History Challenge: Who Knows Their 1932 Ford History?

I need some help. I have a friend who has a museum and they are working on a car. They need official word on the historical colors to be accurate. Details below. Anyone have info or pics?

What were the colors (2) of the Indy Pace car in 1932. Car was Edsel Ford's own Lincoln w/ a Murphy body. He actually drove the car as the pace car with his mistress at his side. CCCar Museum thinks it was two shades of grey as these were Edsel's fav colors. No proof anywhere. This car is waiting to be painted.

Your help is much appreciated. Will buy 1st person in this thread with the correct answer an alliance membership (official proof please as this has to be accurate)

Les

 

Edsel Ford---Mistress????

 

That is what the curator tells me

 

Was it cobra drab?

 

and black?

 

thats the problem, we dont know. We are looking for some do***entation or a photo from a collection or something

 

Is this the car you are talking about?

 

And what is the museum? I've read over 40 books on H.Ford/Ford Motor Co./Edsel Ford and never seen any reference to Edsel having a mistress. Henry?-yes.

 

Murphy was also a coachbuilder - for higher-end car (like, maybe LINCOLNS). Also the color referred to in an earlier post is COPRA DRAB not cobra. As to the actual colors, I cannot ***ist, just trying to keep facts as factual as possible.

Why is Fairfax focusing on the mistress issue? It's no news that rich dudes had alternate sweetie-pies. His dad had a mistress, wouldn't be out of line to ***ume that Edsel may have strayed also.

dj

 

That's one Ugly mistress!



.

 

My apologies, Murray is correct, I just cut and pasted my buddies email, I am told it was a two-tone, but looks to me from the pictures as it may have only been one color, but I suppose it could be black fenders...anyone know?

 

According to a book by Albert Drake it was Gaya Red!!!

 

According to a book written by Albert Drake called The Age of Hotrods, he quoted research done by Jim Griffin which state:

("Three were painted Laurel Greenwith polishedaluminum belt moldings; the first one(KB11)was built forthe New York auto show, and it still exist. The Indy Pace car was painted Gaya Redand was given to the race winner; the remains of this car were found in a junkyard many years ago, and it no longer exist. The fifth car was painted light and dark pearlessence.")


According to the book there were only 5 of these cars produced and they were produced by MURPHY!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I thought Murray was the body builder earlier, even more 4drs it seemed, so looks like Murphy for this model was correct afterall. The color was our main concern, good work finding something, I will make a few phone calls today, Roadster Pilot is our early leader, if all checks out he's got an alliance membership.

 

And the search continues...while Mr. Griffin is a good source, he was simply deducing in the book, The curator has spoken with him before.

The Curator:
I have spoken to Jim Griffin on several occasions in fact that's where the ch***is in this build came from. He was my first phone call that I made when I got this project. He speculates that's what color it was from logical deduction. He has seen no written proof. And the quote itg no longer exists .......well it did because I matched the data plate with the serial number.

So we are still looking for some proof to legitimize this one. I guess we have to dig deeper.

 

I sent the picture to a professional photographer friend of mine who has a bachelor's Degree in Photography, with a specialty in restoration of old pictures. He said that the black and white photos are giving off the correct tone for this to have been red. He felt pretty sure about that, with no prodding or suggestion from me.

 

I have a book called Indy 500 Pace cars. They state the body was by Murphy, and was one of three constructed. There is no metion of color. From the tone of color in the black & white photo, my guess would be the red metioned by others. The Henry Research Center has extensive records and photos, would be a good place to search.

 

I have been a fan of the 32 Murphy Lincoln pace car for years.
There are per records at Benson Ford Reasearch 5 of this body style.
KB 11 -prod 13 Laural Green
KB 92 -prod 385 Laural Grren
KB 354-prod 347 Goya or Gaya Red (Deliver records show 1-6-32)
KB 483-prod 629 Laural Green
KB1281-prod 1370 Pearl Esence Light & Dark (A Gray 2 tone with fish scales, another story). Delivered 6-20-32 several weeks after the race.
Also there is sales record for NY Saoln sales dated 12-1-31 showing 3 Murphy Roadsters sold, Dealers were Water, Luce & Ringgard.
The pace car has chrome diamonds on the hood vents which started about KB 600.
Lastely there is news clippings at the research center from Detroit Times dated May 30 1932. ***le is "Ford family steals the show before speedway race begins".
by W.F. Fox Jr. and writes Edsel drove a Lincoln with Pearl Essence being the shade and gave the license number.
Summary:
Red car had been shipped before the race,
Only the Gray "pearl Essence" would have diamonds on the hood doors (after KB 600 and photos confirm).
Eye witness account says that was the color.
This is about as close as we can currently get to the answer.
Ron