I have don judgeing on early Birds for a number of years and all the 55-57 Birds used the orangy-red color.  I assume the sedans were the same.


54 Victoria 312;  48 Ford Conv 302, 56 Bird 312
Forever Ford
Midland Park, NJ

I have a 56 Country Sedan that had about 63000 miles when I got it. Everything on the drivetrain of the car was original and untouched. While cleaning it up I found paint on the engine in protected areas where the color looked to likely be very close to what it would have been when new. The Dupli-Color Ford Red matched that color very well. I'd say dead on.

That said in the eighties I was involved with the Mustang Club of America for a while. These guys can be pretty picky about every little thing as you might expect. Now some of them would sit and argue about every last detail. Take carpet for example. It MUST be like this and this and this to be concours correct. HAS to be. No exceptions. Points off if not exactly like what we say.

Then a man who had worked in Ford management comes along and says, "Well to keep up with demand there were six different suppliers of carpet for the early Mustangs. Not all exactly the same. Each plant may have used different stuff than the other and each may not have used the same stuff all year."  So none of y'all are "right". Or all you are. Or (my opinion) it doesn't really matter anyway. 

Also in the 80s for several years I worked at Bayliner at the original plant in Arlington, Washington. I can tell you positively that each boat of each model was not going to be exactly identical to the other. Many little details were simply what one person on the line did that day on that shift, maybe even on just that boat. Somebody restoring one those boats would think they were all that way, like the one they have.

Todays manufacturing principles have taken away probably most of these kind of things. But surely in the 50s it was happening. Ever look at the welding on a 56 Ford frame? Atrocious. Like it was the guys first day on the job, first day of of welding, and he showed up drunk. Then again that's on those that I have seen with my own eyes and stories I have heard from other guys that have seen the same thing. That leaves more than 99.99% of all the other Ford frames which none of us saw that may have been expertly done.

Anyway I will not be using any orange tinted paint on anything I have. I have a nice little early 283 that is actually supposed to be orange of course. It won't be when I'm through with it. Ford Red would be a good bet. With no orange tint.

Roger.  My experiences with Ford manufactured '50s cars echo yours.  There WERE variations in the production of vehicles depending on the assembly plant, time of production, availability of hardware components used, material suppliers, and WHO performed the assembly task when the vehicle / component / sub-assembly work was done.    

As a fellow Forum member, I so appreciate your continued submissions to this web site, Roger  Thanks for what you share, and how you do it!

Your submission to this thread should provide some levity to those of us that get caught up in 'trying to do it right'.  God Bless the professional restoration shops and the Concours Judges, BUT . . .   

Regards,
Charlie Brown


NoShortcuts
a.k.a. Charlie Brown
near Syracuse, New York

Thanks Charlie. Another thing to remember is Ford often used up parts from previous models on the next model year. That'll mess the "purists' up for sure every time.

Speaking of using "left-over" parts, my 1st '55 Crown with 272 engine had a crank damper pulley which still had the hand-crank tabs as original factory!!!

No hole through radiator, though.

And a '63-1/2 Galaxie I had still had a "sideways" Edsel radiator with external expansion tank above the 390.

JLB

55 Ford Crown Victoria Steel Top

Hi, again!
In my area [Duluth MN} we have Menards, Home Depot; Auto Zone, O'Reilley's, NAPA, L&M Supply, & Auto Value.

Does anyone know who carries which brands: SP152 Ford Red; the VHT Ford Red [10155 04442]; Plasticote Ford Red #206; and/or Duplicolor DC 1605 all mentioned in prior posts here?  Any info. on any of these suppliers would help.

Thanks,  JLB

55 Ford Crown Victoria Steel Top

If you want a real Red that's not orange tinged, do not buy current stock Plasti - Cote # 206.. the company has changed hands & their current stock of that number isn't even close to the old stock.. I enquired about it & they didn't have an answer for my enquiry except to offer to take it back..     


Paul

Thanks, folks.  I've found them at various auto stores in nearby Cloquet MN.  I'm between Duluth & Cloquet; most of the time cloquet's easier (smaller) and closer for driving.

Thanks again, JLB

55 Ford Crown Victoria Steel Top

Your story  about the  Carpet reminds me of My 1977 Mustang Cobra II  Gold and Black. I bought the car New took it to a Car show with original paint and Strips. The judge  told me the Snake Decals were on the car in the Wrong place, they were mounted too high and docked points. When I told him it was never repainted since new he basically told me I was snot telling the truth!  later  at a different show the same judge and a second  more informed judge Both went over  my Car the second judge gave me a top original .and said it is normal  for the snakes to be in different locations!

I have a Question along similar Lines. The Canadian Y-Blocks were painted Green-not Red. Has anyone any knowledge of the correct Green that was used on these Engines? I know there is a Green Engine Paint available based on the 1929-1940's Engines but I don't know if its the same on the 1950's Y-Blocks? 1950's Flatheads were a different color.