Model A Paint & Finish Guide

Incognito-A

Senior Member
The new guide says colors “were derived from Ford paint chips found in original dealer sales manuals and displays.”

Has anybody here seen any of this original material and post pictures of such?
 
I’ve seen it (long, long time ago) but didn’t own or possess it so no way to post.
Filtering thru devices camera, computer, iPhone iPad is going to change colors
Imho use the chips in the book when matching bat a paint dealer.
 
In my opinion, the best original color samples can be found on original unmolested cars and barn finds. Excellent patches of original color can be found behind the patent data plate, on the backside of the gas tank, and on the contact surfaces between the gas tank and cowl.
Frankly, I find most of the 1930 & '31 colors to be boring. The 1928 & '29 colors are more to my liking. However, I did it my way. :D


 

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I’ve found a lot of good original paint on door jambs
A little compound/cleaner and polishing brings it right back….mostly.
Easiest to access
 
The 4th Edition of the Paint and Finish Guide says that it’s colors were “…matched to original Ford paint chips or good original paint samples of the color.”

Ditz Lac chips from the period seem to be available (pictured.) Would this be an acceptable sample to match for the unknown colors such as Moleskin Brown Light?

Does anyone have a sample of the original Ford paint chips? I’m not trying to match colors just curious what the original source material looks like.
 

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A point to keep in mind. When colours where made up by the manufacture they didin't use a formula. They would make up the colour they finalized for that year and would spray it out on colour cards. Then they would send these cards to the paint companys to make up and formulate the colours. They where allowed to be 5% darker or lighter from the standard. So a 10% variance could happen. Now you know why you see the same colour with different shades on different cars. I remember working at a Chrysler dealership in the 70's and a transporter came in with new cars. Here's 3 new cars 3 different shades of the same colour. The painters standing beside me and says "So, which one do I match"!! JP
 
A point to keep in mind. When colours where made up by the manufacture they didin't use a formula. They would make up the colour they finalized for that year and would spray it out on colour cards. Then they would send these cards to the paint companys to make up and formulate the colours. They where allowed to be 5% darker or lighter from the standard. So a 10% variance could happen. Now you know why you see the same colour with different shades on different cars. I remember working at a Chrysler dealership in the 70's and a transporter came in with new cars. Here's 3 new cars 3 different shades of the same colour. The painters standing beside me and says "So, which one do I match"!! JP

yup - i pulled the data plate off my original gas tank to my AA. nice patch of what id assume to be rock moss green paint thats never seen sunlight. I held it up to the rock moss green in the latest guide and its waaay darker. Any other green that could of been painted that year was way lighter or even farther off.(more blue tint or grey tint)

nothings changed on todays cars - if you look really close the plastic bumper color doesnt quite match the metal body color on vast majority of cars - sometimes the doors and front fenders (aka stuff that bolts on) doesnt quite match the rear quarter area.... Its also why you cant just snag a junkyard white door off a car to stick on your white car - will be a night and day difference.
 
Happy Halloween, Happy Thanksgiving, Merry Christmas. I decided to take the high road on our OP who is now our self proclaimed message board copyright police.
 
The new guide says colors “were derived from Ford paint chips found in original dealer sales manuals and displays.”

Has anybody here seen any of this original material and post pictures of such?

Yes, the paint chips were include as the last several pages in the salesman's portfolios.

Brad in Maryland
 
Happy Halloween, Happy Thanksgiving, Merry Christmas. I decided to take the high road on our OP who is now our self proclaimed message board copyright police.

Yes, and I will continue to be, although I don’t see it as a legal issue so much as a moral one. I can’t understand why so very few members here don’t see that none of us would have this material with out the effort of the clubs and dedicated members.

Read the list of names in the front of the RG&JS and P&FG. I have personally known most of these individuals and seen the time, effort, and money spent on these projects first hand.

There’s always the people doing the heavy lifting and others that ride the coat tails.

What have you done for your club lately?
 
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