67 Coronet R/T Grill Question

[SlamF1re]

I've been playing around with tracking down a decent 1967 Coronet R/T for sale lately. I took a look at a 67 R/T that was for sale a few weeks back but it just had too many issues to justify the asking price and ended up being a no-go. Previous to that I was just looking for another not-obscenely-priced Mopar to add to the family, but since then I've sort of fallen for the 67 Coronet's and I've been looking to see what others I can find.

While looking I noticed what seems to be quite a few different cars out there with the black painted grill portions like the car pictured below. I know that the correct factory R/T grill should be all chrome with the blank center section, but I've noticed so many different real WS23L cars out there with the black grill sections it has me wondering if they might have actually left the factory this way. I've searched online and I can't seem to find a definite answer, only a few mentions of these being the same grill sections that would be fitted to a Coronet 500. Does anyone know anymore?

Thanks,

 

[R413]

The grille painted like that is from a Coronet 500 only. It looks pretty silly on the R/T cars like that.

The grille is the part that the air passes through. The grille metal is the same on all coronets, with the black paint on the 500 only, then they bolt on the cross bars and a different center piece also.

 

[Jerry Hall]

To me the picture you posted isn't correct. I may be wrong but my 67 R/T when disassembled years ago the grill wasn't painted. The only black you saw was the blackout behind the grill. Maybe it had to do with exterior colors, I can't say for sure.

 

[Sam69sat]

Might not be correct but i kind of like the center part blacked out like that. Cheapest part of the grill though so it's easy to get 2 and swap the correct one if you plan on selling.

 

[R413]

If you ever swapped a 67 Coronet grille, EASY would not be the word to describe it. LOL.

photo from a factory advertisement. Notice the even color across entire front face.

 

[SlamF1re]

I'm actually sort of impartial to the looks. I generally like my Mopar's the way they came from the factory, but I don't mind the look either.

I just wanted to see if it was actually a factory thing or not. Through various google searches and looking at cars online I'd say somewhere around 1/3 of the cars I've seen photos of have the blacked out grill sections. Whenever possible I've also looked for the signs of those cars R/T clones, such as still having 120 MPH speedometers, but pretty much all of them have been real R/T's.

 

[R413]

Why do you see so many? Probably put the car together and got a grill from a 500 and removed the bars.

headlight bezel comparison. The 500 bezel has the black paint on the face, but not on the angled edges, giving the entire grill has a uniform look. Also a cut out and holes for extra trim so they can’t really go on any other model of Coronet than the 500.

The bottom bezel is for every other Coronet model other that the 500. The raised bars are left unpainted to match the center grille.

 

[Big Bad Dad]

The original grille in my 67 R/T.

 

[SlamF1re]

Why do you see so many? Probably put the car together and got a grill from a 500 and removed the bars.

I tend to be a little obsessive compulsive when it comes to looking into these things and I like to research so I know what's original on a car and what's been changed. I've looked through a bunch of photos on older and current listings and it was just a somewhat common thing I noticed, like on this car, this car, or this car.

I do get it though that these cars are fast approaching 60 years old and the reproduction parts aren't available for them in the same way they are for later B bodies, so I can easily see a bunch of Coronet 500's sacrificing their grills to keep the R/T's going.

 

[Bold & Old]

The original grille in my 67 R/T. View attachment 1388374

Looks like my cars color..

 

[Big Bad Dad]

Looks like my cars color..

QQ1 Ruby Red Metallic

 

[Bold & Old]

QQ1 Ruby Red Metallic

The paint was called QQ1 dark red poly that I bought

 

[Bold & Old]

The paint was called QQ1 dark red poly that I boughtView attachment 1388387

sorry to use your post..........SlamF1re

 

[Dave6T4]

I agree; the Hemi in the red car looks like it is sitting quite a ways ahead. The 440 in my '64 Polara sits ahead like this, while the 440 in my '67 R/T sits closer back to the firewall. Also, the '66 and up B-bodies have a larger transmission tunnel to let the power train to sit closer to the firewall. The hood on my '64 is about a foot longer than the one on my R/T.

 

[Big Bad Dad]

View attachment 1388389

sorry to use your post..........SlamF1re

I have seen the color called by both names. Depends on what or who's literature you look at. I just remembered it was called Ruby Red on the paint when I had it mixed. I forget now what brand of paint I used. ( I repainted the car in 1989)

 

[Jerry Hall]

The paint was called QQ1 dark red poly that I boughtView attachment 1388387

That's the correct paint for your application in PPG no matter what they name it.

 

[murfman]

Here is my survivor 67 R/T

 

[Jesse6869]

Here’s my 67 coronet 500