Aircooled VW South Africa

Maybe we can compile our own list of colour codes used by Uitenhage. If you are 100% sure that your car still have it's original paint, please provide the code number and official year model (not year first sold). After 1964, third digit of chassis number refers to model year. If total of 9 digits, (example 216 *** ***), the "6" means 1966. Also 318 *** *** means 1968. If total of 10 digits, (example 112* *** ***), the "2" means 1972, and 218* *** *** would be 1978. Obviously first 2 digits is body type.

It may be possible that Uitenhage's seventies paint code numbers are different from earlier ones with the same numbers, but this we will try to determine from our efforts here. Early codes were on chassis number plate. Later ones were on a separate little plate riveted on. On a 1966 car only a letter was found stamped as colour code.

If paint code is 3 digits, and last digit is "0", this means two-tone, where upper part is sand white. Like 050 is code 05 with white upper like a late baywindow.

So far we have:
On a 66 car code "C" was light green.

00- Sand White. (1969)
01- Aster Blue. (1969)
02- Knysna Green. (1969)
03- Mist Grey. (1969)
04- Savanna Beige. (1969)
10- Ultramarine Blue. (1969)
14- Ruby Red. (1969)
15- Java Green (1969)

12- (not sure of official name)- "dark blue-ish"- (1967)

LATER (+ - mid 70's codes):

02- Pale yellow/beige-ish. (1974) (Could differ from earlier 69 "Knysna Green")
06- Light yellowish-beige. (1977)
05- Olive Green. From around + - 1973 and discontinued end of 1975.
18- Dark Brown. (1973).

In 1978 some new colours were introduced. "Glacier blue" was official name for a slightly different light blue/grey-ish, and "Arctic white" was a new brilliant white colour with a minor touch of blue.

In 1969 code for interior was:
55-Red
56-Black
54-Ivory
57-Beige
A 1975 kombi with dark brown seats and light brown side panels was marked 68/67.

This is a picture by Reuben, taken from a booklet Jolas had:


Please post the code, model year and colour description of your car on this thread. (Only if you are 100% sure it is the original colour, and it is an Uitenhage car, not imported).

Later we could maybe move the info to "Codes" under "technical". Ideally, if anyone have more of those official colour charts it would be appreciated if you could scan and post them here.

Please note that at this stage we are only collecting info. This is all we have at the moment, so unfortunately cannot help with questions.

Thanks in advance.
Dawie.

my 62 Beetle is a Paint code C!
She has been re-sprayed but can see a bit of light green turquoise looking color on the back of some of the engine bay brackets!

I think Sean's interior is that light brown / dark brown combination that you mention - which looks odd when comparing to other colour combinations - his bay window bus is light green. He can correct me, but I think it also a '75 year model. What was the colour of the '75 bus you were looking at Dawie ?
Will look at my '74 bay SC plate asap.
What ever happened to John Lemon, was'nt he supposed to have colour codes, charts, etc ?

Thanks Retrobug. So we now also know that code "C" is a light green type colour that was used in 66 and 62.

If someone who knows John Lemon (the VWSA historian) could contact him it would be nice. I suspect he might not be too "computer literate", that could be why we do not hear from him.

Another possibility would be info from shops that sold automotive paint in those days. They had charts and info about VWSA's colours. Around the eighties one could still walk into an automotive paint shop and ask for a VWSA paint by it's official name. They could then still mix according to the info they had at the time. The places that i tried recently seems to have chucked away those old colour charts.

Yes Paul, think Sean had a 73 green kombi where the green is up to roofline. And some others. Think his panel van was a blue executive kombi.

John Lemon was rumoured to be joining the forum a few months ago, http://www.aircooledvwsa.co.za/viewtopi ... 6&p=207670

Will try to get hold of him later,as he is not home now.

Will ask him if he has any info in this regard.

Herman

Great idea! Thanks Dawie!

I will dig up the info I've collected so far (not much!) and post it here.

In the meantime, the only one I have in my head is my 1963 ex-army Kombi. Colour code is O/G, which I take to mean olive green, which was the original colour. Since this colour was probably SADF order only and not available from dealers, it's probably not as useful as the regular catalogue codes.

Spoke to John today, as it happens to be, he is working in the archives of VW as this moment, and has secured approx. 70 colour codes.
Unfortunately, most are from the 1970's.
I am trying to assist him with contact to Plascon, and Dulux to try and get paint formulations for these and other paint codes.
Will keep you informed.

Herman

Did plascon and Dulux make car paints?

beetlepower wrote:Did plascon and Dulux make car paints?

They have been the main supplier to VW, Uitenhage, for 20 years.



The Panel beater suppliers do not supply VW as they do not make paint in bulk.

VW and the others buy in paint in bulk, and have paint delivered in up to 10 000 litre's at a time.

These paints are mixed and matched from one batch to the next, and may not be more then 0.5 of a shade different one to the other.

Paint for VW is also measured from 7 different angles, thats not easy......

Hi Dawie,

My kombi is a 1975 (not original colour, but seems very close - looking at over spray areas)

here' a pic of the colour (top = white, bottom= light blue) and the plate behind the driver seat (paint code = 030 if i understand correct)...

jope this can help somehow.

Regards,
Hendrik

Thanks Hendrik.

Retrovan, any news about some info from John Lemon?

Dawie wrote:Thanks Hendrik.

Retrovan, any news about some info from John Lemon?

Spoke to Dulux and Du Pont, Both are looking into there archives, but on the computer system, they can only go back to 1985.

John also has the colours from the T3 up and the City Golf, we still trying to get the 1950,60,70 colour charts.

Let hope we get them, John was telling me he has so many records to go through, that he will be busy for the next 20 years, (not only colours). He has been asked by VW to get their archives in order, as it is in a mess.

Will let you know as soon as I find anything.

This forum may be able to supply VW with info for their Archives

Herman

Does any one have an equivalent paint code for 03 Mist Grey. I am wanting to keep my Type 3 the original colour and can't find a supplier that has an equivelent,
Thanks

Hi Guys
Just got a 72 beetle and would like to do a restore i am interested in getting the origenal coloure for the car.I found a tag on the front by the bonnet catch it reads:
114P 3660
EA 330
02/61
Right now the car is blue when i took the engine bay pannels out the fire wall is blue and the car was repainted before we got it so any help will be great full.I can post a pic of the tag. and the chassis number starts 11222