1970 Challenger R/T grille paint

[Headjam]

What is the correct sheen of the black paint on 1970 R/T grille and headlight bezel? My original looks flat but is probably faded. What is correct? 

[Headjam]

@anlauto  or @Cuda Cody Either of you have an answer? It appears my posts are made with invisible ink.   

[Cuda Cody]

Are you going to paint it out of a rattle can or use a custom mix from a professional gun?

[Headjam]

Could do either method but would prefer using a spray gun. Not against rattle can if it's good quality paint.

[Cuda Cody]

I like to use a pro spray gun too.  The sheen is a bit hard to describe.  I do a bunch of test spray outs and get the sheen I like best.  I prefer a little shinier then I think what the factory did, and it normally dulls over time so that helps too.  Out of a can, this stuff is pretty good...

https://www.semproducts.com/product/trim-black/black

It's a slight bit more matte / satin then I like, but hard to beat for a rattle can that is not gloss and easy to spray.  If I use SEM Trim Black I still put it over fresh DP Epoxy so it has a better hold.   

[anlauto]

I tend to shy away from these questions because there's no definitive answer....I prefer a flatter black, opposite of Cody.... 
I use a rattle can because I'm not a fancy restoration shop.... , just a two car garage....

I've installed a couple of unpainted reproduction grills from Roseville and found a nice black that matches the painted bezels from Roseville so I just stick with that.

[Headjam]

Thanks for the responses. Most E-body parts have definitive answers (like semi-gloss or flat) but I couldn't find anything on the grille/bezels. One reference book just said "black".

[Headjam]

Here's what they look like today.

[750-h2]

When I did mine I used Plasti Kote "Hot Rod Black". I think it looks OEM.

[RUNCHARGER]

I remember it being a bit glossier than your two photos. But I'm old.

[worthywads]

I'm resurrecting this old thread to hopefully add additional information not discussed here already.

I'm in the process of switching my standard dash to black R/T and I'm going with the suggested SEM Trim black rattle can.  I'm also swapping out the egg crate section with repop that needs to be painted on the top section. 

The egg crate backing frame is already painted and it's appears to be a little more glossy than a matte black, so I plan to match the backing frame of the aluminum grill to match the egg crate frame, either satin or semi gloss.

Question, what is the correct black for upper section of the egg crate and the R and L extension plates.  Matte, Satin, Semi-Gloss, Trim Black?  And follow up, in the lower picture in reply 7 above on the upper section there is a long thin rail that sticks out and extends across the entire top that I see has the paint removed so that it is shiny.  Is that correct or should it all be black?

Thanks

[Headjam]

Just the leading edge of that thin rail is shiny. The rest of it is black. I believe my grille is original to the car.

[worthywads]

Thanks, that is what I was expecting but I see both, my original was unclear, and had been painted afterwards as the egg crate was also black.

Would you say the top section is the same black as the main grill?

[Mr Lee]

When masking the area on the grille to be painted black... I notice that the factory left a soft edge.  It's more apparent on some than others, but for the most part it looks like it wasn't masked off with regular tape.   Has anyone used something like this 3M soft edge foam masking tape?  I may give it a try.  Looks like it will give a nice feathered edge.  My concern is, I was going to apply primer first and wonder about covering the primer up consistently.  Have to figure that part out. 

[Shane Kelley]

When masking the area on the grille to be painted black... I notice that the factory left a soft edge.  It's more apparent on some than others, but for the most part it looks like it wasn't masked off with regular tape.   Has anyone used something like this 3M soft edge foam masking tape?  I may give it a try.  Looks like it will give a nice feathered edge.  My concern is, I was going to apply primer first and wonder about covering the primer up consistently.  Have to figure that part out.

I'm guessing the factory didn't mask the grills in that area. They probably had a technique that just sprayed it and that's where it stopped. I'm just guessing here but that's how it looks to me. That foam tape could be used and that's the first thing that came to my mind looking at the line. A couple issues using that stuff that I have ran into. You have to be very careful the with angle you spray or it will just look like a crappy tape line. The other problem is how well it adheres. I have had it come loose while I'm in the middle of spraying especially around corners and curves.