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Sun Mar 17, 2013 6:50 am

Hi all
I could use some help. Does anyone have a photo of the proper painting of the interior windshield in a 1964 cabriolet?
My car is finally finished its total body resto and we are about to embark on the actual painting.
The car will be returned to it's original colour(Irish Green)
over Blue leather as per COA.
I am keeping the original Blue interior but need help with the
painting of the inside of the frame.
I have been told it is generally the same colour as the interior upholstery,but exactly what part is painted in this case Blue?
I have unsuccessfully tried to find another car built with this combo,so far no one has responded. A one of????
All photos greatly appreciated.

Sun Mar 17, 2013 7:33 am

Hi Marvin,

I have pictures at the shop on memory cards that show this painting detail for the Cabs so I will try to post those tomorrow.

Basically, the masking from the exterior to the interior color is under the aluminum channel for the door glass seal on each side of the windshield frame, across the pinchweld on the upper part where the top seal makes contact...and on the lower dash area, a little is seen on the small horizontal area above the dash cover on each side corner and on the wider dash portion, between the padded cover and the windshield seal (and thus you'd paint from the sloped area under the dash cover to the pinchweld that holds the rubber seal for the windshield.

The color and sheen of the original 356 Cabs I've seen was not truly exactly like the upholstery color, but close...and it was NOT truly glossy, but almost "eggshell" with a sheen. Those originals I've seen were more dull, likely faded from sun and heat, but where protected (like on the side posts where the aluminum rails hid them) the sheen was much more close to a slightly dulled gloss paint.

Sun Mar 17, 2013 9:08 am

Hi Marvin,
Bruce is exactly right with the only other factor being that light color interiors had a darker color interior paint. My '50 cab had a tan interior but the interior paint was a darker reddish-brown color as was the dash cover itself. A blue interior would probably have had the same blue for dash cover and matching paint.
Alan

Sun Mar 17, 2013 4:32 pm

Alan, you are correct to note the early vs later 356 differences. I was assuming to chime in on Marvin's announced C's typical arrangement and neglected to state there were previous combinations.
As for Marvin's Irish green Cab...Happy St Paddy's Day!

Sun Mar 17, 2013 8:13 pm

You raise an interesting point Mr.Baker, about the paint finish in fringe/corner/underside areas. It seems that whenever such places are discussed, the finish most described is "almost gloss"/"dull gloss"/etc. and this sets my inexperienced brain to thinking about the likely scenarios of the original application. And I think about how "economy of motion and paint" was doubtless the bedrock of technique.

My vision of that technique, applied to say, the dash and windscreen frame of a cab, goes something like this: first light passes get some color on the fringe areas that will be mostly covered, before giving the dash a proper squirt.

Wouldn't it be the case that between the first light hits and the overspray from the primary target would produce all manner of Not Gloss finishes from a gloss paint? Like the undersides of lids, inside of doors, etc.

Same thing for semi-gloss colors (black).

Just idle speculation.....

Mon Mar 18, 2013 3:44 pm

I'm still looking for better shots, but this is an original car's sample, black paint, red interior (an A, but just like a B or C).....somewhere I have a white C with a brown interior that shows the top of the frame.....sorry!

Sat Apr 20, 2013 8:32 am

I have some pretty good pictures of my 64 Cab windshield paint detail, but dang if I can figure out how to post pictures on this site.
If you email me, I'd be glad to send them to you
Greg

Sun Apr 21, 2013 5:37 am

Three56SC wrote: I have some pretty good pictures of my 64 Cab windshield paint detail, but dang if I can figure out how to post pictures on this site.
If you email me, I'd be glad to send them to you
Greg

Look to the top of the page and notice the menu item "Gallery." Mouse over it, and you'll see "Add Photo." Click on that and you're on your way.

Everett has a detailed tutorial here:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=6

HTH,