Changing Interior Trim Color -- Carbon Fiber, Or...? (1 Viewer)

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jaymar

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Has anyone had a carbon fiber steering wheel built? Or replaced interior dash/trim with carbon fiber? Pros/cons (other than cost)? (CF doesn't have to be bling.) Is this a dumb idea, or...?
 
Since a cruiser is so heavy, carbon fiber pieces in the interior will do little to lighten a cruiser. If you have the whole body recreated in carbon fiber, that would make a difference. But would be very expensive.
Not really looking at it from a weight perspective, actually. Thing is, there's no known way to change the interior trim color without wrapping everything. That is, no way that lasts. Unless of course you just replace it all with something else. First I was thinking cool CF steering wheel, then I thought, why not change it all? Assuming the material has no really undesirable properties. (For example, I'm reading that they spray CF with urethane at some point. Urethane is an extreme carcinogen, so that's an issue if the urethane isn't locked in.)

Changing post title to Color Change...
 
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Not really looking at it from a weight perspective, actually. Thing is, there's no known way to change the interior trim color without wrapping everything. That is, no way that lasts. Unless of course you just replace it all with something else. First I was thinking cool steering wheel, then I thought, why not change it all? Assuming the material has no really undesirable properties. (For example, I'm reading that they spray CF with urethane at some point. Urethane is an extreme carcinogen, so that's an issue if the urethane isn't locked in.)

Maybe I should change the post title...
Oh OK. I've painted lots of my interior. Once in a blue moon I have to touch up a area, but most of it does fine. You can also wrap most surfaces in leather, cloth, or vinyl with different colors. The side vents in my dash are painted black to offset the brown dash. I'm going to paint the rear roof speaker grills black shortly as well as the sunroof controls. I've also considered adding some machined aluminum bits eventually.
 
Oh OK. I've painted lots of my interior. Once in a blue moon I have to touch up a area, but most of it does fine. You can also wrap most surfaces in leather, cloth, or vinyl with different colors. The side vents in my dash are painted black to offset the brown dash. I'm going to paint the rear roof speaker grills black shortly as well as the sunroof controls. I've also considered adding some machined aluminum bits eventually.
From what I'm told, you can expect any re-dye to fade with time, no matter how well tanked, stripped, dyed and recoated. (Hadn't occurred to me to actually paint the trim, but can't picture that fitting in with what I want to do.) Leather's gorgeous, but doesn't last. Marine vinyl/cloth better that way--but if you use the cargo area as an actual cargo area, that's gonna get ripped up. I'd prefer to re-dye the existing plastic trim and dash a deeper gray, but know it won't last, so... Carbon Fiber maybe? Can it take being kicked around, extreme temperature swings (without offgassing), high humidity, dirt etc. without scuffing/cracking/delaminating? I dunno...

Machined aluminum replacement parts; I do like that...
 
There's paints available that are formulated for vinyl and plastics.

I've painted interior parts in the past with good results
As with any paint, cleaning and preparation processes are critical to the successful application
 
I just came across this while searching for something unrelated. SEM Color Coat is surprisingly durable when applied correctly. As are similar products, actually.

I have an OEM Honda motorcycle seat that I wiped down with lacquer thinner, hit with Bulldog Adhesion Promoter, and sprayed with a few coats of "vinyl dye" (actually just a coating -- pretty sure this wasn't a SEM product, but similar). After several years of riding and baking in the sun, the only problem areas are where the seat cover creases and rubs on itself.

I think it would likely hold up flawlessly on things like interior trim.

Also, having made carbon fiber parts in the past, CF is *not* impervious to UV. In fact, you have to clear coat it with a UV inhibiting clear if you want it to last long at all.

I would probably use some combination of marine vinyl and SEM Color Coat. Then maybe ceramic UV window film.
 
+1 for SEM

I used it on a dash for a E30 - proper prep, do the dust coat before the real coats & done in temp & humidity control.
All that, it still looked great some 7yrs later & a few yrs after I’d sold the car.
 

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