scottmoyer

For all those that have asked over the years if the Black Z28 got the gloss or satin finished headlight pockets, here's a pic of an original 1800 mile car.

Zwrench

I think they would all be satin finished regardless of body color. I can't say for sure but, a gloss finish could make it harder to see when driving in foggy conditions.

Apeiron

What year car?
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They could be fully silvered mirrors and you still wouldn't be able to notice a difference.

scottmoyer

The picture from above is an 87. However, I would believe that all Z28s from 82 thru 92 would have the same finish. This was just documented proof for future discussions since I know the question has been asked before and I don't remember if there was ever documented proof. With such low miles, I would assume this to be an exact from the factory setup.

As for the gloss causing issues, no. The gloss on the paint would not cause any issues at all. If that were the case, why would all the RSs and SCs have body color in gloss?

Zwrench

Maybe so, but it's possible that Chevy would look at it as safety concern especially if a headlight wasn't properly aimed.

HotRodLarry

My '83 Z28 is the same way.Gloss black with gloss black pockets.

Apeiron

They made hundreds of thousands more cars with shiny headlight buckets than they did with satin black ones.

That's good news in any case, saves me the trouble of doing them separately when I paint my 88.

Zwrench

That's interesting to know. I didn't realize that some were painted glossy and some weren't. I think I saw a discussion about this in another thread and, although I didn't participate, I thought about it and that was the conclusion I came up with.

I guess that's why I'm here. To learn something.

scottmoyer

They are 2 seperate shades of black! This thread is to inform that the factory painted all Z28 headlight pockets a satin finish and NOT gloss. The comment about the 83 above is also incorrect. The pockets were originally a satin finish, not a gloss.

Here's a pic of mine with 6k miles. The car was just washed so the headlight pockets had water spots, but again, satin finish. People have been asking for years about black cars and the finish used on those. This confirms that black cars had the same as every other color Z28

Apeiron

Ahh, ok, that's what I thought they were originally. It's impossible to tell anything from the picture.

86NiteRider

iTrader: (10)

Well when I repainted my car over the winter back to the factory black I had the pockets and everything else glossy black. When this subject came up in the spring I had to repaint my bumper and ground effect due to some slight damage. Since it was the same body shop that did the original work I knew I could match the Glossy. I had them media blast the entire area and paint the pockets Satin and the bumper Glossy. I love the look. It is much better than the all glossy look. Adds an interesting contrast to the front.
The only problem is I can't get a good picture to show it. Maybe when I do some professional pics I this spring I can get a good pic.

ur7x

iTrader: (2)

IMO, the picture is quite clear...
Very shiny black car... with a not so shiny headlight pocket.

InfernalVortex

iTrader: (4)

I thought it was clear enough also.

a mack6

iTrader: (1)

I did a visual survey of this particular argument when I was at this year's GM Carlisle/Camaro Nationals show. I looked at every year 3rd gen, but specifically 1992 Heritage cars because that is what i'm most familiar with (having owned 2 already).

In general, There was about a 50/50 split of Gloss and Satin. Some cars had been driven, others had very low mileage.

The same held true for the Heritage cars i saw there. About 50% of them had gloss, while the others had satin. I saw pretty much every color combination Heritage there with every headlight pocket color (gloss/satin). I saw a 40k mile Black/Red heritage Z28 like mine with satin headlight pockets, but my 30k mile Black/Red heritage Z28 has gloss headlight pockets. My 45k miles white/red heritage RS had satin headlight pockets...

The argument I make, whether it is true or not, is that 75% of the cars that show up to Carlisle are extremely low mileage, mint condition cars. How could ALL of the Z28's that i saw with glossy headlight pockets be repaints? I had my own suspicions too, so on each car that had glossy headlight pockets I went around to door jams, engine bays, hatches, etc. to see if i could spot any overspray and/or panel misalignment. (And I did NOT find any things to lead me to believe they were repainted).

