Is the color satin black and did they use an undercoat first and then the paint. I appreciate your response. What was the factory finish.

Wrong forum ~ also try the search. Many threads on this topic exist.

moved to O&H forum...

This from the factory manual:

Ditto this question for me!

... also I assume this is the same finish used for the F & R OE Steel Valances under the bumpers - correct?

Jeff - the page which you posted above specifies: "...except USA models..." - so was there a different finish on USA spec vehicles??

IRRC - the targa tops OE finish in the USA was a more glossy black with wrinkly pattern (undercoating??) - is that the exception to which it refers, or for lower parts too??

... while the rockers & valences were a dull or flat or satin black (not sure if smooth or textured)??

Any CW Gurus want to weigh in here????

Oh wait - DUH - Brain Fart!

They're referring to the Bumpers changing to Black after the 73 MY, not the lower sheet metal nor to the Targa tops.

... Still, weren't the Targa Tops here in the USA OE more Shiny than Flat Black??

These pix from my 73 MY USA Sales Brochure seems to show dull lower sheet metal panels & a targa top with a "sheen" to the finish:

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Here's a detail from my hi-rez pic of the blue one with the top at an angle showing the Targa Top's sheen well:

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First, and this is important, what is the year of your 914? it makes a significant difference.
Pat

The ONLY finish that was carried through the years was that of the removable top.

With the exception of the 916, all 914's had a textured top, overlayed by a satin finish paint. Routine polishing of the top made it appear to be a glossy finish, but it was textured underneath the paint.

I am uncertain as to whether that "texture" was created by Body Shutz, but believe it probably was.

Finishes on the F&R shields/bumpers, as well as the rocker covers are variable after the 1973 models.

However, the pre-74 cars had similar markings to these panels. The F&R lower shields, as well as the rocker covers were "Shutz'd" prior to painting a satin black finish. The Shutz finish should be a mini-pebble grain finish, accomplished by low peessure spraying of the compound (available from 3M). Spray pressure should not exceed 35 psi, or you will get "stippling". A special spray gun is available from 3M for this purpose, or you could try to borrow one from a member here.

My apologies to sgrisanti, but we've been through this several times before, so I may not be as specific as I have been. Do a search & then see if you need more help.
Pat

Pat, could you give a breakdown here of how the Rockers' & F&R Lower Valance (Cover?) Panels' finishes changed by year or groups of years plz?

I suppose then, that original factory black satin on the tops was just shiny enough to give the sheen shown in those pix from my 73 MY sales brochure (esp. at the blue 914), because I don't see why they would've polished it for the photo shoot, then Have customers come back & complain.

Would that be a low reflectivity finish similar to the dash tops??

... it seems like the produce a sheen rather than high reflection as well, when caught at the proper angle to a light source.

I am about to clean and repaint my 1970 914-6's rear lower valance (covering the muffler). In cleaning off the old paint I did notice some sort of an undercoating.

Is the paint color to use a black satin? Any brand?

Thanks

Haasman

Several on here have recco'd using Wurth Body Shutz for the texture, with a Satin Black enamel over that (usual prep & epoxy primer under the shutz/paint) for rockers & valances, as well as for the targa top.

Here's an update on Jeff's provided information. I contacted Rinshed - Mason.

Tod,
We did have a 861(not 681) black texture lacquer available in the early 70's, but it and all other lacquers have long ago gone out of existence.
The best replacement would be a Glasurit black 2K urethane mixed with a texture additive. The amount of texture and gloss can be adjusted to match. All of these product should be available at a local Glasurit distributor. They are intended for professional use however and are not available in spray cans. You can find information about these products and a distributor locator at BASFrefinish.com.
I''ve also asked for help from my German colleagues on this. If I can get any better information, I'll forward it to you.

Regards,
Joseph Skurka
Mgr., OEM & Industry Relations

OK, in 1978 I, and a friend (Gregg Gandee) contacted Chuck Stoddard about this. Chuck was one of the premier 914 phobes of the day & had direct links with the high ups at the Factory.

He asked the same question re: refinishing the F&R valences & rocker covers, and forwarded the response to us. Per his instructions, all four parts should be stripped to bare metal, primed with a good quality primer (no mention of zinc-based primers), and Shutzed at 35 psi max pressure, using the gun provided bt 3M. This applied to 914's & 911's of the era (1960-73 cars). We boght the gun together. He used it on his & turned it over to me. His panels came out beautifully, even after the Wurth satin black.

I did mine while the 914 was being repainted. Stripped them to bare metal. Prep solved them & applied primer. Let dry for a week. Then, with a compressor set at 35 psi applied a coat of Body Sutz to the front valence/apron. Came out too "pebbly", so I stripped it again, primed it again, rested it again. Sprayed on the Shutz at 30 psi. Too knobby! Did it again, from scratch, and sprayed the Shutz on at 32 psi. It was dead on! Let it dry for 2 weeks & covered it with Wurth satin black. It's a gorgeuos finish & matches perfectly the early rear valence that I bought last year.

Unfortunately, the spray gun was sent back to Gregg so he could redo his 72 911. Then he moved from Dayton to Redlands & lost interest in Porsches.

It is a low pressure gun, so should still be fairly inexpensive.

I can send picks of the finish if anyone is interested.

As to the roof, I suspect it was finished similarly. With many years of polishing & cleaning mine is shiney, yet nubby.
Pat

Excellent details! Thanx Pat!