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hines67 Samba Member
Joined: November 12, 2013 Posts: 26 Location: Camas, Washington
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Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2014 1:28 pm Post subject: What color should the transaxle be? |
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I'm getting ready to put my transaxle back in, but I need to paint it before it goes in. It had a bad black paint job on it, but I don't know if that is stock, or if it was painted by someone previously. Does anyone know if these were painted from the factory? Is black paint the original setup? _________________ 1967 Bug, 1985 BMW 635csi euro, 1998 BMW 528i, 2003 BMW 325xi wagon, 2000 Tahoe LT |
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VOLKSWAGNUT Fastest VW Belt Changer
Joined: October 14, 2007 Posts: 11056 Location: Flippin' a Belt........ .... Off-n-On ... NC USA
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Northof49 Samba Member
Joined: July 22, 2013 Posts: 1759 Location: Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
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Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2014 2:22 pm Post subject: |
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The one's around Winnipeg that I saw from the 1970's were a satin black. _________________ 1958 Karmann Ghia owner |
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hines67 Samba Member
Joined: November 12, 2013 Posts: 26 Location: Camas, Washington
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Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2014 2:59 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks for the replies. Good info.
I'm on the fence about whether to paint it black or silver. Seems like silver would look better, but black would be more original. I'm leaning towards silver. _________________ 1967 Bug, 1985 BMW 635csi euro, 1998 BMW 528i, 2003 BMW 325xi wagon, 2000 Tahoe LT |
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Bob Loblaw Samba Member
Joined: August 17, 2008 Posts: 865 Location: Vancouver Island, Canada
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Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2014 3:02 pm Post subject: |
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I remember painting one Caterpillar Yellow one time. I was so happy when I flipped the Bug on it's side one day, so everyone could see it.
Stupid yoots. _________________ sent from a phone using poor grammar and spelling |
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txoval Samba Member
Joined: January 23, 2004 Posts: 3552 Location: The Woodlands, TX
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Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2014 7:01 pm Post subject: |
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If you like silver, paint it silver |
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drscope Samba Member
Joined: February 19, 2007 Posts: 15273 Location: Baltimore, Maryland USA
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Posted: Tue Jul 29, 2014 4:52 am Post subject: |
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Who's going to see it? _________________ Mother Nature is a Mean Evil Bitch! |
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Z00mie Samba Member
Joined: June 18, 2013 Posts: 131 Location: S. Carolina
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Posted: Fri Aug 14, 2015 12:53 pm Post subject: |
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Researching this myself, as I am getting ready to go thru my cars original transaxle and reinstall it(by the way, it's black. coulda been rebuilt though). I wonder if it had to do with the quality of the cases coming out of the molds. Maybe some were ugly and were spruced up with paint to avoid dealers and owners thinking they were defective (checking, fissures imperfections, etc.)
Last edited by Z00mie on Fri Aug 14, 2015 4:47 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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KTPhil Samba Member
Joined: April 06, 2006 Posts: 34012 Location: Conejo Valley, CA
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Posted: Fri Aug 14, 2015 12:58 pm Post subject: |
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Black will hide leaks. Do you want to know, or not know? |
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Z00mie Samba Member
Joined: June 18, 2013 Posts: 131 Location: S. Carolina
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Posted: Fri Aug 14, 2015 1:04 pm Post subject: |
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After some research it seems pretty well split between raw and black. I'm leaning toward bare metal and just powdercoat the axle sections...
What do you think they were from VW KTPhil? |
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Z00mie Samba Member
Joined: June 18, 2013 Posts: 131 Location: S. Carolina
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Posted: Fri Aug 14, 2015 1:10 pm Post subject: |
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The real question is, did they use Oetiker type clamps or the sardine tin type clamps on a 1963 beetle axle boots? |
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Dr OnHolliday Samba Member
Joined: May 11, 2012 Posts: 1215 Location: was Escondido now San Berdoo
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Posted: Fri Aug 14, 2015 3:41 pm Post subject: |
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If you have to ask, paint it pink... _________________ 1965 Type 1 sunroof Baja / about 70k miles on self-rebuilt '74 1600 and counting / SP heads and aftermarket valve keepers / non-doghouse shroud with external cooler and filter / 1.5 qt extended sump / Weber 32/36 DFAV progressive carb / 009 dist with Pertronix / 1.25 ratio rockers and ball adjusters / 1.5" stainless steel J-pipes and carbon steel baja exhaust |
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Z00mie Samba Member
Joined: June 18, 2013 Posts: 131 Location: S. Carolina
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Posted: Fri Aug 14, 2015 3:48 pm Post subject: |
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I didn't have to ask, but hey, many thanks to the gallerie cacahučte for the input! |
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KTPhil Samba Member
Joined: April 06, 2006 Posts: 34012 Location: Conejo Valley, CA
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Posted: Fri Aug 14, 2015 4:18 pm Post subject: |
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The shop that rebuilt mine painted it black. They said it MUST be painted after they (dip or hot) tanked it to clean it. They said it has a coating (not cosmoline but something else) from the factory that closed the pores, and the cleaning opens them up. I didn't like black, so I painted silver over the black. All those I've seen that I know were original were "bare" metal so silver seemed to be more like factory to me. Perhaps more of a gun-metal silver might look more natural, but here is mine:
I wanted to see any leaks right away. |
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Z00mie Samba Member
Joined: June 18, 2013 Posts: 131 Location: S. Carolina
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Posted: Fri Aug 14, 2015 4:28 pm Post subject: |
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Looks good! Very tidy. I was thinking Alodine 1201 for the finish after bead blasting. It should protect reasonably well. My A&P used it in the past on my airplane(s) castings. It seems pretty tough from a corrosion standpoint. It has cadmium (goldish hue) though, which for me isn't necessarily desirable. |
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Bruce Samba Member
Joined: May 16, 2003 Posts: 17290 Location: Left coast, Canada
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Posted: Fri Aug 14, 2015 8:07 pm Post subject: |
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KTPhil wrote: |
.... that closed the pores, and the cleaning opens them up.
