****UPDATED 8-30-09....pics added to post #3*****

97 I30t, originally came with that nasty tan interior. Last summer I decided to use that Duplicolor interior paint and I painted my seats.

It didnt hold up too well, and in a matter of a couple of weeks it looked like it was black with a tan "lightning" pattern.

So I got some SEM paint and decided to redo the interior. And since my car is a dark green I decided to do colors that would compliment the exterior.

I first did the door panels and leather inserts. Yesterday I did the back seat and rear deck. I ran out of paint so the rest of the car is going to have to wait until I get more this week.

This stuff isnt cheap either. At $12 a can its getting expensive quick.

On to the progress pics...

I didnt get any BEFORE pics, but this is the pattern the back seat looked like.




And this is how it looks now...




I'll update as I get more done.

 

Got the front seats done yesterday. I even took apart the seatbelt latch and did the outer casing in the sand color. They seemed to be easier to do than the rear. Dash and center console will get done this weekend hopefully.

 

Got damn near most of it done.


The dash removed second coat of color on.









Everything's put back in. Oh I also installed a new aftermarket steering wheel. Last night I painted the trim pieces to resemble a green marble/burlwood. I absolutely HATE it. Any one have suggestions for the color of the trim pieces? I'm wondering if maybe it would look better in a matte black like stock Maxima trim.

 

looks good, those fronts looked hella rough

 

Wow, that is turning out quite nice.

 

i was actually going to try this. back looks good should have done the front like the rears though

 

You didnt actually read the first post did you?

 

Wow man that looks great as a two tone.

I likey

 

Thanks for the compliments.

 

looks alot better

 

i did but i was actually talking about the middle of the front seats to match the rears.... is that new paint supposed to hold up to better than the duplicolor

 

wow, lookin' good jarrod. get inspired by my recent interior progress? not to be out done eh? lol, jk man....

 

I havent touched the front seats yet, but they will be done to match the rears.

The 2 colors I'm using... Pescadero Sand and Thomas Green.

The dash and center console will be green. The Sand color would flow with the door panels better but with the darker color I'll have less glare on the windshield. Then all the trim pieces will be done in a dark green burlwood/marble look.

Still debating what to do with the steering wheel and column. It could be green, or green/sand, or black. Havent decided yet.

Yeah this SEM paint is supposed to be better than the Duplicolor. But I guess I'll have to wait and see how it holds up. But then I guess like any paint work, its all in how well its prepped.

Thanks Eric. Ive actually been thinking about this for over a year now, and have had most of the stuff for 4 months. And I'm not trying to out-do you, just going a different style direction.

 

I'm not too sure if I'd trust paint...I'm planning on doing leatherique dye on my BMW's seats just to restore them, but it's definitely a lot more expensive.

 

that's funny, i was thinking of a very similar scheme for my dark green ls.

not sure i would (actually, i'm positive i wouldn't) use the spray on the seats. as much as they hype up "dies" in the end it's still a surface coating and in high wear/flexable areas i don't trust it.

look around a little, i think when i was doin my red interior i got the price down to $7-8 a can.

 

So the SEM sticks to leather well?
The duplicolor wasn't made to stick to leather which is why it didn't work

Keep up the good work

 

I played with some test pieces first. And it seems a lot better than the Duplicolor stuff. Its thicker, more flexible, and vinyl-like.

 

Where can i get some of that SEM paint?

 

I was able to pick mine up at a place in Dallas called Penn Industries. You might have to check SEM's website for a local retailer near you.

 

sorry, but not feeling the green...

 

wow! looks good man! i like that 2-tone look!! cant wait to see the front seats!!

 

Lol, cant please everyone.

Thanks Nick.

 

Those seats look damn near factory. I thought you were only using green on em. You didn't overdo it on either color on those back seats. Can you take a pic of the SEM can your using. I want to try this on my interior.
I have used the Duplicolor on my Blazer dash and it came out pretty good. Never tried it on leather tho.

 

Its gonna look great when it's all done. Can't wait to see it finished.

 

As per request...

 

Been playing around with the color for my "burlwood/marble" trim pieces. Ive only done this one sample so far. I think it may be a little too dark.

 

Thanks Dave. Hopefully it wont be too much longer.

 

did you apply any paint addhesive like "bulldog" or http://www.levineautoparts.com/semvinylprep.html

For those of you looking for SEM products, you can order them from www.levineautoparts.com

I use them often, they have good prices.

 

heres the bulldog I was referring too, great stuff, I use it all the time on everything before I lay the base. http://www.levineautoparts.com/buladprom.html

 

I used the SEM prep.

The Bulldog product looks like good stuff too.

 

Pics added to post #2.

 

Wow Jarrod... that looks AWESOME!!!!!!! great work man!!!!!!

 

Thanks again, Nick.

 

The seats came out really nice. What are your plans for the carpet? Are you going with black?

 

have you sat in them? any cracks

 

im interested to see how his holds up

 

I havent fully decided on the carpet yet. I have thought about black, but then I also know how every speck of dirt shows on black. So I'm leaning towards dyeing the carpet the same light color everything else is now. And Kevlo recommended vanmats.com to me. Ive looked at getting some embroidered from them.

So far so good. No cracks or anything. Its holding up a lot better than the Duplicolor stuff.

 

Looks good. A lot better then I thought painting seats would look. Looks very professional. Pictures of the finish product when done?

 

Thanks NAMEL355. I'll definitely be putting up more pics when I'm done. I have all weekend with out the kids, so the plan is to get the dash and center console done along with all the trim pieces.

 

Making progress.