Jump to content
  • When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

What am I looking at and how were these cars painted at the factory?


winstontj

Recommended Posts

No idea exactly what I'm looking at. Can someone please decode?

 

I think I see:

 

bare metal

some type of thin grey primer

BMW Nevada paint

some thick yellow base flattening/smoothing layer

1st coat of aftermarket Nevada

2nd coat of aftermarket Nevada

 

So I think I see 3 coats of paint and two coats of primer. 

 

Because of the wire wheel I could also be seeing:

 

bare metal

some type of thin grey primer

thicker yellow-ish flattening/smoothing layer

original Nevada from factory

one (or maybe two) coats of aftermarket Nevada

 

EDIT: What can I do to provide better photos so my question can be answered and also what should I put on the bare metal between now and when it goes to prep/paint?

 

Thanks

 

post-32133-0-28139800-1450931926_thumb.jpost-32133-0-54886400-1450932525_thumb.j

Edited by winstontj

'79 & '80 Vespas, R75/6 + R90/6 (and a Triumph), '76 IH Scout II

E36 

'71 VIN: 2574356 - Nevada, Sunroof, RUST and a really nice '76

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Mine was a patchwork of different types of paint in different places but the bits I think we're stock were:

Thin grey primer (this will be electro-coat spray) in theory this will be on the hard to reach areas but not necessarily inside box sections. The car is electrostatically charged while spraying to attract the primer.

Yellow surfacer / primer

Top coats (in my case Chamonix)

Pretty sure CD used to have a nice graphic of the various layers of a standard BMW paint job.

Edited by Simeon

rtheriaque wrote:

Carbs: They're necessary and barely controlled fuel leaks that sometimes match the air passing through them.

My build blog:http://www.bmw2002faq.com/blog/163-simeons-blog/

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So with the wire wheel am I just trying to get down to the e-primer (grey) or get everything off down to bare metal?

 

First clean the surface with a good wax and grease remover so you don't get contaminants into the metal, then get the car down to bare metal to start at ground zero. 

Anthony

----------------------------------------------------------------------

1972 2002 Atlantik

Bunch of old airhead BMW motorcycles

Link to comment
Share on other sites

First clean the surface with a good wax and grease remover so you don't get contaminants into the metal, then get the car down to bare metal to start at ground zero. 

+1.

 

Excellent advice for pre-painting prep.  Be sure to follow it meticulously to avoid unpleasant surprises during the color coat/clear coat process.

 

Regards, Maurice.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

When I sanded down my Nevada '69, I discovered a yellowish/greenish primer under the Nevada paint, and a grey primer under the yellowish/greenish primer,  then bare metal.  I've owned the car since new so this was what the factory did, at least in 1969.  

 

I believe I've seen pictures of 'em dipping the bare body shells in the first primer (the reason for the plugs in the drivers/passengers' floor boards.  I believe the second primer and finish coat were then sprayed on.

 

BTW, if you discover the base primer is black, then chances are that your panel is a replacement one, as they all come from the factory in a dull black primer vs the grey & yellowish/green stuff applied on the assembly line.

 

cheers

mike

Edited by mike

'69 Nevada sunroof-Wolfgang-bought new
'73 Sahara sunroof-Ludwig-since '78
'91 Brillantrot 318is sunroof-Georg Friederich 
Fiat Topolini (Benito & Luigi), Renault 4CVs (Anatole, Lucky Pierre, Brigette) & Kermit, the Bugeye Sprite

Link to comment
Share on other sites

When I was in the factory in 74, the cars were submerged in a vat of primer.Then they went thru the paint booth. A worker would select the color from the paintcode. One coat and it went to the clear coat. G

And clear coat only on metallics in '74. Non-metallic colors were single stage.

Regards,

Steve

1976 2002 Polaris, 2742541 (original owner)

1973 2002tii Inka, 2762757 (not-the-original owner)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

When I sanded down my Nevada '69, I discovered a yellowish/greenish primer under the Nevada paint, and a grey primer under the yellowish/greenish primer,  then bare metal.  I've owned the car since new so this was what the factory did, at least in 1969.  

 

I believe I've seen pictures of 'em dipping the bare body shells in the first primer (the reason for the plugs in the drivers/passengers' floor boards.  I believe the second primer and finish coat were then sprayed on.

 

BTW, if you discover the base primer is black, then chances are that your panel is a replacement one, as they all come from the factory in a dull black primer vs the grey & yellowish/green stuff applied on the assembly line.

 

cheers

mike

 

Thanks. Yes, I've got a bunch of panels from Blunt (purchased years ago) and they all came black. 

 

I'll take some better photos of the paint but from what you describe it looks like the car has been painted three times, two repaints. I'm thinking that I should be trying to get everything off down to just under the factory paint but leave the e-primer (gray) and the other layer (yellowish-green). Still not sure but so much to repair paint is the least of my concerns. Just don't want to be taking the whole car down to bare metal unless its absolutely necessary. 

'79 & '80 Vespas, R75/6 + R90/6 (and a Triumph), '76 IH Scout II

E36 

'71 VIN: 2574356 - Nevada, Sunroof, RUST and a really nice '76

Link to comment
Share on other sites

When I stripped my car, I found similar layering, along with two additional paint jobs and skim coats of filler.

 

Starting from bare metal, you have a couple of options. The first coat on top of bare metal could be either (1) an etching primer followed by epoxy primer, or (2) a direct-to-metal (DTM) epoxy primer. I did step #1 on my car and have had no trouble with the bodywork or paint on top of it. Epoxy primer at some point in the process is nice because it forms a waterproof barrier and is great anti-rust insurance. Combine this with a good seam sealer and you will have a long lasting, quality result if you prep it right.

Edited by calicolorado

1972 BMW 2002 Colorado #2577807<p>

2015 BMW M5 Competition 6-speed

2003 Audi TT Coupe 225

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • BMW Neue Klasse - a birth of a Sports Sedan

    BMW Neue Klasse - a birth of a Sports Sedan

    Unveiling of the Neue Klasse Unveiled in 1961, BMW 1500 sedan was a revolutionary concept at the outset of the '60s. No tail fins or chrome fountains. Instead, what you got was understated and elegant, in a modern sense, exciting to drive as nearly any sports car, and yet still comfortable for four.   The elegant little sedan was an instant sensation. In the 1500, BMW not only found the long-term solution to its dire business straits but, more importantly, created an entirely new
    History of the BMW 2002 and the 02 Series

    History of the BMW 2002 and the 02 Series

    In 1966, BMW was practically unknown in the US unless you were a touring motorcycle enthusiast or had seen an Isetta given away on a quiz show.  BMW’s sales in the US that year were just 1253 cars.  Then BMW 1600-2 came to America’s shores, tripling US sales to 4564 the following year, boosted by favorable articles in the Buff Books. Car and Driver called it “the best $2500 sedan anywhere.”  Road & Track’s road test was equally enthusiastic.  Then, BMW took a cue from American manufacturers,
    The BMW 2002 Production Run

    The BMW 2002 Production Run

    BMW 02 series are like the original Volkswagen Beetles in one way (besides both being German classic cars)—throughout their long production, they all essentially look alike—at least to the uninitiated:  small, boxy, rear-wheel drive, two-door sedan.  Aficionados know better.   Not only were there three other body styles—none, unfortunately, exported to the US—but there were some significant visual and mechanical changes over their eleven-year production run.   I’ve extracted t
  • Upcoming Events

  • Supporting Vendors

×
×
  • Create New...