You know what they say about opinions ...

[Ken]

Everybody's got one, so I'm looking for yours.

One of the pictures of my car caught my attention and gave me an idea - a dangerous thing to be sure, but an idea nonetheless. :L

We're always looking for ways to make our cars unique and personal to our tastes. Well, this picture gave me the idea of blacking-out the area around the license plate:

Can you see what I mean? I'm talking about the area around the plate only (the area that looks like it's black already) not the entire backside; that'd be too much black for me to keep clean. :eyerole​

​

Keep in mind that I have black stripes on the hood already. This would compliment those stripes without being ostentatious.​

Erik S. Klein's yellow Shark with the white backside turned me on to that approach a long time ago. It just goes to show ya how long an idea will rattle around in one's head. :L

So what do you think, should I pursue this idea?

 

[Vettefan87]

Ken, I am not sure what you mean, but that might be due to the fact that it is 2:30 out here.

 

[JonM]

I think it would look like your car has one of those opinion things you spoke about. :booty

 

[354RwHpLT4CE]

black a-- end

I like it the way it is.But,I am into solid colors,machined parts,and brushed metal.Maaannnnn!!....I love your car,it just LOOKS like it would light the tires up!It reminds me of a Callaway.

 

[hardnoks]

black

well,it looks black in the picture up there so if you like it,do it!don't cover your reverse lights though!

 

[nyernga]

Tough one Ken. Are you considering flat or gloss? Flat is definately out of the question IMHO. Gloss would work better and as slready stated, it looks black in the picture.


Len

ps: it not only will light the tires but the DOT gets called after each burnout to replace the missing asphalt...

 

[So Bay Vetter]

Ken-

I think it would just make it easier for the law to read your license plate (if they could see it thru the tire smoke!) As we C4 owners know, the tail end always gets dirty. I'm always anal about wiping it down. Dust on that black paint would drive me nutz!

 

[Jeb]

Naw.

Needs garlic.

 

[Daryllawman]

Ken leave it the way it is......Thats my story and I am sticking to it.......

 

[74bigblock]

You knew this answer was coming!

You could get some black TAPE and see how that looks. If you don't like it, just pull it off.


Dave



JUSTTAPEITJUSTTAPEITJUSTTAPEITJUSTTAPEITJUSTTAPEITJUSTTAPEITJUSTTAPEIT

 

[78SilvAnniv]

I like your photo and think that area would look nice painted a gloss black.

I have areas on my 78 that I'd like to paint...the only thing stopping me is originality... but I'm not set hard and fast into originality. I like modified under the hood but I like my 78 looking stock externally, so I really haven't made up my mind about my issue...
I want to paint black inside the slot holes of my rims. They are a PAIN to polish when I do the aluminum wheels.
Heidi

 

[WhalePirot]

I like modified under the hood but I like my 78 looking stock externally.

I'm with her.

I am not too crazy about the blacking as I cannot think of a good 'break point' for the edge. Besides, my flex bumper tends to peel the paint in this area. The thicker the paint, the sooner the peel.

P.S. I still think you need a wealthy g/f. :L

 

[stearnman]

I know what you're going for. I like the idea. Especially for the pre LT-1 Vetts. I think all of them (84-91) have the black "strip" separating top half from the bottom half. Making the license plate area black would definitely give it the "feel" of completing the lines.

Great picture, btw!!

 

[Ken]

Thanks for the feedback guys!

Dust on that black paint would drive me nutz!

That's the reason I won't paint the entire backside black - it does collect a lot of dirt back there.

The backup lights are already covered by the black, louvered accessory piece, so all you really see, unless you're squatting down behind it, is the license plate itself.

I'm just looking for that little edge, you know what I mean.

And I thought of using black tape, Dave. :L

"Needs garlic"!!??

 

[PLRX]

Ken, It looks good

 

[Moonunit 451]

Ken, I also note in the photo that the taillight areas look blacked out I think it looks good in the pic, but in full lighting, well, might be someting else again. I think WhalePirot's coment on the breakpoint has merit.

Can't ya photoshop it up?

 

[Erik S. Klein]

Can't ya photoshop it up?

That's what I was going to suggest. Take a few good close-up pictures of the back end and play with it in a photo editor for a bit. If you like what you see there, you'll probably like it on the car.

The tape idea isn't a bad one either, btw. You can mask off the area you'd paint with black tape or paper to get a rough idea of what it'll turn out like.

 

[Ken]

I ain't any good with photo editors, especially something like that. I've tried before and failed miserably.

And I had thought of doing something with the tailight areas as well.

As for the breaklines, the tailights actually have a beveled edge which would accomodate the change from black to silver. The license area is a different story - no breakline there, so I'd have to fade it in (same as my hood stripes).

 

[tyrel]

I think it looks okay I guess, but it does emphasize the depth of the license plate recess. I dunno, I could get used to it.

 

[SSTibet]

Ken, the less interrupted the paint the more solid the car looks. Black color around the plate may make it look like a bucket and interrupt the flow. I would have it same color as rest of the car. That's my taste of course. I also like the idea of trying it with black tape before doing the paint job; sounds smart.