commercial color list for 1929

[rkmiller]

New member, have been looking through commercial color postings but could not find a list of all the available colors for 1929. I have ordered the paint and finish guide book, should have it soon. I have been told it does not cover much on commercial colors.


I have a late 1929 roadster pickup and was looking at something other than rock moss green. I have been told by other local model A people that Fleet colors could include Andalusite Blue.


I would like to be somewhat period correct, but Gun Metal Blue (actually more green than blue), commercial drab - brown/gray are not high on my list.


I am probably 6 months away from paint, but it is a big decision!

[mike657894]

this web site has a listing for ford for 29 http://paintref.com/cgi-bin/colorcod...929&manuf=Ford

[rkmiller]

Thanks! I looked at the too. It doesn't list what would have been available for commercial vehicles. Could a fleet color be any of the available colors for all 1929 vehicles?


Thanks!

[Bob C]

Here you go. https://www.mafca.com/tqa/p-29truck.html

[Joe K]

IIRC, the strip was considered "optional." My 29 CC pickup was originally gunmetal blue, but NO stripe.

Mine was likely a "kit production" made in Somerville, MA assembly plant. (Stamped as such on the body cross-member just behind the battery floorboard.)

Joe K

[rkmiller]

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

Thanks guys! I also finally found another thread on this website that appears a person involved in judging standards posted that off the line those 5 colors are what to be known for commercial use until 1931 when other colors could be ordered.


https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showt...ial+drab+color


I am probably going to do the Andalusite Blue as it looks good, is a Model A color and I am not going to be showing or having it judged. It will be a good solid driving vehicle (alternator, improved water pump, etc.) that is mostly period correct and not a 100% factory show vehicle.


On another note, I looked at my Dad's old Ditz-lac paint chip book from the 40's-50's and it shows Gun Metal Blue to be a darker blue than the light to medium green photos of vehicles on this site.


Hopefully the MAFCA book has a Gun Metal Blue paint chip.

[Stew Masche]

From the Judging Standards. And unless you’re going for fine point judging, what difference does it make? Do it your way, and be satisfied.

[Tudortomnz]

Yes. not a lot of choice with commercial colours until '31, most here were dark green.
New, buyer paid more for pin stripe & paint polish. To be correct, commercials were dull finish, not buffed.
Lots out there now with red, yellow & Kermit green.!

[Charlie Stephens]

Originally Posted by Stew Masche

From the Judging Standards. And unless you’re going for fine point judging, what difference does it make? Do it your way, and be satisfied.

It may come back to haunt you if you sell it.

Charlie Stephens

[whirnot]

Originally Posted by Tudortomnz

Yes. not a lot of choice with commercial colours until '31, most here were dark green.
New, buyer paid more for pin stripe & paint polish. To be correct, commercials were dull finish, not buffed.
Lots out there now with red, yellow & Kermit green.!

Actually I believe there were more colors available as of August 1930. Then even more in 31.
I am going to use Rubellite red which was introduced in '30. I believe it was the only Red done at the time. But you sure see a lot of Vermillion 1930 trucks.

[rkmiller]

Thanks guys!


I have not sold out on Gun Metal Blue. Once I get the "Paint and Finish Guide" book and compare it to my dad's library of old paint chip books I am going to take the paint reference code to the Ditzler store and have them mix up a couple of colors I can spray out.


Paint chips being smaller will look darker than a larger area. It gets confusing looking on the internet at everyone's interpretation of the color and the old nitrocellulose laquers on the original paint will have degraded too much to show the true original color.


For almost 40 years I have been painting cars and at one time mixed paint at a shop I worked at. Blending paint on new cars with the improved modern paints still takes some shading to match panels on a vehicle.


On vintage cars I have learned everyone has an opinion on what is the correct shade!


Thanks!

[rkmiller]

OK so I received the model A paint guide book and looked through colors. I also had some Dupont 151 Gun Metal Blue mixed up and I spayed it out to compare with the Paint Guide book color chip.



They both appear to be close, but the small chip in the paint guide book appears to be more gray.


The smaller the paint sample the more dark it will look vs a larger area of sprayed paint.


The Dupont 151 color in direct sunlight at certain angles can look darker gray or sometimes a tinge of blue/green.


I have at least 6 months to figure out a color, still like Andalusite Blue but I have always gone period correct in past car restorations.


I wish there were more photos of Model A's in Gun Metal Blue to look at, seems like it is not a popular color like the blue and of course there are lots of green commercial open cab pickup photos.


Would like to do something other than green.....

