The issue here is trying to match the very difficult to properly replicate
claret red metallic leather of the 300J. To the eye it appears to be a
copper-red metallic color with a silver hue. It doesn’t surprise me that
black is in the mix, but I don’t know why that can’t be mixed with red
pigment. The issue in the USA, as I have been told, is the current
bureaucratic BS imposed on companies by the EPA which has effectively outlawed
the proper red pigments. At least that is the story I got from Leatherique
(a major and well respected supplier of custom matched leather dye).
Leatherique was unable to match my unfaded original J interior sample with legal
pigments, and they didn’t return the sample either. For a non-metallic
red, such as the darker red/brown on the upper door panels of the J, they have
no problem matching that. They could probably approximate the
overall color hue of the claret red in a non-metallic format, but it would
require a complete redying of the interior including the door panels and dash
vinyl as it would not match the original color. My understanding is that
it has always been a difficult color to replicate exactly, even when more
pigments were available. Ever wonder why most Js have their original
leather seats, no matter how torn up they are? This is why. The few
that have been redone, including the front seats in my own J, are not
perfect. Mine are very close, but were done 13 years ago, when pigments
were plentiful. And still, some dye tends come off even with mild
cleaners. Nothing seems to reproduce the quality and color palate of the
original factory material.
Hence Johnnie’s quest to source a match from outside the States, which
seems a dead end as well.
We (Jamie Hyde of the reproduction committee in particular) have been
working with SMS on a solution, but that involves new leather not a dye.
And with SMS’s “lightening fast” response times, we may all be centenarians
before we see a product.
Any help would be appreciated by those who are trying to restore a J.
300Jly,
Carl B
Sent: Tuesday, March 10, 2015 4:47 PM
Subject: Re: [Chrysler300] J interior dye
I missed the thread on this somehow, but it sounds like a problem I
may have helpful information on. Is there a particular color of leather that you
need to find a matching dye or coloring product for?
Keith Boonstra
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