Acapulco Blue-paint code ??

[oasis]

Good to know but finding out what's original would certainly be helpful to more of us few.

If I had found a Blizzard White Thing that fit my fancy, I would have had it repainted like an Acapulco in scheme but with the colors Light Ivory (L80E) and Phoenix Red (L32K). The 914 had a special edition with that color combo called The Creamsicle. Of course, I would have called my 181 The Thingsicle.

The Phoenix Red has enough of an orange hue to it, that the Thing Shop orange and white striped seats would have worked.
_________________
Now: 2003 New Beetle Turbo S / 1990 Single Cab Transporter / 2014 Tiguan R-Line 4motion / 2013 Tiguan S / 2002 Golf GLS TDI
Past: 1974 Thing Acapulco / 2009 Eos Komfort / 1997 Jetta GT / 2002 Cabrio GLX / 2002 Passat GLS / 1971 Super Beetle / 1993 EuroVan MV Westfalia / 1981 Pickup LX / 1985 Vanagon / 1986 Jetta GLI

[oasis]

I don't know if this post will make things clearer or more confused, but here's what I turned up and cross referenced.

In my box of receipts that came with my Acapulco, there were three receipts for paint colors -- all in the same time frame. The part codes listed on the invoices were:

LD 000 55G.01
LD 000 55G.03
LD 55G

and

LD 000 90H.01
LD 000 90H.03
LD 90H

From what I can gather, the distinction between ".01" and ".03" is one is a spray and the other is a container of liquid (size unknown). The shorter codes were on a separate receipt. No other details were given on these receipts besides the purchaser (Thing owner) and VW dealer.

Searching 1974 VW colors on the site that rhymes with Thing led me to this site:

1974 colors

As you can see, neither L55G nor L90H are listed. L55Z -- our friend, Delft Blue -- is listed and clearly appears too dark. I then searched Volkswagen L55G and found this:

Pacific Blue

It may be a bit light using my monitor but it is close. There is no mention of Thing, just "sedan." The "Das Tank" site also lists Pacific Blue for VINs 183 2000 001 and up but it lists the code as being L55F or L55G, and there is no mention of Acapulco.

Still, it is a lead worth pursuing further.

Then, there's the white code. The search using "Volkswagen L90H" revealed this:

Cream White

The interesting thing here is it is listed for a 1972 Bus. Even more quirky, the same previous owner owned a '72 Bus at the same time. But before I dismissed this as the owner buying two different paints for two different vehicles, I did some cross checking.

The "Das Tank" site lists Cream White as being L90C for Things with VINs 183 2000 001 and up, and for Acapulco models. It also lists L90C as being Blizzard White for 1973-74 Things (an obvious US distinction).

Making things even more interesting, "Das Tank" then lists L90H as being Toga White for VINs up to 182 2000 001. And as if this wasn't enough, the two Cream White listings (both L90C), the Blizzard White listing (also L90C), and the Toga White listing (L90H) all have the same VW part number -- LKL090H00 -- which doesn't exactly match any part numbers I listed above but curiously all reference the "H" rather than the "C".

Here, again, is the "Das Tank" site link.

At some point, I may order some touch-up L55G and L90H and see how they look when applied on some test panel.
_________________
Now: 2003 New Beetle Turbo S / 1990 Single Cab Transporter / 2014 Tiguan R-Line 4motion / 2013 Tiguan S / 2002 Golf GLS TDI
Past: 1974 Thing Acapulco / 2009 Eos Komfort / 1997 Jetta GT / 2002 Cabrio GLX / 2002 Passat GLS / 1971 Super Beetle / 1993 EuroVan MV Westfalia / 1981 Pickup LX / 1985 Vanagon / 1986 Jetta GLI

[oasis]

[oasis]

Okay, I can pretty much confirm L55G (Pacific Blue) is not the blue for the Acapulco. Since it was listed for the Type 2 and the previous owner also owned a Type 2 at some point, he must have ordered the L90H and the L55G at the same time but they weren't for the same car.

I did a little dab'll do ya on the bumper bolts. Since Thing was parked in the shade, the bumper looks a tad dark. Nevertheless, the contrast in the two blues is unmistakeable. (Better than tarnished or rust as a couple of the bolts were.)

I may try Bahama Blue (L519) just because it was close, and I may try Delft Blue (L55Z) just because it was listed as being proper (although I still think it is too dark to be really it).

If they fail, I will have to go the color match route. More to come ...
_________________
Now: 2003 New Beetle Turbo S / 1990 Single Cab Transporter / 2014 Tiguan R-Line 4motion / 2013 Tiguan S / 2002 Golf GLS TDI
Past: 1974 Thing Acapulco / 2009 Eos Komfort / 1997 Jetta GT / 2002 Cabrio GLX / 2002 Passat GLS / 1971 Super Beetle / 1993 EuroVan MV Westfalia / 1981 Pickup LX / 1985 Vanagon / 1986 Jetta GLI

[oasis]

One more tidbit of an update ...

