I just had some work done on my drivers seat in my '82 300 TDT. While it was at the shop they sprayed some "SEM" aerosol dye on the seats. It looks "okay" but the color is a little bit too light compared to the original Palomino color. Does anyone know what I can use to remove the aerosol dye? Maybe "Paint Thinner" or something. I just want to make sure I don't do any damage to the vinyl.

you dont.

Well, I decided to try anyway, and I am happy to report that with regular old fashioned mineral spirits and some elbow grease the "dye" comes off. The cool thing is that the old color of the vinyl seems to be unaffected.

Amazing. That's not the way my projects usually go.

__________________
" We have nothing to fear but the main stream media itself . . . ."- Adapted from Franklin D Roosevelt for the 21st century

OBK #55

1998 Lincoln Continental - Sold
Max 1984 300TD 285,000 miles - Sold
The Dee8gonator 1987 560SEC 196,000 miles - Sold
Orgasmatron - 2006 CLS500 90,000 miles
2002 C320 Wagon 122,000 miles
2016 AMG GTS 12,000 miles

1.You are one lucky guy.

2.Unless you actually saw the SEM Color Coat product,in the can, applied to the
seat...I would think it much more likely they used some inferior product.'Cause
once the Color Coat is Properly Applied it ain't coming OFF without destroying
the article it's applied to.(Think 3M 5200 Marine Adhesive)

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'84 300SD sold
124.128

You can use paint thinner. Paint thinner is normally used to clean brushes and other tools that have oil base paint on them. So may be you get some good result from panit thinner.

SEM Aerosol colorants are a solvent based elastomeric (flexible). Because they are solvent based, they will come off with solvents. I sprayed my 85 126 back in 99,....its a leather interior,....every few years, I redo high wear spots,....if they are ragged, I strip them with laquer thinner or Acetone,....However, on Vinyle, I would try either of these on a hidden spot first. I think MB Tex will stand up to either Laquer thinner or Acetone,...but I damaged some Volvo vinyl years ago (on an old 240 wagon) with laquer thinner, so be sure to test whatever solvent you are using on vinyl in a hiddn area. On leather, almost any solvent is OK for stripping color off.

The bulk water base SEM products will also come off with laquer thinner etc,....but a bit more work involved if they were properly Cross-linked when they were originally mixed up and applied.

BTW, SEM no longer recommends their Color Coat Aerosol products for use on leather,....however,....I have had good luck on my SE for 13 years now,...and....I do like being able to just pick up a spray can and spritz a spot (after proper cleaning) and not be concerned about color match,...or having to mix up colors and break out the spray rig.

I have the light gray interior, and the SEM Presido gray color is close to a perfect match.

Brian in Austin