Painting interior trim

Ok...I have finally located an ABS formed dash kit for my truck. It comes unpainted. What is the best way for someone who doesn't have access to spray guns to paint this stuff?
I have found some stuff online that is paint code matched paint in spray cans. Would this work?

Since its just ABS plastic do I need to prime it first?

I have no painting experince so I don't know if I should attempt this or send it out to someone who knows what they are doing...at almost three hundered clams for the stuff I want to make sure its right.

I have had REALLY good luck and results from a company called "VHT". They make alot of paints and dyes for different uses, but I have used the paint for the dashboard on the new dash for my '88 merc. cougar. The old dash was grey/black, the one from the junkyard was red. The VHT paint went on with no primer, and just a littl ebit of prep, mainly just a good alcohol wipe-down. I still have the cougar, and the dash is still looking good. I highly recommend them. You can find the stuff at most good parts houses for around about 4-5 bucks a can. You should only need one can.

Autozone sells the fabric/vinyl paint. It is more of a dye. Wipe the surface with acetone or MEK first to degrease and prep the surface. I changed all my trim and dash from puke tan to grey years ago.

This stuff I'm getting is unpainted ABS plastic. It is all ready to paint and I have to match it to the outside color of the truck so I don't know if the regular interior paint will work or not.

I guess my real question is...Is there anything special about painting bare ABS plastic?

Your local auto paint store can mix up paint to any color for this. It is the same as they use for vinyl tops. It has a plasticizer in it. A wipe down with MEK will make almost anything stick. There is a plastic adhesion promoter available in a spray can but I have never needed it.

Not sure, but you might want to ask a body shop. The dash in the cougar is kind of, well, firm, yet not, and I think(?) it is either ABS or maybe some kind of vynil. If you go look on the back of the VHT can it will tell you what it will work on for sure and any prep work, like primer, I belive.

Try a shop that cators to car restoration projects and antiques. They should have a spray on paint or dye that can comes in a wide variety of colors and shades. even though its new, it wouldnt be a bad idea to clean off the plastic to make sure there are no residual oils on it from handling, shiping and storage.

I've some small plastic pieces, the ones that go around the grab handles, I need to paint. The JY pieces are tan, and I'm going to burgandy. Has anyone used A paint brand called SEM? I have not been to autism zone to check out the dyes. Any other experience doing interior trim?
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For what it is worth, I just did a darker headliner on my Jeep (2001 model) and while all the trim was a dark grey - almost a gunmetal grey/black - the light surrounds and the speaker grills for the overhead sound bar were a light grey to match the OEM headliner fabric color. At Home Depot, I grabbed a cheapo can of Rustoleum Gloss Protective Enamel in gunmetal grey and went at it. It covered in one coat, didn't run or streak and dried to the touch in the sun in a very short time. It hasn't scratched or chipped yet.

Also, for what it is worth, when I was doing my cut and fold on the rear fenders and quarters I did get on Quadratec and order a 5 oz spraycan of Mopar OEM color match paint. I located the paint code on the drivers door sticker - a PS5 in my case - Silverstone Metallic. It worked pretty well for the little spots that I needed to touch up after cutting and priming. I'm not sure that I would have used it on a big panel as it was just a little bit flatter than the factory spray job.

I'll check Home Depot for a burgandy. These pieces are basically out of sight and don't have to be a perfect match.

GregGA said:

I've some small plastic pieces, the ones that go around the grab handles, I need to paint. The JY pieces are tan, and I'm going to burgandy. Has anyone used A paint brand called SEM? I have not been to autism zone to check out the dyes. Any other experience doing interior trim?
I

Click to expand...

SEM is fantastic interior paint.