MTFCA Forum

I would like for all of you to tell me which car has the shade of red that you think looks best on a 09 Ford. I’m working with pictures I found on the internet, so I have no control over quality of the photo, but I tried to find ones that showed some difference in shade. So if you would count down from the top and note your choice it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks Tom

I like the deeper darker reds like 1, 2, 3, and 5. The others are too bright and orangy to me. Five looks especially nice but it may be because it is indoors.

Were all 09's red ???

I like the brighter shades of red myself.

I'm favor the "reds" 5, 2, 1 in that order The photo's of 2,4,6,7,8 look either a bit orange or pinkish

If you are giving away any of them, I will not refuse, I will make room in my garage even if I have keep my wife’s car in the driveway. Lol Frank

Pic #1 and #5 APPEAR to be closest to good ol' Carmine Red, which I THINK was the "official" Ford red back in the day.

Way too many Ts are painted an albeit gorgeous "very red red", usually a GM red it seems.

I like the deeper reds too.

What I'm seeing on my computer I like #5 best.

Contact Rob Heyen and find out what red he has on his Model K.

So difficult to say. Every computer screen, just as every television set, displays colors a bit differently. Having worked professionally in that field for many years, I had many opportunities to see numerous sets side by side showing the same image. It is amazing how much of what we "see" is actually an illusion assembled within our individual brains. Ambient lighting and shadows also alter colors a lot. Yet, we are usually unaware of that when we look at something. Again, our brain automatically adjusts for what it expects the color shifts to be.

All the colors in the pictures look good to me. Yet I know from experience, that in person, I often see colors that do not look good, and in person, I would likely think some of these were off from where they belonged. Avoid anything that is slightly orange, purple, or pink. Pure red may be a bit too much, and a slightly toned-down red may be best. A slightly maroon can look really good, but I don't believe it is correct for an early T or pre-T.


Burger, and anyone else wondering. Ford in regular production model Ts, used only red on touring cars from the earliest two pedal/two lever cars through a bit over half the 1909 model year. According to original shipping records, the dark green began about June of 1909 (and maybe slightly earlier?). By the end of July, most touring cars were green, although a few continued in red at least through August (and likely even a bit later?). Most roadster/runabouts from the first early 1908-built 1909 models well into the 1910 model year were painted a light gray color.
The hobby fell in love with the idea of bright red model Ts back in the 1950s, and painted way too many cars red. Somewhere back then, people got the idea that ALL 1909s were red (I remember a very original 1909 gray roadster driving people crazy at a swap meet about fifty years ago!), and they thought even many 1910s and 1911s were originally red (that was the reason given for painting them red when being restored). We know today, that a lot of what was believed in the '50s and '60s was wrong. Real research has since found facts to replace the faulty memories people in the hobby relied upon half a century ago.

I know this doesn’t directly answer your question, but these are my two favorites.
These are colour samples from my local powder coater with the names. I hope it helps.

TWrenn wrote: ↑

Sun Jan 03, 2021 9:32 am

Pic #1 and #5 APPEAR to be closest to good ol' Carmine Red, which I THINK was the "official" Ford red back in the day.

Way too many Ts are painted an albeit gorgeous "very red red", usually a GM red it seems.

Info supporting your artful eye and mental powers