Anyone done a Momo Red & Blue dye colour match?

[asimplelife]

Has anyone matched the blue and red Momo steering wheel colours with any dye supplier?That's the dye you use to rejuvenate the existing leather (not replacing the leather).
If so could you please share the supplier and reference?

Apologies for creating another thread on this.
But I was hoping there might be someone on aufalcon.com.au that might have the answer.

https://www.fordforums.com.au/showthread.php?p=6527257

Ford just called the Red Momo Red I think?
But the standard XR darker Blue Momo colour is Electric Blue?
(not the lighter brighter Blue Momo on the T series called Wild Blue?)
I have used PPC in Sydney (I'm in Melbourne) with their Leatherique leather restorer kit and am very happy with the result of their Black dye on my steering wheels.
And they are happy to match the blue and red colours.
But I have to post them my steering wheels...and they'll post them back...and I am trying to avoid that if I can.

They say they have no existing matches to use for the AU Falcon Momo colours.
When I hesitated on posting, they suggested the only other option was getting paint sample cards from Bunnings.
I understand the difficulties of matching colours. I tried but don't feel there is a good enough match.
It's made harder by the difference between a new and well used one, like with these red ones.



PPC also have a range of OEM colours on their website for different brands but not Ford. With really little sample colours.
I've reviewed theses but like with the Bunnings samples, I don't think that's getting me any closer to a good match.

http://www.ppcco.com.au/leatherique06.html

[FTE217]

yes a couple of AU FF members have, hang in there they should see this thread sooner or later for feedback.
Maybe Fordomatic or PG from memory.

[PG2]

It was Fordomatic that has done it.

If he sees this thread then I am sure that he can correct me. From what I have read of his posts, he couldn't get a match so he dyed the whole steering wheel black.

Another member who used to own an AU also tried to get the electric blue but was unable to.

If it is any help, another member on here used leatherique and was very happy with the results. Whenever someone mentions dying leather he always recommends them. Actually, I just checked your link, and he has already recommended it in your other thread - he never misses an opportunity!

The problem you may have with colour matching is that unless the wheel is all but brand new the colour will not be exact. The colour does seem to 'go off' very quickly due to it being the steering wheel and resulting high use.

Do you someone in Sydney that could take their car into the store and have it colour matched?

[asimplelife]

Thanks very much for following up.
Yes I agree Leatherique are very good. I got their details from on here. And have done 2 steering wheels in black and am very happy with the process and result.
Unfortunately I don't know anyone in Sydney. And the helpful advice from my other thread lead me back to Sydney also :(
I guess I'll have to bite the bullet and post them and hope for the best.But I find the postal system is not as reliable as I would like (especially considering the exorbitant salaries of their senior executives ;) Plus my luck with taking risks is not the best.
And these momo items have become so expensive, I'd hate to lose 2 of them at once.

[GasoLane]

Originally Posted by asimplelife

Thanks very much for following up.
Yes I agree Leatherique are very good. I got their details from on here. And have done 2 steering wheels in black and am very happy with the process and result.
Unfortunately I don't know anyone in Sydney. And the helpful advice from my other thread lead me back to Sydney also :(
I guess I'll have to bite the bullet and post them and hope for the best.But I find the postal system is not as reliable as I would like (especially considering the exorbitant salaries of their senior executives ;) Plus my luck with taking risks is not the best.
And these momo items have become so expensive, I'd hate to lose 2 of them at once.

You could try Pack & Send... with insurance.

[asimplelife]

Yes, it seems I have exhausted all other options. And if added up the time I've spent so far trawling the internet over this, it's probably more than covered the cost of 2x Momo's :(
There is also LeatherFX a forum member but he is rebuilding with new leather and has a very good video on AU momo retrims. I see some further forum members are using this service. And I've got a spare one that will need this process one day.
But it doesn't help me with getting a dye colour match :(
https://www.facebook.com/Leatherfx-598401293521971/

[Reaper8]

have you try'd a bootmaker. i see a few of them in the larger shopping centres that sell multiple creams and dyes. I have been meaning to have a better look as mine could do with a touch up but dosn't warrant getting it recovered.

