I am not sure of the original color. From the old pic it looks like it may have been green. I do know it was painted in 1977. I was three in the pic so that was 1976 and my uncle came around in 1978 and it was painted then. So we say 1977.
One more old pic from 1964. This is my mom and her sister. Same truck.
It is nice to see Ford pickup and trucks on the barn. I have had mine since '69. My brother and I drove it to high school. I restored it to stock and like you, we get to drive it!!!