Bumper paint color ?

[Flat4ever]

Hi,

I own an european 2.0 with black paint bumpers (see the pic below). They have some scratches and I will send them to the coach builder on next monday to restore them.

I found nowhere the black paint ref. It is not brilliant ...

So if somebody know the color ...

[unclerichy]

I believe most people on the board will refer to the color as satin black.

[Dave at Pelican Parts]

Supposedly the Wurth "Body Schutz" stuff is a match to the original stuff that is close enough for even the most anal of Concours Weenies...

--DD

[KWales]

Factory manuals say "dull black".

Not very helpful and no paint number.

Ken

[Joe Bob]

Unless you are an origianllity concious person....paint it the body color. Brightens up the car and makes it look more modern.

[914GT]

SEM makes a trim black matching the OEM finish. Eastwood Co. has it, as most automotive paint suppliers.
http://www.eastwoodco.com/itemdy01.asp?T1=10023+Z&Dep_Key1=spc

[Flat4ever]

Unless you are an origianllity concious person....paint it the body color. Brightens up the car and makes it look more modern.

Sure, it is one of my dilemna. Vintage look or modern look ... The car lost its EFI in past life and the 2.0 engine is going to be rebuilt this winter with a soft preparation. The exhaust will be probably a dual Triad...

But on the other hand, the 914 "modernization" seems to be a worldwide fashion. Body color bumpers, yamaha exhausts, a lot of "GT like" with 1.7 engine ... at this time (like as bugs) there are more "fashion" 914 in France than stock ones ...



... and I am not really a fashion guy ...

[Dave at Pelican Parts]

Keep in mind that the early cars (up through 72) had body-colored bumpers--or chrome ones, for an extra cost. In 73 or 74 the body-colored ones were replaced by black.

Since just about all of the 73 2.0s came with chrome bumpers, your car might not look the way it did originally anyway. And with the carbs and the "prepared" motor, it is not original now. If you like the body-colored bumper look, go for it. Or you can see if you can have your bumpers straightened out and chromed.

--DD

[Flat4ever]

Dave, you are totally right about early 914 and colored bumpers. I did not thought about this. And, of course, it is totally reversible

In Europe, in 1973 black bumpers where the standard equipment, the chrome one was optional.

PS: you wrote "prepared" betwin comas. What is the good american word ?

[Joe Bob]

He means a motor that would put you in a "prepared" race class. One that is a step above stock.

[biosurfer1]

hehe, Concours Weenies, thats funny

[Dave at Pelican Parts]

If you see the abbreviation CW around here, that's what it usually means... Said partly in fun, partly in envy. As in, "Gee, I wish my car were that clean! But I don't want to spend that much time cleaning it..."

--DD

[biosurfer1]

i have never liked the concours people, they are so afraid of driving their cars and losing a point to the judges that they lose sight of the whole purpose of cars, TO BE DRIVEN! i can always respect a clean car, but only if it was dirty before hand...sad, some of these guys have the nicest sports cars in the world and they sit on a trailer all the time

[Flat4ever]

Ok, there was a confusion using the word prepared. The engine will be only optimized for carbs. Heads checked/rebuild, new cam, balancing, etc ...

I do not want a show car ... I just want a pleasure car to drive it !

[Dave at Pelican Parts]

Anyway, my point was that the motor has been modified, and is no longer "original". And the carbs are very visible evidence of that. So the point of keeping it "completely original" is somewhat lost already--so why not build something that you like?

--DD

[Flat4ever]

The choice is done. It will be black as was the car when original.

Thank you for all your advices

[Joe Bob]

Here's an old pic of my last 914 conversion....body colored bumpers.