In the restoration process of my car I am going to repaint the engine shrouding sheet-metal, benzene tank and various other metal parts under the hood to approach stock look as much as possible. This raises a couple of questions.

1. My car is a 1975. Was stock paint for tank, engine shroud, etc. a satin or gloss? I've seen both in pictures that I've found online but can't tell which were stock or restored. From what I can tell mine was a satin/flat. I'm trying to match original as close as possible just for nostalgic reasons.
2. I've found a nice rattle-can epoxy spray paint (corrosion, salt resistant mainly for shocks, undercarriage, etc. according to the label) that lays down really nice and is available in both a high gloss and satin(hence my #1 question). It says its max temperature is 250f. Would temps on the engine shrouding of a Trabi ever reach those temps? I will throw a sample piece into the oven that I use for powder-coating to test.

Appreciate any input.

When I painted mine I used satin as gloss would look to bling on a poor socialist car

Near as I can tell, the paint is usually a dull black, but not a flat black.
I did see one very old and unusual shroud painted white... on red primer, or maybe the original paint was red?

I should have thought that! That makes total sense and for my bourgeois thinking I feel ashamed and shall seek out a local SED boss for counsel. I hope that they let me keep my Trabi!

"Die Partei hat immer rech!"

Satin or flat black is what it shall be!

In every film I have ever seen of Trabant production, the engines look shiny black.

That factory film makes me drool - a factory fresh Trabi - stuff of dreams!


I think that I may have found the perfect paint to use.

https://www.amazon.com/VHT-ESP903007-Satin-Black-Engine/dp/B000CPCRN6#customerReviews