E-Bodies.org Cuda Challenger Forum

This subject comes up once or twice a year it seams.  I think it would be a good idea to have all the factory correct paint treatment listed with pictures and saved for reference.  We can list 70-74 Challenger paint treatments and break it down my model.  Then the same for Barracuda, Cuda and Grand Coupe.  Once the info/pictures are compiled, we can maybe redo everything in the correct order and make it a sticky...?

I'll start by listing what I know.  Feel free to change something if I get it wrong.(not really sure on 71's)  Also, if you have a good picture of each style by year, feel free to post it.

1970 Challenger(base model)...body colored tail panel
1970 Challenger R/T...body colored tail panel
1970 Challenger T/A...black painted tail panel(organisol)
1970 Challenger SE and R/T-SE...separate tail panel trim piece painted argent...(what shade? Dark argent?)

1971 Challenger(base model)...argent(what shade?)
1971 Challenger R/T...black organisol

1972 Challenger(base model)...textured argent on tail panel and main face of tail light housings. Black organisol in the recessed areas around each tail light.  Argent seems darker then "light argent" but lighter then "dark argent".  However, AFAIK the factory only lists two shades.

NOS Challenger tail light housings
(https://forum.e-bodies.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi137.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fq229%2Fburdar%2FMisc%2F5407866-IMG_50941.jpg&hash=2dee0fc10fcc327386e059b6a3a17f431585f4c7) (http://s137.photobucket.com/user/burdar/media/Misc/5407866-IMG_50941.jpg.html)

(https://forum.e-bodies.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi137.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fq229%2Fburdar%2FMisc%2F5407868-IMG_50961.jpg&hash=f3a339dab6dcd4f19f597ce68fdecece8830333e) (http://s137.photobucket.com/user/burdar/media/Misc/5407868-IMG_50961.jpg.html)

1972 Challenger Rallye...black organisol on tail panel and main face of tail light housings. Textured argent in the recessed areas around each tail light.(correct argent color?...see above)

Unrestored original 72 Challenger Rallye tail panel.
(https://forum.e-bodies.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi137.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fq229%2Fburdar%2FMisc%2FDSC01437.jpg&hash=492bc24f9f707545457a008d344f503c969411db) (http://s137.photobucket.com/user/burdar/media/Misc/DSC01437.jpg.html)

(https://forum.e-bodies.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi137.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fq229%2Fburdar%2FMisc%2FDSC01439.jpg&hash=011536505be89d014a9865e04cb56dc86464f06c) (http://s137.photobucket.com/user/burdar/media/Misc/DSC01439.jpg.html)

73 Challenger(only one model in 73)...same as 72 base model.
The Rallye was its own separate model in 72.  Starting in 73, the Rallye was just an option package on the base Challenger.  Only one tail panel treatment was available.  Also, 73 was the first year for the 5mph bumper guards.  The bumpers were moved out farther away from the body.  A rubber filler strip was added between the tail panel and the bumper.  This filler strip(three pieces) was painted argent...same color as the tail panel.

74 Challenger(only one model in 74)...same as 72 base model/same as all 73's.
In 74, the Rallye was an option package on the base Challenger.  Only one tail panel treatment was available.  A rubber filler strip was again used between the tail panel and the bumper.  This filler strip(three pieces) was painted argent...same color as the tail panel.

(https://forum.e-bodies.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi137.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fq229%2Fburdar%2FMisc%2F1972_challenger_rear1.jpg&hash=99515fe94a9e84d9e1b1c4498f31d308a323a6ab) (http://s137.photobucket.com/user/burdar/media/Misc/1972_challenger_rear1.jpg.html)

I've noticed that too.   :notsure:  Not sure why they think it should be black.   Maybe they read it on the internet.   :haha:  Well, at least we know that the information here is as accurate as we can find.  And I agree, no Blackout on the 1970 Challenger RT Tail Panel.   :alan2cents:  Just the T/A's.

Quote from: Burdar on March 17, 2017, 11:52:38 AM
A lot of people seem to think a 70 R/T should be black.  :no:

Let's see some pictures. 70 R/T, SE, T/A...71 base and R/T. I'd rather see pictures of members cars then pics taken from Google searches. It would be nice to have this for reference. We could even expand it to correct grill paint treatments.

If anyone has a really nice unrestored original argent painted tail panel from a 72-74, post that too.

RT/SE More of a gray than black for sure. And one time, I swore up and down it was black, then had to back peddle when I got home and did a double take on it.

71' Gran Coupes were a light shade of Argent.

Mine had it.

They laid it on pretty thick I recall.

