Dartswinger70
Well-Known Member
I like it! a nice Pony car back in the day. the 273 Commando gets it done too.
What Color Are First Generation Barracuda Grilles Supposed to Be?
- Thread starter dibbons
- Start date
-
65barracudaLA
Well-Known Member
Looks like the valance is blacked out in the Ely Motors picture.
Absolutely 100% that 64-5 (and 66) Barracuda center grilles are body color, and 64-5 valence wings are blacked out.
Lot of "restored" 64-5 Barracudas today with blacked out grilles and non-blacked-out valence wings. They are bass-ackwards.
Sorry - I'm old enough to remember these when they were new, and I've owned mine since 1968. I annoys me when I see first gen Barracudas with mis-painted grilles and valences (and non-blacked out radiator supports on light colored cars - but that's not unique to early Barracudas).
Sorry - I'm old enough to remember these when they were new, and I've owned mine since 1968. I annoys me when I see first gen Barracudas with mis-painted grilles and valences (and non-blacked out radiator supports on light colored cars - but that's not unique to early Barracudas).
Is possible only Formula S cars had blacked out valence wings ? Ely motors car definitely is and it looks like the airborne Cuda is also but difficult to be 100%. I rarely saw "S" cars in the junk yards but saw many original paint non "S" cars with body color valence wings.
No. My 65 was not an "S" and neither was my Mom's 64 Barracuda. Both were original paint cars when we first got them (1968 for mine, 1982 for hers), and both had the blacked out valence wings. In fact, I never saw a 64-65 Barracuda with un-blacked-out valence wings until the last 2-3 decades.
I'd have to question just how original your junkyard Barracudas were that you saw only after decades of use and abuse. Especially the valences. I can tell you from personal experience they were easily damaged. Many were replaced or at least repaired over the years. I'm on I think my fourth or fifth valence now.
Here's a non-S 64 Barracuda Hot Rod Magazine tested. Scan's not the clearest, but I can tell you that it is clear from the original magazine print photo that the valence wings are blacked out. (And the grille is body color.)
My memory is quite fallible so I shall defer to your expertise. Masking off my wings now for a touch of black paint ! 
And here's a Formula S from Road and Track, April 1965.
I probably have a another test or two buried in my magazine stash but I think the above is proof enough. Besides everything else, I think the valence looks better correctly blacked out. OK, I will chill out now. . . .
dibbons
Well-Known Member
In my case, I had the painter use the same gold color mixed for the racing stripe for the valance black-out. ("valence" is a chemistry term) The hinge support is also black, but the "behind-the-grill" area still needs to be blacked out.
Rustyfish
Member
1964 Color print brochure. Looks like body color on both.
Rustyfish
Member
1965 "barn find" (maybe), all body color.
grimreaper
Cross Member
I have a few very clear memories from when I was young. One memory is the reveal day of the 1965 Plymouths. The dealerships had new car reveal days back at that time and I always went with my dad to see the new cars. I particularly remember going to the Plymouth dealer on the reveal morning of 1965 cars. I had seen 64 Barracudas and was really interested in seeing what was new and different for 65. They had moved three Barracudas out front and had a medium turquois one in the showroom. The ones outside had body color center grilles but I was really fond of the turquois one with the black center grille in the showroom. All of them had the valance wings painted black too. The one in the showroom was a 273 / four speed car but not formulas S or Commando. (Iwas quite disappointed by that) Those outside were all automatics, one with a 273 and two with sixes. I remember examining every detail on the Barracuda in the showroom while my Dad talked with the sales guy about a gold four door. I even discovered that this car had a weird electrical box in the trunk and was told by a different sales guy that it was a reverberation unit so your radio sounded like a concert hall.
It is possible that the dealership painted the center grill on this car black but I think it is highly doubtful. Almost all of the Barracudas I saw in those years had body color center grilles but the turquoise car with the black center grille had such an effect on me one of the first things I did when I got my Barracuda in 1970 was paint the center grill black.
It is possible that the dealership painted the center grill on this car black but I think it is highly doubtful. Almost all of the Barracudas I saw in those years had body color center grilles but the turquoise car with the black center grille had such an effect on me one of the first things I did when I got my Barracuda in 1970 was paint the center grill black.
I guess I'm stupid......what is it yall are callin "eyebrows"?
dibbons
Well-Known Member
The photo in post #37 shows left and right portions of the valance painted a darker color (the "eyebrows).
Oh ok. Gotchya. I was lookin up top....you know like eyebrows? lol
Rustyfish
Member
Low Brow humor
pishta
I know I'm right....
Well if the consensus here is body color...my as cast neutral grill is gonna get a shot of silver paint...and I may even address the blacked out "Low brows". Mine must have been a replacement grill @65 Cuda 340 mentioned as they were "Customer facing" going down the road, and made of an unforgiving cast aluminum or zinc or pot metal that would most likely break instead of yield to a stone or something. Question: how do you correct some minor waves in them there grill slats? Gentle persuasion with a wooden wedge or something?
Rustyfish
Member
Seems like it would be akin to straightening radiator fins. Once those get disturbed they get stretched and almost impossible to make "perfect." I think that's why people black them out along the rad support behind, so you can't tell they aren't perfect anymore.
I just couldn’t wait. Damn it’s black. Doesn’t
-
