letters on tailgate on 53-56's
#1
letters on tailgate on 53-56's
I am just curious, what colors were used on the FORD letters on the tailgates of 53-56 pickups? I am thinking black and white. But was it a pure white or an off white like sun gate ivory perhaps for 53 and 54 to match their grilles or a Colonial white to match the grilles of 55 and 56?
And on what color trucks were the letters painted white (obviously the dark colors) and what colors were the letters painted black, again probably the lighter colors.
Has anyone seen anything definitive on this in Ford literature? I haven't and so I am asking guys with untouched original tailgates to respond. On my 54 Meadow Green truck the paint on the letters was gone when I bought it from my grandfather. When my truck was painted in 1999 I had the body man paint the letters Sungste Ivory but he did a poor job. Later I had to repaint the tailgate so I bought white stick on letters and it looks much better.
And on what color trucks were the letters painted white (obviously the dark colors) and what colors were the letters painted black, again probably the lighter colors.
Has anyone seen anything definitive on this in Ford literature? I haven't and so I am asking guys with untouched original tailgates to respond. On my 54 Meadow Green truck the paint on the letters was gone when I bought it from my grandfather. When my truck was painted in 1999 I had the body man paint the letters Sungste Ivory but he did a poor job. Later I had to repaint the tailgate so I bought white stick on letters and it looks much better.
#3
I just dug out some of my brochures and my factory photos show red trucks with white letters.
I know you have a library of literature, its in there. I was able to find it in a 55 clues showing a red 55 with white letters and in my "test track" book shows a red 56 with white letters as well
Also I have owned a one owner 56 and it had painted letters, it was a light green with white letters
With the info I have I say they were painted White
#4
I just dug out some of my brochures and my factory photos show red trucks with white letters.
I know you have a library of literature, its in there. I was able to find it in a 55 clues showing a red 55 with white letters and in my "test track" book shows a red 56 with white letters as well
Also I have owned a one owner 56 and it had painted letters, it was a light green with white letters
With the info I have I say they were painted White
I know you have a library of literature, its in there. I was able to find it in a 55 clues showing a red 55 with white letters and in my "test track" book shows a red 56 with white letters as well
Also I have owned a one owner 56 and it had painted letters, it was a light green with white letters
With the info I have I say they were painted White
#5
I just dug out some of my brochures and my factory photos show red trucks with white letters.
I know you have a library of literature, its in there. I was able to find it in a 55 clues showing a red 55 with white letters and in my "test track" book shows a red 56 with white letters as well
Also I have owned a one owner 56 and it had painted letters, it was a light green with white letters
With the info I have I say they were painted White
I know you have a library of literature, its in there. I was able to find it in a 55 clues showing a red 55 with white letters and in my "test track" book shows a red 56 with white letters as well
Also I have owned a one owner 56 and it had painted letters, it was a light green with white letters
With the info I have I say they were painted White
However, by 1956, Ford may very well have started to paint the letters. Factory photographs of trucks that were actually sold to the public would be the way to prove it. Color ads with photographs might show something as well. I looked through all of my 1955 and 1956 mailers, several of which have photographs, but none show rear views. That's the biggest problem. Very few, if any, publicity photos show a rear view! I also looked at the painting specs in the data books, and there is no mention of it.
Chuck
#6
Brochures and advertisements are not good indicators or evidence of production details. Many times the photos are retouched, enhanced, or of prototypes that may or may not include final production items or details. There's also the distinct possibility of running changes where one day the assembly line guys are, for example, putting on stainless trim, the next day it's pot metal due to cost savings, supply or availability.
Unless one can find a photo of a line of trucks on a dealer lot when they were new, anything else is hearsay or the rely on 60 year old memory.
Unless one can find a photo of a line of trucks on a dealer lot when they were new, anything else is hearsay or the rely on 60 year old memory.
#7
this photo of a 56 panel has them black
http://www.ebay.com/itm/COCA-COLA-COLOR-PHOTO-FORD-DELIVERY-VAN-1950S-/271602965232?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3f3ccc5af0
this brochure although cartoon has the top truck with white letters
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1956-Ford-Truck-Sales-Brochure-Literature-Dealer-Advertisement-Options-Features-/360469980334?pt=Motors_Manuals_Literature&hash=item53edaf64ae&vxp=mtr
http://www.ebay.com/itm/COCA-COLA-COLOR-PHOTO-FORD-DELIVERY-VAN-1950S-/271602965232?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3f3ccc5af0
this brochure although cartoon has the top truck with white letters
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1956-Ford-Truck-Sales-Brochure-Literature-Dealer-Advertisement-Options-Features-/360469980334?pt=Motors_Manuals_Literature&hash=item53edaf64ae&vxp=mtr
Trending Topics
#8
Brochures and advertisements are not good indicators or evidence of production details. Many times the photos are retouched, enhanced, or of prototypes that may or may not include final production items or details. There's also the distinct possibility of running changes where one day the assembly line guys are putting on stainless trim, the next day it's pot metal due to cost savings, supply or availability.
Unless one can find a photo of a line of trucks on a dealer lot when they were new, anything else is hearsay or the rely on 60 year old memory.
Unless one can find a photo of a line of trucks on a dealer lot when they were new, anything else is hearsay or the rely on 60 year old memory.
Chuck
#9
Well not quite the correct year, but pictures are from Ford
Looking Back: 1961-63 Ford F-100 "Unibody" Pickups - PickupTrucks.com News
Looking Back: 1961-63 Ford F-100 "Unibody" Pickups - PickupTrucks.com News
#10
Well not quite the correct year, but pictures are from Ford
Looking Back: 1961-63 Ford F-100 "Unibody" Pickups - PickupTrucks.com News
Looking Back: 1961-63 Ford F-100 "Unibody" Pickups - PickupTrucks.com News
#12
#13
I really think thats proof enough because the trucks pictured are trucks that have been sold and are in the work field. Not some doctored up advertisement
#15
I would suggest that this might have varied from plant to plant. It would also have been a logical choice for a cost cutting measure perhaps on the lower end vehicles. Does anyone have access to the engineering drawings? Even that is not full proof as I have seen plants paint things that the engineers forgot to specify only because it was the right thing to do.
So if you have a marketing brochure that shows them painted I would think that judges would have a hard time deducting points. Likewise if you can find a brochure showing no paint.
It looks like we have had this discussion before?
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/487176-ford-tailgate-letters.html
So if you have a marketing brochure that shows them painted I would think that judges would have a hard time deducting points. Likewise if you can find a brochure showing no paint.
It looks like we have had this discussion before?
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/487176-ford-tailgate-letters.html