Gunmetal Blue Pictures?

[bobgreco]

Happy Thanksgiving to all!!

As you can tell from my avatar, my truck is slightly off of an orginal color, so on the todo list for spring is a new paint job. We are trying to decide on the color this winter.

I've seen plenty of pictures of rock moss green trucks, but have never seen any trucks in gunmetal blue. If you have any pictures (cars or trucks) and could post them or send them to me, I would appreciate it.

Thanks!!

Bob

[henry494]

Bob,

Our Special Coupe is painted Gunmetal Blue, which as you can see, is more green than blue. The color in the photo is fairly accurate on my computer screen, so it may be on yours, depending on yoour settings. It was color matched to a couple of areas on the car that retained some original paint, so it is pretty accurate. This color combo of Gunmetal Blue with black belt and mouldings, and the French Gray reveals, is no longer in the Paint Guide or Judging Standards for the Special Coupe. Too bad, as I thought it was a great combo. I decided to paint it those colors after viewing a '28 Tudor restored by Archie Jackson years ago.

Dave Lopes

[Big John]

Being a commercial vehicle, it can be painted any color....

[kenparker]

bobgreco, you are a man after my own heart. Everyone else has a Rock Moss Green Pickup, so you want yours a different color. Great. Individuality is what makes this country and the hobby great.

BTW, I have a Rock Moss Green "28 Pickup, but mine was done first - about 30 years ago. This coming summer is the start of a complete redo of the Pickup. The wife/boss says the color must remain Rock Moss Green - something about family tradition. I have had "Tillie" since spring of 1970.

[henry494]

Actually, in 1928 and 1929, Ford did not offer many colors on commercial vehicles. Even in early 1930, the colors offered were quite limited. In September 1930, the commercial colors offered were expanded with six more colors, and it was in 1931 when Ford offered virtually any of their colors on the commercial vehicles. See the Judging Standards and the Paint & Finish Guide for details.

Bob, I'm a bit biased as you might imagine, but that Gunmetal color would look fantastic on your truck. Nice change of pace from the Rock Moss we see so often and still conforming to what Ol' Henry chose to offer to his commercial vehicle customers.

Now, we all know that whatever is printed in those restoration guides does not stop an owner from painting his or her Model A Ford any darn color they choose! There's room for all in this hobby, don't forget that!

Dave Lopes

[1931 flamingo]

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I kind of like the yellow......
Paul in CT

[bobgreco]

When I bought the truck, it had 19" wheels and I could not believe how often total strangers woudl tell me it had the wrong wheels, so I can only imagine what they think of the color!

While I think the yellow looks OK, the paint job is not very well done and since it needs to be painted again, I figured I mght as well do it in a correct color.

Thanks for the help so far! Any more pictures out there?

Bob

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Originally Posted by Big John

Being a commercial vehicle, it can be painted any color....

Originally Posted by scott62

Big John, where is it written that a commercial (pickup in this case) can be painted any color?

Your thoughts?

Wow, this thread came back from the archives huh!!

The truth of the matter is Big John's comment is not factual. There is a lot to the reasoning as to why but in a nutshell, at that time Ford manufactured their own paint, and color toners were in their infancy. Later on as time progressed, Ford did sent out a letter in mid-1931 to the branches that basically stated a 'fleet concern' could have a vehicle painted most of the Ford colors they had made. Very, VERY unlikely to see this done on a small fleet concern in 1929. It took someone the size of the Postal system, Ma Bell, or a Fire apparatus company to get that done.

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Originally Posted by scott62

As you can see from my Avatar, I built my 1930 Cabriolet. It took several years but turned out pretty good. I owned one just like it in Highschool (1967). I have since installed a great new totally re-manufactured engine. Anyway, I am now building a 1929 Ford Roadster PU and I am struggling over the color it should be painted. I want to keep it within the five colors Ford provided in 1929 but they are all so "plain and unexciting". The only color of the five I like is Gunmetal Blue. I also like the total color with no belt or moulding highlights. I just want to pinstripe and that's all. Is it a cardinal sin to deviate from the Paint and Finish Guide and select a 1928 or 1930 color. This PU will be for sale when I finish and I don't want to discourage buyers if the color is "not right." I have also considered not painting it at all and selling it primed but, I have painted the traditional black panels (fenders, aprons etc). Your thoughts please?

Quite honestly, you could play this game throughout the entire process, ...and no matter what color you choose, there will be those potential Buyers who like it, --and those who don't.

Many years ago, my father restored an open-cab pick-up with the intent for resale, and he painted it Vermillion Red (-an unauthentic color). He received comments, ...and compliments about the color, and in the end it was sold to a businessman in Virginia that liked it as-is and wanted it to advertise his business. I will offer my thoughts regarding not painting it. I would paint it at least some color. There is too much work to partially dismantle it enough to get a good paint job. Most potential Buyers will not want to endure that extra labor to finish painting, and as such their purchase price will reflect that.

