Grill area black paint

[kasearch@ix.netcom.com]

on my 69 GT500, what paint code should I use for the headlight buckets, and the lower front bumper shroud?  what else should be painted black in this area?

[Bob Gaines]

on my 69 GT500, what paint code should I use for the headlight buckets, and the lower front bumper shroud?  what else should be painted black in this area?

Headlight buckets are painted the gray during the painting of the front grill area. The only black is just the twist lock brackets,back side of the valance and the park light surround.The rest was painted the gray. The front clip grill area was assembled during the painting process both body color and then sprayed gray over that. The grill mesh was black before the front side was painted the gray so backside is still predominantly black after that spray process but with a lot of gray overspray.

[Special Ed]

All of the grill area is grey including the top of fender line back to rear of headlight buckets area under the later added  black hoodpin brackets. I use the eyebrow moulding inner split seam as a guide to line up paint tape line straight back to far rear headlight bucket when painting the grey but this paint line car vary a little bit since it was done by hand. I hand an  a.o.smith assembly line  painted take out center stoneguard deflector panel that i took to a paint shop to match the paint and it was a original ford car paint and i got a can here somewhere.

[kasearch@ix.netcom.com]

Thanks Bob and Special.  On the gray, where can I get the correct paint for this along with the grill and rest of the components?  Is there a paint code? and is it flat, gloss, ??

[Bob Gaines]

I have matched the color from parts like Ed mentioned but Ford dark argent is very close .

[J_Speegle]

Thanks Bob and Special.  On the gray, where can I get the correct paint for this along with the grill and rest of the components?  Is there a paint code? and is it flat, gloss, ??

Would describe the finish as what is referred to today as an eggshell

There are a number of threads on this site and CMF that include pictures and details from original cars and how some have reproduced the original look as well as details

[tim johnson]

I came across this photo on the internet on a car site that shows the original color.

[kasearch@ix.netcom.com]

Thanks again guys. As for matching the gray color, unfortunately I have nothing to match it to.  The car came disassembled, and with various paint schemes on all the parts.  Most of the parts did not have the original paint on it to match to. And as for the texture of eggshell Jay, would matt or satin finish be close?  As for argent, I thought argent had a slight metallic or metal flake look.  Oh, one more question if I may.  What color are the hood scoop and side scoop screens?  The same and as the grill or ??

[Bob Gaines]

Thanks again guys. As for matching the gray color, unfortunately I have nothing to match it to.  The car came disassembled, and with various paint schemes on all the parts.  Most of the parts did not have the original paint on it to match to. And as for the texture of eggshell Jay, would matt or satin finish be close?  As for argent, I thought argent had a slight metallic or metal flake look.  Oh, one more question if I may.  What color are the hood scoop and side scoop screens?  The same and as the grill or ??

There is a Argent which is a lighter aluminum color like used on the tail panel of a 68 Shelby and Dark Argent which is a darker gray metallic like used on 1970 Mach I rocker moldings.The scoop screens were not painted from the factory but the material came to AO Smith already a black color. A semi gloss black works nicely to mimic the original look.

[Special Ed]

From my research and comparing original grill paint parts i had mixed Oxford Grey Mettalic a 68  ford T-bird color of which makes sense as ford was using that paint color already on the assembly line in 68 and shelbys were started being built in fall of 68 so they used what was already in inventory and not have to come up with a new color.

[69 GT350 Vert]

NPD Part AP-GPA.

[kasearch@ix.netcom.com]

Does the front bumper shroud also get the grey treatment?

[Bob Gaines]

Does the front bumper shroud also get the grey treatment?

The entire front clip was assembled and then painted in one piece. First with body color and then with the gray . That front fog light support was part of the front clip that ultimately ended up being painted gray . The rubber strip that hides the bumper arm openings was added after painting.

[shelbymann1970]

Thanks Bob and Special.  On the gray, where can I get the correct paint for this along with the grill and rest of the components?  Is there a paint code? and is it flat, gloss, ??

My car had dark gray under the stone guard overlap on the HL bucket(diff paint process?) and also on the back of the grill. When I bought my car a PO painted the grill black. I took my grill and 1 HL bucket to painter's supply and said my thoughts were dark argent metallic. They mixed that up and put a daub on my bucket area and grill. Pretty much an exact match. I'd go with Ford dark argent metallic but there is also flattener used like what has been mentioned.

[Calypso Coral]

Thanks for the grille and surround paint information. FYI NPD carries the Seymour AP-GPA dark argent paint, but it's too dark and it's glossy (see attached image of valance,headlight ring and NPD paint suggested earlier in this thread). I sanded my headlight surround valance (was paint matte black 30+ years ago) and it's a lighter color and matte finish.  Also, was underneath the valance dark argent or black. While cleaning up underneath my valance I found evidence of dark grey. I matched my panel to a Duplicolor Ford dark shadow grey (see image) and it matches extremely well.