[rkmiller]

I also received the judging guide in the mail today. A lot of info but nothing on pickups. There was a lot on cars, heavy commercial trucks, station wagons, etc.

Also there was no list for serial numbers and estimated production dates - I know the engine number was used as the vehicle serial number and many times stamped on the frame, but you would think the judging standard would have that list too.

Also did not have photos of a lot of the parts changes, but instead attempted to describe them.

Overall there is a lot of information and it is laid out very well. The photos of parts that are present are good and show the details well.

I am not saying the book is not worth buying, just there could be much more. I think it is a good reference.

I am not working on a 100 point car, just want to know if a part I am about to buy is correct or not. Then I can decide based on price, availability, drivability, maintenance aspects etc.

[rkmiller]

Hey I had another question - was black an option? I don't see it listed in the MAFCA for any commercial vehicle year.


I am probably going with Rock Moss Green or L'anse Green.


I could not find any photos online after hours of searching for photos of Gunmetal Blue.


The MAFCA paint chip book has not been helpful due to the very small paint chip size.


I just ordered the new chip book that came out this summer with the larger paint chips so the paint dealers can scan those and I can get some paint samples to spray out.


Will post photos of some hood panels sprayed with Gunmetal Blue soon.


Thanks for all the help, everyone here has been great!


Ryan

[Hitman]

Gunmetal Blue is a misnomer, it's more of a green. All of the 29' commercial colors are green based, and look green when on a car in the sun. Most people confuse the greens for Rock Moss, but they're actually all slightly different shades.

I tried to match Gunmetal Blue, my sample came out a dark blue that I liked and painted the truck in what is a custom color. It looks correct for the era, I have absolutely no regrets on my color choice.

[rkmiller]

Hey do you have any photos? I really liked the Gunmetal blue dupont DS151 in the shade it was a blue with hint of green, but when in direct sunlight it turned into a light pea green.


I have seen all black OCPU vehicles was that not still a color option on commercial vehicles for the Model A? I don't see it listed in the MAFCA judging standard.

[Chris Haynes]

Originally Posted by rkmiller

I have a late 1929 roadster pickup and was looking at something other than rock moss green.

Is it a Late '29 or an Early '30? Does it have the 1929 or 1930 steering wheel and box? The 1929 body and fenders were used through May of 1930. Several mechanical changes were made.

[jb-ob]

RK,

As you know from your experience in the trade, every time a paint manufacturer brings out a new product line with new tints, they have to generate new formulas. Throw in the mix (pun intended) when the Feds banish certain oxide tints, certain 'correct' colors no longer exist.

Solid brown colors where popular in the era, try finding one on the street today.

When studying the chip charts, view the color thru a black sheet of paper with a hole large enough to see the entire chip. Same as being snow blind, very hard to see a true color when surrounded by a white boarder.

Expand your search to include Fleet Colors and those of foreign cars. A very nice match for Bronson Yellow can be found in a 1980 Volvo color.

I recently had a 1930 Acme Paint Co. chip for Rock Moss Green that caught my eye as being much cleaner, bolder, not muddy. Scanning the chip at PPG resulted in a #4, near perfect match to a 2015 Ford 'Amazon Green'.


I have no connection to this vehicle but for reference go to 'Craigslist Boston cars, 1930 Ford'. Listed for sale is a very late '29, early '30 Roadster Pickup done completely in black.

Lastly, you may not wish to build a 'show car', but there is always another owner, so it's in your best interest to stay close the the 'rules'.

Hope all this was helpful.

[Hitman]

Originally Posted by rkmiller

Hey do you have any photos? I really liked the Gunmetal blue dupont DS151 in the shade it was a blue with hint of green, but when in direct sunlight it turned into a light pea green.


I have seen all black OCPU vehicles was that not still a color option on commercial vehicles for the Model A? I don't see it listed in the MAFCA judging standard.

Here's a picture from a year or two ago, but the last time it was in the sun. It's more complete now, but buried in the garage. The splash apron is black to give you contrast to the blue.

[rkmiller]

Chris,


From the frame number it is a late - probably December 1929. It has the 1930 front cross member and 2 tooth steering gear. Fenders and radiator/shroud 1929.


JB-OB
You are absolutely correct! Modern paints are not geared to the older style colors and will look good initially until in the sunlight.


Hitman
Thanks for the photo! She looks awesome. That is what I always thought a Gunmetal Blue would look like.


I guess since it is not listed black was not a commercial vehicle color in 1929. I usually try to go back original, I think it was some kind of blue-green from the panels that had grease and were not too rusty, but then again there are other colors either repaints or probably panels replaced.
My dad pulled it out the pasture back home in Western Kansas in the early 70's and started replacing rusted parts with less rusted parts so it has roadster doors with handles and the back half of the cab was rusted down to a dinner plate piece.