[captndan]

How about telling a potential buyer that you will paint it any color when you see the color green.

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Originally Posted by captndan

How about telling a potential buyer that you will paint it any color when you see the color green.

........

.

[scott62]

Brent, my Cabriolet is green and it a good color for it. It beats the heck out of that Bronson Yellow (poop color). I've only seen these 29 PUs in two colors though; green and green. I saw a couple of black ones too and I'd paint it black before I'd paint it green. I kinda like the Vermillion though (not). I seriously like the Ford Maroon but it didn't become available until 1931. How about that Pegex Orange with a Vermilion Trim. That would go over 'swimmingly' in some parts of San Francisco. At this point, I am flummoxed :-). Anyway, thanks for your comments. I hope all is well in 10-uh-C. Its going to get a little hot today in the Peoples Republic of California.

[frank55a]

You see very few 28s painted Gunmetal Blue. Why??? I do not know, I believe it is perhaps the most attractive color combination for the 28s and for that matter most As. However a word of caution, like any dark color in order for it to look good the panels MUST be straight (you can hide a lot with the lighter colors). Attached are a few photos of the 28 Tudor I finished about 30 years ago, the pic are old and the car for the most part was in the sun so they look a little lighter than it really was. It is Gunmetal Blue, Black, with French Gray strip. The last couple of pictures were taken about 8 years ago (about 20 years after I sold it) when our club visited a private collection and low and behold there it was again, the first time I saw it since I sold it. These last pictures show the real color. By the way the car took its AACA Jr. at Hershey in 87 and was the only Jr. in its class and Sr. the following spring out of about 6 going for their Sr. it was #1 and as I recall only 2 got their Sr. at that meet.

By the way, I knew Archie Jackson and was familiar with his early 28 and like Henry 494 I liked those colors also painted mine the same.

[scott62]

By the Way, I am experimenting with painting my 1929 Ford Roadster PU (Was a pair farmer's truck) a Commercial Gray. Commercial Gray was a color in 1928 but was discontinued. I suspect that it was so popular that Ford ran out of paint by selling all they produced to the US Navy. I figure that is why you can't get the original Commercial Drab too (right, the US Army). Anyway, I think it is an appropriate color for a "farm truck", contrasts well with the black fenders and aprons and won't show my feeble attempt at quality body work too awfully bad. Besides, there is a 1928 Ford Panel truck on the web that is painted French Gray. It really looks good. Its not flamboyant or dressy. "Its just a truck".

[mshmodela]

Originally Posted by henry494

Bob,

Our Special Coupe is painted Gunmetal Blue, which as you can see, is more green than blue. The color in the photo is fairly accurate on my computer screen, so it may be on yours, depending on yoour settings. It was color matched to a couple of areas on the car that retained some original paint, so it is pretty accurate. This color combo of Gunmetal Blue with black belt and mouldings, and the French Gray reveals, is no longer in the Paint Guide or Judging Standards for the Special Coupe. Too bad, as I thought it was a great combo. I decided to paint it those colors after viewing a '28 Tudor restored by Archie Jackson years ago.

Dave Lopes

Let your tastes be your guide and don't worry about "The Standards" --your coupe is beautiful...

[scott62]

Has anyone painted their Commercial PU "Flat Black" with a Satin Clear? It looks pretty cool and doesn't give the impression of "Glossy". I am searching for the right color for my 29 Roadster PU buy, I don't like the jelly-bean greens, blues and baby-poop brown colors specified in the Finish and Paint Guide.

[scott62]

Forget everything I have ever said about the commercial gray color for my 1929 Ford Roadster PU. I selected a great "Commercial Drab" and I love it. It matched the Gray Green from GCC. I sprayed the under-seat panel today to check the color and its beautiful. And, its one of the five prescribed authentic colors for the 1929 'Commercial' Roadster PU. So cool.

[scott62]

Just an update to my previous message: I found a spot-on Match for the Commercial drab this last week and I sprayed and cleared the under-seat panel of my 1929 Roadster Pickup. It turned out really nice. The color (Standard Green-Gray) came from GCC Paints. Its Part No. is 6038. I'll post a photo of the truck after I have painted the rest. I really liked the Gunmetal Blue but it was becoming too difficult to find it for a Base-Clear process and I saw 20 different shades of it on cars. So, considering this truck is a "Commercial" vehicle, what better color to paint the old Pear Farmer's truck but a Commercial color and besides, I love the color. So that's all that matters right?

[Mike V. Florida]

Who is GCC?

[Papa's CCPU]

Can you post a picture or two of that Commercial Drab?