Hydro dipping and other options

[S18 RSG 429]

Hey guys,

 

I got a quote today to get most of the interior of my 86 hydro dipped. The price was fine, as were the options for colours and patterns, however, what really shocked me was the turnaround time.

 

Looking at videos of hydro dipping on Youtube, and explanations of the process, I almost expected hydro dipping would be a 2 day process or less to coat a few parts. I was quoted 14 days turnaround.

 

Is there anyone on here with any experience who can explain why there is such a huge turnaround? The place said they are very busy, which obviously is a contributing factor, but even places that are well reknowned for doing quick work quote around a weeks turnaround, which still seems crazy to me.

 

As a follow up, what are my other options?

 

I want to avoid painting, for sake of going back to stock, and certainly want to avoid buying premade carbon/painted parts, as they seem to run well into the £3-400 range.

 

I've also tried wrapping the parts myself, but I don't know if I just bought hard vinyl to lay down, or if the interior parts in our cars (especially around the gearstick) are just notoriously difficult to wrap.

 

Any recommendations?

[smudge 1020]

Find another place that does hydro dipping...?

[S18 RSG 429]

Like I said, even the places well reknowned for being quick quote a week or more for turnaround. A week is a long time to have a bare interior on a daily driver lol.

 

The point was more asking why it's so long. Seeing if someone knows the process better than I do.

 

If someone knows of a good solution that isn't so rich on time, then bonus.

[Gringosteve 213]

Dipping requires surface prep, dip, lacquer and dry. They probably have a week or so's worth of back work stacked at anyone time. Will probably take them 2 days (elapsed) for your parts and they probably leave an additional day in case of any issues and need for rework

[Gringosteve 213]

That's how I would run a business like that anyway. I work in IT so could be wrong

[Kodename47 446]

If you're going for a carbon look, then don't do it IMO. For any other patterns or colours then it's a good option.

If you're going carbon then maybe try buying a skinning kit to skin the parts yourself. My wrap was also a PITA, I wonder if some are more difficult to use than others.

[S18 RSG 429]

If you're going for a carbon look, then don't do it IMO. For any other patterns or colours then it's a good option.

If you're going carbon then maybe try buying a skinning kit to skin the parts yourself. My wrap was also a PITA, I wonder if some are more difficult to use than others.

 

I was actually looking at doing it all in red.

 

I saw a few pictures of someone who did theirs in red suede, which looked cool, but I wasn't sure about the material.

 

The vinyl I used was purposely thick, as I know some of the thinner stuff is quite transparent, and as the parts I was covering were black and silver, I didn't want them looking different shades. 

 

I guess that's a downside of getting thicker stuff, hence looking at other options instead.

[smudge 1020]

As above, they have to sand, fill, prep and get the item basically ready to paint before they can even start to think about applying the material. Any blemishes, marks, holes or imperfections in the item then it'll show up clear as day with the material over the top

 

This all takes time

[Keethos 842]

Isn't hydro dipping a form of paint anyways which requires sanding, prep'ing, dipping and then lacquering which means you couldn't really revert back to stock?