Grille was moulded in black plastic, zero black paint on the one I had.

Thanks for letting me know!

The first molded black plastic grilles showed up in the Gran Coupe. The valance insert was also molded in black plastic, I've only seen them on AAR's and they were not painted. The face on original AAR grilles were painted with organisol, yes, it does have mini flake in it. Also, I have never seen any NOS AAR grilles molded in black plastic, the ones I've ever seen were all grey grilles painted black. MOPAR ran out of black plastic grilles during production and started painting grey grilles black sometime before the last run of AAR's were completed.

The first molded black plastic grilles showed up in the Gran Coupe. The valance insert was also molded in black plastic, I've only seen them on AAR's and they were not painted. The face on original AAR grilles were painted with organisol, yes, it does have mini flake in it. Also, I have never seen any NOS AAR grilles molded in black plastic, the ones I've ever seen were all grey grilles painted black. MOPAR ran out of black plastic grilles during production and started painting grey grilles black sometime before the last run of AAR's were completed.

Check this out. https://barnfinds.com/rare-m46-option-1970-plymouth-cuda/


(PS, I'd love to find the factory 72 Barracuda V21 engineering diagram)

I did not post on this thread on purpose until we had more posts. I posted my answer on the ebodies website and suggested the same question be asked on here. As usual, there are different opinions posted on both boards. I bought my AAR in 76 with original paint and all original panels. It had never had a bolt turned on the body before I got it. The organisol on the hood was bad when I bought it so I had it repainted. It still has the original paint on the tail panel. It is worn from the few years in the Texas sun. My valance is black plastic with no paint and has still never been out of the car. I removed my grill when I painted the engine compartment in the early 90’s and was surprised to find it was painted with a black paint with very fine metallic in it. It actually makes sense that it has paint. The plastic would come out of the mold very shinny on the slick black surface. I’m sure it would have some slight imperfections from the mold as well. The plastic would deteriorate with no paint on it and exposed to the sun. So I agree with a Mike. He does not miss many things.

So somewhere there is a black argent paint formula. Straight black with some reflective flake in it.
And I would assume the front valance you have seen also had the same black argent paint on it.

Do you have any idea what the earliest production of the gran coupe with the black grill that you have seen was?