triadecho

I am almost ready to start painting my 72. The aluminum grid louvres in the sides of the front fenders are painted solid red.
In pictures I see some solid color louvres like mine and some where it looks like the edges of the grid were masked off and you can see the silver. There are even some chrome louvres which look aftermarket.

Which is correct to the original car?

[Modified by triadecho, 7:29 PM 5/5/2004]


[Modified by triadecho, 7:31 PM 5/5/2004]

OHSIXX

They vary depending on the model year. The 72 has the egg crate look.
This is correct for 1972:

Tex71BB

Actually, the whole louver panel is chrome under the paint. You have to mask off the edges to leave just the edges chrome. As you noticed, a lot of guys strip the paint and just leave it all chrome.

triadecho

Thanks for photo:
Looks like I have some more work to do.

OHSIXX

I might be wrong, but remember taking a look at that. Seems like it was rather dull looking aluminum vice chrome on my car.

triadecho

Mine 72 is also a dull casting.
The right one was cast in 1969 and the left one in 1972.
I figure the 1969 was a crash part.
Anyway, they have a thick coating of goopy clear coat on them which I should strip any how. This is the 3rd paint job on the car and there are places where the paint may pile up above the magic 18 mil number where cracking starts.
Getting it ready to paint has been quite a job.

triadecho

Things just got more interesting.
The 72 louvre is chrome plated and the 69 louvre is dull aluminim.
What next?

lostpatrolman

69 louver? 69s had the gills like the midyears. 70 was first year of the louvers.

triadecho

The louver on the right side was cast in 69 probably for use on a 70. the grid pattern is the same as a 72 except the corners of the grids are a little different than the 72.




[Modified by triadecho, 1:46 AM 5/6/2004]

Tex71BB

Mine were both chrome ('71).