[SWEETJUDGE]

i remeber some POSTS about this, its been discussed in magazines.
What was the outcome? SOME people swear it not correct as others swear it cam on there cars.
I looked at a 69 GTO Framingham built, March date. 3rd owner & he restored.
To my amazment BLACKED OUT tail panel.

IM a certifiable `69 FREAK, this is the 1st 1 ive personally seen & took photos

NOW, is this a PLANT thing? a DATE thing? & should my Framingham built JUDGE have it ???? im tempted to start sanding to see if theres any black under there.

I may just do mine for controversy..... i love a good debate

ANY INFO APPRECIATED

[md1twal3]

My framingham Judge retains it's original paint and there is nothing blacked out in the tail panel.

[Dens71TA]

I'm working on a friend's '69 GTO that was built in October 1968 at Framingham. It still has the original paint in the door and trunk jams and the tail panel is BLACKED OUT.

[GTO JOHN]

Up until two years ago I had never seen a 69 with the blacked out tailpanel. I had read the magazine articles and heard about it from a friend who is also a 69 FREAK. Now I am a certified one as well.

My understanding is that it was used to give the rear taillights some emphasis when looking directly from behind. The blackout seperates the taillights ever so slightly from the rest of the body color allowing them to seemingly "float" between the trunk lid and bumper.

There seems to be no rhyme or reason as to what cars got the treatment. I have talked to many people about this and the general consensus is the blackout tailpanels are legit and were done at the factory on random cars.

I now OWN 2 69's with the factory applied rear tailpanel blackout.

69 Judge RAIII 4spd A/C Carosuel Red/Parchment built 02B Arlington. I believe this car was used as a factory promo or "Brass Hat" car before being sold/billed to Bill Barry Pontiac in Santa Ana, CA on 08/08/69. Build date, VIN sequence, and date coded parts on car indicate a Feb build. Car was wrecked in the 80's and sat for years. This is an original paint car so the blackout appears factory applied.

69 LeMans 350 Auto A/C Verdero Green/Black/Black built 10A Baltimore. Nothing special about this car other than it came from Arizona and is absolutely rust free. Never been hit, molested, or repainted the blackout almost appears to have been masked off before the green was applied. Could the taillights have already been installed and masked off for painting??? Either way this is a virgin car.

Great topic, I hope others have more info to share also. Here are some pics.

John

[69goatboy]

My Arlington built 69 has been re-painted a time or two. I used to think that at one time it was black because of the remnants of black paint in the tail section, however I have not found black paint anywhere else.

[Lloyd-TX]

My very first car, at 17 years old, was a '69 GTO. Verdoro Green, green Cordova top and green buckets. It was an auto, A/C, and standard 350HP engine deal. It too had the blacked-out panel. Of course I sold it a year later, and have no recollection of the assembly plant or build date.

[slowgto]

My '69 Fremont built 6/68 has the blacked out tail and I have seen others.

[SWEETJUDGE]

funny, the one i saw wasnt the entire tail section, about 4-5 inches from the seem than was blacked out, I questioned it & he stated he taped off where it was & was on the angle I will post pix soon

[SWEETJUDGE]

heres a pic

[Ron Landis]

was the only one I've found out of several '69's we've done. Was at the seams, like the earlier pix. We did not replace it merely to avoid the obvious controversy that always rears its ugly head at any National event. I refuse to butt heads [no pun intended] with these judges any more. Anyway...'69's rule! Ron

[GTO JOHN]

SWEETJUDGE: I have never seen a blacked out tailpanel like the one you posted. Every one I have seen has gone to the corner of the quarter panel. Does he have any before photos of that one?

[md1twal3]

I don't doubt that some came with it, but I don't really understand the reasoning for it. You don't see any of it with the trunk closed anyway, right?

So, why was it done again?

[SWEETJUDGE]

thats the only one ive ever seen personally, & he states he taped off right where it is. HE seemed to think the black held up to putting things in & out of the trunk instead of scratching the LAQUER paint that should be there.

MAKES SENSE

AND just what do the JUDGES at major shows consider this to be OK, or not at all ok?????

[UPC-WU2]

This one's blacked out, and the caption says it's a '68.
Actually, judging by the dash, it's a '69.

http://ultimategto.com/cgi-bin/showc...sture/68bnbn02

[GTO JOHN]

UPC, I forgot about that one! That is a 69 Lemans original paint body from Arizona. I know the owners' daughter. Body tub is gone now not sure who ended up with it. My buddy bought the 69 Judge and is going to be restoring it.

[supercar]

I was at Floyd Garrets MuscleCar Museum in Pigeon Forge and looked at a 69 RAIV Judge that was absolutely gorgeous but when looking at the rear end something seemed wrong. You could see body color(Carousel Red) in the gap between the bumper and the decklid. I first thought the bumper was adjusted too low, but the car was restored by Supercar Specialties (Scott Tieman) and was spot on adjusted. I have a 69 in the body shop and I was really edging the car to make sure I wasn't missing anything on my car and I thought about painting the jam Black but I have never seen one black, so I am asking which one is correct? I like the Black jam myself.

[69 RA GTO]

Here is a picture of the Orange Judge in the for sale section currently. I was looking at the pictures and noticed the blacked out rear section. If I remember right he stated car is still wearing some of its original paint.

I looked at my 69 Crystal GTO lastnight and it also has the Blacked out section in the back and that is how it will go back when ever I get to the car

[GTO JOHN]

supercar: I think there are enough cars documented with the black tailpanels that can prove it is factory correct. I don't know why the blackout was used and what the criteria was used to determine which cars had the blackout treatment.

Now the sticky issue is national level judging. I have not had a car entered at a national level points event so I don't know what their take is on the blackout. If you want to have the car judged, I'd check with someone high up somewhere before you do it.

Personally I like the blackout because it is rarely seen and it looks cool. Here are some more/better pics of my cars with factory applied blackout.

[CDN2PLS2]

Here's an Oshawa Built 2+2 with the Black-out treatment,so not only the "A" bodys got it.I like the look.

[Chiefpontiac]

FYI - this is an Arlington built car.

Originally Posted by 69 RA GTO

Here is a picture of the Orange Judge in the for sale section currently. I was looking at the pictures and noticed the blacked out rear section. If I remember right he stated car is still wearing some of its original paint.