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Posted by: realred914 May 10 2010, 12:09 PM

does anyone have data as too when the 914 came with dark black verses a dark grey gas tank color??? I have seen enough 914 tanks to know there are at least two colors used on the tanks, but have yet to determine when the colors changed or if they cahnged many times during production

any ideas on this?
who else has noticed this and what years of cars??????

Posted by: dr914@autoatlanta.com May 10 2010, 01:58 PM

Two different colors???????? Really??????????? Capt'n Krusty???

Posted by: kg6dxn May 10 2010, 02:19 PM

My 71 had a black tank.
My 73 has a black tank.

Posted by: detoxcowboy May 10 2010, 02:23 PM

I have had a few tanks, never seen a grey one...always black..

Posted by: vsg914 May 10 2010, 02:38 PM

Three colors: black, black, and black.

Posted by: tod914 May 10 2010, 05:26 PM

I can't speak for the 6 tanks here, but Pat Garvey, an original owner of a 72 has the black-grey L41 paint code tank. I just sent him out a can I purchased from Wolfsburg west to see how close of a match it is. My 73 has the satin black tank. The duplicolor engine enamel low gloss black is a very close match. If you want it to be a touch shinnier, try their semi gloss black. I touched up two original tanks with the low gloss black. Blended in very nice. I baked it on with heat lamps and by sticking a hair drier in the filler hole. Should hold up well. Hope that helps. Maybe Pat will chime in when he does a test with the grey-black. If you do test shots and compare the various black rattle can paints out there, you'll see their is quite a difference in the tint & finish.

Posted by: RobW May 10 2010, 05:44 PM

You learn something new everyday..

For 2 colors, I would have guessed black and rust....

Posted by: tod914 May 10 2010, 05:52 PM

lol Rob. I can't believe the condition on the inside of some of these tanks. Definetly not conviced storing them full is a good thing.

Posted by: RobW May 10 2010, 05:55 PM

What's the "storing them full" issue?

Posted by: tod914 May 10 2010, 05:58 PM

Just from following some threads here, seems the long term storage with full tanks makes them rust pretty bad.

Posted by: RobW May 10 2010, 06:00 PM

Just another reason to drive 'em!

Posted by: Cap'n Krusty May 10 2010, 06:05 PM

I have yet to see a 914 fuel tank that wasn't a non-gloss black.

The Cap'n

Posted by: 6freak May 11 2010, 07:56 AM

you could order them with any color you wanted !as long as you picked black

Posted by: Elliot Cannon May 11 2010, 10:56 AM

Paint it "rayedd"


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Posted by: plymouth37 May 11 2010, 12:47 PM

The earlier cars had the black steel expansion tanks while the later ones were greyish plastic but I have only seen black for the fuel tanks themselves, red looks pretty good though!

Posted by: Pat Garvey May 12 2010, 08:12 PM

I've seen that most "original" tanks were painted int wo different shades - either stain black or dark-gray black. I don't have any idea when they changed, nor when they changed back. What I am 100% certain of is that my late 72 tank was originally painted a very dark gray/black. The evaporator is satin black.

I've owned the car since new. It is what it is.

I'll send pics when my camera batteries or recharged.

To those who say there was only satin black, I say you are incorrect. In fact, I ask that someone who's 914 was maufactured in May 1972 prove to me that there's is satin black (original). I lived in Kansas foe a few years, so "show me".
Pat