Adding some Black to the Beige & Tan E36 Interior

[yensed]

I seem to remember a topic existing about this concept with pictures but I can't seem to find it. I always found it strange how the drivers-side half of the dashboard and center console on the E36 is black - no matter what the interior color scheme is. I don't loath the Beige and Tan interior like most but the black dashboard did irritate me since nothing else is Black. I needed to have my front seats reupholstered really bad and decided to go Tan(Matched the tan on the door-panels) and Black. Using Black vinyl paint I painted the speaker covers, handle and storage bins on the door panels. As well as the plastics+shell of the seats and the strip above the glove-box. I plan to have the back seat re-upholstered in the same style at some point and am going to have black floor-mats made too.

Insert crappy cellphone pictures:



The black of the paint and fabric are equally dark in color but you wouldn't guess that by the pics.. I really love the look and wanted to finish everything before taking any pics but since I can't find that old topic I'm really curious to see others who have done this.

[mateo m3]

why not do the doors panels black leave the inserts as they are?

[matthewAPM]

Do black panels and keep the inserts. I will be doing the same thing. Everything will be black minus carpet and door panel inserts (4 door).

[JustinE36M3]

Id replaced the missing pieces before you start spending money and changing things

[jhstealth]

Definitely dye the panels black and leave the inserts. I did it with duplicolor flat black from advance and it is a direct match to the oem black. only cost like $40 for the whole car with masking tape and flat black interior spray. I masked my windsheld and pillars and carpet and sprayed the dash in the car with just taking the lower portion of the dash out.

Here I masked off the black area around the stereo and just painted the tan so you can see the match.

[yensed]

Id replaced the missing pieces before you start spending money and changing things

Was in the process of replacing speakers and cleaning the carpets when the seats were out. No idea where the Airbag badges went though.

Definitely dye the panels black and leave the inserts. I did it with duplicolor flat black from advance and it is a direct match to the oem black. only cost like $40 for the whole car with masking tape and flat black interior spray. I masked my windsheld and pillars and carpet and sprayed the dash in the car with just taking the lower portion of the dash out.

I was really tempted to do that and what you did really looks better then how I pictured it would. But with my tan top I wanted to keep my interior lighter and just balance out the Black of the dash. If my exterior color was Black though - it would have been done exactly like you did. Still went with a Tan top.

[Devo540]

Definitely dye the panels black and leave the inserts. I did it with duplicolor flat black from advance and it is a direct match to the oem black. only cost like $40 for the whole car with masking tape and flat black interior spray. I masked my windsheld and pillars and carpet and sprayed the dash in the car with just taking the lower portion of the dash out.

Here I masked off the black area around the stereo and just painted the tan so you can see the match.

word j.....

[owwwch]

ill play too