Flathead Colour

[andrew honychurch]

I couldnt get away with using the over sadly, but I did find a big gas heater and have put that in the workshop. Seemed to work a treat. Now cleaned the exhaust manifolds and painted them in some Frost automotive special paint which smelt foul In fact I feel quite queesy after applying it even though I put a mask on. They look good however! I am happy with the paint colour. And I am sure Ford did paint Mercurys in this colour from all we have hears and seen. Anyway, it looks great so thats what counts! Certainly black was going to be a bit dull and as already said not good for seeing the oil leaks, not that I am expecting any!!!!

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Cross reference to Ford V8 Engine Color? Ford Gearbox Color?.

I merged several related threads on this subject. As for now I am keeping Carriers and Trucks apart, until someone can prove they were painted the same colours. Question: why would they not be?

H.

[ajmac]

I've got a bit more info.
I collected a 1946 24 stud Flathead for my Loyd a couple of weeks ago and the seller also a had a freshly imported pre 1942 24 stud (from the USA)which I cleaned up to check the original colour in various places. It was a dark green.
A few days later I went to see a very original 21 stud Dagenham lump, it was in a bad way, but on all engine parts it was a light grey. Some other bits I have picked up show a bright green colour. Richard Farrant posted a photo of a British Army rebuilt flathead (1952?) and this had the identical bright green finish.
Perhaps we can err on the side of British 21 Stud wartime units being light grey and the US 24 stud ones being dark green. The Flathead engine shops in the USA sell 'ford dark green' off the shelf, so I imagine they have got it right for the 24 Stud.

The bright green colour comes from the 1950s rebuilds...

[tankbarrell]

Originally Posted by ajmac

Perhaps we can err on the side of British 21 Stud wartime units being light grey and the US 24 stud ones being dark green.

Apart from the ones that were blue.......

[gjamo]

You blokes will have poor old Henry turning in his grave.

[George McKenzie]

My Mk1 motor is silver gray .It has been in the carrier for years but could have been changed during the war . The Mk11 is silver gray .It was rebuilt by REME .It has the army stamp riveted on the bell housing as to the over size bearings . I was told during the end of the war that Ford was running out of cured blocks so they took vehicle blocks and rebuilt them for the army . They would say ,It was good enough ,they are going to be blowing all to H anyway

[andrew honychurch]

well! I have said it before, but I will repeat. My father who made these carriers said they sent the engines in crates from Dagenham and they were all BLACK!!!!!!!!!! he knows as he was there!