Were the original grill and headlight bezels used on the 69 Z28 molded in silver/argent or were they painted silver/argent?
An original assembly-line argent standard grille was molded in an off-white plastic; the front of the grille was painted argent. At some point the circumference of the front of the grille was painted body color; may have been done at the assembly plants. The head light bezels always matched the grille; don't recall the color of the plastic they were molded in. Black grilles for SS cars were molded in black and the circumference also painted to match.
For several years into the '70s GMPD serviced both argent and black grilles. Argent was discontinued at that time and black the only one serviced.
Most RS grilles were molded in black as that was the standard color. However a factory black RS would have an argent grille; those were molded in the same off-white plastic and painted argent.
http://www.camaros.org/exterior.shtml#1969Grille
Paul
Thank you to those who responded.I really phrased my question very poorly. Actually my question is:
when replacing the standard grill and headlight bezels in a 69 Z28 using reproduction headlight bezels and grill molded in silver/argent, should those pieces be painted silver/argent or used as produced?
If they look to be the correct color there would be no need to paint them.
Just make sure for a Z/28 you get the right headlight bezels. They are different for X77, and X33 cars.
Quote from: BULLITT65 on April 02, 2016, 05:44:09 PM
Just make sure for a Z/28 you get the right headlight bezels. They are different for X77, and X33 cars.
Are you referring to the chrome ring on the outer portion of the bezel as the difference? I have a x77 and my bezels have no chrome trim on them. But then I did some work on another x77 last summer and his had the chrome on them. I just assumed his were replaced because the owner did tell me the previous owner hit a deer years ago and the car had some front damage.
Thanks
X77's used the standard no-ring bezels; NOS bezels (I have a couple, plus my originals), are Argent right out of the box.
I had to replace my original grille in 1977 due to a fender bender (no sheet metal damage, but those Audi taillights did a number on the plastic egg crate of the grille). The NOS replacement I bought was black by that time - superceded a couple of years before that, I imagine.
Regards,
Steve
No need to replace an original GM grille and headlight bezels just because of the color. The trim rings on the X33 headlight bezels can be removed, a small amount of body filler in the three holes and paint argent silver. The grille just needs to be scuffed and painted argent silver. Never use repro parts unless absolutely necessary.