Ford v8 1949 gear box color

[kjohan]

Need some help with info below:
I am building an AMT -49 "shoebox", and have decided the engine color shall be according to a late -49 car,
i.e. with a "bronze age motor".
What would be the correct color on the transmission / gear box with such an engine ?
Black -bronze as the engine - "iron gray" ? Or something else ?
Your advices will be most appreciated / have so far found no info on the net.

[Ace-Garageguy]

I don't know for certain, BUT...

Earlier flathead Ford cast-iron transmissions were painted with the engine, bolted to the engine, the same color as the engine.

It's probably a safe bet to think Ford maintained the practice through the end of the flathead run.

Though hardly definitive, and not the right color, this '49 brochure illustration appears to show the trans the same color as the engine.

[Ace-Garageguy]

This one appears to show the engine and gearbox in the late '49 into '50 engine color you're using...

[kjohan]

Thanks Bill for your input

I found the ad you have copied (clever idea to look after ads / missed that),
enlarged it and to my eyes it looks like the gear box actually is dark/ black

Found now on the net a couple of old engines/transmissions for sale, both with bronze engine, no doubts about that.
The gearboxes in both cases were very rusty , really no paint left but PERHAPS once they were black

Found an old car with 3 speed manual + overdrive. The bellhousing and presumably the rest (was hidden) bronze, no doubt
The overdrive black

So it is slightly unclear what was the original practice
Your initial  idea, that the engine and transmission were painted together after being joined/assembled , hence should have the same color, sounds quite logical.

So ... wondering how to proceed ?
 

[Ace-Garageguy]

1 hour ago, kjohan said:

Your initial  idea, that the engine and transmission were painted together after being joined/assembled , hence should have the same color, sounds quite logical...

Maybe not. I found this black & white assembly line shot of a late flathead (1949 and later, identifiable by the separate bellhousing), and the bellhousing is clearly a different color than the engine or the 3-speed manual gearbox.

Edited June 21, 2023 by Ace-Garageguy
CLARITY

[Ace-Garageguy]

Can't tell the trans color, but maybe you can blow up a frame...

 

[Ace-Garageguy]

Here's another ad shot showing the engine and gearbox the same color...

     

[Ace-Garageguy]

Three restored '49 Fords...

3 speed w/overdrive

3 speed

3 spd w/OD

What's correct is anybody's guess.   

Edited June 21, 2023 by Ace-Garageguy

[Ace-Garageguy]

This '49 3 spd w/OD looks like a faded blue where there's still paint...

[Dave G.]

This thread reminds me of when I ran fleet maintenance for a beverage franchise. I bought rebuilt manual transmissions from a guy up around Revere Ma. Every one of them was painted red oxide.

[kjohan]

Thanks Bill for your help with photos

On Youtube I found a couple of commercial films for the launch of the -49 ford

There they showed on a rotating podium a L6 ( quite dark blue engine) and a V8 (bronze engine)
Both had black bell housings and gearboxe
Which seems to be in line with the black-white photo from Bill
At  least the V8 oil pan was also black, to me a little unexpected
Also on the L6 these parts were black but more difficult to judge, could be the dark blue also
On the V8 - photo the oil pan seems to be obscured by the assemby jig

Have also found a couple of YT films on old cars, certainly not renovated during the last decades
They both had black gearboxes and bronze bell housings


In the end I think I will go with the commercial film scheme.