Go Back   The Ford Barn > General Discussion > Model A (1928-31)

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 01-11-2020, 09:38 AM   #1
Bob Bidonde
Senior Member
 
Bob Bidonde's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Long Island, NY
Posts: 3,431
Default Non-Authentic Paint Colors & Schemes

More and more I notice that Model "A's" are being painted in non-authentic colors and schemes. Perhaps I am more sensitive to this because I painted my Victoria in colors of my liking, not Henry Ford's.
As for paint scheme variations, I notice window reveals painted lower body color on cars that did not come from the factory that way. I also notice the top of hoods being painted upper body color, a treatment I like a lot. Perhaps the most extreme case is painting the fenders and aprons body color.

Considering barn finds, it is rare that a Model "A" is found with its original exterior colors, so the practice of repainting with non-authentic colors and schemes goes way back.

I am positive regarding deviating from Ford's factory colors and schemes. However, I am negative about using metallics and clear coats. What is your opinion?
__________________
Bob Bidonde
Bob Bidonde is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 01-11-2020, 09:55 AM   #2
jb-ob
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Posts: 631
Default Re: Non-Authentic Paint Colors & Schemes

Remember there ALWAYS is a next guy, who your widow, kids, or estate will attempt to sell your masterpiece to.
jb-ob is offline   Reply With Quote
Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)
Old 01-11-2020, 10:30 AM   #3
al's28/33
Senior Member
 
al's28/33's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Redwood City, CA
Posts: 1,588
Default Re: Non-Authentic Paint Colors & Schemes

I think the crazy colors fit hot-rods and kit cars better and keep the stock appearing vehicles in authentic colors. That's my 2 cents.
__________________
1928 "A" Phaeton (mid year with many early features)
1933 "V8" Closed-Cab Pickup Truck
(originally a Model B, 4 Cylinder dating to May, 1933)
al's28/33 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-11-2020, 11:02 AM   #4
ronn
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: NNNNNNNNJJJJJJJJJJ
Posts: 6,758
Default Re: Non-Authentic Paint Colors & Schemes

well, Ive always felt that Henry had a pretty nice palate of colors on the A's. Never much cared for the chevies of the same period.
ronn is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-11-2020, 04:00 PM   #5
Gary Karr
Senior Member
 
Gary Karr's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: San Diego, CA
Posts: 1,483
Default Re: Non-Authentic Paint Colors & Schemes

Model A's bad such rich colors, I don't see any reason to deviate from them. Just my opinion. You see other car owners painting their non Model A's in Model A colors.
Gary Karr is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-11-2020, 04:20 PM   #6
kbinde2
Senior Member
 
kbinde2's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Delaware
Posts: 257
Default Re: Non-Authentic Paint Colors & Schemes

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)
My thought process was to have it run well, stop when the brakes were applied, and have a comfortable interior that looked good. The color scheme may be changed at sometime, but for now what I have will do. We can only do with what we have, and I have a nice car for the hobby.. JMO/kb
kbinde2 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-11-2020, 04:41 PM   #7
Russ B
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Millbrae, CA
Posts: 504
Default Re: Non-Authentic Paint Colors & Schemes

I used the original A color from when my dad bought the car new in late 1929, Andalusite Blue. But I painted the fenders the same and used One Shot-Process Blue as the pinstripe color. It is close to original, but at the same time, not at all. I did not build it to sell or build it for showing to others. I often thought of my dad as I made my decisions on various modifications. He would be happy with it I am sure. The only one who needs to be happy with the color is you.
Russ B is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-11-2020, 05:27 PM   #8
denis4x4
Senior Member
 
denis4x4's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Durango CO
Posts: 1,309
Default Re: Non-Authentic Paint Colors & Schemes

Author Clive Cussler has an impressive collection of cars in a museum near Denver. One room is devoted to French cars of the 1930's. Almost all of these cars have non-stock paint jobs. Lot's of pastel two tone paint jobs. The more you look at them, the more they grow on you. This is not to say that a Tudor is in the same league as a Delahay (sp?), but it was certainly refreshing to see some genuine classics with non traditional paint.
__________________
No restorable Model A's were harmed in the building of this truck!
denis4x4 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-11-2020, 10:29 PM   #9
Mike V. Florida
Senior Member
 
Mike V. Florida's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: South Florida
Posts: 14,054
Send a message via AIM to Mike V. Florida
Default Re: Non-Authentic Paint Colors & Schemes

My opinion, its your car paint it any color you want.


But, by doing so you void your right to complain when you can't sell the car for what you think it's worth.
__________________
What's right about America is that although we have a mess of problems, we have great capacity - intellect and resources - to do some thing about them. - Henry Ford II
Mike V. Florida is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-11-2020, 10:33 PM   #10
Mike V. Florida
Senior Member
 
Mike V. Florida's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: South Florida
Posts: 14,054
Send a message via AIM to Mike V. Florida
Default Re: Non-Authentic Paint Colors & Schemes

Quote:
Originally Posted by denis4x4 View Post
Author Clive Cussler has an impressive collection of cars in a museum near Denver. One room is devoted to French cars of the 1930's. Almost all of these cars have non-stock paint jobs. Lot's of pastel two tone paint jobs. The more you look at them, the more they grow on you. This is not to say that a Tudor is in the same league as a Delahay (sp?), but it was certainly refreshing to see some genuine classics with non traditional paint.

