Westfalia could have used a higher quality of pain that would last as long as the body paint.  

My top is definitely original. All the paint under the fasteners was blue, but there is a bit of red overspray on the inside of the sides, and where the teeth from the rubber cut into the top you can see red paint under the blue. 

Stuart

-----Original Message-----
From: Jeff Schwaia [mailto:vw.doka@gmail.com] 
Sent: Monday, June 08, 2015 7:40 PM
To: 'Stuart MacMillan'; vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: RE: Paint for Dove Blue Westy top?

As for quality... I lean the other way and have much more confidence in the quality of the factory paint than the lousy work delivered from most of the paint shops in the USA.

Cheers, 

Jeff

-----Original Message-----
From: Stuart MacMillan [mailto:stuartmacm@gmail.com]
Sent: Monday, June 08, 2015 7:32 PM
To: 'Jeff Schwaia'; vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: RE: Paint for Dove Blue Westy top?

Good point, but I've talked to two generations of the family that I bought it from, and it was purchased new. It's never been in an accident, so I'm pretty sure it's the top that came on it, but the first owners are deceased. 

Anything is possible, but I think if it had been repainted here, the paint would be higher quality!  

Stuart

-----Original Message-----
From: Jeff Schwaia [mailto:vw.doka@gmail.com]
Sent: Monday, June 08, 2015 7:19 PM
To: 'Stuart MacMillan'; vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: RE: Paint for Dove Blue Westy top?

Have you had this van since new?  If not, how can you be sure it hasn't been repainted or even replaced?

Cheers,

Jeff

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of Stuart MacMillan
Sent: Monday, June 08, 2015 7:16 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: Paint for Dove Blue Westy top?

I now know for sure that these tops were painted, they are not gelcoat, and with pretty crappy paint at that. This one was originally red, but Westfalia changed the color.  I guess VW made more blue vans than Titian Red ones in '87.

Stuart

>> On Jun 8, 2015, at 8:13 PM, Stuart MacMillan <stuartmacm@GMAIL.COM> wrote:
>> 
>> That's the metallic paint for the body.  The only thing I've been 
>> able to find for the top is a color called "Steel Blue", but Wesco couldn't find it.
>> Of course, it was "painted" by Westfalia, not VW, so that's the problem.
>> 
>> Stuart
>>