Has anyone done a succesful restore on original carpet?

My carpet ('78 280) is in super shape, just faded to that red/brown color from the original black.

Is there a good carpet dye out there. I had a previous post I picked up for a VHT product, but it appears to have been a vinyl dye.

Thanks,

ecp48

Originally posted by ecp48

Is there a good carpet dye out there. I had a previous post I picked up for a VHT product, but it appears to have been a vinyl dye.

I've had good luck with SEM products on vinyl. However, their vinyl dye does claim to work on carpets and plastic as well as vinyl.

http://www.semproducts.com/

Hopefully someone else here will have had experience using it on carpets and can offer a better opinion.

I have tried several types of spray on carpet dye, and none of them have proven reliable for a daily driver, they all look great to start, but start loosing ground after a month, after six months the vacuum cleaner will pull off the dried dye. I just don't think an impermiable fiber can be dyed. The dye acts more like paint, and because of the flexing of the fibers, ultimately give up adhesion. If you can take the carpet out and soak it in a vat of RIT dye, you might have a better chance.

Will

hls30.com

Thanks, I had someone else suggest RIT dye on another site, but no one has suggested long it will last.

I have to remove the carpets, doing some welding on the floor supports and installing a comp. rear bar, so I will give it a shot!

Thanks again,

ecp48

Athens, GA

Rit dye works well if you mix 1 package to about 1/2 gallon of hot water and SOAK the area with a sponge. WEAR GLOVES!!!

Thanks Zron

ecp48

I have the same problem with my 71. I was going to try RIT dye on the carpets.

I pictured mixing up a batch in a large metal bushel basket and soaking the whole carpet in it. Is there a reason you can't dunk the whole carpet in it, vs soaking witha sponge?

If you get to this before I do, let us know how it turns out.

TIA,

Marty

I just wanted the strongest dye mixture I could work with (I'm a tightwad and the rit is about $4 per package).

For what it's worth, the other post I had received (different list), suggested mixing the RIT with a carpet shampoo and applying it with a scrub brush. Apparently the brush causes the fibers to open up and the shampoo floats the dirt away? Supposed to give better penetration.

ecp48