Hello there....first post on this forum. I am building a '34 Ford three window high-boy...actually a buddy of mine is the "real" builder, I am just helping and paying the bills. We're using a Show Me Hot Rod & Customs body (3" chop is standard) and a Pete & Jakes frame and full suspension package. I am trying to decide on the color. I'd like to stay with an original Ford color from the period. Cordoba Gray was a '34 Ford color....and Cordoba Tan was a color that succeeded in '35/'36. I like one more than the other but its not clear which is really which. Color chips available on line are pretty useless as they have darkened and you cant see any true color. Would any of you all by chance have a photo of one or both of these colors to help me out? Searching google images for cars in each color has given me inconsistent results to say the least. Anyway, was just wondering. Attaching a few photos of the body and frame....just getting started obviously. Looking forward to your input. Oh....I will probably be asking for more suggestions when it comes to seating....I am 6'4" tall and I will want all the legroom, headroom and seat recline I can get! Thanks.
picking colors is really a matter of personnel choice. i like to have a color in mind, and then look for a more modern car out on the road to look at reality, and then if you like it the code will be at the store. the next option i like is to go to the store and look at the basic color book which has varying shades of your color, then take it outside and look in sunlight, and order it up. at 6.4 you will like the ease of getting in and out of a 34 3w with suicide doors
I am 6' 5". I sold my 4 inch chop 3-W because my head hit the headliner. It had the stock seat in it. I have a 3 inch chop '34 Victoria and a 3 inch chop 2-Dr sedan. My head just barely clears the headliners with stock bucket seats which are a lot lower than the bench seat. I did not chop the cars, I bought very rough bare bodies and built the cars. All of my cars but 2 are Cordoba Grey, I love it and it never goes out of style. I can still get Axalta Centri in that color. I am doing a '33 sedan delivery right now and the paint for it arrived a few weeks ago. Not in this photo are my '34 P/U and the 2 chop top cars.
Black would be a nice (non) color. As to original, I'm wondering if you mean like an original idea, or what Ford Motor Car Company offered? Either way you can't miss with a nice setup like you have. Fruehauf has some nice colors. I'm drawn to their yellow like a bee to a sweet smelling flower. Blue also comes in many shades and tints. Green is unlucky unless you're participating in the St. Paddy's Day parade, at least old round track racers told me it was, which may explain the troubles the Ainglanders have gone through. Red is also one of those colors an old CHP officer said they are drawn to when writing citations for speeding. And, yet, I must say this site being about traditional perhaps you should ask about swatch sheets on the Ford Barn where everything Ford is offered up as advice, or in parts. Good luck on your quest. The one choice you are faced with having made the most is the color you pick to paint it.
I was looking for Kewannee green. I went to my Axalta dealer and he still had the old Dupont books. Like many of Henry's colors, they may have used the same name but varied in hue over the years or changed the name for the same color. I found the number given for the green and when we went to the page, there were quite a few variations, both lighter and darker, . I am sure this is the case with Cordoba. I found this over on the Ford Barn and it is a thread with more threads with various suppliers part numbers. http://www.the34fordroadster.com/cordoba-gray/ A fairly good discussion of Cordoba Tan/Grey. I love those old A, B, C colors. Warren
Can't believe this wives tale is still being repeated. No active or retired copper I know says or believes it. I wrote 300 tickets a month for years and the color of the vehicle was never a part of the reason I saw the car committing a violation.
Because of an infraction, I was required to attend Traffic Safety School. The teacher was, by his own admission, a retired CHP officer. He gave the best advice first, "If you signal to turn, stop for red lights and stop signs, and never speed, I can promise you that will prevent most of you from ever getting cited again." He then went into how airplanes are used to check a motorist's speed, and told us about 'little red sports cars' getting more attention, and red cars in general. I did not make this one up, and I am not arguing for or against it as an urban myth. It just seemed like something too good not to mention when I was talking about red as color to paint a vehicle. Myth it may be, but once upon a time, as Moondog said, 'When lions were lions and men were men', firetrucks were painted red because it was a color that got everybody's attention. Trouble is, now that it's 'twice upon a time', all bets are off. (And, yes I did talk to the man on the street in NYC and he was an imposing figure, Moondog, that is.) A subject and story for some other time and place.
My ‘33 apparently was blue originally. Found this on the pass. side between the door and rear window. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
An 18 year old driver of a new 1933 Ford ,with new paint, would have been born in 1915 (or EARLIER if they were older) and I wouldn't worry about one of them walking up to you and telling you your original 1933 reproduction color.... was slightly off hue. They would have to have a wonderful memory at 105 years old to remember...let alone to be walking around car shows. Hence, do a color to satisfy you.
I’ve owned this 34 Model 40 Deluxe 3W. Coupe for nearly 30 years. It has a distressed blue paint hue that been on it since the late 40’s and I bet it was rough when they shot it. So I have this 34 on my “Don’t Touch” list, meaning don’t remove the history that’s on it. I’ve been doing little things to over the past few months and fired it up today. 1st time in years….. I used to drive it a lot, I don’t know why I put it where it was much harder to get to, but in cleaning it, and watching more blue paint fall or rub off I started noticing that more and more of the original color is making a “return appearance” ….. that happens to be the subject color of this post. Cordova Gray. I don’t know why after all this time I’m looking at it differently. I have a 34 Woody the same color, so it had to be pretty common. The picture posted at the top of my comment/reply shows a good representation of what it appears the OP is looking for. Find a competent paint store and perhaps you’ll find a decent match?
Glass body, hot rod... I understand wanting to go with a period color but why split hairs about the exact shade? You aren't gonna get it dead on next to an original with modern paint no matter what. Pick a shade you like that's close to the original color you like and don't lose sleep over it. Hell, the original cars aren't even exactly the same shade next to each other... they weren't when new 'cause the paint was mixed up by humans and they definitely aren't after 90 years of sunshine and oxidation.
You all know that this is a three-year-old thread and the OP finished his car (in a cool green) LAST YEAR.
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/my-34-ford-finally-home.1270952/ Looks pretty darn sharp to me...oh yeah...nice garage too...
For my build (32), choosing the color was by far the hardest part of the build. I leaning towards this blue with a vanilla fire wall and grill insert. My body guy will squirt a panel so I get an idea of how they match.
I do now, especially since @Stogy posted the projects thread especially with a totally different color than this thread was started for, that being “Correct Color Information”. My car along with so many other Model 40’s just happened to wear the hue the OP was seeking info for, so even if the car is done & wears a totally different color, the question perhaps has been answered-addressed. .
Thank's Kevin, I just picked up on Nitro's lead after a good chuckle over Spanners retort...and saw if I could find a pic of it...
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