What do you think of this car? Hemmings ....

[442w30]

In the latest Hemmings Muscle Machines, there's a Fathom Green L78 that the restorer claims didn't have the black rear panel. The claim is dark cars - black and FGreen - didn't get this treatment.

I have trouble believing this. I've also heard this on 'Cudas that were painted black, and it has been proven to be false. And it doesn't sound logical from an assembly line perspective.

Comments?

[370454s]

If you are referring to a 69 Camaro, that is correct. Fathom Green and Black SSs did not get the Black Cove. Thats according to The Definitive 69 Camaro Fact Book, by Jerry MacNeish.
Mike

[SSJunkie68-69]

Yes, that would be correct.All BB's in those colors did not receive a blacked out tail panel. I believe that holds true for 68's and 67's as well.

[69SSZL1]

This Hemmings car has no proof of being an original L78. It certainly was not cloned correctly as an SS. Silver grill, no side gills, emblem placement, Holley R4557 carb, even an upside down air cleaner seal! The restorer also claims it's a Sports Car Coversion, which was not availible in 69 without a COPO order also.

[ANDY M]

I wondered about that.

[442w30]

Oh, that's right. They did a poor job explaining the Sports Car Conversion, and the only time I have ever heard of it is when it's involved in making a COPO a "double" COPO.

I know MacNiesh's book is supposed to be pretty good, but still, it makes no sense why they'd make an exception for these colors.

[camarojoe]

[ QUOTE ]
Oh, that's right. They did a poor job explaining the Sports Car Conversion, and the only time I have ever heard of it is when it's involved in making a COPO a "double" COPO. I know MacNiesh's book is supposed to be pretty good, but still, it makes no sense why they'd make an exception for these colors.

[/ QUOTE ]

Gotta agree with you on this one. I know I have seen original paint fathom green and burnished brown big block cars with black rear tail panels... Maybe some of the dark colors didn't get some of the lower rocker blackouts (?) but I think any SS396 car would have the rear panel painted black. bkhpah would be the guy to ask for sure.

[SSJunkie68-69]

Courtesy of CRG......another great resource~


Q: Is it true that black-out paint was applied by the factory, and if so, for what models?

A: Certain first-generation Camaro models had semi-gloss black-out paint applied to the body to influence the appearance. There were two types, a "ground-effect" black-out applied to the rocker-panel/body-sill area for certain exterior trim options, and a blacked-out tailpan applied to SS-396 cars.

Body sill black-out paint was applied to Z22 cars in 1967 and 1968, and to Z21, Z22, and COPO 9560/9561 cars in 1969. But there were several body colors that were simply just too dark for this paint scheme to be effective, and for these colors (more below) the body sill black-out paint was omitted. Additionally, the body sill black-out was omitted for special models like the 1969 Z11 Indy Pace Car convertible trim package and the 1969 Z10 coupe trim package. A Chevrolet Product Bulletin dated 2-4-69 describes the Z11 (Pace Car trim package) package and includes this instruction: "Body sill to be painted white instead of black." Although no instructions have been found for the Z10 coupe, it would be natural for this same philosophy to have been followed.

There was also a paint color exception for the SS-396 tailpan black-out, but as far as we can tell, it was limited to black vehicles; in other words, only black (and special models like Z11 and Z10) SS-396 cars did not receive the (semi-gloss) blacked-out tailpans.

The CRG will continue to follow this topic and provide more detail with better substantiation as the information becomes available.

The 1967 and 1969 body sill paint codes that did not receive black-out paint (supported by GM documentation - except see note on 1969 #10 Tuxedo Black) are:


1967/1967 Body Sill Color Exceptions

1967
----
AA Tuxedo Black
EE Deepwater (Dark) Blue
LL Tahoe Turquoise
MM Royal Plum
NN Madeira Maroon

1969
----
10 Tuxedo Black*
51 Dusk (Dark) Blue
57 Fathom (Dark) Green
61 Burnished (Dark) Brown
67 Burgundy (Maroon)

--------
* We have not found GM documentation
for the 1969 Tuxedo Black body sill
exception. However we believe it
followed the pattern of previous years,
and the few original 1969 cars we
have found appear to bear this out.


GM documentation specifically listing the excepted body sill colors for 1968 has not yet been found, however, the CRG believes the excepted colors were the following:


1968 Body Sill Color Exceptions

AA Tuxedo Black (discontinued Jan 68)
EE Fathom (Dark) Blue (discontinued Jan 68)
NN Cordovan Maroon
VV Sequoia Green
ZZ British Green (new as of Jan 68)

[camarojoe]

That sounds right to me. In otherwords, this fathom green SS396 car SHOULD still have the rear panel painted black.

[68l30]

As for the 9737....Where do you find 15" steels and what would the codes be? Should be rally wheels....I like the pic of the "test fit half quarter".How and why would you use a POS repop to test fit a NOS panel? Apples and oranges.My guess is the repop is on the car...Nice car, but far from correct..I ain't buying the stories..

Steve