I'm the third owner of my car and the add-on tail appliqué was on the car when I bought it.  I do not have the A63 molding group on the car. I have no idea how it came to be on the car. With that said, I have, on a couple of occasions at local car shows, seen black panels on cars.  I'll have to inquire this show session if and when I see it again. If I remove the panel, I'll have to buy the quarter panel chrome pieces. Also, I don't know what the condition of the paint is under the panel. Clueless on the origin of the panel.

There are probably large holes in your tail panel behind the trim piece. You'd have a lot of work to do if you removed it.

I was going to say the same thing. 750, see if the holes are punched in the tin just above the tail lights for the fasteners that attach to the lower edge of that molding. If they aren't there or are drilled someone added the molding.

1970 Gran Coupe.  All Light Argent texture, so it is hard to get a good 'color' picture.  Flash, or direct sunlight really changes the look.  I can post other pics if any one is interested.

1970 Challenger S/E tail panel. First 2 pictures is the original finish, last picture is after I spray bombed it with dark argent bought from Roseville. Notice the black flecks. In the spray bomb there are no black flecks, to mimic that I stood back and fogged it with black trim paint till  I figured it looked the same.

It's a hard thing to post what's " correct" as there are many variables, such as camera quality, computer monitor quality/settings. As well as aging and road grime after almost 50 years... 

To my eye the tailpanel looked the same as the original Argent headlight paint. Here are a few pictures of the original argent paint on my headlight buckets

Brad.......... I have an SE tail trim panel on my '70 Challenger in SE trim, and the same astrotone paint on my grill and headlight bezels, is the same type paint on my SE finish panel in back. Just thought I'd mention it. From the look of your pics it's the same paint.    Thanks,   Al

For the 1972 Rallye, does anyone know if the black organosol paint covers the entire tail panel to the top and to the trunk lip or does it end on the edge of the tail panel face? The posted picture of the unrestored original is a great reference, I just can't see where the organosol ends. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

    NOS Panel.      HEAVY texture. Comparable to 60-80 grit sand paper. Hope colors can be seen.

QuoteFor the 1972 Rallye, does anyone know if the black organosol paint covers the entire tail panel to the top and to the trunk lip or does it end on the edge of the tail panel face? The posted picture of the unrestored original is a great reference, I just can't see where the organosol ends. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

I'm sure the factory masked each 72 Challenger tail panel the same way.  The only thing that changed was the paint used.  The black should go up into the trunk about an inch just like an argent tail panel.

The tail light housings themselves would have come from a separate vender already painted the correct colors.  They probably even had the tail light lenses already installed.(one less thing they had to do at the factory)

1970 RT/SE trim panel. I thought the they would use the same paint on the Rallye wheel center caps but they aren't close. The center caps are much rougher and lighter color.

1970 Challengers with the V9 Bumblebee Stripe, had the stripe painted first and masked off before applying body color.

Challenger T/A had Organisol tailpanel blackout, extending half way under the tailpanel trim pieces, 1 inch into the trunk lip, and downward to blackout the area behind the rear bumper.
The rear edge of the trunk lid was also blacked out with organisol, 1.25 inches so that no body color would be seen between the tailpanel blackout and the spoiler.
Challenger T/A also had vinyl blackout pieces on the quarter panels under each end of the spoiler.  These are positioned all the way to the rear against the tailpanel trim pieces, so that no body color would be seen between the tailpanel blackout and the spoiler.

Non-T/A 1970 Challengers have a body color tailpanel.
The engineering diagram doesn't specify any blackout behind the bumper for these cars.  Maybe a page is missing?  Look at your car for evidence one way or the other.
Yes, this includes 70 R/T cars, they did have body color tailpanels.  A black tailpanel on a 70 R/T is a common mistake.

SE Challengers, and Challengers with the A63 or A91 option packages, have an aluminum trim panel that covers the body color tailpanel.  This aluminum trim panel is painted argent, though the shade of argent can vary between dark and light.  There's only one part number for this trim panel, and no intentional difference to what cars received which shade of argent.  It's just luck of the draw.
R/T SE cars did use this SE tailpanel treatment.
Early in production, a small number of these panels with black paint instead of argent, seem to have been used on R/T SE cars and R/T A63 cars.
(more pics in next three comments because this topic regularly comes up)

Additional note: The trunk lock cylinder is not supposed to pass through the aluminum panel.  The trunk lock cylinder goes in the tailpanel like normal, and the aluminum trim panel mounts on top of it.

The second picture here shows the holes used to fasten the aluminum trim panel to the car.

This is two pictures of the same R/T car with A63 option package.
You can see that the argent on this tailpanel looks pretty dark at a glance, but when you get up close to really look at it, it's argent.
Some people mistake this for black, especially on non-black cars where there isn't much black nearby to compare with.

