1926-‘27 pinstriping

[jiminbartow]

The route of pinstriping on all 1926-‘27 improved Model T’s are very simple. Start on one side at the back bottom of the front column and move forward, following the bottom curvature of the column, continue up the column, just below the center hinge, double back and continue across below the belt all the way around the car and back down the column on the other side. Pictures of my ‘26 coupe and my ‘26 Fordor show the same route. Jim Patrick

[GG Gregory]

Nice work ! I’d like to do my 27 Roadster, but I’m not steady enough !

[Humblej]

There were several stripe styles used on 26-27 closed cars. Jim did the one I think looks best, down the pillar and then follow along the bottom of the pillar. Another style the stripe goes down the pillar and stops. Another has the stripe go to the pillar and continue across the front under the windshield (my least favorite). And then there is the stripe that ends at the front of the door, neither going down the pillar or under the windshield, dead simple, but a little unfinished. Stripes on 26-27 closed cars really make all the difference for a paint job. Nice job Jim, well done. Dont know how you got those wheels and spokes all the same.

[Dropacent]

Pretty sure they were dealership applied in those last couple years. I agree, they really add to the car. I had a very original late 27 runabout. Original stripes and had them on the edge of the hood louvers, too. I’ll bet you could talk them into about anything for an extra buck or two.

[MichaelPawelek]

My hat is off to those with the talent to pinstripe free handed. A few years back at a local town fair I watched a fellow pinstripe motorcycle tanks and saddle bags and it drew a huge crowd. His work was elegant to say the least and those who had him work on their cycles were ecstatic. The funny thing was he was drinking Jack Daniels right out of the bottle and could barely stand up.

[DanTreace]

Agree, stripes on closed cars finish them off to me. Nice job!

Ford factory striped the closed cars, here is the info from Service Bulletin, and of a factory assembly line '25 coupe, note that the stripe runs across the cowl too! The Improved car didn't have the stripe over the cowl, guess they knew gas spilled on the fill lid would ruin it!

The open cars got stripe across the doors up front, but ended before the cowl.

Late Improved Car stripe when painted in colors.

[ModelTWoods]

Pretty sure they were dealership applied in those last couple years. I agree, they really add to the car. I had a very original late 27 runabout. Original stripes and had them on the edge of the hood louvers, too. I’ll bet you could talk them into about anything for an extra buck or two.

If I remember correctly, I think all Ford supplied factory photos show the 26-27 closed cars with pin striping. This would indicate the striping was done at the factory; not at a dealership. Also, the late Bruce McCalley's book, "From Here To Obscurity" shows two cars, claimed to be unrestored originals, a tudor and a coupe. Neither one has a vertical pin strip on the pillar in front of the door; only a horizontal pin strip on, or just below the body molding. In Bruce's later book, "Model T Ford, The Car That Changed The World", he has a section detailing striping. He states "The bodies of closed cars were striped at the factory. The strip was quite thin and appeared just below the body molding. On SOME of the cars another stripe was added on the front body pillar, this strip beginning at the front edge of the upper body strip and following the curve of the pillar down to the bottom near the splash apron." I have a photo of my Mom in her brand new 27 Fawn Gray coupe and it shows the stripe in a partial view. When I find where the scanned picture is stored in my computer files, I'll post it.

[jiminbartow]

Here is a period photo from December, 1926, of a coupe with original pinstriping. This is the photo that taught me the way it was done by Ford. Jim Patrick

[Dropacent]

Found a pic of the original paint runabout. This discussion is refreshing my memory about pinstripe. I remember the point about dealership applied striping, perhaps it was just the open cars. Wish this photo showed the stripes on the hood louvers, I always thought they were pretty neat.

[DanTreace]

I remember the point about dealership applied striping, perhaps it was just the open cars.

While possible, a well equipped dealer with a spray paint shop and skilled painters could have pin striped Fords, at an extra dealer applied cost.

But it is pretty clear from existing original late Improved open cars in color, that the factory and factory branch assembly plants painting new T's did fine-line pin stripes on open cars with the optional colors.

This Ford Brochure, quoted below, late 1926 for the 1927 model year, even states that pin stripes were on all cars that came with optional at no cost, color in lacquer.

