Correct Color Of Tailight Panel Nd Grill?

[Mckrack]

CAN SOMEONE PLEASE POST A PICTURE OF THE CORRECT COLOR OF THE TAILIGHT PANEL AND GRILL IN A SERIES ONE OR TWO VEHICLE. JUST ONE IS FINE. IT IS NOT THE SAME COLOR AS THE HUBCAPS AS SOME MAY THINK. IT IS LIGHTER. MOST CARS NO LONGER DEPICT THE CORRECT FACTORY COLOR. IF YOU HAVE THE PAINT FORMULA THAT WOULD BE GREAT. I'M HAVING A HARD TIME MATCHING THE COLOR. I KNOW IT'S A FUZZY TEXTURE BUT THAT CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED WITH THE NOZZLE ON THE SPRAY GUN. :stupid:

THANKS ALOT FOR THE HELP.

MCKRACK

[AZ-240z]

Mckrack,

Just out of curiousity, what do you base your assumption on that the color is not the same on the tail light and grill panels as is on the original hub caps?

I have a not too great picture of my car when it was new, and the color of the tail light panels appears to be the same as the hub caps. I, also, have a set of NOS hubcaps as a comparison. NOS grills are still available, but buying one for the sake of making a comparison is not in my budget right now.

[Mckrack]

I wish I could tell you it's an assumption but it's not. The rear finishing panel better know as the tail light exterior panel and grill are not the same color and did not come out of the factory the same color. The panel and grill were sort of a medium fuzzy textured gray. This a known misconception that they are the same color.

McKrack

[jmark]

Les @ Classic Datsun has the paint in rattle cans.

[DatsunZGuy]

CAN SOMEONE PLEASE POST A PICTURE OF THE CORRECT COLOR OF THE TAILIGHT PANEL AND GRILL IN A SERIES ONE OR TWO VEHICLE. JUST ONE IS FINE. IT IS NOT THE SAME COLOR AS THE HUBCAPS AS SOME MAY THINK. IT IS LIGHTER. MOST CARS NO LONGER DEPICT THE CORRECT FACTORY COLOR.

When you say the tail light panels and grill are different colors are you factoring in fading? For example, there is a shot of my rear panel in this thread that shows a profound difference where my license plate hid the panel behind it from exposure to the sun.

http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/showthread.php?t=13593&highlight=Color+grill%2Frear+tail+light+panel

This post gives you the recipe to mix the formula up yourself:

http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/showpost.php?p=33044&postcount=5

[Arne]

I have a late '71 with 60,000 miles, and the tail finishers and grill have never been repainted, as far as I can tell. I also have set of 'D' hubcaps that are near mint, were removed when the car was new and have been stored away from sunlight their entire life.

The grill is obviously lighter in color than the hubcaps. But the effects of 35 years of sun on the grill are not easy to determine.

On the other hand, as you can see in the attached picture, the tail finishers have obviously faded, and faded rather unevenly - probably due to the sun coming through a previous owner's garage window on the passenger side.

The right side of the car's finisher is quite pale in color, getting darker towards the left side. The far left edge is much darker, and appears (to my eye) to be the same color as both the area protected by the license plate, and also the same my near-NOS hubcaps. I tried to take a picture to show this comparison to the hubcap, but the picture can't show subtle differences like this.

Additionally, the finishers on my early car (10/70) also appear to not have ever been refinished. But for some reason they have not faded like those on the Series 2 car have. They are nice and dark, and definitely appear to be the same color as my 'D' hubcaps. I don't have a real good picture of these, but in the attached picture look at the left side of the car where it is not in the shadows.

So when I refinish mine, I'll be quite satisfied if the grill and finishers are the same color as my hubcaps. (I'll most probably use the paint from Les at Classic Datsuns.) If there was any difference in color when the cars were new, it was very minor, and I don't think it will be significant.

[geezer]

I've been comparing these colors lately. The only difference I can see is a slight difference in color that appears to be different only because of difference in texture. My theory is the hubcaps were not painted in the same facility when new. They seem to be slightly courser. I don't think you can go wrong going with the same for all, unless your shooting for a 300 pointer.

