Years ago when I painted my 70 Charger, I left the front side of the radiator yoke(Core support) the same color of the car Dodge Ram Flame Red. I liked how the color looked through the grille along with the aluminum radiator and trans cooler. The last few years it seems that at least HALF of the cars at shows are this way. It seemed cool at first, but now that so many people have done it, I am considering the factory method of blacking it all out. Rick Ehrenberg despises the practice of skipping the blackout, and has stated REPEATEDLY that all cars got it except those painted dark colors. Any opinions?

Not blacking out the core support leaves the car looking unfinished.

No controversy - every car that left the factory had a dark yoke and surroundings for good reason, it just looks clean and uncluttered. Most body colors required adding the blackout to achieve this, and a few (three IIRC?) did not. It's well documented and established.

Whether to repeat it is down to the individual - I totally agree with RE, and you're right that he loses no opportunity to point out its omission. On my car I've even gone to the lengths of black zinc plating my auxiliary trans cooler lines and bracketry for the same reasons.
However, it's up to the individual, honestly you are the first person I ever heard say you deliberately left it like that as you like the look, I just assumed it was inadvertently left out in most cases, but if you like it, keep it!

Personally, I don't like it either. Like Mark said, it gives the appearance that the car's not done. Of course, for me it applies to those cars that have been restored to OEM spec. The modified street machines, to me, are another creature all together. A lot of times, the people who have the cars now aren't aware. More often than not nowadays, hobbyists are getting cars that have been "restored" numerous times with the incorrect finish on the front facade...

For me, it distracts from the overall picture of the grille and its lines and characteristics. But, ultimately, it's up to the owner of the car. Some just can't bring themselves to spray painting black paint over a nice and shiny paint job.

Which ever way you do it, enjoy it and disregard the na-sayers...... But, with that being said, don't expect points for an OEM finish in an OEM competition/car show......

With whats posted above. Its up to you.

yea, i painted mine black...............



i'm also gonna spray undercoating on my beautifully detailed wheel wells


but that's another post

I appreciate the diversity of opinions here. My car appears very similar to factory on the outside, with a few minor exceptions. The base coat/clear coat has been polished to a far better finish than new, because I like the idea of building a car to look as if the assembly line guys were more than just hourly guys trying to make a living. I went the "Big wheel" route and catch grief from a few purists now and then. I agree that on many cars, certainly white, yellow and sublime, the omission of the blackout is a bad look regardless of what Ma Mopar did. Yes, it IS my car and I don't live to please other people. When someone cares enough to spend $25000 to resurrect a forgotten 318 car, they deserve to do whatever they want. Thanks for the input.

couldn't have said it better myself

It all comes down to the intent, if it's supposed to be a 100% correct restoration it better be blacked out or it ain't 100%. If it's a resto/mod or just "your car" do as you please.

My vote is blacked out. I think it makes the grill stand out better.