Lotus White dye challenge

[mrscalex]

My latest project car (a 2.2 Topaz Blue Sport) was built with Lotus White Sport seats & upholstery (rare & lovely).

However at some time in its past it has had new covers and accompanying trim pieces in black and topaz blue. So all original Lotus White traces have been eradicated.

I want to dye everything Lotus White but Furniture Clinic, whos products I like and don't want to move away from, don't do it as a standard colour and need a sample to make up a custom order from. They aren't prepared to work any other way.

Does anyone have any suggestions? Perhaps lend or sell me a spare item (like a gearlever or handbrake gaiter) in Lotus White known to be unmolested or any other ideas to resolve the problem?

If I really, really have to I can buy a gearlever gaiter for about £100 from the dealer (if it's still available) but it's an expensive way of doing it!

 

[mrscalex]

Btw the E46 had Lotus White as an option (also chameleon leather) but is even more rare than a Z3 from what I can tell. I've already scoured ebay for a scrappy seat. In fact I can't even find anything in any colour in chameleon as I'm looking for a source of leather for future repairs.

 

[hard top]

What about contacting these guys? Just a thought.

http://www.bespokeleathering.com/gallery/10/90-bmw-z3-renovation-lotus-white

 

[mrscalex]

What about contacting these guys? Just a thought.

http://www.bespokeleathering.com/gallery/10/90-bmw-z3-renovation-lotus-white

It's funny you should say that.

One way or another they have been very helpful over the last few months as I've tried to get my head around seat restoration. And they do sell a Lotus White dye. In fact I've been talking with them about chameleon leather this week - they can't help but they tried hard.

However it's a different 'system' to the one I'm used to with Furniture Clinic. I've investigated £200-£300 in their products so I have a complete toolkit. Which I know is also guaranteed to be capable with each other so it won't react in anyway or start peeling off. There are a lot of stages to re-colouring/restoring a seat, each needing different chemicals.

My best options at the moment are try and buy a new gear lever gaiter. Or indeed, buy Lotus white from Bespoke, spray an old piece of leather up and get Furniture Clinic to match to Bespoke's dye. But that feels a bit like doing a photocopy of a photocopy if you see what I mean.

Bespoke is featured frequently on Car SOS. It's the one where the guy hides from Tim Shaw every time he knows he's coming!

 

[Geophys]

I have a lotus white sports interior in my 2.2, I got some dye from Bespoke Leather to do a small touch in and the colour match to the original is perfect, as has been suggested I'd get a small bottle of the dye from him, and then get Furniture clinic to replicate the colour. Oh and yes it is the best colour interior!

 

[Ianmc]

White does look very nice, is it hard work to keep looking that good?

 

[mrscalex]

I have a lotus white sports interior in my 2.2, I got some dye from Bespoke Leather to do a small touch in and the colour match to the original is perfect, as has been suggested I'd get a small bottle of the dye from him, and then get Furniture clinic to replicate the colour. Oh and yes it is the best colour interior!

Always nice to have experience of a product. That’s really encouraged me. Alternatively can I come and cut a 2x2 square off

I think I’ve said it before about your car. But Lotus White interior, on a red facelift & Sport. Lovely and very, very rare.

 

[Geophys]

Always nice to have experience of a product. That’s really encouraged me. Alternatively can I come and cut a 2x2 square off

I think I’ve said it before about your car. But Lotus White interior, on a red facelift & Sport. Lovely and very, very rare.

You could come a cut a 2x2 square from my car, but you'd have to give me you first born in exchange! I searched for this colour and model combination for a very long time before one came up the spec ticked all of the boxes I had on my list. Love it!

 

[mrscalex]

You could come a cut a 2x2 square from my car, but you'd have to give me you first born in exchange! I searched for this colour and model combination for a very long time before one came up the spec ticked all of the boxes I had on my list. Love it!

Seriously, if you ever sell it please ask me first

 

[IJSK]

I had no idea you could get such a nice interior in a Z3!

Overall I prefer lighter interiors.

My Z3 is just plain black leather and always seems very dark when the top is up. OK when it’s down.

 

[Mint]

My interior is Lotus White and I used Bespoke Leather when I had it all redone. Excellent job so I would go with getting some dye from Bespoke and getting Furniture Clinic to match it.

 

[mrscalex]

Thank you all.

The gaiter is no longer available despite being advertised as such by Rybrook on their website.

So I've just ordered from Gliptone/Liquid leather - Bespoke are only resellers and only sell with the sealer which I don't need.

Note I've ordered Flexicote for a colour change. The standard Scuffmaster is for repair only and where the upholstery is currently in that colour.

 

[mrscalex]

Here's what the seats look like currently.

Note whoever had new covers made didn't have them done in chameleon leather - not a surprise as it's impossible to get hold of. Lotus White appears only with chameleon leather from the factory. The inner leather approximates to BMW Classic (heavy grain) and the bolsters to those on BMW Oregon (not Oregon itself but Oregon uses light grain bolsters).

You may also spot that the colours are reversed. The highlight colour is on the bolsters and is normally on the inner panels.

And if you look really hard you'll see that the bolster to inner seams have been done in the wrong stitching. They should be in a lapped and piped seam and are done in a plain seam. The cod piece has been done in a double-piped plain seam and should be done also in a lapped and piped seam. Yeah I know, I'm getting into this too much...

They will look a little different hopefully by the time I've finished with them. The cracking is not a concern.

 

[Antm72]

Mines been done with scuff master dye its been done 2 years now and is all good

 

[mrscalex]

Mines been done with scuff master dye its been done 2 years now and is all good

Was that a partial recolour on a similar original colour? Just interested to see how far you can take Scuffmaster before going to Flexicote.

 

[Antm72]

Full recolour but similar colours

 

[Antm72]

From this so one shade lighter one darker