TheSamba.com :: View topic - Paint code for steel blue top (on Dove Blue 87)

Mon Aug 15, 2016 1:57 pm

My Vanagon's roof needs a repaint and my thoughts are as follows:

1. I'm kind of a purist and don't want to paint the roof the same color as the van because that's not the way the factory did it. I like my stuff stock, for the most part. (a larger displacement motor would be nice, though)

2. I've thought about it and there's no reason I can't cheat and paint the top while on the van (I'll remove the luggage rack because it's easy). Since the roof is textured, it won't really matter if I roll the new paint on - I'll lift the top, put a bunch of plastic drop cloth material over the body, close the top, wipe it down with solvent, scotch brite the heck out of it, more solvent, tack cloth, mix 2k urethane and roll it on. If I'm careful, I should be able to do this without getting any paint anywhere that it doesn't belong.

3. #2 is another reason to not use metallic paint, which would need to be sprayed on, followed by clear. I have several spray guns and it's something I can do, but I'd rather just do the roller, which will be easier.

I've searched here and the web and it seems that "Steel Blue" (Stahl Blau) is the factory color, but there are no paint codes for it, that I'm aware of. I think there's some unfaded paint on the rear edge of the luggage rack. Is the underside also gel-coated in blue? If so, that will provide plenty of surface for my paint guy to shoot with his color-matching gun.

If I end up getting my own paint code and the job comes out properly, then I'll post the code, along with some photos.

Does anyone have a code for this? It would save a trip to the paint jobber. Thanks.

Mon Aug 15, 2016 3:28 pm

See if this helps you:

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=527875&highlight=paint+code

Mon Aug 15, 2016 3:32 pm

termuehlen wrote: See if this helps you:

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=527875&highlight=paint+code

It did help. That's where I found the name of the top color. In that thread, someone asks for the paint code but no one replied.

Mon Aug 15, 2016 3:42 pm

I see! The interwebs lists VW Stahlblau code here, but it is for the 2012 model year?

http://www.automotivetouchup.com/touch-up-paint/volkswagen/2012/all-models/

Mon Aug 15, 2016 3:56 pm

I think your 1987 appropriate color choices from VW are listed here:

http://paintref.com/cgi-bin/colorcodedisplay.cgi?make=Volkswagen&con=k&page=33&rows=50

Mon Aug 15, 2016 4:00 pm

Thanks. The only steel blue codes I've seen so far for VW have been metallic colors.

Mon Aug 15, 2016 4:04 pm

"Steel Blue" is listed as a color in 1992 for the Passat model with code LB5T, the same as the code in 2012 for Stahlblau. So, if Steel Blue (Stahlblau) was available as a VW paint in 1987, then maybe this is a good code.

OK, clearly I am just doing interweb searching here and I will stop now. I do not claim to have any specialized automotive paint knowledge.

Mon Aug 15, 2016 8:12 pm

termuehlen wrote: OK, clearly I am just doing interweb searching here and I will stop now. I do not claim to have any specialized automotive paint knowledge.

Thanks for working on this with me! I appreciate it.

Unfortunately, that code is for a metallic color, which is not the case with the pop top.

Tue Aug 16, 2016 9:19 am

It does appear that none of the poptop Westfalia-Werke paint codes are available. The later model Westy's had several basic poptop color options which seem to approximately match the body, but are definitely not metallic. It seems Westfalia offered basic colors at the end of production like beige, white, red, grey, blue (for dove blue body), blue (for orly blue body) and burgundy. It sure would be great to find these paint codes, but I did not have any luck.

Keep us posted on your paint decision. I would really like to see how it turns out. (I too have an dove blue/stahl blue Westy.)

Tue Aug 16, 2016 10:36 am

Thanks. I will be getting this figured out and I'll post the paint code here. I'll also create a tech procedure thread when I get around to doing the work.

Tue Aug 16, 2016 10:44 am

is it LH5U/X2...?

http://www.paintscratch.com/touch_up_paint/Volkswagen/1987-Volkswagen-Vanagon.html

Tue Aug 16, 2016 11:55 am

That's Dove Blues paint code. Only comes in metallic. Interestingly, the "(X2)" part of the code signifies an accompanying color (for trim, etc.). In this case, it's X2, which is Taubengrau Metallic. Was this possibly the color used for the side inset stripes you see on some vans?

Tue Aug 16, 2016 12:20 pm

Taubengrau is german for Dove Gray. X2X2 was the order code for the dove gray color combination.

http://www.westfaliat3.info/html/westfalia_1987_vanagon_camper.html

Tue Aug 16, 2016 12:41 pm

What do you mean by "color combination"? A second paint color? The Dove Blue van in your photo appears to have grey stripes inset into the sides, which is what I was talking about.

Tue Aug 16, 2016 1:19 pm

on mine (orignal paint) the gray grey stripes inset into the sides is a strip of metallic grey adhesive

Tue Aug 16, 2016 1:30 pm

0to60in6min wrote: on mine (orignal paint) the gray grey stripes inset into the sides is a strip of metallic grey adhesive

That's what I would have expected - maybe a dealer or port-installed option.

So where is this second color (dove gray) paint applied? 87 vans didn't have the lower painted panels.

Tue Aug 16, 2016 1:42 pm

that's the combo for vans that have fiber glass bumpers and (sometimes not) side panel skirts...

Tue Aug 16, 2016 1:47 pm

0to60in6min wrote: that's the combo for vans that have fiber glass bumpers and (sometimes not) side panel skirts...

That color combo is listed for 87. Did they offer it on any vehicles? I thought the glass bumpers didn't appear until 88.

Tue Aug 16, 2016 2:16 pm

some late '87 have the fiberglass bumpers but not the side panel skirts.. I have an '90 tintop with fiberglass bumpers but no side panel skirts

the bumper/side panels color are Graphite (grey) LT7B or Cloud Grey Metallic LV7N

just skip the combo (X2) if you don't have it...

Tue Aug 16, 2016 2:25 pm

sciroccojim wrote: What do you mean by "color combination"? A second paint color? The Dove Blue van in your photo appears to have grey stripes inset into the sides, which is what I was talking about.

As I understand it, in 1987-1991 when you ordered your Westfalia, you selected a color. The factory identifier X2X2 meant that you ordered a Dove Blue Metallic (paint code LH5U - Taubengrau Metallic) a with Steel (Stahlblau) Blue Roof version.

Any stripes were an add on (likely dealer installed).