DDK - Die Deutschen Klassiker

When my car finally gets its new paint job I'm tempted to not re-cover the sail panels in vinyl and leave them bare. The question is: was this a factory option?? I'd feel better about doing it if it was.

Either way does anyone have any pics on how the whole chrome trim arrangement should look for such an option?

Cheers,

P.S. Note the change to my signature......yes the 914 has been put back another year.....finances are primarly to blame combined with my desire to have everything on the car absoloutley perfect!

Hi Tom, what colour are you thinking of? I personally think it makes a big difference: there are a lot of the colours where the contrast between body colour and black look great, and others where the extra height of body colour balances the proportions of the car nicely.

Also black sills and valences, or body coloured? Same aurguments again, I suppose.

It'll basically be dark blue, so the presence or not of black trim shouldn't make much of a difference. I just don't like that grainy vinyl, seems a shame to put a nice paint job down only to go an cover it up!

Anybody got any thoughts yet on whether any cars left the factory without vinyl?

Cheers,

Some models didn't have the sail panels covered. Whilst I quite like the contrast between the body colour and the vinyl, that damned stainless strip causes the rot to set in at the top of the rear wing. If I were doing my car I would have it painted black (silk not gloss) and leave the vinyl off.

Might be wrong here but I thought that the sail panel vinyl was part of the appearance group trim option, and that standard cars were always painted unless the option was taken , except 914/6's where the sail panel vinyl was standard, so no worries about doing something that's not factory.

I quite agree with Barry as well, the black trim certainly does look great on some colours, and adds a nice contrast with the body colour and especially shows the little swoop to the doors where the vinyl panel fits, i think that's one of the nicest lines of the 14.

Take a look on the US site Tom there will be loads of colour combos of cars with/without the vinyl, i think theres a 100 odd page thread with members pictures, certainly might help you make your mind up.

ps Sorry to hear the car will be delayed at least you're doing it right 1st time around though

I think the vinyl panel is designed to make the car look more like a covertable. I think it looks better with than without.
I'm planning to get my panel painted like the brumos GT

All of the early cars had painted sail panels ( and body coloured painted bumpers ! ).
Vinyl covering was introduced as an option but soon became standard .

I think painted sail panels make the car look "too tall" but perhaps it would make less difference on a darker coloured car.

Purely a pesonal choice though. It's your car !!