What is the correct color for 67-68 lower door vents

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MODTOP-Billy

MODTOP-Billy

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Does anyone know what is the correct color the little lower door vents are to be on a 67-68 Barracuda?
I am re doing a red car with red doors, the old fresh air vents were painted red.

I got my new red door panels from Legendary and want to fix these vents before I install the new panels.

All the vent sets I have are black. I do have a not so good set of a Champaine or a rose or a very bad faded red?
So I know they made colors other than black.

I have found 1 pic out on the net of a blue door that had a blue vent? Original? who knows?

I can dye a black pair red and go back the way I had it, but want to make it as right as I can.
If they were black in a red door that is the way they will be, but I cant find any info for the color of the vent.

Something I have learned from this site is 69's do not have these vents! only 67 and 68.
I went and checked my 69's and no vents.

Thanks in advance for any help


B.B.
 
Yes sir these here, I stole this pic. my old ones were painted on the door red and they looked burned?
Like they came off a car that was in a fire burned all funked up and now is my chance to replace them.
I painted them red in 1991 so I can only blame myself.

doorvents.JPG


I have a set all tore apart and ready to go back right. the black is ugly in the red door and I am set to dye them red.
I have a bunch of books, restoration books but no mention of this vents color that I can find.
 
To paint the plastic and have it last, you will need the SEM dye products — surface prep, primer and spray dye. I painted the dash top vents navy blue on my convertible and they came out great. You can just pick a dark red to match your doors (assuming you have the factory red paint on the doors and not some random bright red paint) — even from the factory the plastic parts didn't exactly match the painted metal parts.
 
Well thank you for all the advice and help. I still have not found anything about the original colors?
I have to assume it is body color and I have to assume they made more black interiors than color.
I did it both ways black and red, black was very ugly.

I have the dye, the cleaners, the primers. I dyed the door panels on the car now red in 1990 or 1991 and they have held up great but I replaced them with brand new ones from legendary ...much nicer. I still wonder is this right? oh well they red now I will not live another 30 years to change them out again. And the little black flap is black, not painted red. I took the vents apart this time. And if anyone ask it took 6 months to get these panels from Legendary. Did not make it run any better or faster but looks a lot better doing it. This is actually a 340S clone with 3:55 posi and she will go go go much faster that I am smart but fun to step on it.

redoor.jpg
 
MODTOP-Billy said:
Well thank you for all the advice and help. I still have not found anything about the original colors?
I have to assume it is body color and I have to assume they made more black interiors than color.
I did it both ways black and red, black was very ugly.

I have the dye, the cleaners, the primers. I dyed the door panels on the car now red in 1990 or 1991 and they have held up great but I replaced them with brand new ones from legendary ...much nicer. I still wonder is this right? oh well they red now I will not live another 30 years to change them out again. And the little black flap is black, not painted red. I took the vents apart this time. And if anyone ask it took 6 months to get these panels from Legendary. Did not make it run any better or faster but looks a lot better doing it. This is actually a 340S clone with 3:55 posi and she will go go go much faster that I am smart but fun to step on it.

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You will not find anything out about the original color other than Red. If the car had a red interior they would have been Red.
These were molded in color. Colors didn't age well, not just fading but they tended to crumble faster. Black plastic interior pieces have held up far better than the colors, over the years the only good plastic interior parts are the black ones. You can find the color ones in good shape but not as often. That being said people often swapped out the bad colored ones for good black ones.


Alan
 
The vents are supposed to be color keyed (same color as surrounding door paint) but... there were several different shades, hues, and textures of reds in these cars. The door metal will be a medium gloss paint while the original vents were molded with red ABS which cures flat.
Its not easy to change black to red with any type of paint. When dying vinyl or plastic, for best results I've found to first go to a neutral color like sand or camel beige. Then cover that with the red. Back when I worked as used car PDI at a Ford dealer, nearly very plastic replacement part arrived in their camel beige. If I got lucky I ordered for a big ugly green Thunderchicken with the camel beige interior. No dye req'd , pop it in and go.
Back to your vents... Factory could have gotten a more gloss finish from the molded ABS with a oil cooled mold but slower cooling slows production. Black ABS for plumbing was oil cooled, not for the shinny finish but for the rigidity requirements.
Yeah I know too much about some chit due to my job hoping over the years. Plus my owning 2 of 67 mettalic red gut 67 models.
If you want a concours correct look to aftermarket black plastic parts like your vents., take the little column door from beneath the steering column to a SEM dealer near you and have it matched in a RTS. Don't forget to pick up any neutral base/primer shade in a spray bomb off the shelf.
 
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I have about a dozen sets of the door vents. They came in all colors, to match the interior color of the car. I don’t think I have any red ones tho.
 
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