I have just painted the engine bay and front sheetmetal of my 64 dart convertable silver. I know that the radiator support needs to be painted black but don't know where the body color ends and the black starts. Kicking myself for not taking pictures before attacking it with the sandblaster. Anyone have any pictures illustrating the proper paint demarcation? -thanks

This is my son Aaron with his '74 Dart Sport, after we pulled the engine. I don't know if you can tell from the photo, but the radiator support is completely painted black. The headlight mounting frame and everything behind it is painted the body color. Black was used for everything else between the headlight frames. I guess it's so you would see only black behind the grill openings (color would detract from the shiny chrome or aluminum).


Jerry

_________________
There's a difference between ignorance and stupidity.
Ignorance is not knowing any better.
Stupidity is knowing, yet doing it anyway.

Thanks for the picture. I suspect thaty the blackout is just for the rad support that would be visible through the grill? I remember that mine had some black on the insideof the rad support, but that might not have been stock - a lot of history in a near 40 year old car.

On my '65 the whole front side is black, the back side is body color.

On my 63 GT entire front of rad support and sheetmetal is black and engine side is body color. This area was not repainted in 1970 by a previous owner and is the only orginal paint left, seeing as yours is one year later, most likely no change. Read many years ago, body color was never used by the factory on the core support front facing area. The issue I have is proper color for the headlight area. Have seen press releases that show it blacked out and painted body color.

My Satellite is the same. Body toward engine and on the top, flat black on the front. My '70 Fury was the same.

When the factory painted this area, it looks like a template was used. There are no fine lines like it was taped off. All colors except black was supposed to get this treatment.

Cecil

Sounds like the right thing to do is paint the entire front side of the rad support flat black, insuring that the silver paint does not show through the grill. Thanks to everyone who looked under the hood for me, much appreciated. All I have to do next is paint the k-member and start re-installing the front suspension! I'm looking forward to moving this car around without the aid of a floor jack. Thnak you all for helping me out. -shane

gtdart,
Take a look at my post in the "Suspension and Brakes" forum about the question of going with poly or rubber for the front end rebuild. What did you do to yours and why?

Jerry

_________________
There's a difference between ignorance and stupidity.
Ignorance is not knowing any better.
Stupidity is knowing, yet doing it anyway.