Interior Color Change

[jmorrison146]

Has anyone accomplished a complete change of color on a 240Z interior? I'm buying a silver car with a red interior -- really nice car and the interior is in good shape, but I'm not a big fan of the burgundy. Black is much better. I plan to renew the carpeting (already black) and reupholster the door skins and seat covers in black, but I'm wondering how much hassle is involved in pulling, priming, and painting the plastic interior panels and headliner. Thanks in advance for your advice!

[lonetreesteve]

My son and I made an interior color change on a '72 240Z that we bought in 2004 and ended up selling her back in 2008. The original interior color was red (904 white exterior). My son and I decided to change the interior to black. It was a lot of work, but we thought it came out looking pretty good. I have attached the only before picture I have and few of the after pictures. The door panels were in good used condition that we bought locally. The sun visors as well as the black diamond vinyl was also all in good used condition that we bought on Ebay. The seat covers (along with new foam, etc) were new and the carpets were also new (I bought them from member Xray here on the website).

[Webmanic70]

I have a white 240z with black interior and and have dreamt of having the 'cool looking' blue but decided that the original interior would be more valuable to retain in the long term. Awww man, I see that Steve is already working towards this combo. Maybe on the next Zed.

[Decoy12]

Hey jmorrison146, I think silver with red is a rare combo on a Z. The only red interior ones I see are 904 white (like my own). I know it is your Z and you can do as you please, but if it turns out to be as rare of a combo as I feel it is, it might be worth keeping. However if you do change your interior and the parts are salvageable, please let me know if you were interested in selling them. I am trying to hoard red interior stuff


Maybe this might motivate you to change your mind

[lonetreesteve]

I have a white 240z with black interior and and have dreamt of having the 'cool looking' blue but decided that the original interior would be more valuable to retain in the long term. Awww man, I see that Steve is already working towards this combo. Maybe on the next Zed.

After you mentioned "working towards this combo" (White exterior with Blue Interior), I realized that I needed to update both my signature and my profile. Thank you for reminding me it's been quite some time since I last updated it.

My '71 came with that very rare combo and I kept it that way. I replaced the seat covers, door panels, headliner and the diamond vinyl on the transmission tunnel, but the rest is all the original blue interior. My understanding is that the blue interior was limited to just some of the 903 Blue and 904 White '70 and '71 models. I still have the original blue door panels from the car.

[Patcon]

I thought the red interior was rare also. I would think it might be better to acquire black panels and send the red ones to ebay and be money ahead. Just a thought...
Charles

[jmorrison146]

Thanks for the input and experience and thansk to Lonetreesteve the photos. I thought the red might grow on me but so far it hasn't.

If I decide to "fade to black", I'll take Patcon's advise and put the red panels up for sale and buy new black panels.

Thanks again to all for your help.

[lonetreesteve]

I thought the red interior was rare also. I would think it might be better to acquire black panels and send the red ones to ebay and be money ahead. Just a thought...
Charles

My understanding is that at least in the in the US & Canada, ALL of the 901 Silver and 904 White cars had Red interiors in 1972 and ALL of the 904 White cars in 1973 had the Red interior (versus just some (50% or less ??) of the the 903 Blue and 904 White cars had the Blue interior in '70 and '71). With this in mind and according to Zhome.com, there were nearly double the number of '72 & '73 models sold in North America versus the '70 & '71 models, making Blue the rarest interior color.

[Zedyone_kenobi]

i have been thinking of changing my interior on my 901 silver to red. Ever since I saw that silver/red Singer 911 I have been forever dreaming of that combo.

[jmorrison146]

As far as I know, Nissan didn't keep very good records of how many of each color combination were produced. With 52,628 Zs produced in 1972, how rare can a silver/red combo be?

[lonetreesteve]

i have been thinking of changing my interior on my 901 silver to red. Ever since I saw that silver/red Singer 911 I have been forever dreaming of that combo.

I like the red interior/silver exterior a lot better than the red interior/white exterior on 240Zs. Many years ago, I used to have a silver Corvette with red leather interior and I loved that combination!

