12 colors available in 1940

[Kube]

Originally Posted by gajeepguy

There is a photo of a yellow 1940 sedan on the assembly line. I have the photo on my phone but don't know how to print it here. Anybody know the photo?

I know that photo. It was originally black & white. Somewhere along the line, someone had color enhanced it.

[Kube]

Originally Posted by mercurycyclone

I have attached the Special Paint Request page out of the 1934 Ford Truck Dealer book and notice it does include passenger cars and less than 5 if you want to pay an up charge. I know this is not 1940 rules but I find it hard to believe that the rules would have changed much. See attached.

In 1940, a minimum purchase of five vehicles was required to obtain other than factory colors.

Keep in mind that in 1934, the country was reeling from the depression and many companies were doing many things to simply make a sale.

[hotrodA]

@Kirkf. Is this your truck? Gorgeous!
What’s the belt line color? Is the body Folkstone Grey?

[Kube]

Originally Posted by kirkf

Does anyone have an accurate colour chart to post for 1940?
I can find 20 different charts online and they are all different.

Also were the colours used available on standard/deluxe and pickup or not?

I see people putting up pictures of folkstone grey, and they look tan to me.
Under the hood of my 40 pickup there is original grey paint, and it is grey with a slight tinge of green. There is no tan in it.

Until i saw all the tan colour pictures of folkstone grey I just assumed the grey was as described. Grey with a tiny hint of green.


Any input is appreciated.

Kirk

Kirk, Color charts, regardless of how well they'd been stored, are only a decent indicator of the color as it left the factory.
Most of us that restore their cars to an extreme level of accuracy use the charts only as a guide.

Folkstone grey, as you'd mentioned, seems to be anywhere between gray and tan.
It is difficult to describe a color as it is also difficult to photograph a color and replicate it accurately.
And, if that doesn't muddy the proverbial waters enough, most men are at least partially color blind. Seriously...

[36coupe]

Originally Posted by Kube

1940 Fords were offered in a number of colors. The DeLuxe models were available in Black, Lyon Blue, Folkestone Gray, Mandarin Maroon, Cloud Mist Gray and Yosemite Green through the entire production. In April, 1940 a “Spring Color”, Garnet Maroon, became available for the DeLuxe models. Wheels were painted to match body color on all DeLuxe models.
The Ford V8 models were available in Black, Lyon Blue and Cloud Mist Gray through the entire production. Wheels were painted black on all Ford V8 models. However, as an extra cost option, the wheels could have been painted Lyon Blue or Cloud Mist Gray, to match the body color.
DeLuxe colors, with the exception of Garnet Maroon were available on the Ford V8 models as an extra cost option.
Domestic branches were advised by telegram on May 1, 1940 that special color combinations were being furnished. It appears these combinations were available on both the DeLuxe models as well as the Ford V8 models. Introduced at this time was an additional paint color, Acadia Green, offered only as part of a combination.
Combinations offered were:
Folkestone Gray body with Black fender and grille sides.
Folkestone Gray body with Mandarin Maroon fenders and grille sides.
Mandarin Maroon body with Folkestone Gray fenders and grille sides.
Cloud Mist Gray body with Acadia Green fenders and grille sides.
In order to procure one of these specially painted vehicles the following accessories were required to be ordered and installed:
License plate frames, fender shields, fuel tank locking cap, visor vanity mirror, oil bath air filter, oil filter, seat covers or leather upholstery, Ford script white sidewall tires, wheel covers and one or two outside mirrors.

I would to see pictures of two-tone fords.

[Kube]

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Originally Posted by 36coupe

I would to see pictures of two-tone fords.

I've seen a few in real life. Ugly as sin in my opinion.
Simply the wrong body lines for this color scheme. Unless, that is, you're going for the taxicab appearance.

['36 5W]

All good points this morning, gents.
As for two-tones, was not aware they were offered in '35-40 models. Can't say I've ever seen a stock one anyway...
To Kube's point re color perception; yes, many of us are partially
colorblind; red/green the most prevalent. As much as I like the
factory greens offered in that time period, just can't trust my
perception of them, especially c.m.g.! Nevertheless, going to go
w/ one of them, if I can ever decide which one! (Likely will have
to trust my better halfs opinion...)

[kirkf]

Originally Posted by hotrodA

@Kirkf. Is this your truck? Gorgeous!
What’s the belt line color? Is the body Folkstone Grey?

That ones not mine, just an example of folkstone grey from the internet. However my truck was originally folkstone based on colour under the hood.

To muddy the waters further, my truck did not have primer. It was paint over bare metal. Both under the hood and on a sample of a door, there was clearly no primer used.

I'm not sure if this was just a bad day at Ford Canada, or they just didn't care enough about a pickup to use primer.

Kirk

[Terry,OH]

I have never seen Ford color chips for their 1940 line-up. There is a document that says color chips were sent to dealers but they must be extremely rare. Ford did list and reference two paint suppliers. I am away from my documents at this time so I can not list the two suppliers from memory. I also believe large fleet orders could be any color supplied to Ford.

