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Old Nov 30, 2014 | 01:34 PM
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Default Sidepipe paint color

What is the color between the fins on the side pipes? Is it satin black or is it a dark grayish?
Paul
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Old Nov 30, 2014 | 08:21 PM
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Mine are Satin Black.
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Old Nov 30, 2014 | 09:54 PM
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I think it's the same gray used on the grill.
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Old Nov 30, 2014 | 10:40 PM
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Pretty sure they're black. That's the color mine were prior to rechroming. Tough to mask off though, so I spray painted the entire groove sections. From there I took a 5 to 7 in long piece of 2x4. Pulled a single layer of undershirt taught over the 4" surface, moistened it with lacquer thinner (not dripping) and quickly pushed it across this fin area and removed the unwanted paint(change cloth area often). Came out perfect. That was in 1993. They need to be redone now.
Regards, Pete

Last edited by PeteL46; Nov 30, 2014 at 10:43 PM.
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Old Dec 1, 2014 | 12:12 AM
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Paragon uses a dark flat high temp gray on their new ones. I have a new set.

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Old Dec 1, 2014 | 06:40 AM
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I look close at mine and they look gray or a very worn out black. So the new ones from Paragon are gray but it sounds like most paint them black.
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Old Dec 1, 2014 | 06:48 AM
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Originally Posted by PeteL46
Pretty sure they're black. That's the color mine were prior to rechroming. Tough to mask off though, so I spray painted the entire groove sections. From there I took a 5 to 7 in long piece of 2x4. Pulled a single layer of undershirt taught over the 4" surface, moistened it with lacquer thinner (not dripping) and quickly pushed it across this fin area and removed the unwanted paint(change cloth area often). Came out perfect. That was in 1993. They need to be redone now.
Regards, Pete
Pretty good way of doing it. I could only think of pin stripe tape and lots of taping.
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Old Dec 1, 2014 | 06:50 AM
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Originally Posted by Raphiki
I think it's the same gray used on the grill.
The grill is gray? I swear mine looks black unpainted.
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Old Dec 1, 2014 | 07:41 AM
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68 and 69 grilles are black plastic. 70-72 grills are dark gray in the egg crate areas.
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Old Dec 1, 2014 | 10:09 AM
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Hi,
I'm pretty sure the original color used in the grooves on the 69 side-exhaust covers, and also on the 70-72 front grills, was a dark metallic gray.
The paint sold by Eastwood as Zinc Phosphate (10281Z) is quite a good match.
It's also a good match for the center grill used in 70-72.
Regards,
Alan
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Old Dec 1, 2014 | 11:22 AM
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Originally Posted by Alan 71
Hi,
I'm pretty sure the original color used in the grooves on the 69 side-exhaust covers, and also on the 70-72 front grills, was a dark metallic gray.
The paint sold by Eastwood as Zinc Phosphate (10281Z) is quite a good match.
It's also a good match for the center grill used in 70-72.
Regards,
Alan
Thank you Alan 71 I just went to Eastwood and bought it. Now when it comes in let me see if I can get it to look correct.
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Old Dec 1, 2014 | 11:25 AM
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PeteL46 how did you do the end peices? same thing 2x4 and t-shirt material
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Old Dec 1, 2014 | 03:15 PM
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Originally Posted by Paul.Ebach
PeteL46 how did you do the end peices? same thing 2x4 and t-shirt material
I believe I used the same process; 21 years ago! It may have been a cross/perpendicular wipe, then again it could have used the radiused edge of 2x in a linear direction (sorry).
I forgot to mention I didn't use any primer. I was concerned during the wipe process it could become visible. The wipe process took place somewhere in the vicinity of 10 to 20 minutes after painting. You do not want the paint to cure.
I just took a few photos to send though I'm not very sucessful in attaching them.
Gray huh, I guess I used the wrong color.
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Old Dec 1, 2014 | 03:29 PM
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Originally Posted by Paul.Ebach
PeteL46 how did you do the end peices? same thing 2x4 and t-shirt material
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I've attached 3 photos. . . I don't see them but I'm pushing "Submit reply" anyway.
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Old Dec 1, 2014 | 03:34 PM
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It worked!!!!!!!!
You can see the stone chips on the second photo, this is the leading edge or front.

Again, they were painted a long time ago and 8k miles ago. I think I used Krylon. Not the best paint but IMHO the best sprayer or nozel.

Last edited by PeteL46; Dec 1, 2014 at 03:39 PM.
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Old Dec 1, 2014 | 03:40 PM
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PeteL46 Thank for the update and the pics. They turned out nice. I guess the mounting area on mine should be a satin black because my car is black and I think that being gray would look bad. I think is should blend in so it looks just like the pipes are there.
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Old Dec 1, 2014 | 03:58 PM
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Please keep in mind, I'm no expert, many areas not even a novice. These were covers I purchased sometime in 89 in mediocre condition. They appeared to be in original/untouched condition and I saw black. My wife says I can't hear. . .LOL Maybe I"m color blind too.
Regards,
Pete
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Old Dec 1, 2014 | 05:58 PM
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Originally Posted by Alan 71
Hi,
I'm pretty sure the original color used in the grooves on the 69 side-exhaust covers, and also on the 70-72 front grills, was a dark metallic gray.
The paint sold by Eastwood as Zinc Phosphate (10281Z) is quite a good match.
It's also a good match for the center grill used in 70-72.
Regards,
Alan
Your right . ....I spilled something liquid on a spot on one pipe not long after I bought them. About 5 inch roundish place...I had some of the Zinc Eastwood paint . You can not tell where I blended the gray in .looks fantastic. I almost panicked for a minute there

The paint finish in the groves is quite fragile on the Paragon reproductions . You can 't scrub it or rub much or it will come right off. They tell you this in the maintenance sheet.

I just wipe the cover sections with paint very gently with a slightly warm damp cotton cloth .

Last edited by LS4 PILOT; Dec 1, 2014 at 06:00 PM.
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Old Dec 1, 2014 | 11:22 PM
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Originally Posted by Alan 71
Hi,
I'm pretty sure the original color used in the grooves on the 69 side-exhaust covers, and also on the 70-72 front grills, was a dark metallic gray.
The paint sold by Eastwood as Zinc Phosphate (10281Z) is quite a good match.
It's also a good match for the center grill used in 70-72.
Regards,
Alan
I have NOS factory 69 sidepipe exhaust shrouds on the 68. I bought them in the late 1970's and stored them until about 6 years ago when I installed them on the 68. I'll go have a look. For sure they look notionally like a black color. I've never looked at them that closely. I keep them liberally coated with WD-40 for corrosion protection. They still look absolutely perfect.

Interesting about the zinc phosphate. I have a center grill, side grills, and quarter panel louvers for the 70. I'll buy some zinc phosphate for them.. My heritage re-chromer has refused to rechrome these pieces for me since they are aluminum castings. He said that before being rechromed, they need to be anodyzed with a conductive plating for a nickel plate on top of the conductive anodyze coating. Comment?

Last edited by 68/70Vette; Dec 1, 2014 at 11:27 PM.
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Old Dec 2, 2014 | 12:24 AM
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Nos pair on eBay N14 1969. These are same color as my paragon repops........they definitely aren't black .

From a distance stand off they look sorta flat black......but blow up the view and look down the cover. They look dead on like my pipes. They are a very flat gray as Alan described .

I had a set back in1977 and they looked just like the ones on eBay too.

Surely there is a NCRS person on this forum with a judging book...where is Mike Ward when you need him? LOL

Last edited by LS4 PILOT; Dec 2, 2014 at 12:27 AM.
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