[angryman]

Got my first classic mustang, a 72 convertible with a 351CJ. I've pulled the rear tail light trim panel between the tail lights, which has been painted silver several times and is peeling. This is the non Mach 1 version which is a thin flat panel (not honeycombed). I was going to repaint it silver, but I want to find out what this thing was supposed to look like originally.

I have a few parts catalogs but the only panel I see available is the black honeycomb for the mach 1. I have also looked at several photos online, and the panel looks black, gray or silver depending on the photo.

Can anyone point me in the right direction on how to restore it to its proper color?

 

[Unbridled67]

I am by no means an expert, but all the honey combs that I have seen have been black or silver. Their color has always been that of the striping. ie, black Mach 1 decals, black tail panel. As far as the flat ones, I have only seen a few of those (and I mean a few) and they have all been the color of the car. I don't know if this is concours, but it is what I have seen. I hope this helps.

 

[angryman]

Ive attached the best photo I have of the rear to show what it looks like now.

 

[Joes72/65]

Mine is black, and always has been.

 

[Unbridled67]

Very nice! My 73 fastback was that same color, but I had black honey comb tail panel. Just curious what motor do you have?

 

[oogravyoo]

here is the back of my 73..

hope this helps..

need to figure out how to get my deck lid to sit right.. lol

 

[Rigger]

If you are talking about the standard blackout panel. And you can tell the standard from the mach1 because the mach1 is the honeycomb style, and the standard one is flat and has a fake leather pattern ingrain on it. (Which is why the factory called it a camera case blackout). Those were black from the factory. I have seen a lot of people paint them to make them match silver stripes and stuff, but they were matt black from the factory.

 

[angryman]

Thanks! Ill go with the black and see how it looks.

 

[Rigger]

Also realize that at the factory they painted a small section of the inside of the tail lights and around the gas cap area flat black. That way you cant see the color of the car between the blackout panel and those areas. Here is a picture of these areas. This can easily be done by hitting it with scotch bright and using a duplicolor trim paint that you can find at any parts store, its in a green can. Just make sure it is duplicolor trim paint. It has the right sheen of black.

 

[Rigger]

I just looked at the picture of your car and noticed that somebody replaced the tailights in your car as well. In 71 and 72 the center of the tailights were blacked out. In 73 they were all silver. You can buy replacement ones, but they all come silver and you have to mask them off and blackout the center of the tailights. I know it sounds kind of stupid but take a look at the picture and you might agree that the blacked out tailights, and the blackout panel together makes a large difference.