1931 special colors
- Thread starter bobv
- Start date
Marshall V. Daut
Well-known member
Yes. This list was printed years ago in an old "Restorer" issue, but it bears repeating again for those folks who don't have access to the hundreds of back issues. Because of the deepening Great Depression and in order to stimulate sales among financially-stressed potential buyers, in 1931 Ford opened up the range of colors that had previously been restricted to a half dozen or so. By doing so, Ford hoped to attract buyers who could now deviate from the standard Model A colors that everyone and his brother had been obliged to accept with their new Fords. I can't document this, but I recall reading a Henry Ford quote on the subject in that article that essentially told his dealers a sale will not be lost because of the color choices. If the customer wanted a certain color not on the standard list, he'd get it his way. For a man as stubborn as Henry was, things must have really been really tough in 1931 for him to bend like that.
Marshall
Marshall
BRENT in 10-uh-C
Well-known member
Marshall, I'm not sure your statement is factual. These colors were only available to established Fleets (-Ford's nomenclature was Commercial Concerns) such as Fire Apparatus companies, specialty Body manufacturers, large national companies that used large fleets (i.e.: Jewel, Raleigh, or similar national door-to-door companies that used a matching fleet of vehicles), or et/al.
These specialty colors were not available to someone who might have owned a small business where they wanted to purchase a new Model-A to be used as a salesman's car or maybe a delivery vehicle.
Kube
Super Moderator
I believe Ford would have done a "one of" color back in '31. By 1939 (perhaps sooner) a minimum of five identical vehicles had to be purchased to get special colors. However, all of the available documents indicate that quite specifically.
In 1931 many auto manufacturers, especially upper-level brands, offered many non-stock things to promote a sale; any sale.
In 1931 many auto manufacturers, especially upper-level brands, offered many non-stock things to promote a sale; any sale.
Marshall V. Daut
Well-known member
You might be right, Brent. Perhaps it was a different list sent to dealers for passenger cars I saw in that back issue decades ago. The nub of the letter to dealers was that no sale of passenger cars would be lost because the customer couldn't get the color he wanted.
I'd have to look through hundreds of "Restorer" issues to find the article I am referring to. And you just KNOW it would in the very last issue I look through - and by that time I wouldn't give a rat's *ss anymore about this topic.
While reading the accompanying article with the list, I remember saying to myself: "Aha! THAT'S where the yellow 1931 coupes and red 1931 Tudors came from!" Those were not standard colors for those body styles and according to the dealers' bulletin from June, 1931, are only kosher for mid-to-late 1931 Model A's, not 1928-early 1931.
Marshall
I'd have to look through hundreds of "Restorer" issues to find the article I am referring to. And you just KNOW it would in the very last issue I look through - and by that time I wouldn't give a rat's *ss anymore about this topic.
While reading the accompanying article with the list, I remember saying to myself: "Aha! THAT'S where the yellow 1931 coupes and red 1931 Tudors came from!" Those were not standard colors for those body styles and according to the dealers' bulletin from June, 1931, are only kosher for mid-to-late 1931 Model A's, not 1928-early 1931.Marshall
Mike V. Florida
Well-known member
The second paragraph states that the colors were available to commercial concerns. This means that not just anyone could get any color just business owners.
Bob Bidonde
Well-known member
My understanding is that the additional colors applied to fleet orders, not single cars.
Marshall V. Daut
Well-known member
Yes, but I think we are talking about two different lists of colors.: one for commercial vehicles and one for passenger cars. It makes sense that if Ford opened up the range of available colors for trucks, he did the same for passenger cars. A customer is a customer. and by mid-1931, they were becoming scarce due to the continuing effects of the Great Depression. I gotta' believe even then there were more potential passenger car buyers than for commercial vehicles. So, why not make more options available to the larger customer base?
I didn't imagine the list of colors for passenger cars appearing in an old "Restorer" issue. But I am also not inclined to wade through hundreds of back issues just to find this article to prove my point. Let's just leave it that the list the OP posted applies to commercial vehicles only. Good information. If I ever stumble across the article I am referring to, I'll post the information.
