Fender Tag Question on 71 Cuda

[1969VADart]

A shop that a friend of mine works in just took in a 71 Cuda as a project. The car was originally Dark Gold with a White vinyl top. Presumably the car still has the original paint. The fender tag verifies the color. However, there is one strange thing. The fender tag is blue. Is this something that the factory would have originally done? I was always under the impression that fender tags were painted to match the color of the car. Here are a couple of pics (sorry for the low quality).

 

[DetMatt1]

Tags were always the same color as the car.

 

[1969VADart]

That is what I told the shop. And yet, there is no apparent explanation as to why the tag is blue. The numbers on the tag match the car.

 

[DetMatt1]

It is odd but these cars were painted with the tags attached by one fastener is my understanding. I see an original looking decal to the left in the bottom pic too which makes it even more strange.
My '71 was painted red and then repainted Butterscotch over 25 years ago and there's very little evidence that to be seen so you just never know what these cars have gone through in there 46 years.

 

[gf7cuda]

It could have been rusty and owner somewhere along the line took it off cleaned it up and painted it with whatever color they had to protect it, just thinking outside the box!

 

[gf7cuda]

is the back side blue also? Or gold?

 

[1969VADart]

is the back side blue also? Or gold?

Interesting question. I will have to ask them. I think the shop was just thrown off because the car is supposedly an untouched original.

 

[Avalanche]

I thought the back of the fender tag was bare metal.

 

[DetMatt1]

I thought the back of the fender tag was bare metal.

Should be because it was attached to the car when painted.

 

[340challconvert]

As said prior, someone must have just sprayed the tag with whatever was available to stop it from rusting,
All the numbers match to the cowl and radiator frame, not just the door sticker?
If they do, you are in good shape! 71 cuda's are great cars

 

[moparlee]

I also thought that these tags were attached with just one screw and sort of in a bent up position when the body went into paint. After painting it was bent down and the other screw (unpainted) was attached. So if that's the case, there more than likely would be some over spray on the back side of the tag and the inner fender panel.

 

[340challconvert]

I also thought that these tags were attached with just one screw and sort of in a bent up position when the body went into paint. After painting it was bent down and the other screw (unpainted) was attached. So if that's the case, there more than likely would be some over spray on the back side of the tag and the inner fender panel.

Good point!

 

[1969VADart]

Thanks for all the thoughts. Think the shop was just thrown off by the oddity. The car is an all numbers matching Cuda. They asked about the fender tag because they are doing a restoration on it and they wanted to make sure that the tag was right (color-wise) too.

 

[sdweatherman]

Some Assembly plants attached with one screw and bent them up slightly, other plants hung them from a wire or paper clip while painting. A previous owner likely removed it, cleaned it up, and painted it with blue paint.