Correct tail panel paint treatment

[Burdar]

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




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.




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.

[RUNCHARGER]

Great idea. I remember spending a lot of time taping off the blackout on my 70 Cuda, only to discover years later that I did it wrong.

[Cuda Cody]

Good info!   

The Cuda tail panel is the one most people get wrong.  I guess it's not really wrong, but maybe a more polite way of saying it would be they do it differently then what the factory manual specs.   They often to do not paint the blackout low enough...

http://www.e-bodies.org/Resources/Engineering_Illustrations/Black_Out_Tail_Panel_Cuda.pdf

[Cuda Cody]

Here's the 1970 Challenger tail panel blackout:

http://www.e-bodies.org/Resources/Engineering_Illustrations/Black_Out_Tail_Panel_Challenger.pdf

[erik70rt]

The '70 R/T SE panel is dark argent.  I'll snap a pic of my NOS one tonight.

[Burdar]

A lot of people seem to think a 70 R/T should be black. 

[Cuda Cody]

I've noticed that too.     Not sure why they think it should be black.   Maybe they read it on the internet.     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.     Just the T/A's.

A lot of people seem to think a 70 R/T should be black. 

[Burdar]

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.

[71GranCoupe]

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.

[Topcat]

71' Gran Coupes were a light shade of Argent.

Mine had it.

They laid it on pretty thick I recall.

[bc3j]

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.

[Burdar]

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.

[RUNCHARGER]

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.

[EB3-GranCoupe]

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.

[Brads70]

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...