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The Correct Headlight Paint
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Jack Frisch
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PostPosted: Thu Jun 09, 2005 9:46 pm    Post subject: The Correct Headlight Paint Reply with quote

For 58/59 Beetles.
I restored my headlights yesterday and found a perfect match for the color that needed to be repainted on the inside of the lights.

My headlight assemblies are original and have never been painted, so the color thats there was correct

That color is a aluminum color.

I matched it on the first try using:
Rustoleum's "Aluminum 7715" spray paint

Make sure the can has Aluminum 7715 on its barcode sticker.

You will be very happy with this paint.


Moderator note:
Also see this rebuild procedure:
http://www.wolfsburgwest.com/wired/wired_02_01/wired_02_01.htm

Another post:
hitest wrote:
there is a spray can paint that very closely matches the light gray color: Ford Gray- available in the TRACTOR paint section of Ace Hardware and Tractor Supply stores (farm stores). It's very light and looks great.

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bill may
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PostPosted: Thu Jun 09, 2005 10:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

or rustoleum smoke grey is real close to original also rather than the aluminum and is correct for bumper brackets on beetles made in the 60's. fat chicks use black.
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PostPosted: Fri Jun 10, 2005 8:09 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I recently restored my OG headlight assys, and I found "aluminum" to be far brighter or too metallic than the orig color. Seems like it should match the inside of the bumper blades?
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dstefun
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PostPosted: Fri Jun 10, 2005 8:57 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

There have been many threads on correct headlight color, and most agree on a shade of grey, but a few do say silver or aluminum. It's always possible that Hella and Bosch used different paint formulations over the years, or at different factories. Maybe everybody is right. Wink Paint it the way you like it and dub on.

Some prior threads...... bug & bus headlights are usually the same color

first one says RustOleum gloss light grey or Krylon stone grey satin....

Headlight Bucket Color?
http://thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=49473

Aynbody know the correct color for headlight housings??
http://thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=70852

Headlight Buckets
http://thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=69922

67 bus headlight overhaul
http://thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=50287
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sovereignsamba
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PostPosted: Fri Jun 10, 2005 4:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I agree with Bill, the smoke grey is a lot closer, I've used both colours. I also have about 15 headlight assemblies sitting right next to me ranging from 53-66 & they are all in OG paint & the colour does vary a little bit. Did you match the colour on the inside, or the outside or the assembly? Did you compensate for fading at all?
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Juan
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PostPosted: Tue Feb 07, 2006 12:30 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

bill may wrote:
or rustoleum smoke grey is real close to original also rather than the aluminum and is correct for bumper brackets on beetles made in the 60's. fat chicks use black.


rustoleum smoke grey for bumper brackets. thanks for this piece of info. the ones on my 65 were painted black and it looks very nice and all, but at this point those damn brackets are the only thing keeping the exterior from being like 100% correct Mad sucks that i'll have to take the freaking bumper assemblies off just to paint the brackets. oh well. thanks though, i'm definitely gonna keep that in mind. and please don't stop posting!
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DrDarby
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PostPosted: Tue Feb 07, 2006 7:49 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Headlight buckets were originally a light gray semi-flat black. They were this color as to NOT reflect light upward causing glare and distortion on the lens.

I have seen plenty painted silver and even kind of like it over the dull gray, however.. to be proper they are dull gray.
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67 Florida Deluxe
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PostPosted: Tue Feb 07, 2006 8:11 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Juan wrote:
bill may wrote:
or rustoleum smoke grey is real close to original also rather than the aluminum and is correct for bumper brackets on beetles made in the 60's. fat chicks use black.


rustoleum smoke grey for bumper brackets. thanks for this piece of info. the ones on my 65 were painted black and it looks very nice and all, but at this point those damn brackets are the only thing keeping the exterior from being like 100% correct Mad sucks that i'll have to take the freaking bumper assemblies off just to paint the brackets. oh well. thanks though, i'm definitely gonna keep that in mind. and please don't stop posting!


Juan, let me know how the brackets turn out (how closely they match the photo). I need to redo mine at some point, too, but I'll let you do the "testing" first Very Happy ! -kent
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67 Florida Deluxe
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PostPosted: Tue Feb 07, 2006 8:13 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

DrDarby wrote:
... to be proper they are dull gray.


