The Dodge Challenger Message Board

As you may know I'm working on the front of my car (repaint engine bay) and so have a couple of questions about the colors. What to paint...
- the 'space' behind the headlights (the front of the inner fender)
- the sheetmetal besides/in front of the radiator (actually where the radiator is mounted at)
- the pieces below and above (both in front of) the radiator which 'connects' both sides of the car
- the vertical piece in the center/front of the radiator
- the hood latch?

I'm already informed about the suspension/steering parts (if P.Herd knows what he's writing) so I won't ask about these parts.
So in conclusion I could ask how to paint everything you see when you remove the whole grill. I've seen it diffenent on a couple of pictures so thought to ask the experts...

Look at Jacks car.



The hood latch was bare metal I think.

Just emailed Jack directly for pictures in a bigger format. thx Dave

Hi Hans,

my 72 Rallye has the original paint and never an accident. I will check tomorrow the paint/colors and post it here.

Hi Hans,

I checked my car today. Every piece is painted in tan (HT6) color (color of the body of the car). There is NO black paint ! So the original colors are from the body of your car on every piece you requested in. Also the hood latch is in the same color of the body. If you have more questions, let me know.

Best regards, Jens

Hi Hans,

sorry, the hood latch at the HOOD itself is body color.

The hood latch in front of the radiator is bare metal (like silver/gold). The screws at the latch are NOT painted, they are bare metal. The spring is painted in body color.

Jens

Many thanks Jens, this clears up a couple of things and cause your car is an untouched original one there's no doubt about 'his' colors! If I doubt about something else I will let you know.

I would guess then that only the 1970 and maybe 1971 cars were painted black behind there. The 1970 for sure because you could see right through the grille.

I will share your guess Dave... That could be the cause for all those differences between 'restored' challengers you see these days.

Hans, I send you an email with some pictures, too large for the message board. You should see all the details precisely.

You could send some to me Jens as I can post any size image I want!

I haven't checked in recently and had no idea this thread was happening. Julius Steuer is a pretty reliable authority on what was painted what different color where after the body was painted its color. For instance, when you have Rallye wheels on drum brakes, the brake drums get four - not three, not five - shots of red paint sprayed one every 90 degrees on the drum face so they show through the slots in the wheel center. I have total faith in the accuracy of his black paint behind the grille of my 1970 R/T as it agrees with all of the research photos I have found.

Did you car's engine come orange or did any come blue?

The engine's color depends on which engine it is. 440 HP blocks (magnums and six-packs) and hemis come painted orange. I'll look up the rest and post that after I get home from work.

According to Year One's 2000 catalogue:
318 - blue
340 - street hemi orange, 1970 through March 1971. Starting April 1971 all 340 4-bbl engines were painted blue.
360 - blue
383 with Holley carb - usually blue, some street hemi orange.
383 with Carter carb - usually street hemi orange, some blue. Most 70/71 HP 383's were painted SH Orange.
440 wih Holley - usually blue, some street hemi orange.
440 with Carter 4-bbl and six pack - street hemi orange.
426 - street hemi orange

thx Jack, I thought my 340 had blue original paint. That explains it built in june 71

on a 70 challenger is the trunk floor painted body color? What about the plugs in the trunk floor?

The rubber plugs go in after the paint.

Yes, trunk is in body color and the plugs go in after paint color.

I found this intresting article in Mopar Action October 1997. I wonder if the same applies for Challengers? I guess so myself. I know that it has been discussed before but I can´t find the post right now.

Yes I am sure I have posted about this before. In fact it is on my web pages.

The front side of the radiator closure panel, below the top support (upper radiator "U" channel) and underneath the hood latch plate was painted Organasol Black except for TX9, EB7 and EF8. Overspray was permitted half way into the inside headlamp area.

Notice there is no mention of B5 blue missing the black paint in the information I have. Only B7.

dave-r wrote:Yes I am sure I have posted about this before. In fact it is on my web pages.

The front side of the radiator closure panel, below the top support (upper radiator "U" channel) and underneath the hood latch plate was painted Organasol Black except for TX9, EB7 and EF8. Overspray was permitted half way into the inside headlamp area.

Notice there is no mention of B5 blue missing the black paint in the information I have. Only B7.

It feels like B5 also should be included, but who knows? We are talking about Mopars, aren´t we?

Q: IF B5 are supposed to be included in the list, then I also think that FC7 (Plum crazy) should be included. Why? Becuse it is more dark compared to B5. Maybe they did an exception for the hi-impact colours though (and wanted them to look as good as possible)?

For colours: http://www.aarta.com/frame.html and then choose "pictures".

I think B5 is too bright not to be seen behind a 1970 grille.