Art & Inspiration Was Ford colorblind in '39?

It’s okay @Ryan , just have another cup of coffee and you’ll be fine.

 

It wasn’t just in ‘39. My coupe is painted ‘32 Old Cheshire Gray. Ok, it’s more of an “olive/brown”. In certain light you might see a hint of gray if you have a good imagination but it’s definitely not gray.

 

Yeah, 39-40 guys are well aware of the discrepancy. Who knows why they name things.

I'm not a fan of the current trend of grays invading the hobby from new cars. Looks like clear coated primer to me.

 

It goes back to the Model A's and early Lincolns . Bonnie Grey in 1929 was anything but grey. Same with Pyramid Gray and Seafog Grey on 29 Lincolns.

 

It could well be that the majority of the toners used in making the colour are black and white which could lead to it being refered to as grey.

 

Had a late 60’s Jeep that was a light yellow, but the color was called Prairie Gold.
Was in a local antique shop this weekend, the guy had a factory sales book for 1938 Fords, had full color samples and actual upholstery samples. Had transparencies of engine and driveline. It was on consignment for $175.

 

My 40 standard coupe is supposedly Cloudmist Grey but I think the painter took some liberties with the formula as it's an off shade of green, different from the real chip. We painted my deuce sedan delivery Folkstone Grey and it definitely leaned more to tan. Looked good and I liked it. Ford color names can be deceiving.

 

Automotive and consumer paint color names are for marketing that is why printing and graphics use the Pantone color system which uses numbers.

 

Packard parts book states engine color as "Machinery Gray" but this doesn't look Grey to me (and it is the legit color):


I have made sense of it. There were some early 6 cyl engines thay were a true grey shade. My thought is, that detail escaped the editing of the parts books.

 

I've noticed many new cars in non metallic muted or earth tone colors. Some of them look like primer with clear shot over it

 

If you’ve never seen clouds that color you’ve probably never heard a tornado siren either lol


Though I agree there’s no one who would call that grey. Even on a rainy day

 

Ken Gross' 1940 may be my favorite '40 and I love the color....no matter what it's called.

 

My 40 Ford loving father that loved all things 40 Ford and could tell you every detail about them ALWAYS called that color……

Nurses office green

always!!!

 

I've had the opportunity to work on most of Ken' amazing Hot Rods. The "Cloud Mist Gray" grows on you after a while. It did for me. I have a 39 truck that I think was the same color when it was new ??

 

Trust the artsy guy to have an explanation….ha! Jeff does bring up an interesting point about the names though.

 

This is what my ford was before the previous owner painted it viper blue . Wish it was the stock colour



this is my 50 Chevy when I owned it .to me it’s grey , to my wife and many other people it was a green colour , I never saw it , but was told it enough by many different folks that there had to be some truth to the statement.

 

I picked up this PPG refurbishing manual somewhere along the way in the past. It references paint colors for Fords 1937-1941 & 1945-1948.

 

My Cloud Mist Gray 40 Deluxe Sedan when I first got it

 

I recently read almost the same thing somewhere. Brighter colors came after the war years.

 

Being jaded (a lovely color in many cases), I ascribe it to the marketing folks, the same ones who use phrases like "Up To" and "Best Ever" when the truth is something that would not sell.
Looked for a suitable image and stumbled across this. Of course there is a treatise about advertising in the Depression.
https://guides.loc.gov/consumer-adv...n the advertising industry, from 1929 to 1933.

 

I've always liked that stock Ford colour... didn't know it was called that!

 

View attachment 5777113
Adobe Tan....that's why my car melted the first rain storm it was in....

 

Fords name for better halfs late model is persian green, Car is blue. Somethings never change.

 

Keep in mind also that muted grays , blacks, tans and greens were much cheaper to produce depression and post depression years. And still today for that matter. All the cool colors used pigments /chemicals that were more pricey. My Dad and I painted both of our T-Birds the first time in our home garage with lacquer back then. My 55, Black. His 57, Flame red. His receipt came out much higher than mine. Wish I could remember the price.

 

There's no way in hell that 50 Chevy could be confused for green!