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Thu Mar 30, 2006 11:42 am

Dave~ I decided to start this discussion on a new topic. Don't want to hijack the wilderness thread.

Birdibus wrote: deadBeat Dave~ Your interior looks just like mine. Aha ha! You are another day-glow yellow green machine, but sleuthing under a plain black wrapper.

Have you ever definitively learned the name of the yellow green color? Using type2 and samba resources I think it's called Ravenna Green, but I've seen a color chip for Bali Green that looks very close as well. The keepers of the knowledge of 74-75 Westfalia trivia don't seem to have all the details available online.

Oh yes, my dog OWNS the drivers seat when he's in the bus, and he only lets me sit in it when I'm taking him somewhere.

deadBeat Dave wrote:
Mine is Yosamite Yellow.

My dog just wants to be where I am going to be...couch, drivers seat...etc
Right now he is under my desk warming my feet :D

Birdibus wrote: Dave~ Yosemite Yellow? Where did you find that name? I'm not disputing you, just very confused about what to call the color. This is the type2 page where I found the name 'Ravenna Green' for M-code 9648 which supposedly is paint code L65K. Here is where the error might lie.
http://www.type2.com/m-codes/t2colors.html

This page, on the other hand, lists only the paint colors and names, but not the M-code designation. Here you find Bali Yellow L62H on the list, but still not Yosemite Yellow (nor Ravenna Green).
http://www.type2.com/library/identifi/paincd.htm

Truthfully, the color looks more like yellow than green to me, which is why I have a hard time accepting the name Ravenna Green. So far, yours is the only other bus I have seen in this color. I've been wanting to talk with someone about it, but we seem to be rare birds, even under your black disguise.

deadBeat Dave wrote: my 75 would be pretty rare down in the US as it is a Canadian one year only model (and UK)
I have seen quite a few here and even know 2 other people that have the same exact model/colour/year as me...
I can't recall where I saw the "yosamite yello" but I think it was on my bus
I'll check when I get it back from the shop for it's spring physical
should be today or tomorrow

does yours have the little side bench?

Thu Mar 30, 2006 11:53 am

Dave~ I've seen photos of the side bench, but it did not come with my particular bus. I don't believe it was a standard option in the U.S. I have the table mounted on the sidewall, so there was never a bench there. Mine is a 'deluxe' Westfalia, meaning it came with the stove/12v/110v fridge cabinet behind the passenger seat (mine is missing).

I just made another search of Westfalia brochures. This one from 1976 has a page that shows the colors of buses and Westys for that year. What we need to find is a similar brochure for the 74 and 75 years. Our color name should be printed on one of these if one can be found.
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/archives/lit/76stationwagon_campmobile/back.jpg

I have owned this bus for 25 years. In all that time I have seen only 2 others of the same color on the road. One was owned by an acquaintance in my town, and the other was driven by another woman I saw on the road in Big Sur, both of us waving wildly as we approached.

I saw one campmobile our color Westy on ebay last December, and other than that, just photos on websites.

Thu Mar 30, 2006 12:49 pm

Ravenna Green color sample:

Source: Ghia website www.type14.com
http://www.type-14.com/paint.htm

~~~~~~

Bali Yellow color sample L62H

source: http://www.wolfsburgwest.com/colors/7375bus.htm

This is a list of "bus colors"; no mention of Westfalia. I have not found any list that mentions both of these colors on the same list. I wish I could find a list of Westfalia specific colors. The Westy colors might even be different in different countries! So confusing.

I show Bali Yellow because it looks more similar to my original paint than the Ravenna Green sample. Of course, computer monitors are deceiving. My M-code number 9648 shows up on one type2 list as being the color L65K (Ravenna Green), but I have yet to find a second verification of this.

Here is where my research is stuck. I think I have shared it all. What I need is something new, like a sales brochure, or a paint color list that is complete and accurate.

I would hate to order Ravenna Green paint for my bus, and have it end up being the incorrect shade.

Thu Mar 30, 2006 1:24 pm

If yours does not have the side bench it is not the Canadian model...
in my own city I have seen many my colour

chances are pretty good that yours...although similar, is not yosamite yellow as I am positive this was unique to Canada

I will try to find out as much info about it as possible.

Thu Mar 30, 2006 2:57 pm

Yes, I know mine to be an American model, originally sold at a dealership in Oakland, CA. My layout matchs the Westfalia owner's manual, American edition. I'm sure your color and mine are the same, whatever the name. It looks exactly right in the photo, with the same dark green vinyl and the blue & green plaid.

Thu Mar 30, 2006 3:23 pm

Here is a photo so I can show off the pinstriping put there by the previous owner. I like it so much I want to share it. I hesitate to share photos of my front seats which are rather worse for wear.

Thu Mar 30, 2006 3:52 pm

I like that pinstriping!
looks good...
I have been wanting to get some red old school pin striping done on mine, but have been waiting until we get the rust issues taken care of and a fresh coat of satin black

have you thought about getting a birth cert. from VW?
Wouldn't that show the colour code for your bus?

Thu Mar 30, 2006 5:25 pm

i got that side bench seat with mine, Birdi

Fri Mar 31, 2006 7:58 am

Hey guys (and gal). Have you checked for the little silver sticker behind your drivers seat? There should be one there telling you your paint color with the corresponding code.

Birdi~ I would feel comfortable going with the type2 list of what your color is. They know their stuff.

Just my .02. I find this kind of discussion really intersting.

Fri Mar 31, 2006 9:13 am

Daves ale~ Of course I read the M-tag. That's where I found M-code 9648. I then have to cross reference that number on a list to find the paint code L65K. The only list I could find that provided the info was the one on type2.com.

I would feel more comfortable if I could find the same info on other lists, but I haven't seen that yet; a second confirmation if you will. I would also like to see the color name printed on some VW literature to be sure of what they called this odd yellow green color as they marketed it. And lordy, roll my eyes, what a crazy color to paint on a bus! :roll:

I feel silly putting so much research into this question, but I seem to have detected a 'hole' in the library shelf where the answers should be. The 74 & 75 Westfalia years seem to be forgotten by history. I wouldn't care so much if I didn't own one, and wondered the answer for 25 years.

I send my plea to the VW librarians to fill the information void!

Deadbeat Dave~ I think discreet pinstriping looks very elegant. I was happy to share my late 70's era pin striping job with everyone while showing my paint color. Red on top of plack paint should be very classy indeed.

Fri Mar 31, 2006 11:03 am

Birdibus wrote: Daves ale~ Of course I read the M-tag. That's where I found M-code 9648. I then have to cross reference that number on a list to find the paint code L65K. The only list I could find that provided the info was the one on type2.com.

.
You misunderstand my question, behind my drivers seat in both of my busses there is a sticker, not the M-code plate, that tells you the paint color name and code.

I hope this works:

Now, granted my Westy is a '78 model. Maybe they didn't pu t this sticker on the earlier bays. I'm not trying to be a smartass, I thought all Bays had this sticker. I seem to recall my old '68 DC had the same thing.

Just trying to be helpful. I know how difficult it can be trying to find all the info out on our Bays.

Fri Mar 31, 2006 11:22 am

Thanks for the nice photo Dave. I don't seem to have a sticker in that location. If it was ever there it is gone now. All my remaining ID tags and stickers have been painted over, though, by the PO. I have the stamped metal M-code plate behind the driver's seat. There is a tag on the driver's door pillar that says "01/74 and 11/73" in dots (dates of manufacture and delivery?) and also a longer serial number. Below that is a very small paper tag that is painted over with no words discernible. On the edge of the drivers door a long narrow paper tag has peeled off showing a slight difference in shade between the OG paint and the new layer. Then behind the passenger seat is a stamped metal tag with german words and VW's name.

Thankfully, at least they don't call my bus's color "Chartreuse". :wink:

Fri Mar 31, 2006 11:35 am

I found this on the Glasurit website.:
http://www.glasurit.com/COLOR/new-color-online/m1frameset.php?language=1

Although it doesn't match what you currentl have on there. How does it compare to any original that you might be able to find?

Fri Mar 31, 2006 12:02 pm

daves_ale wrote: I found this on the Glasurit website.:
http://www.glasurit.com/COLOR/new-color-online/m1frameset.php?language=1

Although it doesn't match what you currentl have on there. How does it compare to any original that you might be able to find?

I see only the search window on that link.
So, when I put 9648 in the search there are no results.

When I search L65K I get: VOLKSWAGEN - AUDI RAVENNAGRUEN L65K 1973-1973 with a blue-green color sample I am unable to share here. Not the correct color, obviously.

When I search 'Bali Yellow' the software won't recognize my request.

When I search L62H I get: VOLKSWAGEN - AUDI BALIGELB L62H 1974-1975 and a yellow color that is difficult to describe, maybe greenish, maybe orangish, but is certainly closer than the Ravenna Green that they show.

Thanks for the new resource, Dave, but I'm still as confused as ever. Something's not right somewhere with the info. Wow, now I need to find someone with the color name tag behind the driver's seat. That's likely to be the best definitive answer if it can be found on someone else's 74 or 75 Westfalia.

Here are my two shades of yellow green (don't laugh at my door panel :oops: ) :

Fri Mar 31, 2006 3:29 pm

Checkout www.paintscratch.com do a search by color / m code / manufacturer

you'll like it - yosemite yellow - ravenna green - whatever color

Peace

Fri Mar 31, 2006 4:03 pm

79campnbus~ Thanks for the link to http://www.paintscratch.com/ . I've been there before and was looking for it again!

I can't share their color samples, but the L65K and L62H samples look like the samples I shared at the top of this thread.

Yosemite Yellow L62H : This is the same paint code for Bali Yellow!

I wrote to Paintscratch and asked them if they could cross reference 9648, the Westfalia/VW M-plate code. I still think Bali/Yosemite Yellow looks more correct than the Ravenna Green shade, but the type2 list says differently.

Fri Mar 31, 2006 4:15 pm

Also check out www.wolfsburgwest.com

It looks like the ravenna green covered the beetle and other models also.

Good Luck in your search.

Peace :)

Sat Apr 01, 2006 8:02 am

Found this at wolfsburg west.

http://www.wolfsburgwest.com/colors/65k.gif

it's their ravenna green.

Fri Apr 07, 2006 4:23 pm

I wrote to Paintscratch to see if they had production code 9648 in their records, and to let me know what paint code it was. They say:

Quote: Sorry, but our techs don't show 9648. Code 9648 is not a valid VW code.

You could try custom matching. Please visit:
https://www.paintscratch.com/custom.html for complete
information on custom matching.

Or you could order a small bottle of

1974 Volkswagen Convertible
Ravenna Green L65K

and see if it's a match.

Sincerely,
BillW at Paintscratch.com

Here is my proof that 9648 DOES exist.

Fri Apr 07, 2006 8:21 pm

so... that means that you and your bus are a "diamond in the rough"? :wink: