'48 F1 4 speed trans color

[Seabees]

Howdy boys, I know this subject has been covered many times, and I've read several of the threads, but still haven't found an answer to my question, which is, what color was the 4 speed transmission in an early '48 F1? When I took this pickup apart, which was bought new by my grandad, the transmission was a light green/blue color. The engine was red, and I believe the bell housing was red also. Can't remember and have since dipped the parts to clean them. Yes, I took pictures, but of course I didn't get the spot I wanted to. So, the blue/green color comes from memory as I was taking it apart.Van Pelts doesn't shed much light on the color as neither does many of the other sites I've been to. So, I need some help from my learned experts out there. You know, old farts! Thanks guys!

[Bob C]

Not sure how accurate this is but the trans looks green.
I have the trans out of my 1948 F2 that my dad bought in the very early 60's with only 20,000 miles on it and it is black.

[petehoovie]

Originally Posted by Bob C

Not sure how accurate this is but the trans looks green.
I have the trans out of my 1948 F2 that my dad bought in the very early 60's with only 20,000 miles on it and it is black.

[3twinridges]

Those transmissions with a coat of black bill hirsch engine enamel with the case bolts cad plated always makes me smile and looks great! How original that is, I don’t know!

JB

[rotorwrench]

The 4-speed T8 was not common in any F1 pickups. It was an option for the F1. Most had the light duty 3-speed. If you find a Ford or Mercury 1/2-ton F1 type from a little farther north up in Canada then the 4-speed would be more of a tan color. Here in the states they were black.

[Seabees]

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Rotorwrench, do you have any clarification on the trans being black? Doesn't look like this one has been apart, as it still has the original bearings and seal in it. Thanks for the help guys!

[Seabees]

Bob C, that picture is of a 6 cyl, and being a F3 it might be different. Hard to say what color it is from the picture. I wonder if Chuck from Chuckstrucks would know?

[rotorwrench]

Ford built up engine assemblies and painted them but on transmissions there is less information about whether they were included in those engine assemblies. Ford had light duty 3-speeds, heavy duty 3-speeds, spur gear T8/T9 4-speeds, and synchronized 4-speeds in the "bonus built" years so there were more options. This would make it harder to include them with the truck engine assemblies. Most 4-speed applications had the 11-inch clutch too. To mix it up further, the transmissions came from both Ford manufacturing facilities and outside contractors like Borg Warner. There is just not a lot of information about how they were painted or if they were even painted at all. Some may be black and some may be bare castings. I've heard both from folks that were working on barn kept Ford trucks made between 1948 and 1952.

[Seabees]

OK, gosh Rotor, that clears it up! Guess I'll settle on black.

[Mac VP]

We’ve always painted the 1948-52 versions black in our shop. I’ve never been 100% certain on 1947 and back so we ask the customer what they want for color and try to work with that if doable.

[Seabees]

Just found a before picture of my '48 4 speed trans that definitely shows it being painted blue. If I could figure out how to post a picture (don't quite know how to find the "URL" for it) I would. Now that I have painted it black, I'm not going to change it, just thought I'd pass this on. Thanks guys.

[Bob C]

Here is a link on how to post pictures that V8COOPMAN did.
https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showp...&postcount=649

[1952henry]

The T9 in my 52 F3 MH had traces of black on it. Being a 4wd ranch pickup, I’m guessing years of poor roads and off-roading whiped most of the paint off.

[Seabees]

Originally Posted by Bob C

Here is a link on how to post pictures that V8COOPMAN did.
https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showp...&postcount=649

This is a test to see if I'm smart enough to figure this out. Where is the picture? Should be of the BLUE 4 speed spur cut gear transmission in the F1 my grandad bought new. It worked! Thanks for the help Bob C!

[petehoovie]

Originally Posted by Seabees

This is a test to see if I'm smart enough to figure this out. Where is the picture? Should be of the BLUE 4 speed spur cut gear transmission in the F1 my grandad bought new. It worked! Thanks for the help Bob C!

[1952henry]

Funny thing, my transfer case was originally black, afaik, as everything else MH added had traces of black. Yet, it has the remains of JD green, as did the original engine. I’m guessing it , along with the engine, was pulled for R&R, the owner’s son, who was born the same year as my F3, had some fun with paint.

My transmission is already repainted black. No plans to have it judged at some “correct” show. I’m going to restore it as correctly as I can, however.

[kirkf]

If you find a Ford or Mercury 1/2-ton F1 type from a little farther north up in Canada then the 4-speed would be more of a tan color. Here in the states they were black.

Yes, here in Canada the transmissions were painted to match the engine colour.
The colour in those years was beige, and most people use Cummins Beige paint as its the closest approximation to the original.

Kirk

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