What is the correct argent(light or dark) for the tail panel? I always thought it was the light argent but after seeing it on a shaker bubble it looks too light.

I'm curious also, some of the tail panels look to have been painted with an argent with LARGE metalflake, like used to be on boats.

"IF YOU'RE UNDER CONTROL, YOU AIN'T GOING FAST ENOUGH."

I don't know if this is going to help or just cast more doubt but here is a bad picture of the origonal finish on dad's car. If my memory serves me right...I remember there being light and dark "flakes" in the finish. I'm leaning twards dark argent but maybe someone can post a good picture of the dark stuff.

med/dark textured argent

That's funny because that looks too dark. Here is what is left of the argent on the rubber filler piece between the tail panel and the bumper.

I'm thinking light? but I'm not sure. I bet the tail panel of the car has darkened from many years of exhaust soot.??

Anyone have a body service manuel for a 74? I have a chassis SM for my 74 but not a Body SM. My body service manuel for my 71 shows the correct paint codes for all the body and trim. That's where I got my numbers for my 71.

dk/med textured argent is correct (original formula BTW)

Does anyone have a picture of the dark argent on a Challenger. Dad's car is gunmetal metalic and I'm afraid that it will look like the tail panel is painted body color if I use it.

1974 body service manual says light argent, ditzler code DX8555 and medium, code DDL8933 for lower deck panel and tail lamp bezel.

Explain that for me. It lists them both? I'm not quite following. What is the "lower deck panel".

I know, confusing,but thats exactly how its worded in the manual but looking at my 74, everything is medium, except the areas around the rear lights, or inside the bezels which are light. hope that helps.? on another note, I know 73 s I,ve seen had the darker argent. anyone know if the Rallye package made any difference on the colors. my 74 is a Rallye.

Shouldn't the inside be painted with organisol. My 73 is also a Rallye. Inside the tail lights is black. I have seen 72-74's that have a black tail panel and argent inside the bezel. I never knew if that was factory or not.

Here is a picture I found on the WIW section. If this is the dark argent...I'd say that it is correct.

now you got me thinking. I know, bad!! looking at my 74, and it, as far as I know, also was original. looking at the pic, the center does look darker than the bezels. thats an older pic, and the whole thing was repainted in just light argent, so I cant verify that.

On my car both the center panel and the outer tail lamp bezels looked to be the same color. The center (concave) areas around the tail lights was painted organisol. The picture of the shaker I posted is the closest thing I have seen to the color my tail panel was. If that's right or not I don't know. I have seen Challengers at shows that have the light argent and I really didn't think it looked right. I think I am just going to have the tailpanel painted in dark argent and have the center areas around the tail lights painted black. I'd have to see both light and dark right next to eachother to decide one way or another.

Here is a picture of a car that is at the Nationals almost every year. This car is exactlly like mine except for the engine/trans and wheels. This car looks like it has the light argent on it but it still didn't look 100% right to me.

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there ya go, just dont use that shaker as guide for the color of dk/med argent (or even light), it is not correct for either shade.

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Ohhhh come on!!!

I don't know then...this sucks. You know what's going to happen...I'm going to make a decision and once it's painted I'm going to wish I went the other way.

OK...Now I know we have kind of beaten this thing to death and don't have a definative answer but I have one more question.

I was just told by another member here that neither the light or the dark that is produced now is 100% correct. That being said...Has anyone...or do you think it is possible to...spray the tail panel with the light colored argent and then come back over it with a light misting of the dark argent. That might give a more correct look.

The body shop is sending me three different variations of the A5 paint code for my Challenger so I can OK the one I want. They are also sending me a sample of the dark argent paint.

I talked to them this morning and they are going to do a couple test sprays of the light argent and then mist it with the med/dark argent to see how it comes out. I'll let everyone know how it looks.

You may not realise but AllTrim Plus do this for a living (and I think Mr Belvedere may too, I know he does trim) - and they already gave you the definitive answer.

Go to AllTrims website for info. According to them they have the best match to original (they used to have pretty much the only remaining original tints). Depends on what you are looking for. Concours correct or close enough?

The latter is good enough for me, I went with the Totally Auto spray can, opinion is that it is close.

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Shouldn't the inside be painted with organisol. My 73 is also a Rallye. Inside the tail lights is black. I have seen 72-74's that have a black tail panel and argent inside the bezel. I never knew if that was factory or not.

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The Rallyes had black tail panels with argent around lights...the non- rallyes had argent tail panels with black around lights. Mine is a Rallye and had black tail panel when I bought it but I changes it because I liked the non-rallye look better.

I don't think we are ever going to know 100% I have seen conflicting information. 72's might have had a black tail panel but I'm not sure. I have a theory but don't know how accurate it is. In 72 the Rallye was its own model. Challenger Rallye's had a VIN that started with JS23. All other Challengers had a VIN that started with JH23. In 73-74 that changed. All Challengers were JH23's and the Rallye was just an available package on the base model. Maybe all Rallye Challengers in 72 had the blacked out tail panel. Then in 73-74 sinse all Challengers were now JH23's...they all got the argent tailpanel. All I know is that my car is a Rallye and it has the argent tail panel with the organisol sprayed around the tail lights just like the picture of the other JA5 Challenger I posted.



Just to let everyone know...the bodyshop played around with the Totally Auto argent paints and came up with something I can live with. The light argent was way too light. The med/dark was way too dark even though that is what the factory says is correct. They ended up spraying a test card with the dark argent and then sprayed the light agrent ontop of the dark. The end result was a color that was a little darker than the light argent. It doesn't look exactly how I would like it but, short of shipping the car to the west coast and having someone else spray the real stuff, I think it will look OK.

Maybe this will shed some light?

http://karstentwele.com/challenger/EXTERIOR/exterior.html