Red Fireside Horn Paint

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columbia1spring
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Red Fireside Horn Paint

Post by columbia1spring »

I’m looking to paint my fireside maroon horn on my maroon gem. I’ve searched a lot and seen some not so nice color matches and seen some where the paint is an amazing match in color. Is the correct maroon color available in spray form?

I’ve heard that 1984 vw rabbit LS ,Mahogany Red, code, LE3K is a dead on match.
Anyone use it?

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AudioFeline
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Re: Red Fireside Horn Paint

Post by AudioFeline »

A paint shop should be able to mix paint to match a sample you bring in. If you don't have a spray gun you can hire one (and if you do this make sure you practice a lot on scrap material before trying the finished job).

Jerry B.
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Re: Red Fireside Horn Paint

Post by Jerry B. »

How about having a paint shop tint some lacquer an appropriate color and put that in a rattle can?

Jerry B.

columbia1spring
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Re: Red Fireside Horn Paint

Post by columbia1spring »

Jerry B. wrote: Sun Nov 07, 2021 10:04 am How about having a paint shop tint some lacquer an appropriate color and put that in a rattle can?

Jerry B.
I’ve used this seller on eBay that custom makes any color you want if you supply the information. I’ve used him before on other projects.. I supplied him with this code and asked for single stage, “satin” 1 large spray can, with sipping is $35.

1984 vw rabbit LS ,Mahogany Red, code, LE3K .

Here is the final result.
Would I rather have a horn with original paint? Yes! Absolutely!! But as we all know, there are horns that are so bad
a repaint is the only way.
87DC3EBE-02EA-45B0-96DA-A9A001E4F14C.jpeg
2541292D-9DF8-40DB-87C3-58CDB0F167C1.jpeg
740D3AC5-C0DC-4DE2-ACF7-74298D6846C7.jpeg
63CA3130-8B37-4082-B225-3DD6A06C9F6B.jpeg

cosmo666
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Re: Red Fireside Horn Paint

Post by cosmo666 »

I too share your feelings about original vs repainting. A couple of questions though, did you use a primer or undercoat? If so, was it black, silver or some other color?
I really like your results.
Mike

columbia1spring
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Re: Red Fireside Horn Paint

Post by columbia1spring »

cosmo666 wrote: Sun Nov 07, 2021 11:54 am I too share your feelings about original vs repainting. A couple of questions though, did you use a primer or undercoat? If so, was it black, silver or some other color?
I really like your results.
Mike
With some patience and google! you can learn a lot. I did a light primer, then painted it silver, then the top coat.
Very, very simple. It came out so nice, in my opinion, that I sent out the Gem to have it gone through and the
“K” rebuilt. From what I found on the internet, silver is the best under red

colmike1
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Re: Red Fireside Horn Paint

Post by colmike1 »

That looks great! I would love to see it next to an original horn as a comparison. It looks to be an exact match to me.

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phonogfp
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Re: Red Fireside Horn Paint

Post by phonogfp »

These Gem horns can be found with two original paint colors. The 2-piece horns are typically painted in a translucent red which is very attractive, but notoriously fragile. The 1-piece horns typically have an opaque maroon that tends to survive much better than the translucent red. Unfortunately, the 1-piece horns seem to be harder to find. These are found with a black undercoat, suggesting that black Gem horns already in inventory were repainted for use on the Model D/E Gems.

The 2-piece horn posted by Columbia1spring looks like a beautiful match for the opaque maroon usually found on the 1-piece horns. (That wouldn't bother me for an instant, as the color looks spot on.) For this opaque maroon, you don't need a silver base coat. In fact, the original base coat is black. The original color on the 2-piece horns is typically (I avoid the use of "always") the translucent red. When replicating that color, the silver base coat is what you want.

Below are pictures of a 1-piece horn with original maroon paint over a base coat of black (click twice on any image to zoom in):
Here's the 1-piece Gem horn BEFORE cleaning.
Here's the 1-piece Gem horn BEFORE cleaning.

Here's the same horn AFTER cleaning, and in similar light.
Here's the same horn AFTER cleaning, and in similar light.

The color on these horns can change with the light, but they're typically a better match to the machine than the 2-piece horns withe translucent red paint.  It may not look it in this picture, but the horn matches the machine nearly perfectly.
The color on these horns can change with the light, but they're typically a better match to the machine than the 2-piece horns withe translucent red paint. It may not look it in this picture, but the horn matches the machine nearly perfectly.

A final shot just to show how the horn color can change in the light.
A final shot just to show how the horn color can change in the light.


The first step in painting a Gem D/E horn is deciding which color you want to replicate.

George P.

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AZ*
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Re: Red Fireside Horn Paint

Post by AZ* »

I agree. Nice work on the paint on the horn.

George,

Thanks for the details about the one-piece maroon Gem horns. I looked for a maroon Gem for many years, but nearly every one that I saw had a 2 piece horn in visually poor condition, or a horn that had been unsatisfactorily repainted. There were usually a few at each Union show, but none that I found acceptable.

I almost gave up looking as it seemed like a fruitless search. Then in 2018, Roger Merenkov showed up at Union with a nice Model D Gem sporting a one-piece horn with original paint in good condition. I didn't think twice. I jumped at the chance to finally add a maroon Gem to the collection.

I noticed, of course, that the paint on the one-piece horn was somehow different -- and a much closer match to the color of the machine -- but I really didn't understand why until now.
Best regards ... AZ*

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phonogfp
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Re: Red Fireside Horn Paint

Post by phonogfp »

AZ,

I'm glad you finally found a good one. I was doing the same thing for years - - trying to find a maroon Gem with decent horn paint. One year at Union (probably around 2010) I found one, but it was $1300. The 2-piece horn was REALLY nice (as was the machine), but I balked at the price. The dealer wouldn't budge. By the next day I had decided to bite the bullet and pay the price before I looked at anything else. (Hadn't I learned that lesson decades ago?) But you know what happened - - someone else had already decided the same thing. It wasn't until 2016 that the Gem I posted above popped up in the Wayne NJ parking lot. This time I didn't hesitate (it helped that it was significantly cheaper than the one I missed out on!).

I still sometimes pine for that beautiful 2-piece horn on that Union Gem. When that translucent red is in nice shape, it's really stunning.

George P.

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