Late 260z rear lights plastics colour

[AliK]

Having taken off the rear lights to deal with rust, I decided to replace my broken plastics with something I bought years ago. The ones off the car are grey and clearly painted by the PO. The new ones are mat black.

The question is, what colour are they supposed to be?

Here are two photos I’ve copied off google to show what I am referring to:

Also there are a lot of variations in the rear spoiler. Some are body colour others are black or ABS grey/black - which is correct for the car?

 

[Mr Tenno]

For the light surrounds it's probably the same gunmetal as on the 240z (grill, hubcaps, license plate light housing are all the same) - no idea on the spoiler.

Edit - looking at this picture of the 8,000 mile 'Barn find' 260Z that sold at Silverstone, the spoiler looks to be the same colour:

 

[Rob Gaskin]

Pretty sure on a 280 they are gloss black but 260? I have some 280 ones at home as spares for my 260.

 

[AliK]

For the light surrounds it's probably the same gunmetal as on the 240z (grill, hubcaps, license plate light housing are all the same) - no idea on the spoiler.

Thanks Mr T. But I’m in two minds about that, especially as the grille was black on a 260 - I think. I say I think as there are lots of variations between an early and late 260.

 

[AliK]

Just seen your edit - yes that is why I can’t be sure! [emoji106]

Is that gunmetal or black? It’s definitely not the light grey of my current one.

 

[Rob Gaskin]

For the light surrounds it's probably the same gunmetal as on the 240z (grill, hubcaps, license plate light housing are all the same) - no idea on the spoiler.

Edit - looking at this picture of the 8,000 mile 'Barn find' 260Z that sold at Silverstone, the spoiler looks to be the same colour:

View attachment 40028

Seen that car and it has been painted.

 

[AliK]

Seen that car and it has been painted.

You certainly get about Rob. You’re such a Z whore!!! Is there a car in the UK that you haven’t seen!? [emoji12][emoji106]

 

[Mr Tenno]

Thanks Mr T. But I’m in two minds about that, especially as the grille was black on a 260

Are you sure they were black?

Is that gunmetal or black? It’s definitely not the light grey of my current one.

It makes sense to me that Nissan after spending all the time choosing the gunmetal for the 240z they wouldn't change it on the 260z just because they had to redesign the rear lights - the 260z hubcaps were still the same colour after all:

 

[Mr Tenno]

Seen that car and it has been painted.

All bets are off then!

 

[AliK]

On the note of colours and taking my own thread slightly off topic, has anyone tried the spray on chrome sprays with positive outcomes? The ones I have are more like shiny silver and nothing like the caps they come with.

Re-checking plastics costs in excess of £200, so I am tempted to give it one last chance.


This seems to be the best I’ve seen, even if quite faffy! Tempted to have a go at £35


https://www.stardustcolors.co.uk/chrome-paint/1229-brush-on-chrome-chrome-paint-using-brush.html

 

[Rob Gaskin]

You certainly get about Rob. You’re such a Z whore!!! Is there a car in the UK that you haven’t seen!? [emoji12][emoji106]

I just go to 'Classic Car Auctions' viewing days. Great way to spend an afternoon for £5. That bronze car was very good but needed another respray due to micro-bubbling (shame). Clutch pedal went straight to the floor too due to lack of use I reckon.

My spare 280Z black plastics are not painted but produced shiny black (from memory).

 

[Mr Tenno]

Kinda hard to make out but this 2000 mile 280z @ 1:52 you can see the rear panel and definitely not black:

 

[Bazzateer]

On the note of colours and taking my own thread slightly off topic, has anyone tried the spray on chrome sprays with positive outcomes? The ones I have are more like shiny silver and nothing like the caps they come with.

Re-checking plastics costs in excess of £200, so I am tempted to give it one last chance.


This seems to be the best I’ve seen, even if quite faffy! Tempted to have a go at £35


https://www.stardustcolors.co.uk/chrome-paint/1229-brush-on-chrome-chrome-paint-using-brush.html

I looked into these while trying to create a new (larger) bonnet badge to replace the monster currently on the car. The YouTube vids show some very good results with the Alclad product scoring very well. Maybe it was my preparation or technique but the results for me were far from 'chrome'.

 

[Dale]

On the note of colours and taking my own thread slightly off topic, has anyone tried the spray on chrome sprays with positive outcomes? The ones I have are more like shiny silver and nothing like the caps they come with.

Re-checking plastics costs in excess of £200, so I am tempted to give it one last chance.


This seems to be the best I’ve seen, even if quite faffy! Tempted to have a go at £35


https://www.stardustcolors.co.uk/chrome-paint/1229-brush-on-chrome-chrome-paint-using-brush.html

I don’t know if you’ve seen any videos on Hydrochroming on YouTube, but it’s pretty impressive. You can buy kits to do it yourself but quite expensive, although I’m sure the raw chemicals could be bought a lot cheaper.

If there was a place that did it I’m sure all of us would be sending our light surrounds to them!

With the typical annoying background soundtrack......

 

[status]

The nearest colour I know of is the grey 2.8 i Ford Capri from back in the day it’s a very close match I’ve got a couple spare knocking around somewhere in my garage

 

[AliK]

Thanks for the inputs gents. I know there is a proper way to do it on plastics and I found a guy in Lithuania that did them but was charging £200+. But like all chrome, that will also start to go over time. So I’m trying to find a cheaper way to do something that lasts and can be repeated without too much hassle.

And I agree, prep is everything when it comes to any kind of paint and particularly with the chrominance stuff. I found on a bracket I was experimenting with, getting the surface of the metal totally shiny got it pretty close to chrome once painted over but not as bright as chrome.

 

[Mr Tenno]

To quote Richie on the paint colour:

I then returned to various forum discussions in the US about the colour, and one that had undergone side-by-side comparisons with NOS parts in original paint and come out well was Ford Dark Shadow Gray, code CX-7039. So I ordered a can of the Ford (USA) colour (there is a Ford Europe version too but this may be different) in a custom mix aerosol from Paints4U and have given it a spin. MUCH better. Similar colour, but without the obvious blue tint. I will be using this for the ZG flares, rear panels and rear spoiler on the project Z. From the can, it has a near perfect flat/matt finish, although it may still make sense to lacquer it with a 2K satin or matt clear.

 

[AliK]

Awesome! The webmaster proves his mastery of all the content! [emoji106][emoji106][emoji106]

 

[AliK]

So I’VE been looking at this while being “forced” to watch Kung Fu Panda(!!) and it appears to be available on fleebay without the isocyanates.


https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/323349013491

@richiep did you go mat or satin finish in the end? I was about to order and realised they can make it in gloss, satin or mat.

Ps. Kung Fu Panda is actually quite fun!

 

[Mr Tenno]

Asked my painter to get Richie's paint and spray in a flat matt -here's how it came out: