Was the Tailgate "FORD" Body Color or?

AFLtCol · Nov 24, 2015

From the factory was the tailgate "FORD" always painted body color?

FrankSG · Nov 24, 2015

From my recollection it was painted white. That may have changed from year to year though.

BajaBronco · Nov 24, 2015

white, and applied over body color. On colors like White or tan body color it was a dark red. Non gloss both cases.

TTTGOWYO · Nov 25, 2015

Great info.. I always wondered that. Thx Baja.

broncojack · Nov 25, 2015

I been told that they were painted with a roller brush. What do you guys think?

BajaBronco · Nov 25, 2015

broncojack said:
I been told that they were painted with a roller brush. What do you guys think?

I agree.

House · Nov 25, 2015

Agree.
But... Horizontally or vertically?

mtp71174 · Nov 25, 2015

I was told by my friend who's job was to "deck" the body tub onto the assembled chassis that the last job in the trim dept was to remove the skid bolts, and then take a roller and paint the letters. He would then place a cradle around the tub hoist it up and send it to my friend to deck it. Sorry House he never said which direction of the stroke. lol Hope to see him this holiday and will ask.

broncojack · Nov 25, 2015

mtp71174 said:
I was told by my friend who's job was to "deck" the body tub onto the assembled chassis that the last job in the trim dept was to remove the skid bolts, and then take a roller and paint the letters. He would then place a cradle around the tub hoist it up and send it to my friend to deck it. Sorry House he never said which direction of the stroke. lol Hope to see him this holiday and will ask.

Great story, do you know how much of the Bronco body was assembled before it went into the chassis?

Lawndart · Nov 25, 2015

Mine is obviously done horizontally. I'd say, right to left.

Okbroncoman · Nov 26, 2015

So, would a 1966 springtime yellow body color have white letters?

Would the tailgate and the grill letters be the same color?

Or would the grill have black letters?

eaglenest66 · Nov 26, 2015

Okbroncoman said:
So, would a 1966 springtime yellow body color have white letters?

Would the tailgate and the grill letters be the same color?

Or would the grill have black letters?

I always thought Springtime had red letters to match red rocker stripes (option) but no. In all my inquiries over the years, originally painted Springtime broncos yielded white letters painted over the body color. As for the grill letters, always black unless the broncos had the drill through and mounted sport letters. Few pictures of original paint rigs! And yes the tailgate and grill letters were done with a roller. The tailgate letters are flat sheen in appearance and the grill letters are glossy black.

BajaBronco · Nov 26, 2015

Interesting. Maybe you haven't found an original paint red letter gate, yet? I've found a lot of things and still finding out more. I think I've seen a red letter springtime 66, but will have to dig thru pics if I have them. My Tampico is white letter.

All the original paint rigs I've seen have had vertical rolled letters. About 15 original paint.

77OregonBronco · Nov 26, 2015

What type of roller should be used (size & nap)?

eaglenest66 · Nov 26, 2015

I would imagine a foam roller would work best.

eaglenest66 · Nov 26, 2015

Went through my photo library and only one more original paint rig in Springtime Yellow. Mike French's '66 roadster!

mtp71174 · Nov 26, 2015

The bodies were mostly complete I believe once decked the seats were usually installed on the final line. The battery, radiator and shroud were installed then the front clip, both fenders and grille were decked. The hood was next, then the fluids then it was started and driven off the line. The aux fuel tank was installed out in the garage because the decking clam shell need that room to clam around the body. I would need to talk a small paint inspector to find out how the grille letters were painted them.

fordfan · Nov 26, 2015

The grille letters were rolled also. The roller was not a traditional roller we think of with a fiber nap of sorts, but it was a rubber roller that was used extensively in the printing industry called a brayer.

On this '66 you can see where the brayer touched the area around the letters a little too.

Okbroncoman · Nov 26, 2015

eaglenest66 Went through my photo library and only one more original paint rig in Springtime Yellow. Mike French's '66 roadster!

Now that looks like white letters to me!!

So all the grill letters were black, just the tailgate
letters were different colors? Red, black or white

fordfan · Nov 26, 2015

Okbroncoman said:
Now that looks like white letters to me!!

So all the grill letters were black, just the tailgate
letters were different colors? Red, black or white

That's right. Originally all the painted grille letters were black. The tailgates were the red, black and most of the time, white.

Was the Tailgate "FORD" Body Color or?

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