Yep!
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PostPosted: Tue Feb 07, 2006 10:06 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

67 Florida Deluxe wrote:
Juan wrote:
bill may wrote:
or rustoleum smoke grey is real close to original also rather than the aluminum and is correct for bumper brackets on beetles made in the 60's. fat chicks use black.


rustoleum smoke grey for bumper brackets. thanks for this piece of info. the ones on my 65 were painted black and it looks very nice and all, but at this point those damn brackets are the only thing keeping the exterior from being like 100% correct Mad sucks that i'll have to take the freaking bumper assemblies off just to paint the brackets. oh well. thanks though, i'm definitely gonna keep that in mind. and please don't stop posting!


Juan, let me know how the brackets turn out (how closely they match the photo). I need to redo mine at some point, too, but I'll let you do the "testing" first Very Happy ! -kent


I just took a look at a color chart on the rustoleum site, and the smoke gray does appear pretty dark. the monitor is never a good reference point, though, we know that. I'll go to home depot and test it first --on their shelves! not on my bumper brackets ! Razz
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www.L5VW.com
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PostPosted: Tue Feb 07, 2006 1:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

wolfsburgwest L91 spray cans seem pretty good for bumper brackets
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GüteAndTite
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PostPosted: Thu Apr 14, 2011 10:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

this thread is a hoot.

headlights up to mid 59 were silver inside the bucket, black outside
mid 59 to 60 silver inside and out
61-63 light grey inside and out HELLA outside black on BOSCH
64-67 light grey inside and out HELLA and BOSCH

so silver or light grey depending on your year.
so there are differences in whats CORRECT!
but to be honest- nobody seems to get it right so paint it what ever fucking color you want
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 06, 2011 4:10 pm    Post subject: Rustoleum Stone Gray vs. 67 original color Reply with quote

After reading a whole bunch of threads I went out and bought some Rustoleum American Accents Stone Grey (satin) paint to repaint the headlight buckets on my 1967 Double Cab. Color is pretty close in my book, especially when you taken into account the dirt and grime on the unpainted bucket.

Below are two photos, one with the buckets next to each other and the other one has just the focusing ring on top of the unpainted bucket.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Like I said, I'm happy. Hopefully, these examples will make it easier for some people too.

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PostPosted: Tue Sep 06, 2011 5:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I would be happy with that match.
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PostPosted: Wed Sep 07, 2011 9:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

bill may wrote:
or rustoleum smoke grey is real close to original also rather than the aluminum and is correct for bumper brackets on beetles made in the 60's. fat chicks use black.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bill, your forgetting Standards and 1200A use steel gray ( L-328 ) for those bumper brackets / door handles inside & out / hood Handles / deck lid pull / hub caps / bumpers / horn grille and sometimes body side molding if ordered- and yes I have seen standards with painted body side molding from the factory in L-328.
Canadian standards called 1200 Customs use L-328 for bumper brackets / inside door handles / rear deck lid pull. Their painted rear bumper brackets are two piece instead of three like the deluxe 113, but use chrome blades, and chrome towel rack over riders to pass bumper height required in Canada and for that matter U.S.A.
here is a picture of steel gray https://www.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/519384.jpg

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PostPosted: Thu Dec 30, 2021 8:36 pm    Post subject: Re: The Correct Headlight Paint Reply with quote

anyone got pictures of buckets that arent painted the factory color? im thinking of doing a green the same color as my car will be but im unsure on how it will look.

thanks
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PostPosted: Thu Dec 30, 2021 9:27 pm    Post subject: Re: The Correct Headlight Paint Reply with quote

This a Double Cab but this guy recently was posting his truck and did Blue color-matched headlight buckets.

Page 3 of his thread has photos
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=728641
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PostPosted: Thu Dec 30, 2021 9:37 pm    Post subject: Re: The Correct Headlight Paint Reply with quote

EverettB wrote:
This a Double Cab but this guy recently was posting his truck and did Blue color-matched headlight buckets.

Page 3 of his thread has photos
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=728641


I appreciate it cuz.

Shocked Good Lord that Double Cab is Sexy!

i like the look. if i end up not liking them later i can always go back to stock.
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PostPosted: Fri Dec 31, 2021 11:11 am    Post subject: Re: The Correct Headlight Paint Reply with quote

This offends the purists (like me, admittedly), but I painted the metal inside my headlight buckets on my '65 white.

I wired the parking light to stay on with the headlights, too.

The idea was to make the headlamp bucket still maximally visible, should a headlight burn out. I didn't want a head-on because someone thought I was a motorcycle.

This adds nothing to the stock question above, but is a reasonable safety improvement that could be later reversed, if desired.
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PostPosted: Mon Apr 15, 2024 5:44 pm    Post subject: Re: The Correct Headlight Paint Reply with quote

Seems the same color name looks different based on
it it is the American Accents or the Painters Touch

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

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