I have a 1949 F-3 239 and I was curious what the factory finish would have been when new. I understood the engine was typically painted Ford Blue but would this have been true of the transmission/bell housing as well? The bell housing I have seems to have had red paint at some point(most is now gone).

 

I guess part one of my question should be Does Cast iron need a coating (paint or otherwise) to be protected? Part two would be If so, what did Ford use from the factory and what color was it?

 

You definitely want it painted. Mine was "originally" (AFAIK) that green color that is close to Detroit Diesel Alpine Green, which is what the engine should have been in 52. But my trans was red...

 

"Ford Blue" wasn't a color until the mid-60's. There are varying shades of that, too, light, medium, dark, etc.

I'm not sure exactly what color your engine would have been in '49, but Ford used many different colors back then, red, green, bronze, etc. It varied depending on year and model.

Cast iron left to the elements will develop a layer of surface rust. It's perfectly normal and harmless, although some people would consider it unsightly. Whether or not you coat your parts will depend on the level of detail your aspiring to.

 

According to this page on Van Pelts site:

"The Ford truck engines were red from 1948 through 1951, and then changed to green for 1952-53"


Also:

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...lor-codes.html

 

I found this chart (See below) through several searches but it gives an idea of the colors. It appears a Dark blue was used in 1949. I assume this is the color often refereed to on sites as "Ford Dark Blue"( )

Would an F-3 qualify as "Truck" or "Commercial"

Engine Colour List

 

Your F3 would have been considered commercial, and the block would have been red from the factory. If it was rebuilt then it would be a different color, can't remember if they were bronze as rebuilds or another color?

The bell housing was also red, and the trans was natural or bare. I painted my trans with cast blast, gives it the bare metal look (kinda) yet protects and seals as a paint. You can get it on amazon.

 

Thanks! That looks great!

 

Great choice Brian. Looks good

 

Brian, spectacular looking engine. I like the cast paint. I will have to look into that.

JB