Gold coating - Fact or Fiction

[swanlakers]

Can anyone prove to me via photographic evidence,
(or even "I saw it and thats the way its's supposed to be)"
that new 36hp cases were gold colored. I belive that new INDUSTRIAL engines are gold, (produced in mid 60's) but I have seen a number of engines from the day in low mileage cars which have never had their cases split and they were grey/silver, not gold. So the gauntlet is thrown.

Prove it.
(let the flames commence, I got my plastik jesus, I ain't skeered)

As example of no gold:From a 57, still with its original tires

Also:

just a little dirty - 41,000 km (25,000 mi) and on its original tires

[Wiggy]

Cosmoline is what creates the "gold". On my 55 vert, which is a 40,000 mile car, I definately had some spots that were hidden with a goldish hue to it. I do think that the "gold finish" is a bit over the top, however. Seems to be too gold to me, but I'm only 31 years old, and wasn't around to see a brand new split or oval straight from the factory.
_________________
Kevin "Wiggy"

My 58 Ghia Vert

My 51 Split 11G

My 57 Deluxe

My 56 Oval

[spookymulder]

I've got an NOS 36 block with a very minor hint of gold cosmoline on it and a pair of NOS heads with a greater amount of gold cosmoline though I believe the appearance is more pronounced due to the aluminum on the heads versus the magnesium of the block. I think the gold DOW treatment is more a self promotion tool used by a pair of vendors trying to set a "standard" that never really existed. Any excess cosmoline burns off any new engine part in a very, very,short period of time. If I really wanted a top dollar motor to look like a bottom of the line GEX gold motor I would probably do the DOW treatment for sure, but not in this lifetime!

[RareAir]

Here's a side note: Before the Gold finish was available from Joe Ruiz (Okrasa Werks), Tony Moore (Wolfsburg West) had it done to his former 1955 Convertible which was featured waay back in the July 1986 issue of Hot VWs. So that Gold-finish isn't something new.

[Alan Willis]

Look at the bottom picture,you can see the gold hue in it as well!

[Mr. Motorhead]

It (the gold look finish) was never intended as a "standard" look for an engine case but rather as a pickle to protect the case in shipping.After all, these cars were shipped on a boat to get here.Ever seen what salt air does to a Mag case (it's just a little reactive!).Would you buy a new car with a crusty looking engine? Look at the way even new Mexican cases look right out of the box,kinda look the same way don't they?The look does not last long simply because it's not supposed to.As for those who advocate the gold look,please back it up with some hard facts.I've been working on aircooled VWs for nearly 30 years and the color of a case has always been the raw grey color of mag,no special treatments,pigments,and certainly never paint.
_________________
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"All limitations are self imposed."
Some Chinese guy

[53 0val]

It's a myth........
_________________
"What a fool believes he sees, no wise man has the power to reason away." Dobee, Dobee, Do

[coad]

The cosmoline turns gold from picking up oil and smoke and other pollutants in the air. If you want to duplicate the look take a case, cover it in cosmoline, and then put it into a smokey bar for a couple weeks--- the cigarette smoke will quickly color the cosmoline and give you that OG look.

[MedicTed]

[johnshenry]

[RareAir]

[a57oval]

I purchased an NOS blank case from Robert Wharton whe he worked at wolfsburg Wharehouse at least ten years ago. The case had a gold finish on it that did not come off with wax and grease remover. Cosmoline removes quite easily with any solvent. the case had a very minor amount of oxidation on some exterior surfaces so I had the case recoated locally with DOW #7. The case came out way dark brown. So I am stumped as to what VW used. What is the correct finish? If anything?
Peter

[retrowagen]

The first picture shown in this thread is of the engine in my late '57 Karmann-Ghia, a 22,000 original mile, original everything car. As far as I know nothing has ever been done to the surface of the engine case.

I have seen different kinds of Cosmoline protective coatings on all sorts of things over the years. Perhaps VW used different kinds or amounts on spare parts (Longblocks, cases, Industrial motors) than on cars immediately sold, as the spares would be foreseen to sit around a while whilst the cars ready to go would not need long-term corrosion protection?
_________________
David Ruby
President, Karmann-Ghia World Club

[Richard Roth]

The gold coating is definitely not cosmoline.
It also "wears off" with use.
Possibly due to the heating and cooling cycles.
So does the plating on the nuts and bolts.
So a low mileage motor will probably not have much of it left.
I have seen NOS 25hp cases that are definitely gold coated.

