Hi guys,

I have a blue 1972 914/4, I'm looking at changing the exterior colour. The front and rear trunks have been painted black and I thought this was done when it was last painted, however when I started removing the gas tank and heater fan I noticed that the paint to those areas was gloss black original paint. I sanded the paint and sure enough it was originally gloss black. I peeled the fuel sticker back on the passenger side guard and still black. I know the exterior is the original colour.

I have never seen a 914 with factory black paint to the trunk, has anyone else come across this?
The car was originally from Barbados.

The color code on the Karmann plate will indicate the car's true, original color. I do not believe the factory ever painted the trunks black without the exterior also painted black.

194's were always one color. If the origional color wasn't black, It just had a bare metal respray and new decals.

45 year old cars. Lots of history.

I thought I have heard over the years that checking up under the dash is another place to check for original color... it would be faded, or lighter, but the whole car was painted one color from the factory. If the car was repainted, there is a chance that the color code plaque in the door jam was also removed, or sprayed on/over.

Thanks everyone for the replies, having sanded the exterior panels I'm certain of the original colour metalic blue, the original colour was under the top coat. Under the dash and footwell is a grey colour that looks factory. When I took the gas tank out the foam strips between the tank and paint were free of overspray and showed age as were deteriorating. There is only one layer of black paint to this area, but the exterior had primer, blue, primer, blue layers. It's a bit odd that they would remove all the paint to one area and paint over the other.

This car has been off the road for 25 years, so was on the road for 18 years, so it's driving history is quite short for one of these cars.

Anyway I doubt you could get a uniquely painted car. I was hoping it was factory so that I didn't have to colour code the trunk areas.

Thanks again

Ian