Volkswagen Bus Original Paint Code Numbers

The tables below list the original Volkswagen paint codes (L-codes), paint color names and interior colors that were used by the factory on Split-Window VW buses from 1950-1967. Originally, the factory used single-stage paint supplied by German Paint company Glasurit, for a nice creamy finish with a warm glow that was not as "show car shiny" as many of today's 2-stage auto paints. Glasurit, as well as PPG, Sherwin Williams and other quality automative paint suppliers should have the paint formulas for all of these original volkswagen bus paint colors, and most offer these paint colors in single-stage and 2-stage formulas. To see some photos of VW buses painted in original Volkswagen factory colors, check out our Original VW Bus Paint Sample Colors here.

Mar 1950 - Feb 1955 Bus - Samba & Microbus
(chassis# 20 00 001 thru 20 117 901)
Exterior
(Upper)
Exterior
(Lower)
Upholstery
(Samba)
Upholstery
(Microbus)
L221 Stone Grey (Steingrau) L221 Stone Grey (Steingrau) - Beige
L73 Chestnut Brown (Kastanienbraun) L53 Sealing Wax Red (Siegellackrot) Black -
L76 Brown Beige (Braunbeige) L75 Light Beige (Hellbeige) - Beige





Mar 1955 - July 1958 Bus - Samba & Microbus
(chassis# 20 117 902 thru 374 810)
Exterior
(Upper)
Exterior
(Lower)
Upholstery
(Samba)
Upholstery
(Microbus)
L312 Palm Green (Palmgrün) L311 Sand Green (Sandgrün) - 77 Soft Green
L73 Chestnut Brown (Kastanienbraun) L53 Sealing Wax Red (Siegellackrot) 76 Light Brown -
L260 Sand Grey (Sandgrau) L260 Sand Grey (Sandgrau) - 76 Light Brown





Aug 1958 - Feb 1961 Bus - Samba & Microbus
(chassis# 374 811 thru 749 000)
Exterior
(Upper)
Exterior
(Lower)
Upholstery
(Samba)
Upholstery
(Microbus)
L21 Pearl Grey (Perlgrau) L21 Pearl Grey (Perlgrau) 77 Blue Grey 76 Caramel Brown
L472 Beige Grey (Beigegrau) L53 Sealing Wax Red (Siegellackrot) 77 Blue Grey -
L347 Seagull Grey (Möwengrau) L346 Mango Green (Mangogrün) - 76 Caramel Brown





Mar 1961 - July 1964 Bus - Samba & Microbus
(chassis# 749 001 thru 1 328 871)
Exterior
(Upper)
Exterior
(Lower)
Upholstery
(Samba)
Upholstery
(Microbus)
L289 Blue White (Blauweiss) L380 Turquoise (Türkis) 81 Como Green 81 Como Green
L472 Beige Grey (Beigegrau) L53 Sealing Wax Red (Siegellackrot) 75 Silver Beige 80 Basalt Grey
L87 Pearl White (Perlweiss) L325 Mouse Grey (Mausgrau) 80 Basalt Grey 80 Basalt Grey





Aug 1964 - July 1965 Bus - Samba & Microbus
(chassis# 215 000 001 thru 215 190 000)
Exterior
(Upper)
Exterior
(Lower)
Upholstery
(Samba)
Upholstery
(Microbus)
L289 Blue White (Blauweiss) L512 Velvet Green (Samtgrun) 83 Mesh Gray 83 Mesh Gray
L472 Beige Grey (Beigegrau) L53 Sealing Wax Red (Siegellackrot) 83 Mesh Grey 83 Mesh Grey
L289 Blue White (Blauweiss) L360 Sea Blue (Seeblau) 83 Mesh Grey 83 Mesh Grey





Aug 1965 - July 1967 Bus - Samba & Microbus
(chassis# 216 000 001 thru 217 148 459)
Exterior
(Upper)
Exterior
(Lower)
Upholstery
(Samba)
Upholstery
(Microbus)
L282 Lotus White (Lotosweiss) L282 Lotus White (Lotosweiss) 71 Aero Balearic 83 Mesh Grey
L87 Pearl White (Perlweiss) L512 Velvet Green (Samtgrun) 70 Mesh Platinum 83 Mesh Grey
L472 Beige Grey (Beigegrau) L555 Titian Red (Tizianrot) 70 Mesh Platinum 83 Mesh Grey
L680 Cumulus White (Kumuluweis) L360 Sea Blue (Seeblau) 72 Aero Papyrus White 83 Mesh Grey





Mar 1950 - Feb 1953 Bus - Kombi, Panel, Single Cab & Crew Cab Pickup
(chassis# 20 00 001 thru 20 46 563)
Exterior Upholstery
L21 Pearl Grey (Perlgrau) Black
L76 Brown Beige (Braunbeige) Black
L73 Chestnut Brown (Kastanienbraun) Black
L22 Medium Grey (Mittelgrau) Black
L31 Dove Blue (Taubenblau) Black





Mar 1953 - July 1958 Bus - Kombi, Panel, Single Cab & Crew Cab Pickup
(chassis# 20 46 564 thru 374 810)
Exterior Upholstery
L31 Dove Blue (Taubenblau) Black
L62 Ivory (Elfenbein) Black
L21 Pearl Grey (Perlgrau) Black
L28 Grey (Grau) Black





Aug 1958 - Aug 1961 Bus - Kombi, Panel, Single Cab & Crew Cab Pickup
(chassis# 20 46 564 thru 374 810)
Exterior Upholstery
L31 Dove Blue (Taubenblau) 80a Grey
L62 Ivory (Elfenbein) 80 Grey
L345 Light Grey (Lichtgrau) 80 Grey
L53 Sealing Wax Red (Siegellackrot) 80 Grey





Sept 1961 - July 1963 Bus - Kombi, Panel, Single Cab & Crew Cab Pickup
(chassis# 835 180 thru 1 144 281)
Exterior Upholstery
L456 Ruby Red (Rubin) 80 Grey
L87 Pearl White (Perlweiss) 80 Grey
L345 Light Grey (Lichtgrau) 80 Grey
L62 Ivory (Elfenbein) 80 Grey
L380 Turquoise (Türkis) 80 Grey
L31 Dove Blue (Taubenblau) 80 Grey





Aug 1963 - July 1964 Bus - Kombi, Panel, Single Cab & Crew Cab Pickup
(chassis# 1 144 282 thru 1 328 271)
Exterior Upholstery
L456 Ruby Red (Rubin) 80 Grey
L87 Pearl White (Perlweiss) 80 Grey
L345 Light Grey (Lichtgrau) 80 Grey
L567 Ivory (Elfenbein) 80 Grey
L380 Turquoise (Türkis) 80a Grey
L31 Dove Blue (Taubenblau) 80a Grey





Aug 1964 - July 1967 Bus - Kombi, Panel, Single Cab & Crew Cab Pickup
(chassis# 215 000 001 thru 217 148 459)
Exterior Upholstery
L512 Velvet Green (Samtgrun) 83 Mesh Grey
L87 Pearl White (Perlweiss) 83 Mesh Grey
L345 Light Grey (Lichtgrau) 83 Mesh Grey
L567 Ivory (Elfenbein) 94 Grey
L31 Dove Blue (Taubenblau) 83 Mesh Grey
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Check out Actual Vintage VW Bus Paint Sample Colors here.
If you have a 1968-1979 VW bus, check our VW Bay Window Bus Paint Codes Chart here.
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