AAR Cuda / Gran Coupe Grille Bar Detail

[CudaJim]

Just pointing out something I noticed on an original set of the 1970-only rectangular chromed plastic grille bars used on AAR Cudas and Gran Coupes... didn't know if others had noticed also, but the mounting pins are masked off and painted black on one side only, and not on the other, and the curious thing to me is that they are masked in such a way that the blackout might only be seen from under the car, or perhaps only from directly in front?  Maybe this was to help protect the chrome finish from the bottom, or maybe to prevent a reflection? Or for some other reason... anyway it looks like an unusual extra manufacturing step that must have been for a reason.  If someone wants these parts to match OEM parts or for show judging detail, they might want to research more or verify.  The repros I've seen in pics seem to be all chrome without the extra masking and black paint, so perhaps someone will want to add this black paint detailing to their reproduction bars...pics attached below to show what I'm talking about.  Thoughts or explanations?  CudaJim

[anlauto]

Interesting, I'll have to look for that next time I replace original ones

[benguin]

Interesting!  I checked my over the counter version purchased in 1980, and those have no black on them.  Could it have been either an incidental painting on the assembly line or prior owner?

Once installed, those are nearly impossible to view (I just tried and had to crawl under the car and shine a flashlight up from below and between the grille and radiator. 

Hope we can get some other 1970 original examples for comparison.  It wouldn't surprise me that some have it and some don't, given the day to day assembly line practices at the time.
   Ben

[Mr Cuda]

 Picture off a gran coupe grill trim. No black.
I'm suprised they would bother to paint the black detail on the bottom side.  Who is looking up?
Maybe AAR only  with the black grill?

[CudaJim]

Interesting theory on perhaps AAR only and not GC due to the black grille.

I did not part the original car, but had them for many years, so I'm not sure what they came on.  I will add that each mounting point on the grille pair was painted very precisely and consistently like in the pics- so not overspray.  It was either factory paint on the part (strong evidence in my opinion) or someone was very precise in painting the parts while off a car - and who and why would someone do such a thing?  Anyway, it would be nice to hear if anyone else has seen this, maybe someone with a survivor AAR?  Otherwise maybe it's just a one-off mystery...

[anlauto]

Playing Devil's advocate ....Is there any chance that some one sprayed the back of that grill black while it was in the car?

[CudaJim]

It's certainly possible.  Without other verification, that may be the only answer that makes sense.  Maybe the grille was in the car, maybe it was out of the car and upside down on a bench, and was sprayed black.  I did not suspect that because I felt the paint lines were too sharp and if sprayed on a grille, there would be more random edges, less sharpness, and maybe overspray, but who knows?

[benguin]

Jim, on second look at your original photo, it seems that the inside vertical edge of the trim is painted too- am I seeing that right?

[anlauto]

It's certainly possible.  Without other verification, that may be the only answer that makes sense.  Maybe the grille was in the car, maybe it was out of the car and upside down on a bench, and was sprayed black.  I did not suspect that because I felt the paint lines were too sharp and if sprayed on a grille, there would be more random edges, less sharpness, and maybe overspray, but who knows?

Looking again, I agree with that

[CudaJim]

I hadn't noticed that before, but it does look like the inside verticals have paint on them, and potentially less well masked.  So, could have been bubba's post-factory overspray, and I'm wasting people's time.  Here's a few different pics of each piece in sunlight.  I sold these grille trim recently so I can't check them again 'in person'.