Berger Panel?

[BP_Z28]

Just throwing it out there, it's not a "Berger Panel", it's a Tail Panel. It's only called a "Berger Panel" because it was one of the signature modifications that Berger Chevrolet in Grand Rapids did on the Berger SS's. . .

Sorry to sound like a dick, that's just one of my pet peeves. lol


And I vote for Flat or Satin as well, looks great in person, just doesn't show too well in pictures.

I was going to post that lol. Its a pet peeve for me also

[meissen]

Just throwing it out there, it's not a "Berger Panel", it's a Tail Panel. It's only called a "Berger Panel" because it was one of the signature modifications that Berger Chevrolet in Grand Rapids did on the Berger SS's. . .

Sorry to sound like a dick, that's just one of my pet peeves. lol


And I vote for Flat or Satin as well, looks great in person, just doesn't show too well in pictures.

I drew blood biting my tongue so hard on that one. I wanted to say it but figured I wouldn't.

[LS1_Sean]

Just throwing it out there, it's not a "Berger Panel", it's a Tail Panel. It's only called a "Berger Panel" because it was one of the signature modifications that Berger Chevrolet in Grand Rapids did on the Berger SS's. . .

Sorry to sound like a dick, that's just one of my pet peeves. lol


And I vote for Flat or Satin as well, looks great in person, just doesn't show too well in pictures.

No problem. I stand corrected.

[WMCC Doug]

I drew blood biting my tongue so hard on that one. I wanted to say it but figured I wouldn't.

How do you think those of us that own Berger Camaros feel about it?

I quite often take knowledge about our cars for granted, since I've been around them for so many years, however, sometimes I realize things I just take for granted, are really not as widely known by everyone as I think they are. With that in mind, I'll just throw this info out there for everyone .......... if you already knew this, cool, if not, maybe you'll learn something new today.

The blacked out tail panel on the Berger/GMMG cars was actually Matt Murphy's idea. (Matt is the owner of GMMG) It is a tribute to the 1st Gen, and early 2nd Gen Camaros that came from the factory with the SS396 package. With the exception of the '67 & '69 Indy Pace Cars, all the regular production big block Camaros had blacked out tail panels. (The COPO cars don't count as "regular" production). It was a neat way to set the big block Camaros apart from the rest. If you saw that blacked out tail panel, you knew there was a big block under the hood. Matt thought it would be a neat way to set the Berger Camaros apart from any others, while giving a nod to this neat part of Camaro history.

Matt worked for SLP before he started GMMG and tried to get them to do this to all of the SLP cars, but they just didn't seem to think it was worth the bother. So when GMMG was started and began to work with Berger Chevrolet on the 2000 "75th Anniversary Berger SS" package, it was an idea they both liked, so they incorporated it into the design. I think it's kind of ironic, if SLP had adopted Matt's idea about the blacked out tail panel in 1996, they would have been known as the "SLP Panel" today instead of the "Berger Panel".

So, if you like the blacked out panel, or think it's tacky, or if you want to copy it on your car, or not, it was done as a tribute to the '67 thru '72 big block Camaros.

Here's some pics .......... (Note: the red 2nd Gen, '70 SS396, should not have Z28 stripes or Z28 wheels, but the blacked out tail panel is correct, which is what I'm trying to show here.)

[BP_Z28]

Great history lesson Doug. Werent the panels 60% gloss?

[ktl711]

Guilty as charged!
I toss the phrase "Berger panel" around a fair amount, but it's primarily because everyone pretty much knows that it means a blacked-out tail panel. Plus, I like the idea that it pays homage to a Michigan-born tradition. I have such a panel planned for my car as well, in a satin/semi-gloss black, and some acrylic CAMARO letters in blood-red.

[WMCC Doug]

Great history lesson Doug. Werent the panels 60% gloss?

I'm not sure just what percentage of gloss was used, Rolo. But it's a satin or semi-gloss finish. I never thouight about it enough to ask Matt Murphy or anyone at Berger. My Berger/GMMG HRE came with it (as seen in post #12).

Kevin, if you're one of the ones that thinks the blacked out tail panel looks good (like I do) then it should look good on your car. It's become so common by now, that I really don't get upset anymore when I see someone "copy" a Berger car's tail panel. I guess as long as you're not trying to pass the car off as a Berger/GMMG car (and it isn't), then I don't really have any issues with it anymore.

As for it being know as a "Berger Panel", I find it kind of flattering, I guess. Berger Chevrolet has long been our Club's sponsor (over 25 years so far) and I'm friends with the Berger family. I think it's cool that they at least get some recognition for their 85 years in business here in Grand Rapids. They are one of only a handfull of GM dealerships (I believe less than 10 in the whole country, of any GM brand), still owned and operated by the same family since it's inception.

Of course, as I explained in the earlier post, the blacked out tail panel was a nod to a piece of Camaro history, and never intended to become a "Berger Panel". It's funny how things happen sometimes.

[Joedashredder93]

I too toss the phrase around just because it seems like every 4th gen owner and their mother calls them. There is a huge spiel on ls1tech about it as well and I undestand why it can be such a pet peeve. For the most part i call it a tail light panel but inn reality it seems so much easier/cooler to say "berger". Esp around friends, then I try to give them a history lesson on why but by that point most people decide to not care.

[BP_Z28]

As long as you say Berger and not burger panel

[97z2801ss]

Flat if u want the original look or gloss if u want it to match the rest of the cars paint

[ktl711]

I guess as long as you're not trying to pass the car off as a Berger/GMMG car (and it isn't), then I don't really have any issues with it anymore.

No danger of that anytime soon, Doug! For various reasons, I need to keep my 3800, although I really love the power and look of the Z28s and SS cars. I make no secret that I have a six-banger that's just all show and no go. My hope is that someday I'll also be able to buy a 4th Gen Z28 or SS vert with an M6 - my dream car would either be Monterrey Maroon with the tan leather and top, or all black.

[SSTODD]

"Of course, as I explained in the earlier post, the blacked out tail panel was a nod to a piece of Camaro history, and never intended to become a "Berger Panel". It's funny how things happen sometimes." This is why I also filled in the letters on my tail panel and put the 60's era emblem in the center to match the one I used on the billet grille. A tribute to the past

[nascarnate326]

ya...my cars black. lol.

[ktl711]

As long as you say Berger and not burger panel

Yeah, a "burger panel" sounds like a group of judges for a "Best Hamburger" contest.

Mmmm... burgers...

[alone_and_insane]

I'm really not that big a fan of the black tail panels. I think it's both tacky AND overdone, and that's never a good combination. I've only seen a couple that I actually liked how they looked. But if you do it, I say if you do either gloss or flat black depends on which grille you end up going with. If you get the gloss black SLP grille, having a flat black tail panel wouldn't make much sense. I also think you should have red letters instead of silver. It would tie into the rest of the car better. Also, if you do the black panel, PLEASE do something to the taillights to get rid of the amber. Nightshade on a red car wouldn't look bad at all, but red car+3-color taillights+black tail panel=ugly.

Actually, now that I think about it, here's my suggestion: gloss black SLP Grille, smoked turn signals, black headlights like this:, black letters, tinted taillights, window tint, darker rims. That would look sweet.