Opinions On Most Prevalent Factory Color on 27 Coupes

[ModelTWoods]

When I had my Grandfather's 27 Coupe painted, I went with all black; body, fenders, everything, because that was the car's color when My Father and I pulled it out of the barn that it had been in since the last day my Grandfather had driven it. I have always doubted that I made the correct choice because all the information I have read since then (50 years ago), has indicated that 26-27 coupes were not all black, but had a separate body color from the fenders, running boards, splash aprons, etc. My Grandfather painted houses and barns during the 1930's, so it makes sense that he could have painted the car black, as the paint didn't look like a factory job. A 1927 Ford dealer brochure that I have, indicates the three colors for 27 coupes were: Royal Maroon, Highland Green, and Fawn Gray. The Floyd Clymer reprint of a Fordex Sales manual, just mentions that Coupes were Green, without specifying Channel or Highland. I have many old Ford advertisements taken from 1926-7 magazines, like Ladies Home Journal and others, and the green that the ads specify for a green coupe is Channel Green. I don't know if there is definitive proof available as to which green was most prevalent, or if one of the other two colors were more prevalent, but since I may do a repaint, I'm open to opinions.

[jab35]

My understanding is it was Channel Green body for '26-'27 coupes. I'd appreciate knowing more too, and especially the modern paint formula for Channel Green paint.

Tourings were Fawn, and sedans Maroon, I believe. I think the 'Encyclopedia' by Bruce McCally has the 'official' information. Respectfully, jb

[varmint]

There are many discussions on this topic. Just search the forum.
October 26, 1926 Coupe
A prior owner told me that he remembers black.
I found this advertisement and went with it.

[ModelTWoods]

My understanding is it was Channel Green body for '26-'27 coupes. I'd appreciate knowing more too, and especially the modern paint formula for Channel Green paint.

Tourings were Fawn, and sedans Maroon, I believe. I think the 'Encyclopedia' by Bruce McCally has the 'official' information. Respectfully, jb

I looked at the encyclopedia, Jim, and I didn't see specific information as to which color was used on which bodies, but maybe I missed what I was looking for. By the way, Jim, I am fairly sure that 27 coupes WERE available in Fawn Gray. My Mother had one in 1927-30 era, and I have a black and white photo of it. The color, even though in black and white, shows the body color to be a much lighter shade, like gray, as opposed to a darker color, like a green.

Terry

[John kuehn]

Saw a 27 Coupe pretty much restored for sale at Chickasha several years ago for sale for $15.000 that was a brighter green than what’s on Fords sales pamphlets. At the time I thought it looked pretty good with the cream colored wire wheels. Maybe the aged sales pamphlets have dulled out? Maybe a newly painted 27 Green Coupe would look fresher.

[Jones in Aiken SC]

My research on colors focused on the early 26 Coupes, as that is what I have. I wound up painting it Royal Maroon which was actually a 27 color that could be had on a Coupe. (Now I wish I had gone with green.....and enamel, not lacquer but that was back in 1980.) The green used on the early 26 Coupe was fairly dark. Channel Green was even darker than Highland Green. The attached picture (not my car) looks to me to be a fairly accurate green color. Steve Jelf is in this picture, perhaps he can tell us about this car.

These guys have a color chart that may be of interest to you.
https://www.autocolorlibrary.com/pages/ ... odal-close

[jab35]

Channel Green is mentioned here for '26 coupe. https://www.cimorelli.com/mtdl/1926/default.htm

In 1927 Ford offers the coupe "in 3 attractive colors" according to this advert. https://www.cimorelli.com/mtdl/1927/default.htm

[Ssrushton]

I hope this picture posting works and this post is helpful. My uncle bought this car and restored it in the early 60's, a couple years before I was born. I was told that the car was originally green and because he had a green Model A, he painted it maroon. Been working on it and had the motor and gas tank out. It looked like the tank had never been out before and there was green paint behind it. The tank and areas around the tank had been brush painted black. I decided to cover some surface rust behind the tank and masked off some through holes on the outside of the fire wall. The masking tape removed the black paint that my uncle painted the firewall with. I believe this to be original Ford 26 Coupe Green.

[Russ_Furstnow]

This is a 1927 coupe. It is Channel green lacquer. Russ Furstnow

[jab35]

Hi Terry: You may be correct about the Fawn or tan coupes, I think 'special' color schemes could be ordered from the dealers, but I'm no expert. The encyclopedia (from the MTFCA home page link) gives a brief description for the '26:

https://www.mtfca.com/model_t_encyclopedia/1926/
COLORS: All cars were painted black, with black fenders, initially. Closed cars were then offered in colors: green for the Tudor and Coupe, and Maroon for the Fordor. Other options offered later in 1926, perhaps for the “1927” models.

