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Thu Aug 14, 2003 9:16 am

I know it's a fairly simple matter to find a paint code to mix paint. My question is how do you find ouy what the oriiginal color of paint you had? I've got a 70 beetle I want to paint the original color. It's a pale yellow, but I don't know the actual color name. I've tried using online charts, but the colors aren't all that accurate. I thought it was Yukon Yellow, but Wolfsberg West chart says it was a convertible only color. Any suggestions?

Thu Aug 14, 2003 4:59 pm

try this the color chips are much better looking on this site.

http://www.autocolorlibrary.com
go to vw then select year.
good luck
russ

Mon Aug 18, 2003 10:18 am

Just go here and click on the year of your car.. http://www.wolfsburgwest.com/colors/colorchrt.htm

Tue Aug 19, 2003 6:56 am

I've tried bot the links. Wolfsberg West doesn't have a color chart with colors for 1970 (or 1969 just in case the color carried over). Auto color library just doesn't seem to match closely enough to tell. Are there any indicatins of paint color in the VIN or on the plate in the trunk?

Tue Aug 19, 2003 9:33 am

Hey, try this one for ppg, I heard it's a accurate match and have later colors too.

http://www.vintagebus.com/techinfo/ppg.html

Wed Aug 20, 2003 7:10 am

Still no luck. I'm trying to determine what color my bug was when it left the factory. Getting the paint mixed will be no problem after I know what the color is.

Wed Aug 20, 2003 7:21 am

partonkevin wrote: I don't know the actual color name. I've tried using online charts, but the colors aren't all that accurate. Any suggestions?

Online color charts will never ever be 100% accurate. The colors will change when you take pictures or scan them AND will change even more through your monitors depends on how your monitors is (contrast, etc). If you're looking for a perfect match by comparing colors online, good luck.

Othere color charts:
http://www.paintscratch.com/
http://204.95.114.10/colors/colorchrt.htm
http://karmannghia.org/paint_chips.html
http://www.hallvw.clara.net/vwpaint.htm

Wed Aug 20, 2003 11:43 am

That's just it. I'm not trying to match my color with paint chips. I'm trying to get someone to tell me if you can decipher the VIN # or the # plate in the trunk and tell what color the car left the factory with. Practically every car I've ever tried to buy paint for was easy. A number in the VIN represented a certain paint code.

Wed Aug 20, 2003 12:44 pm

What you're looking for is a paper sticker, maybe by the widow washer resevoir with the paint code on it. Jeremy

Wed Aug 20, 2003 12:52 pm

If all else fails, and the sticker is gone, you can get a birht certificate for your car, and it will have the original colour on it.

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=398

Check that link out! Jeremy

Wed Aug 20, 2003 3:22 pm

That's the thing though, I don't think VW put the factory paint codes on the VIN numbering until later. The first few numebrs are the model year and it's pretty much just sequential after that. To match the factory paint with your VIN number will require you to get a birth certificate (like suggested above).

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I found this info though http://www.hallvw.clara.net/dating.htm
The Air-cooled Production Plate

This plate is found on Beetles, Type 3s and Type 4s on the front panel near the chassis plate, but painted in the body colour. It gives the production date as the week of the calendar year, and the weekday.

Thus this car was made on Monday, Week 18 (a 1971 calendar lets you work out the actual date). Its factory colour code is 21, which is Marina blue (shown in brochures).

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But in my opnion, unless you're building a concourse restoration, paint it any colr you want. My friend spent 5 years restoring a Bugeye Sprite fromt he gound up and painted it the factory color. 3 years after completeion he wishes he painted it the color he'd rather have instead.

Fri Aug 22, 2003 6:30 am

Alright! This is this type of info I was looking for! Unfortunately, I can't find my build plate. The little skinny one, that is. I've got the squarish plate in the spare tire well. Where in relation to something else would I find the build plate? I might be missing it, or maybe I'm just looking over it. By the way, it's a 70 Beetle. I looked at all the links that have been posted in this thread and paintscratch.com was the best for color chips. I really think it's Yukon Yellow. It just bothers me that Wolfsberg West says that color was only available on convertibles that year.

Fri Aug 22, 2003 6:57 am

I've seen alot of yukon yellow 70's. That's got to be a mistake on WW site. One of my favorite colors actually.

Fri Aug 22, 2003 11:02 am

Quote: By: jeremysmithatshawdotca

What you're looking for is a paper sticker, maybe by the widow washer resevoir with the paint code on it.

Find the sticker, and you'll find your paint code! It should be in the spare tire location.