2 color paint job

[72Coupe]

OK, I have looked through the Ghia gallery and have seen all kinds of different pics. Can someone give me n authoritative answer on where the break in color should be when you paint the roof a different color than the body?
I have seen them arc up, down, and straight across in the front, I have seen a small line of color under the back window and not... I even saw one ghia where the front pillars were the color of the body and the other color started at the roof line (like a vert). If anyone has closeup pics of front and back that I can take to my bodyshp guy, I would be deeply in your debt.

getting closer to being finished every day....

[vwdmc16]

I believe the line is at the base of the pillars
_________________
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[dmercer]

Hi 72Coupe,

I can't give you an *authoritative* answer, but I've been looking into this myself and will share my observations. I've noticed the variations you describe as well. Recently I had a chance to photograph an original 1959 coupe painted Aerosilber and Grauweiss. Here are some of those photos:

Details of the 'A' Pillar.

Detail of the 'C' pillar. Notice here how the Grauweiss does not follow the body line but is faded up into the window trim. No "small line of color" beneath the back window here.

Of course it is possible that there was variation over time... or even that it wasn't precise at all. Retrowagen has posted a few details of how painting was done at Karmann and might have some enlightening comments.

Probably the best thing to do is look at some orignal cars produced around the time of the car you're working on. A great source of pictures of original early cars is the CD set available from Broadacus. I don't know if he has a similar set for later Karmann Ghias or not.

[thom]

At the rear, I'm pretty sure it's supposed to follow the body line, giving you a thin stripe of the alternate color under the rear window.

_________________
-Thom
1956 Single Cab
1957 Porsche 356A Sunroof
1957 23-Window Deluxe
1957 Mercedes Westfalia single cab
1963 Unimog 404
1965 E-Type

[72Coupe]

This is why I am confused... I see cars painted like the red one above, then I see mockup pics in the sales literature like

Then there is this..

After seeing this one, I think the pillars are going to be roof color.

[retrowagen]

Karmann was pretty consistent with its masking of two-tone roofs of Coupes. The excellent and telling photos of the Aerosilver Coupe that Dan posted above are spot-on, especially in regards to the rear (aka "C") pillar. Indeed, the delineation is indeed a little above the body/roof crease, and it tapers up and into the compound radii of the rear window aperture. Brilliant or Pelican Red Coupes with black roofs are a little deceiving: the black window seal appears to be a continuation of the black painting, but Karmann painters masked the roof so that the areas beneath front and rear windows would not need tape and paint - those were always body color. It's one of those details that, when studied closely, makes you wonder why they didn't just mask it precisely on the crease, but it probably gives a slightly more favorable result to mask it on the "flat" just above the crease (thus taking the pressure off the body stamp die-makers for total perfection).

The only inconsistency I've ever noted in the masking of these pillars has to do with the front (aka "A") pillars. Making a survey of original paint cars, one will spot that some of these have a more horizontal delineation than do others. Do your best on this, and try to approximate a smooth sweep, bringing it around the gutter and into the interior.

Painting the body (lower) color up the A- and/or B-pillars really detracts from the elegant looks of the factory two-tone paint schemes. That Blue/White Coupe pictured above was definitely a repaint. This kind of paint scheme looks fine on an early Squareback or an earlier Deluxe Baywindow, but is just wrong on a KG.

Oh, and just for clarity's sake: Karmann always painted the main body color first, via immersion in vats of paint, and then later masked and sprayed the roof color, if it was a two-tone color scheme.
_________________
David Ruby
President, Karmann-Ghia World Club

[72Coupe]

Dave, that is authoritative enough for me... Also explains why there was a color UNDER the white on the roof of our Ghia when we stripped it.

On to the next step... Will be posting the finished job...Blood Orange and Pearl White for anyone interested.

[pbaptist]

I also studied the roof line in the past.

I did place soem pictures in my website
http://www.karmann-ghia.nl/tweekleuren.asp

For the people who can't read Dutch . The pictures on the left site are correct, the right are wrong.
_________________
Dutch Karmann-Ghia and coachbuild lover.
1* Karmann Ghia Coupe (1966 Teak)
2* Karmann Ghia Convertible (1958, 1971)
4* Rometsch Lawrence (nr 534, 555, 558 and 561)

Karmann-Ghia Lowlight page and registry
Karmann-Ghia Collectibles database

[72Coupe]

Thanks to everyone for their input, here are 2 shots of the final decision.
Front comes perfectly even with the top of the door with a slight curve:

and Back prior to buffing, tried to follow the arc you guys gave me

Will post pics of completed job when she is back together...
I couldn't do this thing without you all.. thanks again.

[72Coupe]

Didn't want to create a new thread, so I am adding to the last one. Hope the bump does not offend anyone.

Here is the finished paintjob. I am sitting down, and welcome honest commentary from the purists..

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/305480.jpg
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/305477.jpg
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/305479.jpg
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/305478.jpg
AND this last pic shows her back in the driveway again. (the hole in the left rear fender is where the PO Frenched in the electric antenna.
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/305483.jpg

Next step is to fix front bumper (or is it Bumber) mounts and complete the interior.

72Coupe

[c21darrel]

Bump this for those of us trying to figure out where the paint lines go. Thanks

[John Moxon]

OK here's a couple of pictures showing the rear:

This is the og paint on The Edmonson Ghia.

...and this on the well documented Ghia formally owned by John Figg:

_________________
John.
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My 1958 Shorrock Supercharged Karmann Ghia
Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery!

[nize]

As I was wondering about how the C-pillar was masked inside the coupé I searched this tread but I did not find the answer. However "Yogi" sent me this picture... Let us assume it is an original color ghia. It shows how they did mask the C-pillar inside the coupé in the early 60-ties.

Please also note the overspray from under the rear window roof line masking ending up inside on the parcel shelf.

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----------(VW)----------
1954 Kombi
1957 lowlight ghia coupe
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