Volkswagen Caravelle C T25 1985

[capsat]

after 15 days of no-internet it is really freshening to see a comprehensive DIY again ... starting from TOP in a while

[msabbasi]

Here are the options as seen on the van after my amateur photoshop attempt.

This corresponds to the first option above

This corresponds to the second option

I am inclined to the second option as @nnabeel also agrees. The computer and phone plays tricks on the actual colour in reality this second option is pretty close to the off white of the Toyota Corolla 2017.

[capsat]

color choice shall be of Mrs. Abbasi,
Mr. Abbasi is only to maintain & drive the bus with the honorable lady artist.

i learned alot from this bus restoration thread. there are skilled people who do wonders, the only thing we lack in Pakistan is non-serious attitude and zero commitment to job at hand by the worker class and their owners'

[farrukhzeeshan]

Second option is best

[msabbasi]

Actually Mrs. Abbasi is very bold in her colour choices. As an artist she is very comfortable with colours that other conservative persons may find "out there" . I have to keep in mind the eventual sale and disposal when the time comes to let it go. Any unorthodox colour combination may prove difficult at that time.

Here are two of the options she also suggested.

Lime green over Marine blue

Orange over Marine Blue

I think these combinations are too bold for our Pakistani minds to accept. In Europe such colours are quite acceptable.

While in Belgium, I spotted this van in a supermarket parking lot:

I agree with your comment about the non serious and non professional outlook towards work by the technicians and the workshop owners. The other thing I have noticed is that if one is polite and decent in ones behavior to the above group of people, they do not take the customer seriously. At least this is what I found in Punjab. Results are obtained if a bit of anger and rough language is used. Don't know why this is so. I guess this group of people are so used to being shouted at they have become "dheet" so when someone is polite, they think that the said customer is a weak person not to be taken seriously .... someone that can be pushed around.

[nnabeel]

Sir, same is the case here in KHI as far as i have come across most of them. They give a damn to the customer and his belongings. They experiment on the cost of customer, take example like electricians. you take your car for any correction. at first instance they declare that the original wiring is gone or the work done by previous electrician is bad and then they cut every thing including the clips and we end up molested cars.

and yes by the passage of time they get dheet as well......

as for color, why not try the blue with the teal combination but only on sides and not on the roof. just a suggestion

[msabbasi]

Apologize for the silence here. Its just the owner of the body shop is in Dubai until the 1st of Feb so I can't get the price issue resolved as he is the only one who can make the executive decision. However in the mean time I have made the executive decision of going for the 2K paint rather than the base coat/lacquer option. So that means that I have to see if the LA5B (Marine Blue) and LH9D (Damuso White) shades can be made in 2K paint. The chemistry of base coat and 2K is different so I have to see how this process will be done. All this is new to me so I am in a pretty steep learning curve here.

[msabbasi]

Blue and Teal. Not bad. Wife not too happy.

[nnabeel]

you can also use the teal in the marked portion also.
Full car in blue and only the middle portion in teal only

[mehran]

The bottom paint combo style doesn't look as good as the roof. I would suggest sticking to the OEM recommended paint style combo. It looks better. Just my opinion....

[nnabeel]

Pardon me although this querry is off topic, but as u have vast knowledge over colors and paint, please can u help how to paint this console which is made of foam. it is old and it had some coating which is gone now with the passage of time.

nd

[nnabeel]

how about the color.

[msabbasi]

Pardon me although this querry is off topic, but as u have vast knowledge over colors and paint, please can u help how to paint this console which is made of foam. it is old and it had some coating which is gone now with the passage of time.

@nnabeel Thank you for the vote of confidence in me and giving me the honour to provide advice.

I understand that the material of the console is foam. Over the years the foam has become brittle which has caused the vinyl top surface to flake off. Now here is the thing. All car paints and spray cans paints are thinner based. The thinner will attack the foam and you will end up TOTALLY destroying the console. The thinner will EAT the foam to the point it will be sent to the trash bin. So what can be done? Water based paint can be used. Acrylic paints are such paints. But the finish will not be good. It will not shine and the colour cover will be patchy. My suggestion will be to go to a poshish wala and have it covered with a Rexine or leatherette. Remember that SAMAD bond is also thinner based. A water based glue is what has to be used.

[msabbasi]

how about the color.

These are no doubt excellent colours. Very attractive. I particularly like the first one. But here is the problem. All of these constitute a colour change. This means that the van has to be painted both inside and out. It means that I have to remove all the wiring, relay panel, fuse box, heater, all sound absorbing material, roof lining and under chassis factory anti rust coating. Basically make it a bare shell.

Frankly that is just too much work. So I have decided to stay with the factory paint and just add another contrasting shade. The factory paint is Marine Blue so I have to stick to it.

[msabbasi]

The bottom paint combo style doesn't look as good as the roof. I would suggest sticking to the OEM recommended paint style combo. It looks better. Just my opinion....

I agree with sticking with the factory paint combo. It looks better and will enhance the value of the van.

[msabbasi]

Getting back to the mater of 2K vs base coat/lacquer options. Yesterday I was assured by the paint seller that he has no problem in providing the required shades of paint in 2K. This will ease the paint process for the painter guy who is more comfortable with 2K application. A secondary advantage is to my pocket. 2K price Rs. 3000-5000. Base coat/lacquer price Rs. 10,000-15,000.

[nnabeel]

Many thnx. The same was told by my painter but he didint knew about the water based paints and their end result.

i would surely see a poshish wala and then check how he will be able to do it.

[nnabeel]

Yes sticking with the original colour and avoiding the hassle is good thing when you know u have to take ut all the stuff and there is a chance of getting things breakage.

[msabbasi]

Many thnx. The same was told by my painter but he didint knew about the water based paints and their end result.

i would surely see a poshish wala and then check how he will be able to do it.

In countries such as Germany where there is much responsibility towards the environment, car manufacturers have done away with thinner based paints as they mix with ground water and the evaporated bit is not good for the ozone layer. Instead they now use water born paints. They have been doing that for quite a while. I know because my 1998 BMW 540i had water based paint on it.

Here is a random video of water born paint and lacquer being applied:

The above is just to expand our horizons and nothing to do with the van project

[nnabeel]

Awesome

Germany Rocks............ i remember we had a K70L during 1992 in Karachi which we purchased from parsi owner in Rs.22000/- i guess and it was mint with leather upholstery, all genuine things intact, with unique door openers and somewhat pointed windscreen. we were amazed by the car and the tech at that time we were young and when we used to take the cars to VW mechanics or other mechanics....they use to say "hain yeh konsi foxy hai"