Posted by: Mike Peckham - 03 March 2009 18:14:25
I am slowly rebuilding the engine for my '57, a while go I picked up a NOS pair of 30BHP heat exchangers for it but before I fit them, and in the interests of longetivity, I was planning to have them bead blasted and powder coated. They are currently black, so I'm guessing that that will be the correct colour for them but I have this feeling they ought really to be grey. All the period shots I have found which show the heat exchangers are in B&W and those that are in manuals are a little unreliable as VW had a habit of painting engines that would feature in manuals different colours to make them more photogenic! Anyone know what colour is correct? Mike

Posted by: GKL 7 - 03 March 2009 19:17:45
If you have the complete exchanger powder coated,the J pipe section will last about ten miles.It'll burn straight off.I know:oops:

Posted by: Mike Peckham - 04 March 2009 12:12:37
Thanks for that, it's only the heater boxes that I am concerned with, the J tubes will have to take their chances! What colour did you settle on? Mike

Posted by: mrsherbie - 04 March 2009 19:44:14
I stuck my camera under my 55 for you, but it does'nt really help you much does it :lol: So I asked O, he says our own nos oval ones are black too and later 34hp are grey. [img]https://i473.photobucket.com/albums/rr94/skippy53/54-55.jpg[/img]

Posted by: Mike Peckham - 04 March 2009 20:11:01
Thanks for that! Black it is then :wink: Mike

Posted by: johnshenry - 06 March 2009 17:14:14
I have been restoring early heater boxes for several years. I have seen a few later (LMB) boxes, NOS in grey, but all VW parts have seen with discernible paint were black. I spray mine, J tubes too, with POR-15 High Temp "Black Velvet", then back at 450F for 1.5 hours. That paint will not burn off the J pipes. [img]https://zarwerks.com/zaradmin/thesamba/apr_08_lot_2.JPG[/img]