[Casey_z]

I have the silver and red combo on my 72 and it draws compliments everywhere I go.

Since your seats are black that gives you the opportunity to go to either colour.

[tlorber]

You don't have to do everything in the same color. SEM makes some great vinyl dying products-just prep/clean with acetone.

I have a silver car and went with a combination of black (seats/tunnel) grey (carpets) and red for part of the door liners and shift boot.
The stock steering wheel is now gone and replaced with a black Momo.

[Oiluj]

My Silver 72' had a red interior, but it was pretty faded in some spots. I changed it over to black & charcoal, the same as I had dome with my previous Z.
I considered keeping it red, but at that time, many red interior parts were NLA. Things like the red "diamond" vinyl are actually easier to get now.

[jmorrison146]

Oiluj - When you converted the interior to black, did you paint the red plastic panels or replace them with new black ones?

[lonetreesteve]

Oiluj - When you converted the interior to black, did you paint the red plastic panels or replace them with new black ones?

J, Not sure what Oiluj did since we haven't heard back from him yet, but my son and I sold our original red interior plastic panels on Ebay and bought some very nice used original black panels locally. If I remember correctly, it all worked out about even in terms of what we spent and what we sold the red panels for.

[Blue]

I love silver and red as much as I love white and red. I wish the dashes and consoles were red as well.

A lot of classic German and Italian cars are silver and red. Red and white reminds me of the Japanese flag and the white is the traditional racing colour.



I'll probably give a red dash and console a go once I attack my 4 project cars (sigh)

[72 OJ]

Silver and red is a great combo, a lot exotic GT's have that color combo

[Oiluj]

I got new black panels from Classic Datsun. Replaced most of the soft vinyl with new from Motorsport. Had significant fit problems with the soft vinyl and talked the mfg of the vinyl to sell me sheet product and fabricated some soft vinyl. Carpet is charcoal indoor/outdoor with sewn vinyl edging.

On my neighbor's green 240Z I used vinyl dye to restore her faded "tan" soft vinyl. It worked very well.

[Blue]

I got new black panels from Classic Datsun. Replaced most of the soft vinyl with new from Motorsport. Had significant fit problems with the soft vinyl and talked the mfg of the vinyl to sell me sheet product and fabricated some soft vinyl. Carpet is charcoal indoor/outdoor with sewn vinyl edging.

On my neighbor's green 240Z I used vinyl dye to restore her faded "tan" soft vinyl. It worked very well.

Is it easy to get the vinyl stock? What about price?

[Oiluj]

I went through a lot of negotiations to get the diamond vinyl, as they typically don't sell to individuals. I'd have to go back through records to find what I spent, but it wasn't cheap.
It was worth it, as it was the only way I could get a good fit on my rear strut towers.

[lonetreesteve]

Is it easy to get the vinyl stock? What about price?

On my '71 904 White, I bought the blue diamond vinyl for the transmission tunnel from Motorsport Auto and it fit very well.

[tamo3]

I just paint my interior panel using

• SEM 38363 Sand Free
• SEM 15013 Landau Black Color Coat

I learned "How To" from Stacy David's GearZ.


First of all, wash the panel with TSP.
Then apply SEM Sand Free.


Before, it get dry, spray on Black Color coat lightly.

Apply 3 coat, 5minutes a part. 2nd coat.

3rd coat.

3rd coat.

3rd coat.


Comparing with cheap Rest-Oleum Semi-Gross Black,

The Landau Black looks great!


SEM Landau Black is best black color for interior.
Just for those panel, I'm running out of one can. I need to buy one more can for door panel and center console. Once I fixed cracked dash, I'm going to paint same color too.

[malibud]

I guess you just replaced the headliner? I am planning to do the same I have most of the black diamond vinyl that i carefully pulled from another car and was going to switch it out but am scared of the glue mess. Suggestions ? did you use aerosol glue ? I have used headliner but it has wrinkles thought I could match the piece at the fabric store .
thanks

[Oiluj]

I used 3M spray Adhesive for the headliner. No problems so far.