Paint behind the grill

[nsmall]

Hey folks. I have a 73 Cuda with the stock front grill.  Behind the grill I have it all blacked out which I think looks awesome versus seeing body color back there.

I'm not doing a stock restoration but I'm kind of curious what would be the best option to paint the hood frame mechanism.  Sorry I'm not sure what to call it.

It seems like a lot of people are doing body color and since my engine bay is body-color I don't know if it'd be weird to have this thing black but it seems like black would be easier to take off and repaint one day if it got all scuffed up or whatever.

Does anyone have any good pictures as maybe that would help me determine what I should do?


Thanks in advance.

[Mrbill426]

Got a picture of it you can post?

Hey folks. I have a 73 Cuda with the stock front grill.  Behind the grill I have it all blacked out which I think looks awesome versus seeing body color back there.

I'm not doing a stock restoration but I'm kind of curious what would be the best option to paint the hood frame mechanism.  Sorry I'm not sure what to call it.

It seems like a lot of people are doing body color and since my engine bay is body-color I don't know if it'd be weird to have this thing black but it seems like black would be easier to take off and repaint one day if it got all scuffed up or whatever.

Does anyone have any good pictures as maybe that would help me determine what I should do?


Thanks in advance.

[HP_Cuda]

I went with body color but its really up to you.

[Burdar]

I don't know what you mean by "hood frame mechanism".  Are you talking about the hood latch or the safety hook?  Maybe the bracket in front of the radiator that the horns attach to?

[RUNCHARGER]

This is what I did. The upper part won't show through anyway and this is pretty much the way the factory tried to do it.

[Burdar]

If he's referring to the latch bracket in the middle, that is correct. The lower half was blacked out. I think painting the whole thing black would look out of place IMO. I think the horns mount to that piece...at least in 72-74.

[nsmall]

Run Charger nailed it.  That's what I was looking for.   @Burdar  I too thought that my painter was wrong in thinking to paint it all black but he doesn't really know Mopar.   He's a really talented painter but does weird stuff sometimes.  Thanks