Posted By |
Discussion Topic:
1940 color?
-- page:
1
2
|
|
40guy |
04-05-2011 @ 7:00 PM
|
|
|
Member
Posts: 270
Joined: Oct 2009
|
Hello gentelmen: I just saw a 1940 Ford coupe for sale on ebay. The claim is that it has been restored to factory specs. The ad states the car is painted in the original Como Blue Poly. I wasn't aware there was such a color in 1940. This is the second time I have seen this color on a '40. Could it be a special order "fleet color". It's clearly not Lyon Blue which I have heard of. I refer to this Como Blue as "blue steel". What say the jury?
|
deluxe40 |
04-05-2011 @ 7:28 PM
|
|
|
Member
Posts: 413
Joined: Oct 2009
|
Como Blue Poly No. 1798 is shown as a 1940 color in Ditzler's Refurbishing Manual for Early Ford V8 Cars. That doesn't mean it is correct for '40 Fords, however. I believe it is a Mercury color.
|
kubes40 |
04-06-2011 @ 6:45 AM
|
|
|
Senior
Posts: 3410
Joined: Oct 2009
|
Como Blue was a Mercury ONLY color. I have yet to find ANY information that would suggest this was ever offered on a Ford even on a one time or very limited basis. By the way, I too saw that car and read the claims. There are NUMEROUS inconsistencies to 'authentic' besides an incorrect color choice. FYI: Please, when possible, direct specific (to) 1940 Ford questions in the section specifically set up for that purpose. I watch that area much more intently then the 'general' section. Kind regards, Mike Kubarth
This message was edited by kubes40 on 4-6-11 @ 6:46 AM
|
alanwoodieman |
04-06-2011 @ 7:07 AM
|
|
|
Senior
Posts: 868
Joined: Oct 2009
|
V8 meet in Atlanta in 1977 there was a como blue 40 convertible, The old man driving the car claimed it was always that color, since he purchased it new. My wife wanted me to paint our 40 sedan that color, never happened--wonder where that 40 got to?? would like to find it to prove yes or no
|
TomO |
04-06-2011 @ 8:18 AM
|
|
|
Senior
Posts: 7257
Joined: Oct 2009
|
I agree with Mike that it is very unlikely that any Fords were painted Como blue. It is even more unlikely that an early car, like the one for sale, would have anything but Ford color paint. People say the Ford would do almost anything to sell cars. That may be true during tough times, but 1940 was a banner year for Ford. Any special order painting would have occurred later in the model year.
Tom
|
40guy |
04-06-2011 @ 12:34 PM
|
|
|
Member
Posts: 270
Joined: Oct 2009
|
alanwoodieman: In 1994 I saw a como blue '40 conv. at a AACA National Meet. Makes me wonder now if it could have been the same car you saw in 1977. An older gentelman was the owner but I never talked to him. I did video the car briefly though and still have the tape.
|
kubes40 |
04-06-2011 @ 2:24 PM
|
|
|
Senior
Posts: 3410
Joined: Oct 2009
|
There are in fact a few Como Blue 40 Fords floating around. No matter... NOT authentic. After that infamous Ditzler catalog came out in the 1970's a lot of guys painted their 40 Fords red. That was a color chip in that book. Too bad those same guys didn't do a bit more homework and they would have found that blatant error as well as numerous others within same catalog. Something to place in perspective: To paint one or even 10 cars a color other than what was the stock 'offered' colors would be a logistical nightmare for a company the size of Ford and certainly not worth the time, trouble and efforts required to (perhaps) make a few errant sales.
This message was edited by kubes40 on 4-6-11 @ 5:54 PM
|
40guy |
04-06-2011 @ 6:34 PM
|
|
|
Member
Posts: 270
Joined: Oct 2009
|
I want to say at the outset of this post that I am in no way trying to argue with ANYONE, just ask a question. I understand that "persistent customers" could order red Mercury leather interior in closed 40 Fords. This makes it reasonable that another "persistent" customer should be able to order a Mercury exterior color. Personally, I don't believe any 1940 Fords were como blue. My question is; why the interior and not the exterior?
|
kubes40 |
04-06-2011 @ 7:12 PM
|
|
|
Senior
Posts: 3410
Joined: Oct 2009
|
I certainly didn't think you were looking to argue Red (Mercury) leather was in fact an option in '40 Fords. However, even this was, shall we say 'frowned upon' and in a service letter was quite literally spelled out to do so ONLY as a last resort in order to prevent a sales loss. Cutting and stitching red leather vs. tan is easy and pretty much a two person operation once the red is delivered to the cutter and subsequently to the sewer. No line change required. Rather a 'blip' that would've been handled fairly easily and efficiently. Even fleet (commercial vehicle)sales had to be of a minimum ten identical units (as I recall it was ten)in order to be allowed special paint colors. To paint but one '40 Ford a Mercury color was to reiterate my earlier post simply not feasible for numerous reasons. All of them (reasons)with the same bottom line: inefficient / not profitable. Respectfully, Mike Kubarth
|
watwasithinking |
04-06-2011 @ 7:36 PM
|
|
|
Member
Posts: 33
Joined: Dec 2009
|
Looking in my Acme Color Chip manuals, M-1798 Como Blue (metallic) is listed and color chipped for 1940 on the Ford/Mercury Pages. Both Ford and Mercury colors are combined and there are no remarks stating that Como Blue was used only on Mercury. There are remarks showing three of the colors listed as "Mercury". There are 17 other colors shown (Black is not chipped). My records show Como Blue as a one year only production color....1940.
|