Wondering what the correct way the 72 Hood Louvers were factory painted. I know the S model was body matched and the 442 model was black. In the photo does the end(A) and backside(B) of the louvers get paint or stay chrome?

 

Many of the ones I've seen were painted gold (or some variation thereof). I restored a set for an S hood that I installed on my '72 ragtop and painted the inlays a semi-gloss black to set the louvers off against my red body color. - these are the ones I started with

 

Trying to find out what part of it are painted and what parts are left chrome.

 

Just as depicted in the photos I provided of the seemingly unmolested set I started with, I believe only the ribs and outer edge outside of them remain chrome - the inlays right up to the inside walls look to be painted

If there are any true experts on this topic, possibly they'll weigh in further

 

I had my hood grilles painted body color, don’t know how the factory did them. Ribs are chrome.

 

Jeff, Here is a picture of the louvers of our unrestored original paint 72 W29 that you may have seen at the 2024 Springfield OCA Nationals (was a cross from you towards the end of the parking lot). Only the top of the ribs are chrome so the picture you marked up appears to be correct. Also, as you stated, Only the 1972 W29 cars had blacked out louvers. All others were body color

1971 Cutlass S: Hood Louvers are Body color
1971 442: Hood Louvers are Body color
1972 Cutlass S: Hood Louvers are Body color
1972 Cutlass with W29 442 appearance package: Hood Louvers are Black regardless of Body color.
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This is how my set turned out