[Kube]

Originally Posted by Terry,OH

I have never seen Ford color chips for their 1940 line-up. There is a document that says color chips were sent to dealers but they must be extremely rare. Ford did list and reference two paint suppliers. I am away from my documents at this time so I can not list the two suppliers from memory. I also believe large fleet orders could be any color supplied to Ford.

Terry,
You are correct as usual
I do have a set of the factory supplied chips. They are, as you'd stated, quite rare. They are (each) about 2" x 3" or so.

When I have restored my cars, I'd gone to great lengths to replicate the authentic shades, regardless of what color was to be applied.

[kirkf]

It would be great if someone color scanned the original chips and put the RGB numbers here on the Ford Barn. Then anyone could get a semi-accurate match to the originals.


Kirk

[Kube]

Originally Posted by kirkf

It would be great if someone color scanned the original chips and put the RGB numbers here on the Ford Barn. Then anyone could get a semi-accurate match to the originals.


Kirk

Not necessarily...Too many possible issues with this scenario.
1) Color chips may be faded and / or darkened or simply not very accurate to begin with.
2) The scanning process done by a home-based scanner is of dubious quality as far as an accurate recreation is concerned.
3) Now, with this scan being printed, one more issue is introduced... the quality of the print.
Bottom line? Photos and scans are perhaps arguably, the worst thing to work from in order to match a factory finish.

[DavidG]

And then there is the minor matter (from kirkf's perspecitive) that in any given model year the color offerings of Ford of Canada were not all the same as those of Ford U.S..

[ford38v8]

To add to what Mike said about color chips MAY be faded or darkened... original color chips will in almost all cases be so radically changed as to be virtually useless today. There is one source I know of today that is reliable, but that is only for the 1936 model year: Mike Foote published a 1936 color book using actual paint instead of ink. A really great resource for anyone needing accurate color chips for that year.

[neilp]

Originally Posted by Kube

Not necessarily...Too many possible issues with this scenario.
1) Color chips may be faded and / or darkened or simply not very accurate to begin with.
2) The scanning process done by a home-based scanner is of dubious quality as far as an accurate recreation is concerned.
3) Now, with this scan being printed, one more issue is introduced... the quality of the print.
Bottom line? Photos and scans are perhaps arguably, the worst thing to work from in order to match a factory finish.

Kube,
Perhaps you can enlighten us on how you produce a Concours paint match to the original Ford color. Please use CMG as the example.

thank you
PML

[Kube]

Originally Posted by neilp

Kube,
Perhaps you can enlighten us on how you produce a Concours paint match to the original Ford color. Please use CMG as the example.

thank you
PML

CMG?

Perhaps it's been a tad easier for me to replicate the colors than many folks as I have had a zillion '39 & '40 Fords.
I tend to look at places that are very well covered up for signs of paint. Inside doors, under instrument panels, etc. I especially like those areas where (example) a bracket was fastened that covered the paint even more than simply being shaded from sunlight, etc.
Even with these "advantages" I won't claim my shades are perfect replications of the assembly line. I am confident though; they are most likely as close as anyone has achieved.

Things I don't recall seeing sited as yet other issues with factory paint color shades...different factories, different application techniques? Different factory, different paint supplier? Different factory, different weather (humidity, temperature, etc.)?
Even today, with computers, one particular color on one particular car will have three, four, even six paint chips for that exact color number. One would, well, I would anyway, think today, with computer controls, robotic painting, quality control, colors / shades would be simple to duplicate. Not so. In fact, more often than not, it is much more difficult these days.

[kirkf]

This is a colour chart from the book "Refurbishing Manual for Early Ford V-8 Cars", it has an insert from Ditzler where they used actual paint samples applied to the paper.


Kirk

[Kube]

Originally Posted by kirkf

This is a colour chart from the book "Refurbishing Manual for Early Ford V-8 Cars", it has an insert from Ditzler where they used actual paint samples applied to the paper.


Kirk

I was going to ask if you knew there had been numerous lawsuits brought about due to the inaccuracy of this chart but by your post, it is apparent you did not realize that.

[kirkf]

No I'm not aware of the inaccuracy, but I appreciate the fact its unlikely to get an accurate colour from a mass printed book. I'm not even sure how they managed to print the sample in the book. It was actual paint, as you can see where someone with solvent on their finger accidentally stuck it in the folkstone grey sample.

For me, and I assume for most people my age, the only information available is what can be found on the internet.

As the older generation that knew these vehicles in real life moves on, whatever is on the internet will simply become the truth.

As I said earlier, it would be very helpful if when we found an accurate colour and have it scanned, that the RGB colour code be posted in threads like this. Its the only way for people to reproduce colours they don't have access to and have never seen.


Kirk

[mcgarrett]

Kube,
Do you have any documentation to verify that "Sahara Tan" was correct for '40 MERCURY cars? Just curious...