Hi all. I've got a '60 Valiant. It originally came in Silver. The headlight 'dual doors' on my car are (and always were) polished aluminum.

My question is this: Why are my doors polished aluminum? Other Valiants during the '60 model year would come with blacked-out doors, but not mine. Is it a cosmetic call for color coordination? If anyone knows the answer to this, it'd be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Evan

I'm pretty sure that the 60's were unpainted anodized aluminum. At least that's how our V200 was when I was a kid. I've have photos of the 61's and 62's however in Consumer Guide's "Complete History of Chrysler Corporation" that shows them with blacked out centers. It clearly shows the 60's with unpainted headlight bezels. So, I think that depending on the year they came either way.

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"Former Owner" of '65 Barracuda, 225, Auto, MP 2bbl intake, MP cam, Dutra Duals. Presently Moparless.

The pictures in the factory shop manuals (for the US) show
both 1960 and 1961 Valiants with the black out type "headlight
doors". That is why I had always assumed the unpainted ones
belonged on the 1962 s.

When the Valiant was first introduced it had black paint on the headlamp bezels. Not sure of the exact date but at mid-year the black paint was deleted.

When the 1961 models were introduced the black paint was back. Along with black paint on the grille.

I believe for 1962 the Signet had the black headlight bezels and the rest of the line didn't.


Bill
Vancouver, BC

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Bill
Vancouver, BC

Thanks for the input guys. My '60 service manual shows all models and some have unpainted bezels, but others are blacked out. I was getting confused, and wondered if I had incorrect pieces for the car.

Evan

Bill has it right. I just picked up the August 2004 issue of Collectible Automobile and it has a great piece on the 60-62 Valiants. They state that the 1960 bezels were originally blacked out then mid year they them changed to unpainted to save money. Several other items of the trim changed too like deleting the inner trim ring from the trunk lid "spare tire" and taking some stainless trim off of the rear window of the V200s.

_________________
"Former Owner" of '65 Barracuda, 225, Auto, MP 2bbl intake, MP cam, Dutra Duals. Presently Moparless.