I am restoring my 55 f-250 and I am wondering what color where the running boards because I have seen them be black and some are body color. Also were the bumpers painted black originally or were they chrome from the factory

 

Ford's pattern was to supply these parts in black. I don't have a 1955 reference that concretely supports this viewpoint, but I do have it for 1954. The 1954 Ford Dealer/Saleman Truck Handbook says the following. "Chassis - frame, tail lamp, wheels (except F-100 series), springs, axles, fuel tank and filler neck if frame mounted, filler cap, bumper and running boards (except Panel models) are finished in black." F-100 wheels, and Panel running boards, were body color. Stu

 

56 was the only year that the running boards were painted body color. all earlier years were black

 

Stu and Kevin got it right, but note FYI that the wheels in 55 and 56 where painted Snow shoe white. In 53 and 54 the wheels were printed body color

Also note that the filler cap was black.

 

Thanks Abe, I learned something too. But that's on F-100s only, right? Stu

 

About the wheel color? Yes only the F100 wheels in 53-54 were painted body color.

About the filler cap? filler caps on all size trucks would have been black.