Someone has too much time on there hands
Now that is too funny! Way to go, Steve!
Personally, I like the 1918 "Black Beauty" best.
Just wait till someone asks for the paint code for one of those! Neat.
I read that Henry never said that.
It was somebody in the news media.
I would like to know which one of those colors my open '26 should be?
None, the chart only goes to 1925.
Personally, I think 1914 "Midnight Black" was the best black color Ford used. It's a really pretty color, especially when the sun catches it just right....it REALLY comes alive.
Didn't they offer a special "Tuxedo Black" in 1915 as a special order color Steve?
Here is a link to a "real" paint-matching company that made the "commercial green" for a '26 Touring that I used to have.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qqnp-JBko0Y
Here is picture of the paint:
Just for fun, here's one more.
Thought you might enjoy the cartoons!
Jon
Jon,
Can you send me the formula for that color?
Thanks in advance.
Larry
Larry,
I don't know the actual formula, but you might try contacting AutoColorLibrary about 1926 Model T "Commercial Green".
To be entirely honest, what I did is to request a "Paint Chip" from them -- they will send you one, but they cost a little bit. They are on a 4x6" piece of cardboard.
I then had my own auto painter scan in the color on the chip, and we matched that. That worked out really good, and the color on the car turned out great. I doubt if you could do any better by ordering it from them.
Anyway that was my solution. You could do this with any Model T color. The company is now run by the old man's son(?), but if you can get the old guy on the phone, he is the ONE.
Hope this helps.
The way my latest T project is sucking up new parts (read $) I'll have to paint it 1921 "Black Hole" color. Can't afford commercial green. :-)
Steve... good one. We need the humor today. LOL
I do wish however, there was something around that would give some idea as to the exact colors that Henry DID use in the pre-1914 years. And exactly what was, and wasn't pin striped too.
Great post, Steve!
All kidding aside, it would be interesting to see some chips representing the hobby's consensus on what the pre-black era colors really looked like. The words I have seen in the literature say that the red and blue colors were so dark they were almost black.
I have a copy of the "Model A Ford Pain & Finish Guide", 3rd edition, it has an awesome set of paint chips in it showing the hobby's best estimate of what the original colors really looked like. Is there something like it (besides Steve's noble effort) for the Model T hobbyist?
Or, can someone who made a heroic effort to paint their early car one of the original colors post a picture of their car on the forum? Thanks!
I can't take credit (or blame) for the paint chips chart. I found that on FB (Model T Ford Club of Facebook).
I posted this one ten years ago, notice the little gray places in the corners of the black squares and the lines between the squares. They come and go.
This is what I have been using for the last few years. It looks to be very close to the Coal Black you show for 1917.
Thanks for the "Official" Info.
Rich
If you look at the history of paint colors on Model T Fords you will see that there were several colors in the "black era'. The first one being that up till 1920 the BODY color was actually dark blue not black.
Trent Bogass printed an article on these colors in the Vintage Ford several years ago.
In 1920 in the Ford Owner magazine an article on repainting your Ford states:
“Originally, the standard Ford finish is a two color job _ though the body is painted such a dark blue it looks almost as black as the baked on enamel of the jet black fenders”
The dark blue was recorded in print matter by Ford Canada who listed all Fords up till 1920 as being dark blue.
As for the statement that is attributed to Henry Ford about "black" cars, a gentleman who I knew in my community when I was younger but working on T's, was a Ford dealer from the 20's through the 40's. He retired and each of his two sons operated their own Ford dealership over the years. The elder Mr. Rheman told me that in the 20's, he attended a sales meeting attended by Ford dealers from the South Central U.S. in Oklahoma City and at that meeting, Henry Ford made that statement. There was no reason for him to tell me a 'story' and he didn't have Alsheimers disease, either, so I have to believe it was so. Besides, I only have 26 and 27 T's that were available in other colors, so I don't have a dog in this fight.
Steve,
Most of the time I can spot a Jelf post! But I did not click on this this thread for a couple of days. I had some time to kill tonight, opened it, and I can confirm that my 14 Touring that was built in early July of 14 is indeed Midnight Black and not Charcoal Black. LOL.
Funny you should say that. I know EXACTLY what you mean. MANY times, I say "This is gonna be a Steve Jelf thread." And, I too, put off opening this thread for a while. Knowing that the A paint chips leave something to be desired, I figured if there WERE any T chips, they would be worse. I have also heard the early colors were so dark, they were almost black. At any rate, I put off opening this thread, but when I did, I found it HILARIOUS!
Peter-
Do you have any paint old formula for that dark-blue-that-almost-looks-black that was used on the Canadian cars?
I wonder how close it is to the dark blue on the cars from 1911-1913.
Not that I am change my all-but-black color of blue on my 1911.
: ^ )
Keith
My Dad had several model T Fords and at least one TT.
He even bought a Fordor for the week ends and a Runabout for work brand new on the same day.
The runabout had no starter.
Anyway he always said the cars were not black, they were midnight blue.
Keith, I think the later blue is miles darker than the 1911- 1913 cars. That's why people think its black.
Here is the label which is shown in the Ford Service Bulletins for the paint.
Blue Black has been one of the most common tinters used in Automotive tinting systems. It is used to alter other colors. If it is reduced with white you get a grey which has a blue tone to it.
Used as a straight color it appears to be black unless placed in strong sunlight where the blue undertone can be seen,
What everyone is missing is that this is the color that Ford used on the USA cars at the same time. The quote from the Ford Owner magazine is directed at owners of USA Model T's not Canada.
Keith, when I had my 13 in the 70's, I went through paint chips at my auto paint dealer and selected a dark blue used on Kenworth trucks of that era.
I looked at the chart and couldn't find "Jet" black...I wonder why?