1917-25 Ford with colors?

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FieldMarshalRed
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1917-25 Ford with colors?

Post by FieldMarshalRed » Sun Nov 29, 2020 8:11 pm

Hello again. I have one question. Are there any Model Ts built between 1917-1925 that have a colored paint scheme other than black? Or were all Ts built during those years all black?


ModelTMark
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Re: 1917-25 Ford with colors?

Post by ModelTMark » Sun Nov 29, 2020 8:25 pm

The standard factory color for those years would have been black. However, Ford did do custom colors for fleet purchases. T's had factory color options, I believe, in the 1909-1912 model years and then again in the 1926-27 model years. Keeping in mind that the 1926 model year cars went on sale in the 1925 calendar year, which can be confusing for the transition year cars.

Mark

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Re: 1917-25 Ford with colors?

Post by DanTreace » Sun Nov 29, 2020 8:38 pm

Yep, factory color options in 1925, here the young lady is deciding to chose which color she prefers :lol:

New 1925 coupe .jpg
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Re: 1917-25 Ford with colors?

Post by Allan » Sun Nov 29, 2020 9:33 pm

The answer really depends where the cars were built. In Australia, prior to the establishment of the Ford factory in Geelong, the various local body builders painted the cars whatever they felt they could sell. in 1925, Duncan and Fraser were supplying bodies to Ford, and these were in a range of colours, prior to the factory range used on the 26-7 cars.

Allan from down under.


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Re: 1917-25 Ford with colors?

Post by ModelTMark » Sun Nov 29, 2020 9:57 pm

Ford Archives: MAR 22, 1917 Acc. 78. Letter to all branches,

"As we expect to paint all bodies black by April 15th, we ask that you kindly give us an inventory of all the F-113 (blue body paint) you now have on hand, and that you do not requisition any more of this material beyond your needs to April 15th."

This would indicate that all black may not have happened until sometime in 1917.

Who knows for sure. :)


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Re: 1917-25 Ford with colors?

Post by Luxford » Mon Nov 30, 2020 2:48 am

Well some of us do know for sure as this has been discussed a few times on the forum over the years.
Despite what Google may tell us blue was used up until 1917, looks black unless outside in direct sunlight but is very dark blue.
So Fords from the factory for those keeping everything factory original Blue till 1917, and as Allan mentioned sent to other countries maybe whatever the locals wanted except black Fords were the basic cheap model, "don't want that if I have a choice"

Besides the reference provided by Mark an in depth study by Trent Bogass many years ago shows blue was the color up until this period.
Also it is listed as the color in Canadian assembled Fords also till 1917 this appeared in the Canadian Ford Bulletins of the period.

This is part of the list showing all years up to 1920 of Canadian Ford body styles and the colors. the middle numbers are number of seats for various body styles. Not sure how large the print may be, fingers crossed
Attachments
ford fact color jpg copy.jpg

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Re: 1917-25 Ford with colors?

Post by varmint » Mon Nov 30, 2020 7:25 am

This is a chart that I came up with in March of 2017. I was trying to understand the Model T thing and the misconception that they were "only black".
Before posting this right now, I realize that no one is going to agree that it is accurate.
Not necessarily accurate time line.
Not necessarily accurate time line.
Vern (Vieux Carre)

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Re: 1917-25 Ford with colors?

Post by varmint » Mon Nov 30, 2020 5:50 pm

I was hoping that someone would update my graphic with a more correct time line and post it here. I read somewhere three years ago that Ford introduced colors in 1923 due to competition.
Vern (Vieux Carre)


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Re: 1917-25 Ford with colors?

Post by John kuehn » Mon Nov 30, 2020 6:56 pm

Probably the best explanation about colors Ford used is found in the Encyclopedia which is found on the MTFCA website section under research. The section in the paint section about the use of black most of the time is pretty detailed. You can check out each year and what colors there was if any. As it says, all Model T’s were black, most of the time is about right. There is no mention of other colors appearing in 1923 that I could see. If there was it could have been for a special order but but not the standard color which was black. That’s been documented.
Like the article says all Model T’s were black. Most of the time!


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Re: 1917-25 Ford with colors?

Post by Wayne Sheldon » Mon Nov 30, 2020 7:55 pm

Famous philosophy joke.
"There are absolutely NO absolutes!"

There is almost always however, a general truth.

USA built model T colors are fairly well known. Exactly how long a few model Ts were painted by the factory as blue? Is still being debated. Did it end early in 1913? Or mid year 1913? The old notion that ALL 1913s were painted blue has pretty definitely been been proven wrong. A lot, if not most, 1913s were in fact black. I tend to believe that at least some center-door sedans and couplets were painted blue into early 1917. I have seen copies of the evidence shared by Trent Boggess on the mtfca forum in years past. And I have seen a couple original early 1917 couplet examples showing blue in places very unlikely to have been repainted ever.
I have also personally seen a couple original 1913s with what looked to be dark green paint in places not likely to have been repainted ever. As well as a couple apparent examples of blue on early '14 style late 1913 cars. I suspect a few branch assembly plants may have used what they had, or even Ford's Highland Park plant may have done so (branch plants mostly did not paint cars except for touching up transportation and assembly nicks and scratches, I think a couple branch plants may have done full body painting?). Does it mean someone should paint their car those colors? Those are exceptions, not the rule. One can paint their car any color they want to. Believe me, I have seen a lot of model Ts painted all kinds of colors. A lot of them were awfully bad looking. Even nicely done reds and yellows or any of several "good" colors will be loved by a few, and hated by many. If it makes one happy? Paint it whatever color they want. Just do not expect everyone else to like it.

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Re: 1917-25 Ford with colors?

Post by Steve Jelf » Mon Nov 30, 2020 10:34 pm

For those trying to decide on a color, this may help. :)

FORD PAINT CHIPS.jpg
The inevitable often happens.
1915 Runabout
1923 Touring

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