"BEAUTIFUL color tones in satin finish now enhance the graceful body lines of Ford cars. Optional color for both open and enclosed body types is made possible through the use of Pyroxylin, a new development which adds to both appearance and durability of finish.
Enclosed cars are available in a choice of three pleasing colors : gray, maroon and green, while a choice of either blue or brown is obtainable for the Runabout and Touring car. Color striping accentuates each body color.
As with all other Ford car improvements the new color options are available without additional cost".


Phoenix Brown runabout with stripe.

Ford adv. for the 1927 year, stripe is plainly seen.

Other later open cars in optional colors:

722410.jpg (71.08 KiB) Viewed 2144 times

[Art M]

My father was a mechanic in a Ford dealership from 1925 to 1929. The owner found out that he could do a good job pinstripping, so they would have him do that work. He didn't like doing it, but would...only stripping. He refused to spray paint, even though he was good at it as well.

Art Mirtes

[GG Gregory]

Dropacent,
Here is a very early 27 with the stripped louvers. This pic was taken in the late 1950’s, not sure the stripping is original or not. I own the car now and I’m on the fence on putting the louver strips back or not.

[Dropacent]

Great pic, but I’d have a hard time putting stripes on the louvers. I have no interest in arguing with the purist police. Even though my late 27 had them, and they matched the other perfectly. My point earlier was there was no right or wrong, even more so when done by the dealer. Thanks, again, great pic!

[Dropacent]

I believe that’s a Capitol rad cap. Still have that? Great caps.

[GG Gregory]

Yes it is a Capital, and yes I still have it !

[BobP]

The 1927 Pheonix brown touring is mine. It looks yellowish in the picture but it is orange and original, Thanks, Bob.

[Susanne]

... I watched a fellow pinstripe motorcycle tanks and saddle bags and it drew a huge crowd. His work was elegant to say the least and those who had him work on their cycles were ecstatic. The funny thing was he was drinking Jack Daniels right out of the bottle and could barely stand up.

I've wached a couple very old school sign painters doing lettering and embellishments (some on commercial vehicles) where the same thing happened - their hand shook so bad you expected a mess... yet right before the brush hit the flat surface it became rock solid steady. As soon as the brush cleared the surface, the shaking began again. On several occasions, their assistant was a guy named Jim Beam or Jack Daniels...

As a kid, this fascinated the heck out of me.

[TXGOAT2]

My dad told a story about a local old drunk who did pinstriping. That would have been in the 1920s. Supposedly, he couldn't do much else, but he was a master at his art.

[Flivver]

Amazing info in this thread! So interesting. You guys (this forum) are an incredible resource for those of us who are interested in the history and lore of these cars. And particularly the technical details, as they change over time at the factory and dealer to dealer. Thank you.

[Rich P. Bingham]

I'm glad to learn that "Old Joe Wino",who, in spite of alcoholic tremors does astoundingly beautiful, accurate pin striping is still holding forth. Not mentioned is his penchant for asking only a gallon of Tokay for his efforts.

Joe was a legend already when I entered the sign trade 50 years ago. Almost immediately I was regaled with tales of Joe's legendary skill. He did "beautiful work" without the crutch of scratch layouts or patterns, and the implication was that my work was highly inferior, and since Joe was happy with just a bottle of wine, I probably shouldn't be charging actual money for my services. Oddly, this information was imparted by kibitzers and hangers-on, never by my customers who apparently had neither the knowledge that such a bargain was available, nor the connections to seek Joe out. Joe was a ubiquitous and well-traveled phenomenon, known coast to coast and border to border by hearsay, although none of the many established practitioners of the trade I met had ever met him, or seen him at work.

Time passes, and by the mid-90s, the almighty computer had all but eliminated hand lettering. I assumed that like John Henry, passenger pigeons and the buffalo, Joe Wino had also succumbed to relentless progress. It's good to know he still maintains a small niche where his formidable skills are appreciated.

Footnote: Many people are unaware that Joe had a lengthy stint in the mid 1920s in the Ford factories, cutting out floorboards from packing crates.

[Eric Garland]

Must be a requirement of the trade! We had a guy who would come to the fire station I worked at whenever we would get a new fire truck to gold leaf and letter them with the department name. He would shuffle in..and set down next to the truck and his hand would shake like crazy as it approached the door. We would all cringe but as the brush touched it would be rock solid.

[jab35]

"Footnote: Many people are unaware that Joe had a lengthy stint in the mid 1920s in the Ford factories, cutting out floorboards from packing crates."
No doubt the cause of his addiction to alcohol! jb