Chickle & Copra Drabs

[Bob Bidonde]

I am looking a color picture of an original Model A with Copra Drab & Chickle Drab paint. Does anyone have one to share?

 

[Smokedtires]

I think mine might be, but not positive. Would be great to know for sure so I'll be ready when it comes time for a repaint.

 

[Jim/GA]

There are a lot of "Chickle Drab & Copra Drab" cars out there that are the wrong color. They look good, they are just not correct.

This can be traced back to a book of paint chips that was produced many years ago (1960's? 1970's?) that got these colors wrong. Everyone picked them up and used them. Even though incorrect, these colors became what everyone expected to see (even to this day) when you said Chickle & Copra.

So cross-check any car or photo you plan to use against the Paint & Finish Guide color chips.

 

[gdmn852]

Hello, The roadster looks more like the stone brown color that was originally offered , stone gray would have been the belt molding color, but doesn’t look like it on this car . There were previous posts on Ford Barn on Copra and chicle, apparently was some misinformation thru the years . I have a feeling this will become a long post !

 

[emf]

Mine is supposed to be Chickle and Copra, but seems to have a lot more grey than brown. It would be nice to see it against the correct shades...


Frank

 

[Smokedtires]

Here is pic of what is supposed to be those colors, which I feel is close but not exact to my Roadster.

I got these from here: https://web.archive.org/web/2019021...rd.com/roadster/colorchange/colorchange.shtml

It's a fun site where you can change and see the different color schemes.

 

[Modelacoupe3]

The paint on my 30 Deluxe Coupe is the original Ford factory applied paint .

 

[1930artdeco]

Marco found a Copra/Chicle 30 Town Sedan that was all original and it was two shades of brown. I have pics somewhere of it.

Mike

 

[Jim/GA]

Marco found a Copra/Chicle 30 Town Sedan that was all original and it was two shades of brown. I have pics somewhere of it.

Mike

Yes, that is what it should be. The Paint & Finish Guide looks like that.

The "incorrect" colors that have crept in look more like grey and tan. And they are everywhere. (I own one myself, specifically painted those colors by prior owner because he liked it that way.)

 

[Jeff/Illinois]

Jim, I recall Chicle and Copra were THE big rage in the 70's (?) and a lot of Model A's went that route. I remember reading once in I believe it was The Restorer, that those colors had a slight 'green' tint? I don't know that color is confusing to me.


We've got a'30 Roadster painted those colors (restored in 1972) and I have to admit that would not be my choice of colors on the car. It looks like coffee with cream trimmed in Hershey's syrup brown...


I personally like Washington Blue/Riviera Blue better but at least half of 1930 Roadster I have ever seen, were Washington Blue

 

[Bick in New Zealand]

Original Briggs.

 

[Bob Bidonde]

Thanks Bick & ModelACoupe3 for posting the pictures of original Chicle & Copra Drab Model A's.

 

[gdmn852]

Hello again, As far as a historic perspective, I visited a restored Victoria era home that was painted Copra Drab,and it was definitely a brown , tan color, so apparently in that era Copra Drab was a known color. I am not saying the the house was the same color of course, but the name referred to a certain shade of color at that time.

 

[ronn]

in the 70s my Dad bought an unfinished coupe. came with everything, including the green tint drab and chickle. Have to say I did and still do prefer it over the original browns.


was a great mistake in the world of As, if you werent being judged. Would still use those incorrect colors today if I had a coupe.