The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop AD paint schemes

Spent the last 30 minutes browsing the '47-'55 gallery, looking for some paint schemes I like...

I see three basic types: solid color, deluxe cab (top of cab white/cream), and black fenders.

Anyone painted the fenders white/cream with contrasting body and bed? Any other schemes out there? Thanks!

-Boyo

Personally, I don't like the two tone look on an AD. The fenders (well, at least the front) are part of the body lines of the hood and cab. Painting them a different color is like painting the fenders on a '68 Camaro different. Ok, it isn't that bad, but you get the idea. The fenders on a Model A for instance have nothing to do with the body. As hot rodders have proven, they look fine without them even. Try taking the fenders off your AD, not a good look.

On painting them white, they would look bigger and bulbous. The black tones down body lines and makes things smaller. From a distance the fenders would likely look like they were not even on the truck (black does the same thing).

Like I said, I have never liked it on any car or truck after 1936 or so. That is just my opinion.

Check out this cool web site for getting a rough idea of how it will look

Color changer AD truck

Cool.

Hey ! I like that color changer. I'd like to try that with a COE.

Boyo-my personal preference for the two tone AD would be darker colour fenders/lighter colour body (e.g. black fenders/white body).

Many folks don't like the two tone and MARTINSR brings up a good point-the AD fenders are designed as one piece with the body, as opposed to the "wing" type of fenders on older vehicle (Model A F**d). However, if you watch several semi-tractors on today's highways, you will see two toned fenders, it's a bit of a holdout from the days of the truck with separate fenders. Given the correct choice of colour, I personally like 'em painted this way. Just my $.02.

Regards,
Wannabe

I like the solid color body and fenders and the white cab top, with black running boards....like this...

White top

(Admittedly a rough paint job at this point but better to come in the future)

I agree. The white top over darker body looks best, if you're going with a multi-color look.

Black running boards give it a classic look.

I've been agonizing over the color shceme for my 63 stepside as well. But I've got plenty of work to go before I have to choose colors.

Take your time, and in the end go with what you're proud to drive.

one thing i didnt do to my truck (basically due to time restraints) was to paint flames on it. (also it doesnt have a 350, so it just wouldnt fit). anyway, i was going to go with 1 of 2 options.

1. paint the pickup a flat red, with same color of red flames, just with matalic flakes in it.

2. Paint the pickup red (or any color), use some of that color changing paint for flames.

note: on ad trucks i only like flames if it is a hot rod.

just my 2 Cents worth
Brian K

When our trucks were being built, there were 2-tone combinations other than solid color/white. Over at the Kook's OldGMCTrucks.com , there is an album of old GMC advertising postcards with a wide variety of paint schemes.

Look around at pictures and factory documentation - you might find a more unusual paint scheme that you really like. Combinations listed for the 1954 GMC line: Jungle Green/Huron Green, Jungle Green/Neptune Green, Cocoa Brown/Sahara Tan, Flame Red/Cascade White, Teel Blue/Cumberland Blue, Teel Blue/Cascade White. Some other two-tones from Kook's GMC postcards: Ferrara Blue/Chrome Yellow, Neptune Green/Huron Green.

My panel was originally brown on the bottom and tan on top (I saw a pickup in a '70s movie with this exact same paint scheme).

Speaking of odd paint colors, Rob, if you're reading this, what is up with the factory postcard of the purple '52 GMC Suburban???

Cool link, but grey is not an option.

The original owner of my '51 painted the fenders white. (the truck is red). It kinda grows on you. I have toyed with the idea of putting Coke decals on the doors! When I first bought the truck it drove me nuts because it wasn't original. But, for now it's ok. the paint is in very good shape so the '58 will get repainted first. However, when I do repaint it we will go back to all red!

I have also seen an A.D. painted red with yellow fenders and Shell oil co. logos on the door. It looked alright sitting in front of the business.

I remember seeing a 'bolt truck' that anyone could change fender color on the truck using the set program on that web page.

I finally remembered where it is. See curt_truc above for that link. Color changer AD truck
Phil's 1949 Chevy Truck - Color Changer.html

I really wanted to paint our truck a cappuccino color with a lighter cappuccino cab above the belt-line. Think bottled Starbucks cappuccino for the body and rims, with the cab being the color of the same cappuccino mixed with 50% milk. Unfortunately, it wasn’t available in the paint we ended up shooting.

Personally, I prefer any of the standard 47-53 Chevy factory solid colors with the striping around the cab. That said, I have seen some very nice two tone jobs on AD trucks (often companies would order two tone custom paint combos on their fleet trucks) so whatever floats your boat is the right scheme. If I was going to do two tone, I think I would also do some lettering on the doors since so many original two tones were company trucks.