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I'm calling BS on that. Unless they had a video camera hooked up to a microscope to observe this phenomenon, they're just making things up.
I oppose painting because they always end up looking really bad after a couple of years so most of mine go bare. If you want to paint to protect the metal, paint with clear. That way when it starts to peel, you don't see it and it doesn't look bad. _________________
overheard at the portland Swap Meet... wrote: |
..... a steering wheel made from a mastadon tusk..... |
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VOLKSWAGNUT Fastest VW Belt Changer
Joined: October 14, 2007 Posts: 11056 Location: Flippin' a Belt........ .... Off-n-On ... NC USA
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Posted: Sat Aug 15, 2015 4:54 am Post subject: |
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Im with Bruce.... I've never noted any sealer.. and doubt any were sealed with anything from VW...
Alloy occasionally can have porous leaks... its not common..but does happen....
It would have been cheaper for VW to replace the 1 in 100,000 transaxles that "seeped" than seal them all....
Bottom line... Vw was cheap..and frugal.. hmmmm... just like the eventual owners...
Its under your car....and will be covered in grime, grease, and dirt... IF you actually drive it..... so the color really doesn't matter..
If your that anal.. just polish the case....and forget about driving it...
I've painted some...and left some bare...
I prefer black.. as it "seems" to appear cleaner longer....
. _________________ aka Ken {o\!/o}
Its your vehicle- stop askin' for approval-do what YOU like for cryin' out loud
Better to roll em' how you want and wear em' out-than lettin' em' rot out
Its about the going not the showing
Rebuilt to drive not decorate
WANTED: Local Eatin' Joints, Triple D for TheSamba contributions here http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=570510
Search "VOLKSWAGNUT" on YouTube since you cant watch a "certain" BELT change video round here
Usually and often edited |
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Jon Schmid Samba Member
Joined: May 29, 2012 Posts: 2038 Location: Southern California
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Posted: Sat Aug 15, 2015 11:20 am Post subject: What color should the transaxle be? |
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Z00mie wrote: |
Looks good! Very tidy. I was thinking Alodine 1201 for the finish after bead blasting. It should protect reasonably well. My A&P used it in the past on my airplane(s) castings. It seems pretty tough from a corrosion standpoint. It has cadmium (goldish hue) though, which for me isn't necessarily desirable. |
Alodine does NOT have cadmium. Cadmium has a silver finish. The color you typically see on a cadmium plated part is an added chromate conversion finish which looks much like Alodine in color. Alodine contains chromic acid and is usually used as an undercoat finish prior to applying paint to aluminum. Personally I wouldn't use it as a stand alone finish, especially on an assembly that's under the car. I would paint the transaxle silver or black. |
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Z00mie Samba Member
Joined: June 18, 2013 Posts: 131 Location: S. Carolina
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Posted: Sat Aug 15, 2015 12:20 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks Jon! I meant that it it resembles a cad plated look ,not that it is a cadmium finish. Kinda gold tint...
I always understood the silverish blue finish to be zinc chromate. Learn something every day! |
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Zundfolge1432 Samba Member
Joined: June 13, 2004 Posts: 12467
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Posted: Sun Aug 16, 2015 7:03 am Post subject: |
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VOLKSWAGNUT wrote: |
Im with Bruce.... I've never noted any sealer.. and doubt any were sealed with anything from VW...
Alloy occasionally can have porous leaks... its not common..but does happen....
It would have been cheaper for VW to replace the 1 in 100,000 transaxles that "seeped" than seal them all....
Bottom line... Vw was cheap..and frugal.. hmmmm... just like the eventual owners...
Its under your car....and will be covered in grime, grease, and dirt... IF you actually drive it..... so the color really doesn't matter..
If your that anal.. just polish the case....and forget about driving it...
I've painted some...and left some bare...
I prefer black.. as it "seems" to appear cleaner longer....
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A friend of mine now deceased with a good reputation used to advertise in hotVWs and was well known within the VW community rebuilt thousands of them over the years. He painted all of them semigloss black but only for cosmetic reasons, we discussed it at length. The raw casting even when cleaned came out of the hot tank with stains and other appearance irregularities he didn't like. All the boxes I got from him went without paint because that was my preference. It only matters what looks good to you.
RIP Bill Shanks |
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