Valve Covers
Laughing Gas
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 823
Likes: 4
From: Calais, Vermont
There's a nicely restored / refurbished '54 F-250 featured on the cover of the current (Dec '04) Vintage Trucks magazine. It's got the motor that it came with fifty years ago: a 239 OHV V-8. The valve covers on this motor appear to be a satin black. The block is the same funky light green that the 215 came painted a year earlier.
Fleet Owner
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 25,420
Likes: 5,428
From: Central PA
'54 239 color
The '54 239 engine is red with silver (argent) valve covers. Other stuff is black. Look in the Y-block forum on FTE. There is a thread called, "How to properly color a 239". Plenty of info there. Look at my gallery. Under the dirt and blue paint sprayed on after a rebuild you can see the original red paint.
I looked at that '54 F-250 in the Vintage truck magazine. Very nice! It does show a pic of a green engine in the truck, I don't know why. However, on the same page you'll see a red engine sitting in the frame during the teardown.
If I know how to do it I will include here a pic of a '54 properly colored.
abe '54 F-100
I looked at that '54 F-250 in the Vintage truck magazine. Very nice! It does show a pic of a green engine in the truck, I don't know why. However, on the same page you'll see a red engine sitting in the frame during the teardown.
If I know how to do it I will include here a pic of a '54 properly colored.
abe '54 F-100
Laughing Gas
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 823
Likes: 4
From: Calais, Vermont
Abe,
I'm glad you posted regarding block color. I tried to be careful not to sound like an authority on block paint colors, citing only what I saw in that magazine.
I'm a relatively new member here compared to many, but I've noticed that some questions keep popping up over and over again. Factory colors is one of them. Is there a source where this kind of information all sits in one place? It would seem that stuff like dash **** setup, upholstery options, engine descriptions, paint colors, factory options which may have available for each model year, engine colors, etc. is, more or less, a matter of gathering the information and setting it up so it can be accessed easily.
I'm glad you posted regarding block color. I tried to be careful not to sound like an authority on block paint colors, citing only what I saw in that magazine.
I'm a relatively new member here compared to many, but I've noticed that some questions keep popping up over and over again. Factory colors is one of them. Is there a source where this kind of information all sits in one place? It would seem that stuff like dash **** setup, upholstery options, engine descriptions, paint colors, factory options which may have available for each model year, engine colors, etc. is, more or less, a matter of gathering the information and setting it up so it can be accessed easily.
Fleet Owner
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 25,420
Likes: 5,428
From: Central PA
A lot of this info can be found in books, but not all. Some of the books are incomplete or inaccurate. Some of the authors are just writers, not experts or truck afficionados. We have a lot of experts here but some of us go on memories, which fade, or on the word of others. I think the best way to go is to keep an open mind, don't take the first word you get as the Gospel, and look for secondary sources. I think the best way is to buy colored Ford dealer brochures and pamphlets or talk to the guys that have those almost restored to original trucks. Also look for trucks that have not been changed from original, like in a junkyard or old firetrucks!! I have seen pics of old firetrucks on ebay that have the original seats and original engine with low miles. Like I tell my kids in class when doing research: get secondary sources, don't trust everything you see on the internet and do your homework. I will try to post some of the pics I have tonight.
Postmaster
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 3,890
Likes: 9
From: La Verne, California
Originally Posted by abe
A lot of this info can be found in books, but not all. Some of the books are incomplete or inaccurate. Some of the authors are just writers, not experts or truck afficionados. We have a lot of experts here but some of us go on memories, which fade, or on the word of others. I think the best way to go is to keep an open mind, don't take the first word you get as the Gospel, and look for secondary sources. I think the best way is to buy colored Ford dealer brochures and pamphlets or talk to the guys that have those almost restored to original trucks. Also look for trucks that have not been changed from original, like in a junkyard or old firetrucks!! I have seen pics of old firetrucks on ebay that have the original seats and original engine with low miles. Like I tell my kids in class when doing research: get secondary sources, don't trust everything you see on the internet and do your homework. I will try to post some of the pics I have tonight.
I've found refrence to Pewter & Black both w/ valve covers in FoMoCo Red, the the engine accessaries for Pewter painted block are supossedly Black & White for the Black painted block.
Merry Holidays
Colonel Flashman
Last edited by Col Flashman; Dec 22, 2004 at 08:12 PM.
Posting Guru
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 1,002
Likes: 2
From: Midland, Texas
If there is a single answer to this frequently asked question, I have yet to see it.This must drive resto guys nuts. For each definative answer to the year, block and color combo, there seems to be an exception. Or many exceptions.
I'm not so sure that uniformity in engine coloration was a priority in truck manufacturing fifty years ago. Conflicting data on this seems to make the point. A search on the subject and a well referenced spreadsheet would be a nice way to layout the seemingly correct colors for engines and appurtenances. What you would have in hand would be, perhaps, the intended color scheme and the exceptions to the intent. glad his truck is a hotrod, himmelberg
I'm not so sure that uniformity in engine coloration was a priority in truck manufacturing fifty years ago. Conflicting data on this seems to make the point. A search on the subject and a well referenced spreadsheet would be a nice way to layout the seemingly correct colors for engines and appurtenances. What you would have in hand would be, perhaps, the intended color scheme and the exceptions to the intent. glad his truck is a hotrod, himmelberg
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Posting Guru
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 2,156
Likes: 5
From: Akron Ohio
'burg, it does drive resto guy's nuts. Abe basically mentioned all the good points on how to locate colors. For 1954's I've always seen the color abe described. Keep digging, I had to purchase dealer training films to verify colors and it actually has a full 6cyl, but no V8's. Anybody here ever tried the ford research center in Michigan? Supposedly pretty good...... Stock for life -4speed
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 226
Likes: 0
From: N. Vancouver B.C.
Colonel, I'm guessing from the detail in your prior posts that you may have already tried this avenue but Ford Canada has a historical dept located in Oakville Ontario. The # is (905) 845-2511 Extension 1562 They are closed until early January but I have spoken with the woman (can't remember her name) there in the past and they are helpful but slow. The dept is only open part time and I think it is only staffed by one person.
Maybe this will give some info you haven't come across yet.
By the way. My Canadian 56 Ford F100 VIN is not the same format as the U.S. trucks. My S/N is 4831010TK25750 and is located on the top of the drivers side frame rail. Have you found out how to decode these vins?? I am waiting on the historical dept now for any info on my truck.
Sorry for sidetracking the original post
Kevin
Maybe this will give some info you haven't come across yet.
By the way. My Canadian 56 Ford F100 VIN is not the same format as the U.S. trucks. My S/N is 4831010TK25750 and is located on the top of the drivers side frame rail. Have you found out how to decode these vins?? I am waiting on the historical dept now for any info on my truck.
Sorry for sidetracking the original post
Kevin
Fleet Owner
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 25,420
Likes: 5,428
From: Central PA
OK, I have finally figured out how to add a pic to the forum. here is a picture of a '54 239 Y-block (not mine) that appears to be correctly painted. The exhaust manifolds probably weren't that color, I have seen them more of a darker color more like a black. the accessories, like the starter, generator, etc that can't be seen here should be black. I also have pics of a low mileage '54 firetruck and a '54 F-600 in a junk yard that beneath the grime are red with silver valve covers. Maybe some day I will scan the color dealer brochure and post pics from that.
good luck, abe
good luck, abe
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