is slightly off from the Khaki of the original part. This may be because the original needs to be cleaned. I'm going to clean is with the same process and see if it makes a difference.
The level of gloss is much flatter with the paint at this point. This may change once it's fully cured. I will do a light buff on it tomorrow and see if the the surface can be polished a little.
For me this was a proof of concept for my driver door panel which has the typical crack. I'm impressed with the Color Coat so far and was surprised by the epoxy plug results. I will install, buff it out and see how it wears for a month or so before I tackle the door panel.
Here's the color match test with the rest of the interior. I'd say the color difference is not noticeable at all.
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Nice! That was a good price for the panel too. Back when I was looking around for one on ebay, I never saw one less than $65 +shipping.
There are a couple panels in mine that have darkened like yours. Like yours, mine have more of a red tinting to the look of the khaki, but the 5545 matched great with the underside of my shifter bezel.
Just for future reference, I watched a video where a guy was restoring a plastic interior panel that had a few deep scratches. What he did was kind of along the same lines as you did with the plug, except he used some type of putty that's labeled for these purposes.
The highlight of what he did was he used a small dowel of some sort, and applied hot glue to the tip of the dowel. While the glue was still hot, he pressed it down onto an undamaged area of the panel until the glue cooled. What was left was an imprint of the panel's (fake leather) pattern. After he put the putty into the deep scratches, he used the imprinted hot glue to stamp the pattern into the putty to hide the smooth surface and further hide the scratch.
I'm not so sure I would go that extra mile or not, but I can appreciate it. It's good info anyway.
The color difference is noticeable when you set the parts side by side on the driveway. Not at all in the jeep when installed.
For the plug I thought about the epoxy putty which is made for filling gaps but I wanted a thinner material so it would fill in the bevel area. I was worried about trying to "push" the putty in from behind against the tape and getting a raised plug fix. The putty cures to 650psi strength.... the epoxy I used cures to over 3700psi.
Af for texturing. I removed the tape from the epoxy at 15 minutes (setting time) and used a very small flat bladed screwdriver to fake in a little texture. If you focus on it you can see it but otherwise it worked great.
If you want to create a texture mold you can use something like this: https://www.rawmaterialsuppliers.com/product-category/mold-making/urethane-mold-making/ to make a reverse mold of the original texture. I've used this product for other purposes but it would work great if you had a larger area to resurface.
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