Early Koni color

[speedo]

I am refinishing a pair of 66-67 Koni rear sports. Granted the paint probably faded over the years, but does anyone have a good suggestion for a close repaint color? I have refinished newer Koni front struts with a Ford orange, but that seems to be too light a color. If memory serves me correctly, the early color had more red in it.

Thanks
Speedo

[smedley]

The early Konis were a funky brownish orange......my '69 T came with factory Konis...here's a pic of the color and the original factory parts mark. When I took them off during the restoration my local paint supplier did color match. I shipped them to Koni in Kentucky for rebuild, and painted them when I got them back. they only had the late bright orange. I'm restoring my '67S and I have the originals which I have not yet done...so you can see the original color.

[Paul Henninge]

The early Konis were a funky brownish orange......my '69 T came with factory Konis...here's a pic of the color and the original factory parts mark. When I took them off during the restoration my local paint supplier did color match. I shipped them to Koni in Kentucky for rebuild, and painted them when I got them back. they only had the late bright orange. I'm restoring my '67S and I have the originals which I have not yet done...so you can see the original color.

I am seeing this in some older shocks as they oxidize and discolor. That does not mean we should accept that color as "Older-shocks" No, the Koni color is a deep, dark orange.

[stretch]

Ral 2002 paint code

[smedley]

I am seeing this in some older shocks as they oxidize and discolor. That does not mean we should accept that color as "Older-shocks" No, the Koni color is a deep, dark orange.

When I dis-assembled the struts on my '67S the sheltered mating surfaces marked by the arrows were the darker brownish-red, NOT the brighter orange. These sheltered unweathered surfaces suggests that this was indeed the original color of these factory Koni pieces. I agree that I too witnessed the brighter orange on new Shelby GT 350s back in the day as well as on other marques, and also saw the bright orange on new 911s in the early 70s, but not on my '67s or '69T.

[smedley]

Here is an early rear Koni marked "PORSCHE" and date stamped 12-65 I found and purchased on Ebay...up under the top tube the paint was the pristine darker brown-red.....not bright orange.

[moito]

just taken today 305xxx 67S rears... date code 6/66 and 5/66
pick a colour ..or mix em



are my fingers realy that fat?

[moito]

a bonus colour ... just in case you are also redoing the fuel tank...one day
reference area :dark side of the ...

umbra umbra

[smedley]

Those definitely look like a faded bright er "later" Koni orange, but the early date stamps??

Do they have any Porsche factory parts markings: "PORSCHE" or the "PD" triangle as the ones I have posted??

[Paul Henninge]

Mark,

Came across this post two years later and I see your point. Those early 65, Porsche Koni's sure look original paint to me. Perhaps the Porsche-labelled Koni's were this darker color - probably recommended by Porsche as they preferred all undercarriage black or dark gray. I think your post is interesting, and I do know that the standards of the later late 1960's production runs were different from the earliest 901 cars as the transition from the 356 was happening. Wonder if 356 guys could pipe-in?

Paul