I have definitely seen people arguing that the rear could be full gloss.
I agree, it's two different paints.

All orig. cars sitting next to each other.

:Can-I-Have-It::CharleySucks:Show off..

They are not Charley's. He sharing some of the most unmolested survivor blackout examples known to exist for reference.

Eh he still sucks.. :Charley::Charley:

I know zilch about details on these Camaros, but just throwing it out, FWIW, on '67 Chevelles the rear blackout can vary plant to plant (five plants). Same with firewall blackout. Some plants sprayed the tail panel black before body color, some black over body color.

Ok, I need to chime in also as I have seen other conversations in other threads talking about the black painted areas on GM muscle cars, especially the tail panel.

I’m another guy that knows little about the Camaro and the Chevelle.

My expertise are the early GTO’s (65-66-67).
They were also manufactured at 5 different plants that can result in variations in paint finish.

The reasons below will determine the “shade” of black seen on an Original Factory lacquer paint.

1) The plant and their pace / quality control used at that plant.
2) The guy behind the spray gun on a particular day. Sober or not. Was it applied thick or thin?
3) The environment a particular car has endured for 55+ years. Was the tail panel subjected to sunlight for a period of time?
Where was it kept - Dry, Damp, Cleaned/Waxed on a regular bases as the Owners Guide suggest? Is there any minute lacquer check?
4) On the GTO’s they called for a 60 degree gloss in certain areas. What the heck is 60 degrees? Satin?

Personally, I think the consistency, or lack of, on this “black paint” topic will never be resolved.

Cheers 🍺

the black out on some of the wheels seemed to have variations in paint finish also

Maybe they were requiring the ambient temp to be at least 60°F for the paint to be applied. That's a guess.




AMEN! It's funny how everyone wants to be right or wants to prove others wrong. Who really cares? Paint it what YOU think it should be and get the car finish and enjoy the damn thing. Life's too short.

Well here it is. The best evidence you can get. We trust survivors for literally everything else, fits, finishes, numbers, dates, photographs, data, and the people who did the work. Say what you want about Lillard but he follows where the facts lead.


As is human nature there is always the motivation of individuals with skin in the game with perfect interpretively restored cars.

I have seen people who otherwise should be fast friends become bitter because of the competition between who's interpretive restoration is more "correct" when in reality both examples are prefect examples of a custom car.

These are nearly always consensus built restorations.

A person who restores a consensus car (and the system that created the consensus determination in the first place) is typically the toughest to change when the facts are presented.

Why? because money is involved.

Each and every time at MCACN when I had the Norwood ambassadors with me and we approached a show perfect restoration -- the owners who were present with the car became disinterested in speaking to them when near their cars. This phenomenon literally became the "elephant in the room" later at dinner as a discussion point between the group.

The agreement between the Norwood workers was universal.

Each restored car was no longer original because the fit and finish and attention to detail vastly exceeded anything built within the factory and the people who own these cars literally do not want to hear that.

So yea I agree "get the car finished and enjoy the damn thing" but the survivors will always tell all of us the truth whether we desire to believe it or not.