Marshall
I didn't imagine the list of colors for passenger cars appearing in an old "Restorer" issue. But I am also not inclined to wade through hundreds of back issues just to find this article to prove my point. Let's just leave it that the list the OP posted applies to commercial vehicles only. Good information. If I ever stumble across the article I am referring to, I'll post the information.
Marshall
BRENT in 10-uh-C
Well-known member
I am only aware of two different Letters sent by the Dearborn Branch. One was sent on June 4th and the next one (-dated June 5th) was some clarification of the June 4th letter. The Indianapolis Branch also sent similar letters. Likely, a similar letter originated from each of the Branches (i.e.: Factories). This June 5th Letter basically references the June 4th Letter and explains how the program will be implemented.
I think this is where your thought might have come from regarding offering these special colors to regular customers. Back some 10-15 years ago, I was trying to make an argument that this June 5th Letter could apply to a non-business concern because of some verbiage. In Paragraph 2 of that Letter, it basically said 'When passenger cars are purchased for commercial concerns for business use, the passenger cars can be painted any of the colors... (-on the attached list.) It gave pricing for Fleet purchases of less than 10 units at N/C, and a price for 10 or more units at N/C.
So, my argument was Ford was willing to cater to a business concern for under 10 units. My argument was they did not specify a number under 10 units, ...and 1 unit was a number under 10. It also did not specify what a business concern was, and so a travelling salesman, or a Dentist or Dr. making house calls as a part of their occupation could effectively be considered a Business. At that time, the MARC JSC was not willing to offer a variance for a hypothetical scenario unless I could provide documentation by a Ford Branch or Agency showing this passenger vehicle was ordered as a business concern and listing those colors. Likely, offering special colors to a regular consumer never happened, but in today's world of stretching the truth to make someone believe your pitch, I guess it could be believable by some.
Oh, and my belief of Ford's poor sales in 1931 wasn't really because of a failing economy. After all, while the unemployment rate was approaching 25%, it was only affecting around 1 in 4 people. My belief was people were still buying cars, -just not Mr. Ford's cars. Chevrolet was outselling Ford about 3 to 1 in 1931. I believe Mr. Ford knew deep-down that his product was tired so in 1932 by offering the V8 and the 50hp 4 cylinder, he narrowed the sales gap where Chevrolet was only outselling him 3 cars for every 2 he sold, but at that point the damage was done. It would be years after the Depression before Ford would be close to Chevrolet in sales.
Marshall V. Daut
Well-known member
"When passenger cars are purchased for commercial concerns for business use, the passenger cars can be painted any of the colors... "
Thanks, Brent. That should clear things up. My memory of that article from 30-35 years ago warped into referring to passenger cars, not passenger cars used for commercial applications. Still, I'd like to track down Henry's quote about not losing a customer due to a limited color selection. Probably lost in that same memory fog of mine...
Marshall
Thanks, Brent. That should clear things up. My memory of that article from 30-35 years ago warped into referring to passenger cars, not passenger cars used for commercial applications. Still, I'd like to track down Henry's quote about not losing a customer due to a limited color selection. Probably lost in that same memory fog of mine...
Marshall
Last edited:
alexiskai
Well-known member
Automotive production dropped precipitously after the stock market crash.
Total passenger car production (all makes):
Aug. '29: 442k
Sep. '29: 365k
Oct. '29: 320k
Nov. '29: 169k
Dec. '29: 91k
Total auto industry production in 1929 was 5,358,361, a number that would not be surpassed until after the war. In 1930 it was 3,355,986. In 1931 it was 2,389,738, less than half the output two years prior.
So it's not true that the sales decline was entirely or even mostly confined to Ford. It is true that Chevy did *not* experience a sales decline in '31. Chevy actually sold almost the same number of cars in '30 vs '31 (640k vs 623k), but Ford sales tanked, going from 1.1m in 1930 to just 367k in 1931. So Chevy outsold Ford almost 2:1, but they were fighting over a much smaller pie, and everyone except Chevy got a much smaller piece. Chevy's luck didn't hold out though. In '32 they only sold 320k.
Between 1929 and 1932, industrial production fell 45% and 5,000 banks failed (no FDIC in those days, so people lost their savings). In 1931, economic activity was so bad that the mint suspended production of new quarters, half dollars, and silver dollars. Nickels and dimes would be canceled in '32.