MTFCA Forum

I have done some research on Model T engine color and from what I gather, engines were black until some point in 1926, when the color was changed to a color called "moleskin." I have a 1924 that has been sitting unmolested since around 1962. I removed the water outlets on the block and want to paint them. I am not a stickler for orginality, but the rest of the engine is an olive drab green. I am assuming that it is not an original color, but I really don't know. I don't plan on painting the rest of the engine or even repainting the head, which I have removed. My choices are black, getting a Rustoleum olive drab spray or using Model A engine green. Black or the Rustoleum are probably the best choices. The color of my engine looks similar to the color of the 1927 engine in the Henry Ford Museum. download/file.php?id=72818&mode=view

The prior owner of my car was a Model T enthusiast, but, from the work he did on the car, a not a stickler. The car was a survivor and driver, not a show or restored car. He died long ago, so is not a resource for me. What do others think?

For What It’s Worth,

I do believe that what your pictures show is what ‘moleskin’ of the era would be. In the 20’s Moleskin was still in the Taupe family, a fact most are not generally aware of. Also, The earth tone pigments used in the era would have aged like old varnish in hue...a self yellowing as has been explained to me by one of the senior lab guys at Benjamin Moore labs

My second pet wrinkle is the personal deduction that over the years I have managed to convince myself that more than a few of the ‘26 practices and ideas started to be phased in from April of ‘25. There are too many survivors from that period on a % basis that have’26 features from that date than before it.

I have seen 24-5 Canadian engines that where original engines and they where green in color???

FWIW, I’ve learned the worst way to paint cast iron is spray painting. Whether a rattle can or spray gun. And whether you want satin, glossy or flat. Brushing on your desired paint fills the cast iron grain and remains beautiful for ever.

Thanks for the comments.

While cleaning the engine off today, it appears that there may be some black under this green color, so maybe it was black and was repainted. There is quite a lot of grease and dirt on the engine, so it was hard to tell. It was last painted a long time ago. The way it is painted, the engine would have had to have been out of the car. An interesting project. I am having fun and learning a lot.

The original owner could have been the U. S. Army and the whole ca would have been painted that color.

I use Rustoleum Black gloss engine paint that's available at almost any Walmart in the rattle can. Although this paint is gloss at first, after several running/heat cycles it quickly becomes satin. This paint is good to 500 deg. I've had no issues with spraying and coverage on the cast iron, but you need to mask off areas if spraying in an engine in the car. I'm not sure the goal should be to "fill" (i.e. smooth out) normal casting "grain" of the model T engine with paint, but that's a personal choice.

Mark

I use Rustoleum Satin Black to begin with.

I don’t think Ford was to paticular with the paint with the engine paint application. He wasn’t when he brazed on the pan motor mounts.
But to each his own on how he wants to do it. I have a high head that’s in pretty good shape and after cleaning it up it has a blue green faded cooler. I’m pretty sure it’s not a repaint. The other heads I have are rusted and it the only one among my stash that has any kind of paint still on it.

John, What is the year of your T? I have a 1927 coupe that was built in January 1927. The engine has that same blue green color. I ,of course, don't know if it is the original paint. I obtained the coupe in 1954. I have seen that blue green color on some photos on the Form. Could you post a pic of your engine. I would post mine but I still have not learned how!!

Mix up some black enamel, thinner, and asphalt. Roofers, thermoplastic road, or whatever. Heavy on the thinner. Stir until the asphalt is liquid. Make sure it's thin like water. Put it in a large tank, dunk the engine in said mix, hang until dry, repeat. From what I understand, that's a fairly authentic representation of Henry's paint until he started the moleskin. Probably originated from what was used to clean out the application wands on the body paint line. I'm not sure how long that coating would last... Ford may have switched to actual paint by then...

Me? I use satin (semi-flat??) black. Seems to look pretty good...

The head is or was a blue green color when I got it among lots of other T parts several years ago. It wasn’t on an engine. As what year engine it was on I don’t know the answer. It was faded and the existing paint was still on the sides and around some of the head bolt holes but not much. At the time I decided to use it on my 24 Coupe which I restored.
It appeared to be not a repaint but if it was it was done many years ago. I painted the engine a satin black When I put the engine together. As I remember the later Ford high heads didn’t all have Ford script on them. The one I used has script.

For those who haven't seen original engine paint, here are some photos.

I think Susanne's description is pretty much on the mark except for the dipping part. In this 1925 production line photo it looks like the "Gilsonite wash" has been sloshed on. Note the drips on the valve cover and the bare spot behind the intake manifold. It looks like the spark plugs were installed after the sloshing.

The Rip Van winkle car (1917).

1927 cutaway engine at The Henry Ford.

I believe all the various shades of blue and green people report are later paint jobs, not original. I even doubt that Mart's purple head with silver trim is authentic.

WOW! The top picture looks like a engine we found sitting in a barn years ago... as kids, we were "exploring" a barn (actually an old hop drying shed) and saw a motor which looked sloshed not unlike this one. Of course, we were kids, and it was someone else's barn, but I remember thinking someone poured roofing tar over it. There were a couple other T motors on the property (one attached to a huge sawblade, another on a stand (maybe a cut up frame?) with a pulley on the back, lined up with a jack shaft above) so it could have been a spare...

Too bad it was 50+ years ago... I remember going back years later hoping these treasures were still there, but the hop shed and barns were long gone, it had become a somewhat yuppie winery, and everything was planted in grapes.