What is the original factory finish for the cowl tag and surrounding area on a 70 SS? I did a search on this and didn't come up with anything.I know that the firewall is supposed to be a %of gloss black. I can look that up. What about the area on top by the cowl tag and inside the cowl area where the windshield wiper linkage is.

all black

Thanks Micky. That's what I thought, and the color it is now. Is the firewall and top of cowl area the same percent of gloss? Just want to be sure.

It's all the same color of black, front, sides and top. The GM Reconditioning paint is extremely close if not exact for the firewall in my opinion. I think Eastwood also has the color in spray cans.

The black paint was applied over the body color. I believe it was after having looked at my car in that area. I could tell the cowl tag was body color under the black as well. Some may want to mask off the areas in question after having painted it black and then apply the body color. Others may want to paint the body color in those areas and then apply the black paint. Don't know which way is "factory correct", but I guess it really wouldn't matter except to the purists out there. Would it anyone? micky69396, what's your take on this?

Same argument goes for painting hood/deck stripes. Paint stripes 1st, mask, paint car OR paint car, mask, paint stripes. Either method emplyed today depends on the painter or type/brand of paint I guess. Fact is, the original factory hood/deck stripes were painted OVER the body color.

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1969 Chevelle Malibu
1970 Chevelle SS 396
1971 Chevelle
My 70 SS396 undergoing restoration (http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/tc191ss1.jpg)

[This message has been edited by Super70 (edited 11-28-2000).]

It was painted over the body color, usually no body color is showing on the 68-72's though. It was just a light overspray. Some others like the F-body stuff has paint (color) showing through.

I have some questions about this. How would there be body color paint on the cowl if the front end was painted separate from the car? The only thing I can figure is oversprat kicked up from painting the doors and/or pillar posts.

Also, didn't the cowl have a textured black finish? Where did this end and the firewall paint begin? Where can this textured paint be obtained?

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1970 Chevy El Camino (Custom) Non-SS
Green Mist & Silver w/Green Vinyl Top
350ci/300HP 4bbl & Factory Dual Exhaust
TH-350 - 2.73 Posi Rear
Factory PS, PB, PW, A/C
Originally Burlington, NC Car - Sold at Carpenter's Chevrolet in Durham, NC
My El Camino Home Page - www.dreamelectric.com (http://www.dreamelectric.com)

The cowl had paint on it from the paint line, if you have ever had fenders off a car the cowl sides are painted body color and usually the corners of the firewall down low below the body mounts. The firewall was blacked out afterwords. The only texture was the top of the dash. I have had and seen 64-67's with a texture paint on the firewall on the Chevelle and Impala models. The texture paint is a additive put in the mixture of whatever color you are painting. Its tuff to get any more.

[This message has been edited by micky69396 (edited 11-28-2000).]

Shawn, I've never seen textured finish on the cowl area so I'm not sure what you are referring to but I think you answered the other part of your question. If the door jambs, pillar posts and front edge of dash just behind the windshield are sprayed the body color, then it would make sense that some overspray would get on the top of the cowl area, maybe even on the cowl tag. Then the black finish applied where applicable after masking off where the body color was sprayed.

I needed to make sure so I can tell the painter tomorrow. After a couple weeks of striping my car down to nothing but sheet metal, it's off to the body shop @ 8 o'clock in the morning. What a huge project this is. I'm restoring a 1970 LS5 to as factory correct as I can get it, including the original Cranberry Red with black stripes and red bucket interior. Would have never gone this far without Team Chevelle, thanks for your replys.