Hello again!
 
While i still collecting parts to assemble my PC (waiting for Cascade Lake-X release), i spending time on motherboard manual reading (there a lot typo and missing page numbers by the way), motherboard studying (after my old P4P800 SE from ASUS for Pentium 4 it's VERY complicated) and getting some interesting accesories for unused slots (like silicone covers for unused DIMMs and PCI-E slots) i founded interesting thing, which i need help with from EVGA (or maybe forum members, who knows).
 
It's started from this picture in "EVGA X299 DARK Overclocking Guide" topic:

You may see plastic cover on ILM saying "LGA2066" made by Foxconn. Nothing strange right, we all know that X299 Dark have got Socket R also known as LGA2066. Not big surprise here. I opened box with my motherboard a lot times for cooler test mounting and memory test installing, but i can't remember that i saw "LGA2066", so i opened box again just to compare real cover with picture and my memory. And i saw this:
 

Um... Lotes LGA2011-3LM? But there even KOZ (Keep out Zone) for LGA2066 ILM...
 
But HOLD ON, hold on... no drama here.
 
1. I understand that both: 2011-3 ILM and 2066 ILM are support (may hold) CPU just fine AND no problems with coolers (and AIO) mount;
2. X299 Dark is ALREADY very expensive board and some economy on proper ILM may be reasonable to keep price at $500 level (i understand that and don't blame EVGA).
 
So, i started looking where i may get proper ILM, like this (actually i got it from dead MSI X299 Raider, which i bought for just about $30. Backplate also included.):

But in black color, obviously. We got Dark board, and installing on it silver ILM will be stupid. I will broke whole idea of black system build.
 
There are some ways to MAKE this ILM black, but need to remove nickel plating first from some parts. It's not difficult, just need proper acid, but since ILM impossible to disassemble it will be problematic to clean it after acid. Also, need to add markings AFTER it will become black - laser engravind. Two this process will cost a lot money and it's way more cheap just to get right ILM.
 
So i keep looking for it on MSI site and founded X299 Gaming M7 ACK motherboard with AWESOME deep black ILM:

But they fool customer - same 2011-3LM and actual product have got silver ILM, ha-ha-ha! It funny, but don't solve my problem...
 
After some time, tonnes of pictures in google and YouTube videos where i may look on actual product and not photoshoped product pictures i founded some REAL black 2066 ILM (on some GIGABYTE boards and ASRock boards). This confirmed that black 2066 ILM is exist! Then i decided to check each EVGA X299 motherboard just in case they MAY have proper ILM... and guesss what?
 

Black 2066 ILM and Backplate made by Foxconn on EVGA X299 FTW K. Why EVGA? Just why?
 
Who i need to talk with in EVGA to get this for my X299 Dark? I don't even need it brand new, it may be from dead board from warranty. I just need black, 2066 ILM.
 
P.S. After modding go as far as cable mod, i wonder... why there is no colored ILM? Like white, gold, red?

TiN_EE
Your photos on FTW and Dark show exactly same ILM (other than "ear" configuration) which is black nickel shiny parts. Standard ILM is shiny silver part. Difference you see on photo is just different light/reflections.

It's sad TiN. I read about "black nickel" plating, it's not very stable and may be removed on touch. It's not good option.
 
But it doesn't mean that i can't do it by myself, right? Plating may be any as long as i use insulator between backplate and board and ILM and board? Do you know about any restriction? I just didn't founded any document about 2066 ILM. 2011-3 i can get right on Intel data base, but zero info about 2066 (materials, plating, thickness of layers) or Intel really just changed numbers, that's all? :)