Here's another one.
Look at the paint in the trunk, it's not a black car, but it does have a V9X black bumblebee stripe.
This is a dark textured argent on the panel, and you can compare it to the black of the bumblebee stripe and the black on the taillight housing.
Lighting can really affect the way that textured argent looks in a photo, so it helps to have some actual black in the photo for comparison.

Now here is a closeup of the panel on JS27V0B100021.
This is one of the early cars which received a black panel.
It's actually black, and you'll notice that it's not textured, it's satin, similar to what's used on other bright anodized aluminum trim pieces like the 70 R/T grills, and the 71 Challenger R/T taillpanel moldings.
Compare it to the black on the Chrome taillight housings.

1971 Challenger R/T, and 1971 Non-R/T Challengers with A22 had Organisol tailpanel blackout, extending half way under the bright aluminum tailpanel trim pieces, and downward to the bodyline above the taillight openings.  This blackout was not applied to the immediate taillight area which is covered by the 1971 rear trim panel, and also didn't go downward behind the bumper.
The rear trim panel itself is Organisol black, except for the area immediately surrounding the lenses, which is bright silver similar to rallye wheel paint.  The top edge of the trim panel is blacked out, it's not silver.  Making the top edge silver like a Non-R/T car is a common mistake.
The bright aluminum tailpanel trim pieces and trunk molding have a character line, and the inside half of them is painted satin black.  1971 is the only year with blackout on the bright aluminum tailpanel trim.
(The cars in these 3 pictures are original paint)

1971 Non-R/T Challengers had a body color tailpanel.  Their rear trim panel was argent, except for the area immediately surrounding the lenses, which is a bright silver similar to rallye wheel paint.  The top edge of the trim panel is also bright silver.

1972 Challenger Rallye had Organisol blackout on the tailpanel and taillight housings, except for the area immediately surrounding the lenses, which is argent.

1972 Non-Rallye Challengers, and all 1973-1974 Challengers had argent on the tailpanel and taillight housings, except for the area immediately surrounding the lenses, which is Organisol black.
73 & 74 Rallye cars did not have a black tailpanel, and did not have an S in their VIN.  By this point, Rallye was an options package instead of a separate car model.

Creating this thread was a great idea Burdar.
You always do a wonderful job on the 72-74 Challenger stuff.


Tavis King

Barracudas with the extremely rare M46 option, had a lot of Organisol blackout under the lower body line of the car, and the entire front and rear valances, with a red and white pinstripe dividing the blackout from the body color.
M46 also caused the grill to be painted black.
M46 also caused the tailpanel to be painted black Organisol, extending half way under the 3 piece aluminum tailpanel molding, and 1 inch into the trunk lip.  This Organisol also extended downward to blackout the area behind the rear bumper.

Yes, the car in this picture does have a rear valance installed, it's just difficult to see because it's painted black.

Gran Coupe tailpanels were painted argent, extending half way under the 3 piece aluminum tailpanel molding, and 1 inch into the trunk lip.
Gran Coupes used regular blackout paint to blackout the area behind the rear bumper.

Gran Coupes caused some confusion on the assembly line.  There are multiple examples of cars with the stainless trim instead of aluminum, both stainless and aluminum trim at the same time, or no trim at all, and all with argent paint.  That's not the way things were supposed to happen, but it did happen, and is how those cars left the factory.

You can see one of these cars in a factory promotional video.  It's the second car shown in the video, starting at about 2 minutes into the video, and you get the best look at the tailpanel at about 3 minutes 20 seconds.  https://youtu.be/RiG7l_yBZS8

Barracudas with A22, Gran Coupes with A22, and 70-71 'Cudas use the 4 piece stainless tailpanel molding, with Organisol blackout inside the molding and also extended downward to blackout the area behind the rear bumper.

72-74 'Cuda tailpanels were painted Organisol black, extending half way under the 3 piece aluminum tailpanel molding, and 1 inch into the trunk lip.  It should extend downward to blackout the area behind the rear bumper.

70-74 Barracudas without M46 or A22 have tailpanels that are body color without any bright trim.
The engineering diagram doesn't specify any blackout behind the bumper for these cars.  Maybe a page is missing?  Look at your car for evidence one way or the other.

There we go, that pretty well covers it.
Keep in mind that emblem placement can change from year to year.

Excellent information :bravo:

I'm guilty of restoring a couple of 71 R/T's and leaving the upper character line of the tail panel silver :stop:  I had some bad reference photos I used at the time....it won't happen again... :bigthumb:

I'm doing another 71 RT right now :D

Thanks for the excellent info.