Will try to post some photos this weekend when I get time.



You just see so many Rock Moss Green pickups, but it is still a good color.


Thanks guys for the responses and the help!


Ryan

[McMimmcs]

Originally Posted by Charlie Stephens

It may come back to haunt you if you sell it.

Charlie Stephens

What you say regarding resale is very accurate. If you’re going to keep it forever paint it your color but when you put it up for sale your buying audience is very diminished!

[Chris Haynes]

Originally Posted by rkmiller

Chris,
From the frame number it is a late - probably December 1929. It has the 1930 front cross member and 2 tooth steering gear. Fenders and radiator/shroud 1929.
Ryan

You have an Early 1930 as the model year changed before yours was built. There were more available commercial colors for the 1930 models.

[rkmiller]

Chris,


When I looked up the frame number the engine was manufactured in OCT 28 1929, but the frame has the later 1930 cross member so I was figuring a December build, but it could be November?

When did the model year change and would it still have the 1929 cab?


I am going to post some photos after work today.

My dad and grandfather collected a lot of Model A's and Model T's from Southwest Kansas back in the 1960-70's. So I don't know how much is original to the frame for sure. Dad had a lot of parts to draw from to replace stuff that was back then deemed to rusty to keep.

We had a big farm sale in 1988 and I got to keep this one. I have just had too many other projects, work, kids, - life in general to get around to working on it until now.



Thanks!

[Bob C]

Looks like the front cross member was changed in October 1929, see
page 387 of the Service Bulletins.

[rkmiller]

Bob,


I had read that before too, so I figured it was built on the later frame with 1929 sheet metal.
I talked to dad and he thinks that the hood,tank, cowl and door posts with floor, and the bed were original, maybe the fenders.


The doors in the photo came off a roadster, but I have two other sets of doors in sad shape without handles for roadster pickups. I have a good original top frame for it and wheels.


The frame is straight and good and I have a lot of extra parts.


Engine is from July 1929 so it is not original to that frame, but so far is standard bore and rebuild-able per the shop it is at now. My extra engine was not any good per the shop.



This photo is from 1989 at the farm sale with me standing next to it. At this time I could drive it around, but it has not been run since.

[rkmiller]

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

Here is the running gear as of March 2020.

[Chris Haynes]

Originally Posted by rkmiller

Chris,When did the model year change and would it still have the 1929 cab?
Thanks!

The '29 cab was used through May 1930.

[rkmiller]

Here are the Dupont and PPG Gunmetal blue with a black stripe for reference. Photos taken on a cloudy day, sunshine and in the shade.
Dupont is pea green, ditzler is more gray
The other hood is dupont andalusite blue with black stripe.
On a lot of these the paint companies take a color match that is closest to what that they already have formulas for on other cars.

[McMimmcs]

on a small sample the blue is not very impressive!

[rkmiller]

I am going to have some color mixed to match the old pyroxylin paint sample book my dad gave me that is from the late 50's. All the other colors from the old book are similar to the new MAFCA color chip book EXCEPT Gunmetal Blue - in the pyroxylin paint chip book it is more blue and the new MAFCA book it is a lot more green.


I know I am whipping a dead horse here, and I am probably obsessed now. Will try to post some photos as I get some paint mixed and spray it out.


Short story: I painted the front end of a red car back in the early 1990's and the paint had faded some so I had to match it by hand. It turned out great and matched perfectly in the sun/shade during the day, but at night under the street light it looked way more purple than the old paint on the back half of the car.


a slight change or in the amount of one color or adding a slight amount of another color can throw things off.


The MAFCA Gunmetal blue looks good in the shade and under the paint mixers white light with a blue/gray look, but when in sunlight it changes completely to a light green.


BTW I checked the MAFCA paint guide and Black is listed, guess should of had my walmart readers on! Duh!



Ryan

[rkmiller]

Here is what was left of the original color on the tank and inside of the cowl. Dad pulled the pickup out of pasture in the late 1960's so I cannot say it was the factory applied paint.


Ok will resize photo, I think it was too big and did not want to upload.

[rkmiller]

Here is the paint that was left on the tank and inside of the cowl, on parts of the bed and under the hood. More Blue with with a little green.
These sat out in a pasture until the 1960's and since have been sitting in a shed. I also cannot say for 100% sure that this is the original paint as it is as found in the 60's.

The MAFCA paint chip and the Dupont DS151 that matches turn apple green as in the previous posts in the sunlight.