Re: [Chrysler300] J interior dye

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

From: mailto:Chrysler300-noreply@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Sent: Tuesday, March 10, 2015 4:47 PM

To: Jslayton@xxxxxxxxxx

Cc: chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

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

On Tue, Mar 10, 2015 at 5:36 PM, Jslayton@xxxxxxxxxx [Chrysler300] <Chrysler300-noreply@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

I heard back from the guy in Canada yesterday-----he told me that there was 2 different colors in the make up of the sample I sent-----in addition to the browns, reds, and so on for the reddish color --there is also a black----he can't combine the 2 colors so we can simply dye the seats, ect. ---so he said we might be able to use the reddish color, then apply the black with a sponge to get the right factory color-----it seems way to complicated to me----does this make any sense to anybody ?--I wonder how close the color would be without the black ?----Johnnie Slayton