The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Valve cover color?

I've got my 49 almost to how it looked in 1949. I just bought a valve cover off of fleabay to replace the chrome one on the 216 c.i. After it's prepped, what color should it be? Blue? Gray? Also, did any of the trucks come with painted fenders with a different color than the body? I've been thinking about painting my fenders black on my green truck. I've seen lots of them like this. Was this a paint option back then? Thanks guys.

The valve cover should be painted to match your engine color.

It was very common to have fenders painted a different color, often black. This was a special order, but any color combination could be ordered.

Thanks Tim. Nice and entertaining web site, by the way!

nice truck, this is one source i found on the net
but it does not match what Tim says and he is usually correct

click here

Thanks Joker. Always find out new stuff on here or by here.

I attended a VCCA meet 2 weeks ago. The body of the 37 1/2 Ton Chevy next to me was painted Orange with Black fenders and running boards, with blue pinstripping. It was accepted. The judges stated that trucks were commercial vehicles and could be painted any color, or combination thereof, besides stock factory colors. A lot of trucks were painted the company fleet color combinations, along with signage.

About 30 years ago I was at the Mack truck R&D facility in Allentown for a while and the production plant was still producing trucks to customer color specs. Many old heavy hauling companies still used the colors from the 20's or from their original horse drawn wagons. Like one with a green frame, yellow cab, black fenders, red wheel centers with yellow rims. Yellow pin stripes on the frame, green on the cab and black on the wheels.
The workers called them "circus wagons".

I own 4 different "AD" trucks, a 1947, a 48 and now 2 1951's and have seen a bunch more in person and have yet to see one with FACTORY painted fenders a different color than main body. I have seen some A D's where the owner/restorer got the wild hair and painter the fenders black and main body panels something else. That being said, I have seen a few 1946 and or 42's with black fenders and main body panels a different color. I have to say I have NOT seen all the ad's or 42's and 46's out there and may get shot down in my statement but as stated above, If the price was right and you wanted special paint schemes, Chevrolet would take your money and honor your request.

1951Chevy1Ton,

You are correct about different fender colors be relatively uncommon on A-D trucks. My statement above was incorrect. I should have stated that it was completely possible for fenders to have been ordered with a different color from the body (special ordered, not a Regular Production Option).

My guess is that companies/municipalities/organizations liked to have matching colored trucks. Prior to 1940, the fenders were a different color from the body (most often the standard black fenders?). Trucks were used for many years, so companies might have wanted to buy newer model/series trucks to match their other/older trucks.

http://www.stovebolt.com/gallery/haist_whitney_1939.htm
http://www.stovebolt.com/gallery/davis_brian_several.html
http://www.stovebolt.com/gallery/long_gary_1947.html
http://www.stovebolt.com/gallery/stefanovsky_luke_1948.pdf

I painted the 216 in my '51 with high temp New Ford Gray spray cans from Autozone.

http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6095/6326908849_a3d5e90d2e_z.jpg

Thanks for all your help and comments guys! I think I'll go with some shade of gray. Denny, that gray from the Filling Station is very cool. I'm leaning towards that. I'm on the fence about painting the fenders now.

The more I think about it, that would be the least expensive and quickest way to do it.

Cause I'm a cheap s.o.b.? The rattle can costs $20.00 and the shipping is $15.00. $35.00 for a spray can of paint! Yikes! I think I'll just buy a can of grey spray paint at Wally World and go from there. I don't think most people will know the difference.

Might as well leave the chrome cover on, it is as correct as the Wally World paint and probably be more appealing because most people won't know the difference anyway.