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Question about color of chassis, april 1949
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split1949
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PostPosted: Sat Jan 06, 2018 6:05 pm    Post subject: Question about color of chassis, april 1949 Reply with quote

I have to paint the chassis of my 1949 Pearl Gray Split. What is the correct color for the chassis of April 1949 ?. Gloss or satin ?. Thank you
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rod_vw
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PostPosted: Sun Jan 07, 2018 3:50 am    Post subject: Re: Question about color of chassis, april 1949 Reply with quote

Maybe you can discover the original colour by looking inside the backbone via the access hole under the rear seat. That is how I discovered that the floor pan of the '46 was originally green. It needed some cleaning off with thinners to get past the years of grease and oil but was visible in the end.

I doubt that it will reveal the surface finish but it will give you a start.
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1946 Beetle (Back on the road after over 50 years! Last major outing - Hessisch Oldendorf 2022)
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split1949
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PostPosted: Sun Jan 07, 2018 8:52 am    Post subject: Re: Question about color of chassis, april 1949 Reply with quote

Many thanks, Rod. The chassis of my split came with several layers of paint and I had to resort to sandblasting. I'm almost sure that the original color of my chassis was black, as you can see in this photo before the sandblast. My question is: bright, satin or matt?
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.
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SplitPersonality
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PostPosted: Mon Jan 08, 2018 3:27 am    Post subject: Re: Question about color of chassis, april 1949 Reply with quote

Semi-gloss black.
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split1949
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PostPosted: Mon Jan 08, 2018 4:30 am    Post subject: Re: Question about color of chassis, april 1949 Reply with quote

Many thanks for your help.
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Duane Wakida
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PostPosted: Mon Jan 08, 2018 8:46 am    Post subject: Re: Question about color of chassis, april 1949 Reply with quote

So I’ve had this argument a few times and here goes.Over the years I’ve had a few early cars and floor pan’s and a couple mid year splits (49-52). While the early stuff, let’s say pre 46, was weird both with colour and finish (green’s and tan’s and satin finishes and semi-glosses if you want to call them that), I believe by 1949 it was not semi gloss but cheap gloss enamel. I’ve had at least 2 pans from this mid era that were under coated over the orig paint and when this was removed it was def gloss. It was 100% not satin or semigloss. I’ve painted with flattening agents for over 30 years and it’s not flattened enamel either. Don’t forget that any single stage enamel available now isn’t straight enamel but a urethane version. My Jan 50 split and my current Jan 51 were both the same and from what I can tell are the same as yours (you can see a bit peak out at the front of your pan). I believe VW was still trying to make these cars cheap (still painting the chassis as a whole not separate pieces etc) so it’s not surprising that a current rebuild using 3-4 coats of a urethane single stage over an epoxy primer will give a ‘better’ finish than Vw ever produced. But it’s my belief that it is more correct than satin for sure, but also more correct than the semi-gloss I hear people talk about. Btw semi gloss is a spectrum depending on how much flattening agent you mix in. So when guys say semigloss I always ask what does that mean, 98%, 95, 80??? I’m in Canada and no paint supply places still sell a nitrocellulose paint or straight enamels due to carcinogens and the like, so maybe by adding a tiny bit of flattening agent to a current urethane and painting with your eyes closed to do as shitty a job as possible to duplicate all the factory runs that I’ve found on my orig chassis parts and pans will give that authentic, ‘correct! finish many are looking to achieve. Seriously tho, turn your air up a bit and cut your flow back a bit in your gun and it will give a pretty decent fake 50’s gloss on urethane. Buddy Hale’s show cars with buffed clear over cut powder coat are def wrong too, but sure look pretty. My point is you are going to have to work hard to get a true factory finish (you’ll have to buy an old crappy gun too as new ones atomize the paint way too well and differently than the old stuff too lol), as all current equip and paint are designed to give a better finish than on 1949.. By the way I believe the same argument holds for the engine tin that I see painted satin or semigloss all the time. It’s wrong! It was painted with 1950 era gloss. No flattening agents were added imho. Good luck with your build
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50Splitman
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PostPosted: Mon Jan 08, 2018 9:02 am    Post subject: Re: Question about color of chassis, april 1949 Reply with quote

Before I blasted and painted my July 1950 standard's chassis, the tunnel had original paint in good shape under the rear seat bottom, and I would say 80% gloss or more. When I cleaned it up and buffed it a bit, there was a significant gloss.
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Duane Wakida
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PostPosted: Mon Jan 08, 2018 9:20 am    Post subject: Re: Question about color of chassis, april 1949 Reply with quote

Exactly! Not a chance that’s satin or a 50’s version of semi-gloss. That’s vintage full gloss baby!
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