These are just my observations from a very big car show with many MINT condition show car 3rd gens. So with the addition of my fuel to the fire, let it continue...

scottmoyer

One thing to consider is that most people have hit the curb or scraped the front end. Knowing what car shows are like, a lot of people have repainted the front end only. If this is the case, there is the possibility that the repaint was not done correctly. I will continue to research. Here is the front end of a low mile 92 Heritage with satin finish.

ur7x

iTrader: (2)

A) Were all of the Glossy headlight buckets repaints? Probably
B) Why no overspray?... It was a car show... People go to great lengths to hide re-paints for show cars... I know I did... Drove a car 50 miles to the body shop with no bumpers, glass, grill, locks, door handles, window felt, weather strips, etc... and when I got to the body shop I removed the head lights and tail lights too. My car has been painted at-least 3 times... I would challenge you to find any overspray...

I gotta dig out all of my factory documentation and marketing stuff from the early 80's I pretty sure that this is all documented there...
Z28=satin headlight buckets.

Jproz1167

iTrader: (3)

not satin black it's just the factory primer on the bumper cover is all.

bucanero

I bought a spray can of black trim paint and I used it to paint the headlight buckets on my Flame Red 92 Camaro RS. They gave that factory new look. I bought Duplicolor brand and I bought it at AutoZone for $6.99. Buying the paint plus materials needed wasn't neither that difficult nor too expensive to apply.

oldtimer

Bought a late production 82 Z28 in September of 1982. My cousin and another friend also did the same. Another bought an 82 Berlinetta at the same time. I owned an original paint 88 IROC from 07-11. Now have an original paint 92 Heritage Z. Six cars spanning a decade, and all had the satin, or semi gloss headlamp pockets. A Z or IROC with gloss finish is sporting a refinish of some sort. Oldtimer.

Slater126

iTrader: (1)

GM paint quality during the 1980s and early 1990s was bad, particularly the water based paint used at Van Nuys, where most 3rd Gens were built. And black was one of the worst. So the bottom line is that most black Third Gens have been repainted by this point, even low mile cars, and few body shops are going to bother to make the extra effort to make satin headlight pockets on an already black car. This is probably what you're seeing when you see a black Z with gloss headlight pockets- a repaint.

loomdog32

MY 82 Z28 does not have Black Headlight Pockets. It still has original pant.

toomany

I'm going to say it does. You just can't tell from the fading/grime. There is a difference in shades from the pockets to the rest of the bumper.

Slater126

iTrader: (1)

I've never seen a non-black factory Z28 in my life without satin black headlight pockets. It has them, or had them, those pictures make it hard to tell. The only question is the black cars because most of us didn't pay attention back then. But even there I think we've established that black Z28s had the satin black pockets too.

Joe Tag

iTrader: (4)

Going to revive this thread and make the answer to my question much more difficult. I am certain it was a satin black, my Z most assuredly was, and had no repaint on the bumper cover. How do we go about a paint code?

articwhiteZ

iTrader: (56)

My 1992 Z28 has the simi/satin non Gloss Finnish.
im the only driver from the day i got it from GM.
and Lingenfelter..

my Factory Finish still looks wet...even 20 years on.. always indoors... and still under 50.000 miles.
and it's never been refinished

IROCZTWENTYGR8

iTrader: (1)

I've seen low mileage black Z28s/IROC-Zs with original paint of all different years. They all had the semi-gloss recesses stock.

FormerL69

iTrader: (2)

This might make a good sticky Scott. This topic seems to come up pretty regularly.

yo soy el warg

I have eight 3rd gens and 7 have their original factory paint and they all have satin black head light pockets. The only one that doesn't is an 87 Iroc with a repaint and it has gloss black pockets. That is an indication to me that they originally came with the satin black paint instead of the gloss paint pockets which usually happens after a repaint. It seems like the average paint shops aren't aware of this slight difference of paint and can't seem to get it right just like the only repainted car I own isn't correct!

Our83Z

My Black original paint 83 Z28, even with its somewhat dull factory paint it is clear that the headlight pockets are a different/not glossy paint. If you could see my car in person you would agree there is no question they are satin.

Amaro83

I bought my 83 Z28 last October, and she does not have black headlamp buckets. She is white with t tops. Had a crossfire Injection, and no stripe at the bottom. Just solid white with matte black hood stripes. I know GM only made things for my carforr a few short years before changing things. I was just curious to see if there were any early ones that did not have the black lamp buckets. She was one of the first ones made in 83 at the Ohio plant. I would love to find out more!! Good thread!!