In 1927 there were 'color options on all cars', and black was a special order:

https://www.mtfca.com/model_t_encyclopedia/1927/
MAJOR MODEL YEAR FEATURES: Chassis in passenger cars was made of heavier metal; minor construction changes were made during the year, but generally the same as the 1926 models. Color options on all cars. Wire wheels were standard on closed cars beginning in late 1926. The hot plate (Vaporizer) carburetor was standard in 1927 models.

COLORS: All cars had black fenders. Various body color options, ultimately on all models. Black no longer available except on special order.

Does anyone have the modern paint formulation for Channel Green? And could you please post that info if you have it? Thanks, jb

[Susanne]

There is a photo I remember advertising the "all steel" coupe bodies with it sitting on it's top... the car was fawn grey. It is second only to Windsor Maroon as my favorite "improved" color... but it was an awfully pretty (if topsy turvy) coupe!

[varmint]

My understanding is that highland green is the lighter grey green while channel green is the darker variant.
I found several greens on the door at the A-pillar and one of them matched the dark green advertisement perfectly.
Then, I mixed paints myself until I came up with a match. This is the formula that I use for the (dark) Channel Green:

Rustoleum can
Hunter Green gloss with Black gloss 7:2 ratio. (Not Dark Hunter Green)
Mineral spirits as a thinning agent, try 3:1 (paint:thinner)
The color is great but used too much mineral spirits and I got runs.
I will be posting runs photos and all the other details under the UGLY thread later this week.

[ModelTWoods]

I hope this picture posting works and this post is helpful. My uncle bought this car and restored it in the early 60's, a couple years before I was born. I was told that the car was originally green and because he had a green Model A, he painted it maroon. Been working on it and had the motor and gas tank out. It looked like the tank had never been out before and there was green paint behind it. The tank and areas around the tank had been brush painted black. I decided to cover some surface rust behind the tank and masked off some through holes on the outside of the fire wall. The masking tape removed the black paint that my uncle painted the firewall with. I believe this to be original Ford 26 Coupe Green.

Steve, Thanks for responding, but could you be a little more specific about where the "green" is in your picture? My eyes aren't finding it. If you are referring to the top of the firewall, it looks black, but could be dark green. Terry

[varmint]

While roaming thru some photos, found this:

[ModelTWoods]

Thanks, Vernon. The picture that you posted appears to be a much darker Green that the Green, commonly assumed to be Channel Green. If Highland Green is the darker green color, this looks like it.

[varmint]

Terry,
I have heard that there is also a commercial green but i don't think this is it.
There is also a Drake Green, but that is the olive engine color.
This door may have come from a 1928 Model A truck, but I don't know.
I have also seen confusion on the forum between Highland and Channel as to which is darker.
Anyway, this is the color that matched the advertisement.
FWIW, our antique Ford Escort is about the same color.

[Allan]

The problem with posting photos of shades of green is the camera and then the computers involved in the posts are universally different. The only way to bring any real comparison into the conversation is to post the green you have against a known other green we all know of, like the green in Subway sandwich promotional material. Then we can get a handle on things.

The printing industry uses a system of Pantone colour numbers for all different colours, and the system is universally useful for making comparisons. However, it too is useless unless you have the colour chart to compare it with. When I wanted to paint my 1917 shooting brake in a nice old looking green colour, I found such a colour used to paint a chain of liquor stores. I was cheeky enough to ask if they could provide me with the Pantone code number for their green livery, and once they understood what that was, I had the paint mixed and it is a perfect match. If an original sample of Channel Green can be found, fixing its Pantone number by comparison, should enable matching paints to be mixed. Any Pantone number is the same anywhere. Channel Green can be different everywhere.

Allan from down under.

[Chris Barker]

So, is the colour posted by Ssrushton Highland green?
Assuming Russ is correct, it's lighter than Channel green.

[Allan]

When I first saw Steve's firewall photo all that registered with me was the gloss black at the top and edges and the rest looked like lightly sanded black ready for a new top coat. If it was sprayed with a wetting agent or penetarnt to bring out the gloss, it may well look much closer to the green on Russ's coupe.
Again though, to get an accurate fix on the colour it needs to be compared with a universally known sample, like a Pantone number. Then any paint supplier, regardless of the range of tinters at their disposal, should be able to match it. And it should be achievable with any and varied paint brands/systems.

Allan from down under.