We know they started out blue and then changed to black. We know they did it because you could see the blue through the scoop and it didn’t look good with some paint colors. We just don’t know when the change happened exactly.
Dyno Don actually signed the snorkle on the car when Royce owned it (I bought it from Royce).
Thank you, Bill. A changeover date would be interesting to know.
I was there. It’s not anecdotal.
also you could think of it this way,
the factory has a stack of 20 CJ Ram Air lids,
top 15 are blue then 5 black, they use 17 before restocking with 15 more blue (last 2 used were black). now they have a stack of 18 CJ Ram Air lids they use 17 before restocking with 15 blue (last 2 used were black) ect…
so the production date would be meaningless.
just thought I would throw a wrench into everything. 
Wrenches are fine. That’s (partly) how we get work done!
Over time, though, there would be a clear change from blue to black.
Are there Mustang equivalents to this lid? The folks over on the Concours-Mustang site might know about this.
I was there. It’s not anecdotal.
Personal experience is always anecdotal.
Are there Mustang equivalents to this lid? The folks over on the Concours-Mustang site might know about this.
Please see the earlier link to the Mustang Cobra Jet Registry where they state there was a change from blue to black. The Mustang used the same lid. The blue lids were visible below the smaller Mustang hood scoop. According to them it was switched to black so as not to clash with body colors. Since the Cougars came down the same assembly line as the Mustangs, it is my supposition the same change applied to CJ Cougars.