If a 1971 non-R/T Challenger was ordered with Elastomeric Bumpers, It received R/T style paint treatments front & rear.

According to a Dodge Product Information Bulletin shared on Hamtramck Historical's website.

Quote from: Flatdad on April 16, 2020, 11:37:30 AM
If a 1971 non-R/T Challenger was ordered with Elastomeric Bumpers, It received R/T style paint treatments front & rear.

According to a Dodge Product Information Bulletin shared on Hamtramck Historical's website.

That's very interesting  :thinking: I've never heard that before, but it makes sense :dunno:

I understand that a 1970 barracuda that was ordered with an elastomeric rear bumper, got the 'cuda tail panel treatment. so that dose make seance being the dodge was the high end model.  :alan2cents:

Quote from: cataclysm80 on April 15, 2020, 09:17:40 PM
1971 Challenger R/T, and 1971 Non-R/T Challengers with A22 had Organisol tailpanel blackout, ...

Quote from: Flatdad on April 16, 2020, 11:37:30 AM
If a 1971 non-R/T Challenger was ordered with Elastomeric Bumpers, It received R/T style paint treatments front & rear.
According to a Dodge Product Information Bulletin shared on Hamtramck Historical's website.

Quote from: anlauto on April 16, 2020, 11:40:08 AM
That's very interesting  :thinking: I've never heard that before, but it makes sense :dunno:

Yes, it's true.   That's what the A22 option that I mentioned was for. 
It's front and rear elastomeric bumpers.
(I didn't cover the front end here, just the tailpanels.)

The Challenger elastomeric bumpers have blackout on the top surface, so they blend in to the blackout of the tailpanel and grill.

Quote from: cataclysm80 on April 16, 2020, 08:25:10 AM
Barracudas with A22, Gran Coupes with A22, and 70-71 'Cudas use the 4 piece stainless tailpanel molding, with Organisol blackout inside ...

Quote from: JS29 on April 16, 2020, 01:24:59 PM
I understand that a 1970 barracuda that was ordered with an elastomeric rear bumper, got the 'cuda tail panel treatment. so that dose make seance being the dodge was the high end model.  :alan2cents:

Yep, A22 is the option code that will put an elastomeric rear bumper on a Plymouth E body.

Quote from: cataclysm80 on April 16, 2020, 03:12:52 PM

Quote from: cataclysm80 on April 15, 2020, 09:17:40 PM
1971 Challenger R/T, and 1971 Non-R/T Challengers with M72 or M73 had Organisol tailpanel blackout, ...

Quote from: Flatdad on April 16, 2020, 11:37:30 AM
If a 1971 non-R/T Challenger was ordered with Elastomeric Bumpers, It received R/T style paint treatments front & rear.
According to a Dodge Product Information Bulletin shared on Hamtramck Historical's website.

Quote from: anlauto on April 16, 2020, 11:40:08 AM
That's very interesting  :thinking: I've never heard that before, but it makes sense :dunno:

Yes, it's true.   That's what the M72 & M73 options that I mentioned are for. 
One is rear elastomeric bumper, and the other is front and rear elastomeric bumpers.
(I didn't cover the front end here, just the tailpanels.)

The Challenger elastomeric bumpers have blackout on the top surface, so they blend in to the blackout of the tailpanel and grill.

Any documented cases (pictures) of a 71 NON-RT with front and rear elastomeric bumpers ?

I'm pretty sure there is a convertible with them.

Quote from: anlauto on April 16, 2020, 05:17:40 PM
Any documented cases (pictures) of a 71 NON-RT with front and rear elastomeric bumpers ?

Quote from: RUNCHARGER on April 16, 2020, 08:04:15 PM
I'm pretty sure there is a convertible with them.

No, every one I've seen is undocumented as far as I know.

Here's some pics and more info on that elastomeric bumper topic.
https://forum.e-bodies.org/reference-material/18/challenger-elastomeric-bumpers-m73-m71-a21-a22-m72/15949/new#new

Quote from: anlauto on April 16, 2020, 05:17:40 PM
Any documented cases (pictures) of a 71 NON-RT with front and rear elastomeric bumpers ?

Update on that:
Option & Accessory Report says that...

about 200 1971 Challengers were built with some form of elastomeric bumper (either front and rear, or front only)
about 10 of those cars were non-R/T JH models.

That counts as documentation right?
Who knows what happened to those 10 cars in the past 50 years.

Here is a 1970 Challenger A66 Car
Original paint car with A63 option

A graphic to assist with reference material on the 1970 Barracuda/Cuda tail panel paint treatments.