_________________
The problem with reality is that there's no background music !

1966 Empi GTV MKIV
1954 Kabriolett Beetle
1953 Porsche 356 1500S
1957 Cable brake standard model
1962 cable brake standard model
1956 23 window Samba
1960 Austin Healey 3000
1961 Corvair Greenbrier

[vwfern]

I just attained a 36hp eng from an 88 yo man. The entire case is gold colored. He mentioned that it was an industrial engine at one time. I had never seen or heard of it before this.

[OMT]

This is my opinion. That "gold" coating is called "Dow". It is used to protect magnesium while in storage and during machining operations.
There are several different kinds of "Dow". "Dow 1" was used on magnesium VW cases through out the years (this includes 2 pc case Porsche as well). It does not last long and does not protect very well.
Now we come to the present time; "Concour" Porsche people have searched for this treatment like the holy grail. Now remember, this does not last long so what do I do? The platers are putting "Dow 17" on the cases. It looks very similar and is a little more durable.
So how does this "yahoo" know? The truth is I don't. I have seen the treatment behind the flywheel on VW and Porsche cases. I have never seen an NOS case with this treatment, so now what.
All I know is that it looks gorgeous on a fully detailed engine.
Bob and I had this discussion in 1999 at VW Panic and of course we did not agree, remember me Bob; the little guy with tatoos.
I respect everyones opinion here(I'm not trying to pick on you, Bob).
This is a puzzling topic, I'm just adding more fuel to the fire.
Let the hating begin!
Mit freundlichen grueussen,Al

[53 0val]

Hi Al..........I agree with you. Porsche guys are always looking for the correct color. Joe Ruiz is the guy they turn to......but I don't believe that what they are doing is correct and maybe that's where the confusion is. Personally I don't believe that an NOS case has to be gold. I believe that some of them were.........I believe that the gold was some sort of protective coating that burned off very quickly.......but I have seen NOS cases.....both VW and Porsche that were never gold. So what is the answer............... What's your take?
_________________
"What a fool believes he sees, no wise man has the power to reason away." Dobee, Dobee, Do

[OMT]

Hello Bob and everyone else on this thread.
Like I stated; I really don't know. I just like the looks of the "Dow" (I mean "Dow 17) ;the "Dow 1" will etch the case about .0005 so you need to align bore after treatment. "Dow 17" doesn't seem to affect size. So it is a different process.
Bob, If you remember our conversation back in 1999; it was about a 1956 oval with an Okrasa engine. I had the case treated and believed this to be correct. I think you had some German friends with you at time and they recalled that the cases were gold, but the color burned off very quickly. We had a disagreement on opinions; but I think I was more in the wrong.
Turn back to 2001; I finally found a shop that could do "Dow 1"; Aircraft X Ray in Bell. Wow, I'm going to turn the show car seen on it's ear. Yea, right. I had a friend's 36hp case done and the t3 case for my notch. Yea, had to align bore after the process and after 6 months they went from a beautiful shade of irridescent gold to yucky grey.
So my take is the cases(some cases?) were treated, but the color burns off very quickly. Does anyone remember "Halibrand"? Blowers, wheels; they used "Dow 1" on their magnesium components. It also burned off.
My take is that it is a lot of hype and smoke and mirrors; from people that will not be named. Many people offer this service; you just need to research.
My bottom line is that I like the treatment, I feel that it is correct(ask Roy K. about what I feel is correct!) and it is a gorgeous treatment for a show car or driver engine.
Richard Roth, I would like to hear more about you NOS engine case; please share with all.
MFG,
Al

[53 0val]

[coolairX2]

I had a very low miles unstamped 36hp case that had portions of gold coating still on it. It was absolutly not cosmoline.
I had the case recoated by Joe and the gold is very close to what was originally on the engine, just a shade briter.
In talking with Joe it seems the coating as only temporary and would wear off eventually. I have only put 3k miles on my Okrasa but it still is a nice shade of gold. I expect it to last for a few years.
It seems the gold varies depending on the makeup of the case. In fact one side of my engine is a slightly different shade.
For a driver engine I would skip the process as it is not cheap.

-Craig