| Wolfie | -- 02-13-2011 @ 6:03 PM |
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I'm fairly sure that my 1940 was painted black orginally. I'm getting it ready to repaint and wanted to know if there is a way to tell from the serial number what the paint color was. Thanks!
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| Stroker | -- 02-13-2011 @ 6:19 PM |
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The serial number is only an engine production sequence number, and won't tell you anything regarding color. If you want to verify the original paint color, you may have to do some "forensic" exploration. Places to look are numerous, but if it were me, I'd pull the headlight buckets, and look for evidence of the original color. I'm sure there are other places, and the name of the game is to try and find an area that would not be exposed during a re-paint.
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| trjford8 | -- 02-13-2011 @ 7:34 PM |
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In addition to Stroker's suggestion you should look at the lips of the fenders when you unbolt them for painting. The firewall and underside of the hood are also places to check. The firewall is always body color. Usually when a car was repainted in a production type shop they rarely repainted the firewall to match a different color.
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| Wolfie | -- 02-13-2011 @ 7:47 PM |
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I have pulled some trim and shows a repaint. But taking the door dovetails and wiper towers off, it is black and looks original. It looks like it has been repainted twice with Mandarin Maroon, which I love, but I think it wouild be best to paint it the original color. I thought there would be a way of finding the original color other than forensic discovery.
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| kubes40 | -- 02-14-2011 @ 6:41 AM |
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Wolfie, You've been offered good and accurate advise in regard to authenticating the factory paint color on your '40 Ford. In reality, as those guys have advised, there is no other way than 'forensically' to determine the original color. One advantage of no 'proof' is you may repaint any color you desire and no one could say it was incorrect. As long as you stay with an original color offering, the value won't be effected. I have the original order form for one of my '40 Fords that clearly depicts what color it was. That doesn't happen too often...
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| TomO | -- 02-14-2011 @ 7:01 AM |
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Other places to look for the original color are the areas under the window moldings and under the patent data plate. Tom
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| 40 Coupe | -- 02-14-2011 @ 11:35 AM |
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check the color of the underside of the floor pan. It may be red primer but it can also be the original color, unless the body was removed for a repaint and the underside of the floor was repainted at that time.
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| Wolfie | -- 02-14-2011 @ 7:45 PM |
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I have found additional evidence that the original color was black. I want to keep it as original as possible and thought black would be best. But I prefer the maroon and Kubes input was good. I'm starting to take trim off the car so still have time to think about it.
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| alanwoodieman | -- 02-14-2011 @ 8:16 PM |
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My first tudor 40 was apinted Mandarin Maroon, a color which I very much like. Back then the color was still in the Dupont commercial color book. My next two 40's were painted Lyon Blue. Still have the 40 wagon painted Lyon Blue- so this must be my favorite color, beside there are too MANY black 40's
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| kubes40 | -- 02-15-2011 @ 7:00 AM |
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Good morning Wolfie, Most guys know I am a fanatic in regard to authenticity. However, in choosing paint color, I normally go for what I feel looks the best. I ALWAYS stay within the original offerings. I stay away from the maroon shades as it seems nearly every 40 convertible on the concourse is maroon. I like 'different'. I also stay away from black. Black is well, simply 'black'. I enjoy the definition between a black chassis / frame and a colored floor pan. It is, as you are well aware, a personal choice. I always advise a person RESTORING a car to stay within the original offerings as if they stray it will have an adverse effect on the ultimate value of the vehicle. I've seen otherwise beautiful restorations done in an unauthentic color with a catastrophic effect on value. Best regards to you, Mike "Kube" Kubarth This message was edited by kubes40 on 2-15-11 @ 9:33 AM
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| TomO | -- 02-15-2011 @ 7:51 AM |
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Wolfie, Great looking Fordor. One of the advantages of not having a color and trim code on your car is that you can still be original while painting your car a color that you like. If you can work with any of the photo enhancing software, you can change the color of you car on the computer to see which of the 7 colors used in 1940. Tom
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| Wolfie | -- 02-15-2011 @ 9:51 AM |
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You can see from the photo that maroon looks good on my car but the paint is in very poor condition. I don't like black, but will stay within the original color offerings. I'll have to look at the other colors. Does anyone have a Fordor photo showing another color?
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| TomO | -- 02-16-2011 @ 8:38 AM |
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I saw a Deluxe Fordor at Dearborn that was Folkestone Gray. It looked really sharp, unfortunately I did not get a photo of it. Don Clink from the NORG did have a photo of it, but unfortunately the NORG web site does not work since his passing. Tom
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| TomO | -- 02-16-2011 @ 10:51 AM |
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I did a quick color change of your car in Photoshop. It ended up slightly more brown than Folkestone Gray and it is not a finished product, but just something to give you another idea. Tom
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| supereal | -- 02-16-2011 @ 2:49 PM |
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Color selection is, to use a familiar phrase, "in the eye of the beholder". When the time came to select paint for my '47 convertible, I was very surprised to find that there are several "blacks" to choose from. We went with a modern "clear coat" system. It looks wonderful, and is easy to maintain. I doubt that lacquer looked better. I suspect anyone who saw our cars when they were brand new is likely "pushing daisys from the bottom side".
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| Stroker | -- 02-16-2011 @ 4:20 PM |
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Super: Both you and I could have seen your car when it was brand new. I remember being amazed at how much the 46's resembled the 42's. I agree in concept though, as paint was never one of Ford's "Better Ideas". The "Ford In Your Future", most often had "orange-peel". I'm certain that the Concourse paint jobs if pitted against the originals would make the originals appear crude, at best. Stroker
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| kubes40 | -- 02-16-2011 @ 4:29 PM |
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Supereal is correct of course, color is in the eye of the beholder. I don't care for Folkstone on closed cars. To me, it makes the cars look 'fat'. And, I don't care for maroon on convertibles as it seems most are maroon. Anyway, here's a convertible I did a few years ago in Lyon Blue. It appeared to be "Classy" - rich looking. I did another 40 convertible years ago in Folkstone Gray. That had an entirely different 'feel' to it. The Folkstone with the Mercury red leather appeared "sporty". This message was edited by kubes40 on 2-16-11 @ 4:35 PM
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| kubes40 | -- 02-16-2011 @ 4:36 PM |
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Here's the Folkstone Gray convertible to compare...
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| Wolfie | -- 02-17-2011 @ 11:24 AM |
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Thanks Tom for your Photoshop skills and Kubes for the photos you sent. Paint is a matter of personal choice and it seems that the original colors I have seen so far all look good on the 40.
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| JTHOMPSON | -- 02-17-2011 @ 4:43 PM |
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My first Early Ford V8 was a 1940 Std. 'Opera' coupe and was Cloud Mist Grey which is actually a lightish green color. I liked the color but have seen some 4 door sedans in that color and didn't like it on that body style for some reason. Here's a picture of an almost identical car.
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