I dug up a little brochure -- a double-sided single-page sheet that's folded multiple times actually. It was probably strategically placed as reading material on the showroom floor while the salesman would talk to the sales mangler on your behalf <cough cough>. It gives color swatches of the different VWs of 1974 in silhouettes of each model. One panel is simply called "1974 Volkswagen Colors" and one panel is propaganda on how VW's paint is "more to it than meets the eye." (I actually saw someone on eBay trying to sell this for something like $150 .)

The blues listed were:
Alaska Blue Metallic
Orient Blue
Neptune Blue
Marina Blue
Olympic Blue

I also went to the site where I purchased the Pacific Blue (10% discount on my next order -- woohoo) and they listed the five colors above, Pacific Blue, and the following for 1974:
Niagara Blue
Marathon Blue Metallic*
Delphi Blue
Ontario Blue Metallic
Miami Blue**
Ancona Blue Metallic**

* - Marathon Blue Metallic was also listed in the Colors brochure but listed as Marathon Silver Metallic. If you have seen the color, you can understand why it might be co-listed as being different. One of my faves, by the way, but that's a different matter.

** - Since years of manufacture and model years are slightly different, I checked 1975 online as well, and these two additional blues were there.

One negative -- the Colors brochure did not list paint codes.

Obviously, we can rule out the metallic blues.

One more curious footnote -- Delft Blue (L55Z) was not listed online. However, Delphi Blue was listed and had the same L55Z code. Seeing a little dot online is hard to tell anything, but since sources believe L55Z is the right color blue for Acapulco Things, that will be my next attempt.

If that doesn't work, I know I will have to try something darker than L55G and I will know if I have to go darker or lighter than L55Z. If possible, I will also try a color in the Colors brochure which may narrow it down once and for all. More to come ...
_________________
Now: 2003 New Beetle Turbo S / 1990 Single Cab Transporter / 2014 Tiguan R-Line 4motion / 2013 Tiguan S / 2002 Golf GLS TDI
Past: 1974 Thing Acapulco / 2009 Eos Komfort / 1997 Jetta GT / 2002 Cabrio GLX / 2002 Passat GLS / 1971 Super Beetle / 1993 EuroVan MV Westfalia / 1981 Pickup LX / 1985 Vanagon / 1986 Jetta GLI

[oasis]

I made a passing comment on another thread about an Acapulco for sale on eBay, then selling elsewhere. That comment created an exit ramp for the original topic so I have brought it here plus a few more tidbits of information.

[Ron Domeck]

Yes, will post Mon.

[hobie16]

[Ron Domeck]

I did not ask, are you repainting or touching up? The formula I have is for repainting and has been matched to panels that has not been exposed, back side of the dash. It is also base/ clear. I do not match to the 40 year old paint that has faded. If you are trying to match a old paint panel again I will say, go to a automotive paint store and have your panel scanned. Also it will make a difference if you have a hood scanned and need to paint a bumper. Panels will vary as to were they were exposed to weather. With a single stage the scan will also pick up that it is semi gloss. So if you need to I can post this formula that is for a quart of base that will not have a shine and expect to pay about $100.00 for the quart.

[oasis]

[oasis]

I may have discovered the reason Delft Blue (also called Delphi Blue) -- L55Z -- may be sited as the "correct" blue for the Acapulco. Check out the taxis of Acapulco and darn if the blue of these taxis aren't darker like the swatches of Delft Blue.

_________________
Now: 2003 New Beetle Turbo S / 1990 Single Cab Transporter / 2014 Tiguan R-Line 4motion / 2013 Tiguan S / 2002 Golf GLS TDI
Past: 1974 Thing Acapulco / 2009 Eos Komfort / 1997 Jetta GT / 2002 Cabrio GLX / 2002 Passat GLS / 1971 Super Beetle / 1993 EuroVan MV Westfalia / 1981 Pickup LX / 1985 Vanagon / 1986 Jetta GLI

[Ron Domeck]

I will be glad to post what I have, wanted all to know why colors don't match and not spend money on a quart and wonder what went wrong. oasis, you said your car had a repaint. Do you know for a fact what color is on your car? This is what I deal with as a painter. I would paint all 3 dash panels at one time on your car even if I had the same can of paint that was used .

PPG DBU Basecoat Quart Formula

Product Parts Cumulative

DMD 629 76.6
DMD 624 105.1
DMD 662 189.9
DMD 658 330.6
DMD 663 553.6
DMD 615 753.2
DBX 695 960.9

[oasis]

[Ron Domeck]

That Acapulco on the cover was Reed Cowans car. I also checked again on the parts microfitche and the only code for M660 showed the white. You can see why over the years we had to match the blue without a code.

[Chas223]

So what paint is everybody using for their ACAPULCO white paint?

Cream White

L90C

[Ron Domeck]

L90H Blizzard White

[Al Capulco]

The paper tag in the trunk of my Acapulco is stamped cream white.