I would like my layout to represent the late 1940's to early 50's. How do I find out what colors were available on atomobiles during that time period?
Thanks
wdcrvr
Black, black and more black :) LOL.
Or try an auto paint supply color chart. Some of the older autobody supply shops still have them. Also, Google paint colors for 1940 or 1950 autos.
-Bob
Here's one I just found. https://www.google.com/search?q=auto+paint+colors+for+1940+cars&rlz=1C1GGGE___US513US557&espv=2&tbm=isch&imgil=3miKl3qF-ofV_M%253A%253B0fHgMXUAu27-rM%253Bhttp%25253A%25252F%25252Fcs.scaleautomag.com%25252Fsca%25252Ftips_techniques%25252Ff%25252F8%25252Ft%25252F18485.aspx&source=iu&usg=__-zkTuPjYM1ODg0K42FkbLuaxwes%3D&sa=X&ei=wGD5U8_4DM2gyASkoYGABQ&ved=0CCsQ9QEwAQ&biw=1440&bih=775#facrc=_&imgdii=_&imgrc=3miKl3qF-ofV_M%253A%3B0fHgMXUAu27-rM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fautocolorlibrary.com%252Fchips%252F1940-ford-pg03.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fcs.scaleautomag.com%252Fsca%252Ftips_techniques%252Ff%252F8%252Ft%252F18485.aspx%3B607%3B781
Life is what happens while you are making other plans!
I was a youngster in those times, and recall that cars came in many colors, but flat and not really glossy like today. Red, tan, green and yellow were frequent, as well as black and white.
Paint was all oil based and contained lead back then.
I do the 1930's and you can find lists from car people of the right color paint for each car make. Many thing my era had just dull colors but standard colors on most major makes included just about every normal color you can think of.
One thing about Bob's link - most of those vehicles were customized. I doubt you would have seen many gold pickups, powder blue coupes or flame jobs in everyday use. (By the way, Bob, how did that 0 scale model power truck sneak into a collage of automotive photos? Ditto the SP&S car. Flanged wheels on both.)
Growing up in Da Bronx, cars tended to be darker colors - greens, blues and, of course, basic black. The SoCal automotive scene featured lighter, brighter colors - but even there flame jobs were uncommon. Some cars, whose owners went heavy for the wax and polish regime, were quite shiny. Most others went dullcote city shortly after leaving the showroom - especially where the sky was full of coal smoke.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
Wdcrvr,
You can find many pic's of vehicle colors from most any era, by simply using Google...but refine your search by using key words: For instance: ''1940 Ford Auto Add. Images'' Make sure you add IMAGES. A 40 Ford came in Black,Gray.Cream,Maroon, deep Blue and faded Green. Most paint was Lead Gloss Enamel. They were really shiney, when new. Sun UV rays and weather changes all that on the older paints that were made at the time.
Born Chi-town 1942...can remember back to three years old. Dad rest His soul, had many Ford's and Buicks.
Take Care!
Frank
There's a wealth of information, including period advertising, here http://www.oldcarmanualproject.com/ and here http://www.oldcarbrochures.com/ .
Here's but one of the images available for 1950 Fords. Other photo pages link here http://www.oldcaradvertising.com/index.html .
In cases where there isn't a photo, the brochure may describe appropriate colors, which can help you search elsewhere.
Rob Spangler
[quote user="tomikawaTT"]One thing about Bob's link - most of those vehicles were customized. I doubt you would have seen many gold pickups, powder blue coupes or flame jobs in everyday use.[/quote
Chuck,
I was only trying to show a link to the paint color charts that are part of the whole link. I guess I could have picked a better example. I realize that many/most custom cars/trucks rarely are painted in a factory color. The point is that a 'Google' search of almost any automotive year paint colors is available online. :)
When I was a kid, the family of one of my friends bought a brand new Buick. I think it was a !955 model. The thing that stuck in my mind was that it was "black and gold". Actually, it was black and ridiculously bright yellow. At that time, such striking color schemes were just being introduced. Up to that time, colors tended to be much more subdued; and while those flamboyant schemes did exist, most buyers tended to prefer something a little more subdued.
Tom
Tom,
Back then.....It was all about being different. Ford also had a Black and Canary Yellow paint job, which by the way sold many of...rare now and high dollar at Auctions, especially 55 and 56 Models.