[asimplelife]

Originally Posted by Reaper8

have you try'd a bootmaker.

Funny you should mention that. I have a handyman on site at the moment, who likes to think he knows a bit about everything, and he too suggested a bootmaker.
My local bootmaker can't even sew/glue shoes properly. But I could look further afield.
However I was concerned that the dye might not be as good a product as the Leatherique which has been recommended here and the black has worked well for me.

[fordomatic]

Hey mate, I’m not on my laptop so can’t post photos. I’ve spent considerable money getting certain colours matched, wild blue and electric blue mainly. I haven’t tried to have the red matched before.

I’ve spent around $500 with Leatherique, Colourlock and Leather Hero to match wild blue and electric blue. Long story short, no one could match either to my standard even with NOS wheels sent to them. For me the problem was electric blue has a metallic fleck in it. I’ll go through what Ive done shortly, but my advice is to send a sample and their match will be relatively close to what you want anyway. I guarantee if you put 5 red factory momos side by side at different stages of wear, they’d all be a different colour.

I have since matched electric blue perfectly, mixing it myself using colourlock dye. Blue, dark blue, light blue, metalic and duller. But that doesn’t help you because you need red. One of the hardest things is that it needs to be a matte finish and that is hard to get perfect.

[asimplelife]

Thankyou very much for taking the time to post.
Anything more you might have would also be appreciated.
Unfortunately none of them are in Melbourne :(

Can I take from what you said that Colourlock was the supplier that assisted you best?
So they are probably a better starting point for me with the Red then?

Sounds like I need to order the Electric Blue from you

And can I also ask, which supplier and black colour do you use?
I had been happy with the Leatherique standard black. But I see Colourlock have have a "Ford Black" which "is identical to our standard colour F034".

[fordomatic]

Hey mate, Leatherique and Colourlock is like the Holden vs Ford debate. I'm not biassed to either brand but on the proessional detailing forum I am part of, they mainly use Colourlock. For all intensive purposes, they are the same. Just remember that neither of them could colour match what I asked them to. Both companies replied and said that their colour match was fine and good enough, but really, it wasn't.

I've used Colourlock F034 and also the Leatherique black and they are exactly the same. Here is some wheels that I have done for mates and myself. I'm happy with the match for electric blue, not happy with wild blue.

I'd give leatherique a go at colour matching and see what happens, red seems like it would be super easy to match. Ive found with wild blue, it's almost like its got some purple but is also pretty bright, so it's really hard to even get close to original.



This is a test wheel but original on the right and dyed on the left


These next two wheels arent perfect but originally looked like only a recover would fix them




Hard to photograph but the match is near on perfect for elecric blue, re-dye on the right

[asimplelife]

Thankyou very much again. Excellent work with what sounds like an equally good process.
Fortunately for me, I am not in T series territory, so can skip the wild blue.
I do have an electric blue wheel and shifter, but I think they are in good enough nick for now.
I'll have a chat with both Colourlock about the red too and make sure I post back here who I go with and how it looks.
The least I can do is try and spare you all from another like me pestering everyone for their knowledge

[fordomatic]

Originally Posted by asimplelife

Thankyou very much again. Excellent work with what sounds like an equally good process.
Fortunately for me, I am not in T series territory, so can skip the wild blue.
I do have an electric blue wheel and shifter, but I think they are in good enough nick for now.
I'll have a chat with both Colourlock about the red too and make sure I post back here who I go with and how it looks.
The least I can do is try and spare you all from another like me pestering everyone for their knowledge

Mate, thats what the forums are all about, helping each other.

[Reaper8]

If you end up matching the red can you give me a hoy as i would be keen as to do my wheel.

[asimplelife]

Definitely no problems with that.
I've just been caught up with customers for a couple of days.
I need to make time to progress this tomorrow.

[asimplelife]

Just a bit more info in case it's of any use.
I have followed fordomatics suggestion with matching the red and contacted PPOC in Sydney with their Leatherique product.
I had a good look at Colourloc's website but it seems like that option will cost me more and I have been happy with the Leatherique standard black.