I was judging at a concours event when we came upon a 1920's car with a metallic paint job. The owner pitched a fit when his car did not win best in class complaining on how about how much money he spent for the paint job.
__________________
What's right about America is that although we have a mess of problems, we have great capacity - intellect and resources - to do some thing about them. - Henry Ford II
Mike V. Florida is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-11-2020, 11:57 PM   #11
Pete
Senior Member
 
Pete's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Wa.
Posts: 5,373
Default Re: Non-Authentic Paint Colors & Schemes

Model T's, black only.
Model A's, not so much.
I wonder what changed Henry's mind.
Pete is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-12-2020, 01:31 AM   #12
40 Deluxe
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: now Kuna, Idaho
Posts: 3,774
Default Re: Non-Authentic Paint Colors & Schemes

Quote:
Originally Posted by Pete View Post
Model T's, black only.
Model A's, not so much.
I wonder what changed Henry's mind.
There were a lot of T's that came from the factory in colors other than black.
40 Deluxe is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-12-2020, 01:59 AM   #13
RandyinUtah
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Ogden Utah
Posts: 242
Default Re: Non-Authentic Paint Colors & Schemes

I feel Edsel changed Henry's mind on this paint colors and more.
RandyinUtah is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-12-2020, 04:06 AM   #14
juke joint johnny
Senior Member
 
juke joint johnny's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: London England
Posts: 908
Default Re: Non-Authentic Paint Colors & Schemes

The Model T's were painted Black as it was the fastest drying paint available at the time.

In the late 1920's fast drying lacquer paint was available, that enabled Ford to use more pleasing color schemes .

In the UK lots of pre war cars are painted white for wedding work they rent them out .
IMO they look terrible you really appreciate the color schemes that Ford used compared to them. They look so much better with the mouldings picked out in contrasting colors

Last year I saw a 29 Caddy Fordor at a show still with it's original paint it had a very similar color scheme to my original paint 29 Leatherback Fordor even the Thorne Brown was on it.
juke joint johnny is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-12-2020, 06:41 AM   #15
Will Ziegler in LI NY
Senior Member
 
Will Ziegler in LI NY's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: East Northport, NY
Posts: 178
Default Re: Non-Authentic Paint Colors & Schemes

I don't mind seeing cars in other colors, it's their car, they can paint it however they want.

However if I am painting my car, I would keep with the original colors or something close.
Will Ziegler in LI NY is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-12-2020, 07:25 AM   #16
Bob-A
Senior Member
 
Bob-A's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Central FL, USA
Posts: 1,136
Cool Re: Non-Authentic Paint Colors & Schemes

Canadian and Australian Model-A's came in some pretty neat paint jobs from the factory. If you do a search here on the ..'Barn and the internet you should find some examples. One paint scheme that I remember from the late 60's early 70's on antique/classic cars that I did not particularly like is: brown fenders, tan bodies and orange wheels. Back in the late 80's I had a '30 "A" town sedan painted this way. I traded a VW 'Thing' for it and it already had the tan/brown/orange scheme on it. I did not keep the car long.


Bob-A
Bob-A is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-12-2020, 07:42 AM   #17
Dave in MN
Senior Member
 
Dave in MN's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Jordan, MN
Posts: 1,410
Default Re: Non-Authentic Paint Colors & Schemes

I find it hard to improve on the original paint colors. This opinion coming from someone who still works at the same business started 45 years ago, married to the same woman over 40 years and living on proprty that has been in our family since before the Civil War.

I am not a purist, you would know this if I explained what's hidden inside my engine and the running gear. I just prefer original colors.

Last edited by Dave in MN; 02-05-2020 at 02:50 PM.
Dave in MN is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-12-2020, 10:01 AM   #18
Ed in Maine
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Washington Cty., ME or Flagler Cty., FL
Posts: 1,106
Default Re: Non-Authentic Paint Colors & Schemes

With color fading with age and sun light it is impossible to determine the exact factory colors. But this is not an excuse to not try to duplicate the original color. This is why you will see so many shades of green and blue on Model As. This is fine, it is what the hobby is all about. But, if you want to paint your fenders some color other than black or a color that can't be named in the Paint & Finish Guide, don't expect to get the highest prices that a Model A traditionalist (like myself) will pay. I look at a car with non-factory colors as a needed re-paint! Just my take. Ed
Ed in Maine is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-12-2020, 11:23 AM   #19
Bob Bidonde
Senior Member
 
Bob Bidonde's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Long Island, NY
Posts: 3,431
Default Re: Non-Authentic Paint Colors & Schemes

It is amusing that many of the responses to this post are the opinions of purists. I kind of expected lots of negative responses.
There is a recurring theme to this post that a Model "A" is devalued by non-authentic paint colors. ???? There is no way a current / recent thorough restoration will recoup its cost regardless of its colors. As for what a Model "A" is worth, that's in the eyes of the beholder.
The public and club member reactions to the colors of my 190A have been lots and all favorable.
Here's a twist. If I paint a company logo on the doors of my 190A, its colors will be correct a commercial special order.
__________________
Bob Bidonde
Bob Bidonde is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 01-12-2020, 02:07 PM   #20
Jeff/Illinois
Senior Member
 
Jeff/Illinois's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 2,787
Default Re: Non-Authentic Paint Colors & Schemes

I side with Dave and Gary on this topic.

The original colors fit the body styles. They look better to my eye done original, not painted up like some kind of clown car or college football mascot kinda thing. Leave that for the Shriners.
Jeff/Illinois is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 10:45 AM.