1950's VW Metallic Paint Problems..... Any Ideas Why?

[Bruce Berman]

As many vintage VW enthusiasts know, the failure rate of VW metallic paints in the 1950s was real problem for the factory, and for Glasurit too, no doubt. And I'll bet that the cost to VW (and to Glasurit for their share of the issue) was significant. Apparently, the problem was so severe and costly that VW stopped offering metallic finishes in 1959.

My Dad had a 1957 L324 Polar Silver sedan that he purchased brand-new. A few years later when he was waxing the car (the only car he ever owned that he waxed), he noticed that the paint was literally flaking off. As my Dad related the istory to me a number of years ago, he brought the car back to the dealer from where it was purchased, (Charles Street Garage in Boston) and they gave him some real attitude about this issue, since the car was now out of the 6 month warranty period. The service manager even had the gall to tell my father, "what do you expect...you bought a Volkswagen!". Eventually, it was agreed that the dealer, the VW distributor for New England (Hansen-Macphee Engineering), and my Dad would split the cost of the repaint three ways, and that was it.

I'd like to know what the issue was with the VW metallic paint quality back then. Was it a metal preparation issue, or quality problems relating to Glasurit? By the same token, even 1950s-1960s American cars painted in metallic finishes never had the durability of non-metallic finishes of the same period. All automotive paints of that period had to be waxed and maintained regularly, or else the finish would oxidize and deteriorate rapidly.

Any thoughts??

Bruce
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Factory original 1957 Type 1 Deluxe Sedan, with 13,000 miles. I purchased her from the estate of the original owner in 1978. Color: L324 Polar Silver, with light beige leatherette interior, dealer-installed Dehne fuel gauge and Motorola Volumatic radio.

[vw54john]

I don't have an answer for question but to say that the problem didn't end there. I *think* VW reintroduced (in the states anyway) metallic finishes again in 1972. My father bought a brand new '72 Baja Edition Super Beetle in Marathon Blue Metallic, andI can remember washing the car in somewhere around 1975 or so and seeing all the metal flake sparkling back up at me from the driveway. Didn't take long for that car to need a repaint. And for whatever it's worth, he had also bought a metallic silver Mustang brand new in '66 which we had reainted in '68 or '69 because large areas of paint had peeled right off exposing the primer.

Again, it's not a specific answer, but I guess metallic paint technology just didn't come of age until sometime later.
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Regards, John
'54 Strato Silver Oval

[Johnjlev]

Part of the problem before the advent of clear coat in the late 70’s was that the metal flake actually protruded up through the surface of the paint. Part of the reason for the advent of clear coat was to apply a layer of material so the flakes would remain below the surface. Of course clear coat serves other purposes (increased gloss, UV protection, etc).

[vdubmyk]

I posted in the body/paint forum a link to single stage paint restoration, metallic and regular. Here's the link http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/ask-expert-fea...aints.html It is long but the car that is demonstrated is a single stage metallic one. Might give you some insight as to what's going on with your cars. Like I said, it is LONG but worth the time to read it in it's entirety. I've read it a few times, just in case I skipped over something.
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64 stock bug, 12V (converted 6v unit), 40 hp, all documents even sales contract and dealer window sticker!

[Bruce Berman]

[vw54john]

Well, I think it does - you can chalk it up to super bad oxidation. Not only was the single stage paint oxidizing, but so was the aluminum metal flake contained in it. Result - real dead paint job, real fast.
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Regards, John
'54 Strato Silver Oval

[vdubmyk]

[67conv]

For what's it worth, I also purchased a 1972 Baja Champion NEW in August, 72 ...Marathon Blue Metallic..beautiful metallic paint for the first year and a half..but, no matter how many times I washed or waxed it, the paint 'died' and oxidized within 20 months...And even "new" cars with clear coat have this metallic problem as well..I have owned a 2001 Infiniti for 11 years with a light green metallic factory paint job that has completely oxidized and wore through to the primer in spots about 4 years ago...Metallics still suck, IMHO...
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1967 VW Convertible, owned 35 years.
1957 DKW 3=6, owned 21 years.

PREVIOUS: 1972 "Baja Champion SE" Spec. Edition Beetle bought NEW @ Pierce VW in Denver; 1979 Super Beetle Convertible bought NEW @ Downtown LA VW; 1967 type 1 savanna beige; 1967 Porsche 2.0 911S; 1973 Porsche 2.4 911T; 1963 356 T6 B Cabriolet; 1964 356 SC sunroof coupe; 1972 Type-3 Squareback; 1968 + 1969 Type-3 Fastbacks; 1987 Vanagon GL Weekender

[67conv]

Oh....forgot to mention the 87 Vanagon I also had new..another Factory Metallic paint job...Silver....went dull and oxidized within a short time too!!
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1967 VW Convertible, owned 35 years.
1957 DKW 3=6, owned 21 years.

PREVIOUS: 1972 "Baja Champion SE" Spec. Edition Beetle bought NEW @ Pierce VW in Denver; 1979 Super Beetle Convertible bought NEW @ Downtown LA VW; 1967 type 1 savanna beige; 1967 Porsche 2.0 911S; 1973 Porsche 2.4 911T; 1963 356 T6 B Cabriolet; 1964 356 SC sunroof coupe; 1972 Type-3 Squareback; 1968 + 1969 Type-3 Fastbacks; 1987 Vanagon GL Weekender

[Herbie3Rivers]

I'm glad I found this. I myself just picked up a 33k original mile 56 Oval that was polar silver new. Under the hood, decklid, and all the inside paint is still original and in perfect shape, however the outside was repainted what looks like anthracite. I've got every receipt for the car going back to early 1962, and the only thing I have that mentions paint was some touch up to a rear fender in the early 1980s with photos and the car was already that color. So I'm going with the assumption that it was one of these paint failure cars.

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