[xray]

I wish I could tell you it's an assumption but it's not. The rear finishing panel better know as the tail light exterior panel and grill are not the same color and did not come out of the factory the same color. The panel and grill were sort of a medium fuzzy textured gray. This a known misconception that they are the same color.

McKrack

Wick Humble states (in reference to the wheel cover paint color) that the "gray textured area is just paint and is similar, if not identical, to that used on the back-panel finisher..." (p.193)

Since his is a well-known and near-authoritative work, I'd say this is a reasonable place to get accurate information. On what do you base your assertion to the contrary?

I have an NOS grill, and it's color is an exact match to the paint from CDM. I suggest paying the $28 for a can for what is probably the closest match available...

Steve

[Mckrack]

Thanks everybody for your help I really appreciate it. I am not an expert and I don't think I will ever get to the 300 point gold medallion however the closest color to correct is Arne's panel. Especially the right side of it. I don't agree with Wick Humbles opinion on the paint. As for Les I did buy some cans from him but he told me difinitvely that it was only for the Hubcaps for which I have one restored set and one brand new set and the paint on both is dead nuts perfect and identical believe it or not. So Les makes good paint or wherever he gets it.

I am absolutely positive that the rear panel and grill are the same color a medium to lighter gray in a fuzzy texture. It's interesting the grill on my Land Rover Sport is almost the exact color of what it's suppose to be so I think I'm gonna go with that minus all the mettalic.

Thanks again.

McKrack

[Arne]

...however the closest color to correct is Arne's panel. Especially the right side of it.

I'll have to disagree with your opinion on that. The right side on my red car is obviously badly faded, when compared to any protected area of the finishers. Not only when comparing to the left side, but under the license plate, and at the top where the plastic rivets hold it (which is protected by the tailgate) on the same right panel. Any place on that right panel that has been protected by the sun is much darker, basically the same color as the hubcaps. They show absolutely no signs of ever having been repainted, either on the front, edges or back side. (Yes, I've personally had them off the car and checked.) So I'm at a loss to figure out how you can determine that the 'original' color is the obviously sun-faded pale color. I've seen pictures of cars with pale gray finishers before, and they always look wrong to me. (And yes, I'm old enough to remember seeing 240Zs when they were new.)

So when I refinish my red car's grill and finishers, I will use the dark paint from Les. If you want to use the pale color, go ahead. It's your car, and your decision. But all the available evidence on my original un-restored car points to the dark color being original.

[7T1240]

Snipped:

As for Les I did buy some cans from him but he told me difinitvely that it was only for the Hubcaps for which I have one restored set and one brand new set and the paint on both is dead nuts perfect and identical believe it or not. So Les makes good paint or wherever he gets it.

I am absolutely positive that the rear panel and grill are the same color a medium to lighter gray in a fuzzy texture. It's interesting the grill on my Land Rover Sport is almost the exact color of what it's suppose to be so I think I'm gonna go with that minus all the mettalic.

Thanks again.

McKrack

On the CDM website, after clicking on "240Z Parts, then on the header "Misc", the description for the color of the rattle can that Les Cannaday sells is as follows:

"Rear panel/hubcap gray paint in spray can matched from NOS parts. (not actual color sample)"

It is also my recollection that when I placed my order with Les several weeks ago for this very product that he said that it is indeed for the rear finisher panel and the wheels. I did not ask him about the grill.

McKrack, you might want to call Les to verify either the item description on his website or your memory of what you say he told you. I'd be interested to know what you learn.

Gary S.

BTW, the rattle cans Les sells are from Sherwin-Williams Automotive division, FWIW.

[hls30.com]

I wish I could tell you it's an assumption but it's not. The rear finishing panel better know as the tail light exterior panel and grill are not the same color and did not come out of the factory the same color. The panel and grill were sort of a medium fuzzy textured gray. This a known misconception that they are the same color.

McKrack

McKrack,

Where did you find that it is only an assumption that the colors are the same. Everything I have found says they are. I am asking because in more than 20 years of Z immersion, I have never found it posted anywhere but your posts that they are different. I am not trying to be argumentative, just asking you to share the source of information you found in four months that I haven't found in more than 20 years.

Will