I had a 55 Buick Special that was Black & Red with matching interior. The one I liked the best was my 56 Buick Century, Powder Blue & White with matching interior with the famous Wonderbar radio, only remote radio of it's time.
Let's not forget the tri-color paint schemes of the 50's.
The forties and fifties were two entirely different generations when it came to automotive colors. The forties were mostly generic colors, nothing really eye-catching or stand-outish. The fifties ushered in in a generation of new beginnings. People wanted to be noticed and wanted to stand out. Colors like aqua and slamon, bright reds and even coral pinks began to show up - especially beginning with the 55's.
Mark.
¡ uʍop ǝpısdn sı ǝɹnʇɐuƃıs ʎɯ 'dlǝɥ
ACYWhen I was a kid, the family of one of my friends bought a brand new Buick. I think it was a !955 model. The thing that stuck in my mind was that it was "black and gold". Actually, it was black and ridiculously bright yellow.
Like this? From http://www.oldcaradvertising.com/Buick/1955/1955%20Buick%20Ad-06.html .
zstripeThe one I liked the best was my 56 Buick Century, Powder Blue & White with matching interior...
Is this close? From http://www.oldcaradvertising.com/Buick/1956/1956%20Buick%20Ad-08.html .
Hi!
My first car was a 54 Pontiac convert - dubbed the "red roach". It was a somewhat dark shade of red.
Until 1955 (when a lot of pastels were introduced), cars and pick-ups tended to be dark in color - black, blue, green, grey, red, and the like. Dark shades of those colors - with a Dull Cote top coat - will fit nicely.
ENJOY !
Mobilman44
Living in southeast Texas, formerly modeling the "postwar" Santa Fe and Illinois Central
Rob ---
I'm pretty sure that '55 Buick was a four door sedan, and I thoughty there was more black on the body. Remember, the '55 Buicks hit the showrooms 60 years ago this fall, so time may have done a number on my memory. But the photo sure looks close. Thanks for the memory.
One resource that I enjoy is the Cushman photo archive at Indiana University. Cushman was taking Kodachrome slides in the 1940s and 50s and just looking at city street scenes gives you all sorts of insights into colors of signs, cars, clothes, and the like. There is much of value in it for a modeler of that era.
http://webapp1.dlib.indiana.edu/cushman/index.jsp
Dave Nelson
Bob Spangler,
Yeah, that was the color...but mine was a two door hardtop, not as long looking. I converted it to standard shift on the floor, after the Dynaflop trans went south years later. My 55 also. The 56 was a pretty fast car after that, considering it's weight. Memories!
Mark,
My best friend that lived a half block from me, had a 57 Pontiac Starchief, two door hardtop...coral pink and off white. That car sure stood out.
Go to car shows and ask the owners. Many of them can be even more " prototypical" than model railroaders! The paint chip idea is good - I used them when I restored a couple of Plymouths.
beware ads, though. I recently read that yellow was one of the most popular colors to depict in print ads but was bought much less.
Sean
HO Scale CSX Modeler
OP here.
Just want to say thanks for all the information offered.
If you search around the web, there are plenty of old color photos. Don't look for cars per se, just something like "city scenes 1950's" etc.
Every thing posted here is very good. Just remember that the advertisements and photos of the time were the exceptions not the rule. People did not take pictures of the common boring black and white cars. They took pictures of the unusual interesting colored ones. Just because everyone wanted to drive something different from the black cars of the 1930s and 1940s doesn't mean they bought them. Colorful ads would attract people to the brand or dealership, but color was an expensive option ($100 or so when the car was only $900-$1200 that was a lot of money back then). So many (including all my family's cars went from 1940s black to 1950s white) Even into the 1960s white was the most common car color on the road. The first non-white car we had was a 1967 Chevelle. By that time the color was (finally) not a separate option.
When we travelled as children we would play a game where one chose a color and counted the facing traffic cars of that color. The rule was you could choose any color excecpt for black or white. This was because if you choose one of those you would always win. As I recall by 1959 the ratio was about 4 black and 5 white to 3 of all the other colors.
So similar to what one of the earlier posters replied, Black, Black, and Black is your friend for auto colors.