MTFCA Forum

I've read about removing modern maker marks and cutting down the heads and threads to duplicate vintage carriage bolts, but I haven't found anything on the color of them. Presuming it matter where on the T they are installed, but didn't know if they were painted along with the part they are attached to, like gloss black on the body or if they were left plated or parkerized or all a dull iron, etc.
I have several under my WWI ambulance project that hold the OD green wood hood former and firewall to the col and frame brackets that were probably painted od green along with the wood. A little contract under the hood would not hurt.
My demountable wheels will be semi gloss od green on the spokes and hubs and the demountable rim will be a zinc looking color, so don't know if the four carriage bolts holding the two together would have been painted od green by at the factory or left iron.

Unlike some other military vehicles that pulled off civilian markets and sprayed od green only where is was seen from the exterior, these 1917 Model T ambulances were made for this purpose at the factory and shipped ready to roll, so the manufacturing process would be similar to the civilian production models of that year.

Just interested in what others have done or their opinions. I'm painting and assembling wheels this weekend as weather in Atlanta is supposed to be fice. Other than the yellow pollen all over the place.

Bob,

Grind off the objectionable symbology, sand them smooth to remove the grinding marks and Do What You Want To Do. Most paint them to match the location they are being used in. Some have cold blued the heads to be a bit more permanent. Some have heat treated to change the color. Having your truck is for ONE MAIN thing: Making YOU happy. All else is secondary. Having a shiny silver bolt head standing out like a sore thumb, only draws attention to itself. You have to be the one who makes the decision as to how the problem should be addressed for your situation. I have spent a lot of time painting shiny bolt heads, nuts, and washers to make ME happy. I believe others enjoy the finished product as they spend a lot of time looking at it.

Good Luck

The running board carriage bolts were probably painted over at the Ford factory. They didn’t slow down production. I doubt the original carriage bolts had any painted color on them.

Robert, this may be more detail than you want for your project; attached is a picture copy of a section of Trent Boggess' article on Model T painting. In the 3rd paragraph he references brush painting nuts and bolts black during assembly.

This is one photo example of a new ambulance and show factory shiny black on chassis, hood, and fenders, would think all the fasteners too are black painted as they were done on the assembly line and painted to finish.

And the rest of the wood body assembly is painted up military style, and you can see clearly the carriage bolt heads on the wood panel of the seat base are painted same color as the body.