How about waxing the top after the paint cures? That should add the right
amount of sheen and protect the paint too. You could check with the paint
shop to find out how long you should wait before applying the wax coat..

I use 303 www.303products.com/ aerospace UV protectant on my top (white) and
it makes a nice semi-gloss finish which is pretty close to what it looked
like new in 1991.

John Meeks
'91 Multivan
Northern Michigan

Vanagon Rescue Squad
http://www.vanagonauts.com/Vanagon_Rescue_Squad74.htm

Radio Call:KC8ZFN

On Thu, Oct 1, 2009 at 9:23 PM, Michael Wagner <mwagner628@comcast.net>wrote:

> Folks -
>
> Need some of you to chime in with experience & history.
>
> My '85 Wolfsburg Westy just came back from the body shop after receiving a
> replacement luggage rack section and repair/re-paint to the top.  (The van
> had an unfortunate encounter with some fallen electric wires reported
> earlier).
>
> The Van is metallic medium brown, and the top is a tan color.
>
> I believe the original finish on the top had some level of "gloss" to it.
> It may not have been high gloss, but it certainly wasn't flat or matte.
>
> The new paint on the top looks great, but its flat.  So, I'm going to make
> the body shop fix it.
>
> So my question is, for those of you with non-white westy tops, how much of
> a
> sheen was the factory original. Mine was faded and dull from 25 years of
> weather, but I'm sure originally it wasn't flat.
>
> So - low luster?  Semi-gloss?  Super-gloss?  They're going to make it right
> - but have no reference as to what it should be.
>
> Thanks.
>
> M
>