FormerL69

iTrader: (2)

Not to disappoint, but I have never heard of any Z28 coming from the factory with body-colored pockets.

I suspect the front fascia on your car was repainted in the last 30 years, or the nose has been replaced and repainted incorrectly.

scottmoyer

If you read the posts above, you'd see that it was already mentioned that ALL Z28s had the black head lamp buckets. There weren't any one offs and there aren't any "rare" my-car-came-this-way-from-the-factory this way. Your car has been repainted. Where are the lower stripes. are the ground effects white or silver?

Amaro83

The car has been repainted. Horrribly I may add!! I will definately be repainting her, I just wanted to get all my information correct before painting. I want her to be as close as possible to the day she rolled out!! With a few special touches of my own!! I will be takin her back white, this is the paint code. Did all Z's come with a stripe at the bottom? From what I am learning, this was a trademark for the Z28, to have the lowerr stripe at the bottom. She is all white as of now with the thin bumper guard down the middle. I'm thinkin I will put the charcoal stripe at the bottom. I personally like the red rocker panel emblems instead of the charcoal. I also will be putting RWL tires on. Thanks so much for your help! I have only had her for 6 months, and I learn more everyday!!

Amaro83

Randy, I see that you have an 82 pace car!! I would love to see pictures of your car and hear a little more about them!! Whenlooking for parts for mine, I often see that 82 pace car stuff is rare and pretty expensive!! Awesome car though!! I LOVE the early third gens!! They definately have a unique look about them!!

scottmoyer

In '83, a white car with red stripes would get the red emblems. It won't look right having the silver stripes with red emblems. What color is the interior?

Amaro83

Interior is the sand gray. I am waiting on sunvisors, sail panels, and a headliner to get here now. They say it will take a month for it to get here since they make them as they are ordered. I haven't ordered the stripe yet. Like I said, I wanted to make sure everything is correct before I do. I don't have any floor mats yet either. Was gonna get the custom ones that you can get on ebay. I like the ones with Z28 embriodered on it. Was thinkin about black. What do you think? Thank you so much for your help!! I'm gonna check out those stripes right now!!

Amaro83

So to be correct, the red/light red/black is the correct stripe, right? Both places I have checked don't give a year for that stripe. Do you think I should keep the thin black bumper guard on it when I repaint? It is just stuck on there, not permanantly attached.

two-if-by-sea

iTrader: (22)

You should send a PM to moderator Jim85IROC. He sells Contour mats, that have the same shape as the factory mats. I love mine. I got my black mats embroidered with "CAMARO" in red, and I am very happy with them. Here is the passenger side. Ignore the dirt, and the cable (which is usually hidden behind the console). The only bummer is that they show how faded my black interior really is.

Amaro83

Thanks for the info!! They look nice, but I'm not ready for that step yet!! Gettin ready to take my kick panels to get new carpet put on them. The drivers side was missing the carpet. It's definately a slow process, but I'm having lots of fun doin it!! Even though I haven't gotten to drive her in a month or so!! Ouch!! lol. After I get the interior done is the exhaust. I'm tired of seein those nasty factory pipes stickin out the rear end!! I'm thinkin dynomax ss!!

Darth 93

Good topic and I might add this....I was talking to one of the GM Service Engineers a few years ago about my car. (83 Z/28) This subject came up. I mentioned I had a GM NOS front fascia for my car. He said "Good, the primer in that is UV protected, so have the body shop mask that area off and you will have the correct finish around the headlamp pockets. I have looked at the fascia many times, the primer is black stain finish.

InfernalVortex

iTrader: (4)

That makes a lot of sense.... to me anyway. They're not actually going over and spraying over color coat... they're just masking off primer thats UV protected. Smart.

Amaro83

But my whole car has already been painted all over. She was that way when I got her. I have seen that other people have used the black trim paint and it does a good job. I have used the trim paint on other parts of the car, and it looks very nice. Anybody have any recommendations?

Amaro83

I did some cleaning and thourogh looking, and she did in fact have black hea bucket trim. Made me sick to think someone would just paint over that!! Obviously didn't know what thhey were doin!! lol. Hopefully next year we will be ready for the new paint. I enjoy learning new things that I did'nt know before. Thanks!!