Because I was still trying to avoid sending my momo wheel to Sydney, I had gone through all their existing mix OEM colours.
Just noting that the Porsche 928 Can Can Red is a very similar vibrant red.
But it is not as deep as the Momo red.
Looking at my collection of red momo wheel pics, it looks like others have settled for this red in the past
I know I won't be happy with it though, so it looks like I'll send off my wheel tomorrow.
Below are a couple of shots of what the Porsche 928 Can Can Redcan look like.

[fordomatic]

How’d you go with it mate?

[asimplelife]

Sorry for my delay. It's a big weakness of mine. Especially with my cars...and just about everything else.
I've got the dye. I just haven't made the time to apply it yet. I will try again over the next week and will post up some pics (I have actually been trying to follow you paint correction process on 3 cars).

As you suggested, I sent my best red momo wheel to PPCO/Leatherique as I had been happy with their black and looking at the pricing, it was probably going to cost me less. While I want to get it right if I can, I am not at the highest of the high end...perhaps like yourself

While his service was great, and I did get my wheel back, I was disappointed around the colour matching process.
Without trying to tell someone how to suck eggs, I had emphasised I had a number of wheels to do, and that other owners were interested in the same red dye match.
However he has no record of his mix, saying he just added this and that until he felt he had it as close as he could get. By applying it to my wheel. He was not 100% confident of the result. Which I understand.
He also told me if I wanted another batch, I would have to send the wheel to him again...which was disappointing :(

He did use his Porsche 928 Can Can Red dye is a base. In my trawling the internet for colour pics, it did seem similar in it's vibrance to the au momo red.
And lastly, I only ordered 125ml of the red, as that's probably enough for my 3 wheels.
But he says he has another 125ml made up on the shelf from my batch. So if you would like to order that, I am more than happy to give the ok if he wants that. Especially given how much help you have generously provide me, thanks again.

PS - I have not been using the clear coat you get with their steering wheel restore kit - when I have tried it, it comes up too shiny for a momo - although close to those AU XR black perforated leather steering wheels - has that been your experience?

[fordomatic]

Zero stress on the delay mate. I found the same when having it colour matched, my OCD isn't comaprable to these companies OCD and willingness to get it right. If i'm paying good money for a match and product i expect perfection, maybe i'm just unrealistic with my expectations.

I also haven't used the clear on any wheels i've done, even with a heap of dulling agent added it still made the finish shiny. Ive been testing one now for 6 months and i've had zero dye transfer off the wheel and it still looks great.

Im really surprised he didn't keep tabs on what he was adding to make the match. What i did was used an artists pallete and started with my base colour. I then kept a sheet with exactly the amount of dye i was adding each time and kept a ratio. I then used a momo that needed recovering to test on the perforated area. Took me about 8 goes to get the electric blue right, but i now have the exact measurements of what was needed. Problem is, one of the colours are now discontinued. Luckily i still have 400ml mixed up.

125ml will get you 3 wheels easily. I usually do 3 coats and use use around 20ml on momo.

[asimplelife]

I should have mentioned that he didn't charge me for the colour match. Which was very generous of him.
I assumed meant he felt he'd get a return on his investment with other orders for the same mix. But that's not the case.
I've spent most of my working life in printing where mixing inks and keeping a recipe book of them is just standard practice. Like you did.
I can't complain though, because apart from the postage and insurance, his kit and dyes have been good value for me.


More generally, I know what you mean about the levels of service and quality you receive to often from businesses. I regularly feel let down. And it doesn't get any better when you do bring it to their attention, only to be told near enough should be good enough, or you're being too fussy. I run my own business and I get that making sure you meet expectations often takes more time, and impacts your short term profit. But over time you get that back compounded. Repeat business with less competition. Versus spending money advertising for new customers, to replace the ones that don't return. Which usually attracts worse customers who want only a bargain.

[fordomatic]

That's great customer service that he did it for free. Keep us posted with how it looks.