69 Camaro SS 396 tail light panel black out

[chris slawski]

Hello folks-
I am getting some conflicting information that i want to try to clarify. NOT calling any one out at all! Some folks have been very helpful providing info info but they conflict each other.
My question is for a Fathom Green 69 Camaro SS396 is the tail light panel body color, or matte black?
one VERY trusted source within this group and others advised matte black, which i have always thought, and had read in another VERY trusted source's books.
The confusion is there is a 69 SS396 survivor belonging to a GREAT member on the site with a body color (Fathom) tail light panel.
I am still trying to establish some validity to my 69 Camaro actually being a SS396 so i scraped some of the robins egg blue (yuck) off the tail panel and the results are below in photo.
So matte black, or body color...which can i hang my hat in?
Thanks folks!

[70 copo]

Interesting, so you think your car was an SS 396 originally?

[Lee Stewart]

AFAIK, all 1969 396 SS Camaros had the matte black rear panel. All other Camaros had body color (SS350, COPO, Z/28, RS and STD). Only one exception was the 1969 396 Pace Car convertible. That would be white (body color)

[Steve Shauger]

Originally Posted by Lee Stewart

AFAIK, all 1969 396 SS Camaros had the matte black rear panel. All other Camaros had body color (SS350, COPO, Z/28, RS and STD). Only one exception was the 1969 396 Pace Car convertible. That would be white (body color)

The tail panel and black out area would have a 60% gloss. There is a debate as to the percentage of gloss, but definitely not a matte/flat finish.

[Steve Shauger]

Originally Posted by chris slawski

Hello folks-
I am getting some conflicting information that i want to try to clarify. NOT calling any one out at all! Some folks have been very helpful providing info info but they conflict each other.
My question is for a Fathom Green 69 Camaro SS396 is the tail light panel body color, or matte black?
one VERY trusted source within this group and others advised matte black, which i have always thought, and had read in another VERY trusted source's books.
The confusion is there is a 69 SS396 survivor belonging to a GREAT member on the site with a body color (Fathom) tail light panel.
I am still trying to establish some validity to my 69 Camaro actually being a SS396 so i scraped some of the robins egg blue (yuck) off the tail panel and the results are below in photo.
So matte black, or body color...which can i hand my hat on?
Thanks folks!

Charley and I have had a debate on the % of gloss. I would paint it 60% gloss. Obviously as you polish the blackout paint it will become glossier over time. I would not paint it flat/matte. JMO

[chris slawski]

Originally Posted by 70 copo

Interesting, so you think your car was an SS 396 originally?

I THINK it is but it is a CA car without original drive train, but does have some tall tale signs. So as i have said before, it will NEVER have the provenence of a car like L78 Fred has but it would make a really fun driver.

[chris slawski]

Originally Posted by Steve Shauger

The tail panel and black out area would have a 60% gloss. There is a debate as to the percentage of gloss, but definitely not a matte/flat finish.

I use matte as a generic term not specifically matte. I am more concerned for body color vs "not real shiny" black tail light panel.

thanks Steve!

[Mr70]

I'd paint your tail panel black too.
And just for future reference,it's Hang your hat on,not Hand your hat on.

[X66 714]

Originally Posted by chris slawski

I use matte as a generic term not specifically matte. I am more concerned for body color vs "not real shiny" black tail light panel.

thanks Steve!

The way I describe it is, it's shiny but not shiny enough you can see your reflection. Lacquer straight out of the gun can sometimes produce the same effect..Joe

[70 copo]

Originally Posted by Steve Shauger

Charley and I have had a debate on the % of gloss. I would paint it 60% gloss. Obviously as you polish the blackout paint it will become glossier over time. I would not paint it flat/matte. JMO

From the December 2015 topic discussion:

https://www.yenko.net/forum/showthre...=134256&page=4

What follows is an excerpt from an interview conducted for Echoes and would be applicable to Norwood.

"The back panel paint was applied on the line between ovens 2 and 3. The paint was the same paint used on the rockers. The gloss difference was a technical result of the temperature differences within the last reflow oven.

The first being where the upper portions of the body were exposed to more consistent heat than the rockers and the reflow process was always more glossy in those areas.

If there was a temperature difference in plant say a summer day- the body was already hot going into the oven - warm to the touch- as opposed to a winter day where the body would be cool to the touch, all of these factors played into the final reflow outcome.

Cars built in cooler conditions in plant probably were less prone to high gloss where cars that cycled into the oven on a hot day had better and more consistent reflow due to the oven getting a fairly warm body to start with"

My Guess based entirely on this interview:

Cars built in the summer= glossy
Cars built in the winter = Less glossy
Spring and Fall=split the gloss %

Source: Fisher Body Paint Department supervisor.
His name appears on the 1969 personnel listing at Norwood as a Fisher Body employee in paint. In addition He supervised the man in the picture below.