New Dye-able Armrest Pads:

[Captain D]

Has anyone purchased the new 13'' armrest pads from ChargerSpecialties.com yet? It advertises "white" ones for $90 that can be dye-able (unlike a lot of other repro's today which cannot be dyed successfully). Has anyone purchased these? If so, how well do these repro's respond to the dye/paint?

Thanks!
Aaron

[moparguy01]

i havent had any experience with any of those yet. however a customer car (69 roadrunner) used repro arm rests from year one that came in black and they were successfully dyed. How do you prep yours for dye? thats the biggest problem i've seen with dye not working.

[Captain D]

I use the SEM brand color coat. But, before I do, I use the SEM brand vinyl prep, then the SEM  Sand-Free (as the primer), then the color-coat lastly. Now, if I am painting hard items, I use the SEM hard plastic prep, then the Sand-Free Primer, then the color coat.

I just had a negative experience w/ previous repro armrest pads not holding the dye. So, I was surprised to see these repro pads that can be dyed.

Regards,
Aaron

[moparguy01]

theres your problem aaron. Your half right how you did it. Next time you have to do anything with plastic, soak a rag  with the plastic prep, and wipe down the panel. then use grey scotchbrite pad on the part LIGHTLY dont push on it you just need to scuff it slightly. then wipe it down again with plastic prep, and this time follow up with a dry lint free towel and do not let the plastic prep dry onto the panel, or you gotta soak it down again so you can wipe it off.

then use the plastic dye or paint you were planning on using. 

[Ghoste]

Now I know how to fix mine.  Thanks moparguy01 ! 

[moparguy01]

anytime I can help. Oh yeah, and so i get this out there. if they have been dyed before.....when you wipe it with plastic prep and try to scuff it will be "gummy" if thats the case just wipe it with the plastic prep and dry it and shoot!

[Ghoste]

Good to know cuz that's what I'll be dealing with.

[bull]

Any pics of these arm rests? So far all the repro arm rests look and feel all wrong.

[Mike DC]

 
As of what was being sold a couple years ago, I gave up getting original grade armrests.  Chalk it up to another one of those "small things" that nobody can make half as well as they did 40 years ago. 

You can have either reproduction correct-looking armrests that suck, or you can re-upholster an old set and have real-world usable armrests that look wrong.
 

[bull]

I've been having pretty good luck snagging good used ones lately. Right now I have three very nice drivers side arm rests and four nice ones for the passengers side. Once in a while you find them on Ebay for a good price. The last pair I bought were real nice but the seller had a crappy description and pics so I took a chance and it paid off. I think I paid $25 for the pair but I paid $75 for another pair in similar condition. Just keep an eye out.

Here's an ok pair but I only buy black: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/MOPAR-ARM-RESTS-68-69-70-B-BODY-charger-daytona-R-T-440_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ140721QQihZ018QQitemZ280136703985QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW

[nh_mopar_fan]

This guy sells repop armrests and supposedly supplies some of the resellers including Legendary. There is nothing on his webpage that says it but give him a call. I just picked up a couple for the wife's Valiant and they are pretty nice. Not sure what models he stocks them for.

As I recall, they were pretty reasonable on price and he did say that he was planning on expanding what he carried.

http://www.automedicsupply.com/index.php?&stopredirect=yes&width=1024&height=768