Two Tone or not in 1940?

[1940plymouth]

I found this photo taken in 1991 of my Plymouth, that was the first year I had it back on the road.

It appears to be a two tone paint job, but I have been told that it wasn't until 1941 That Plymouth were like that.

What got me to thinking about this, is photos of Rodney's '40 when he first started working on it, the one photo appears that his was two tone.

[Plymouthy Adams]

not sure myself but I can vouch for the 41 as I have a 41 two tone Dodge here..I also have a copy of the Plymouth Service Manual that covers 1936 through the 1941 years..but alas there is nothing in the body section that refers to paint and trim..but flat out posted in the identification chart the 41 is shown in the book as a two tone..

In looking at this book I came across a booklet I forgot I had bought, found it at an estate sale...it the original factory booklet "A Serviceman's Preview" to the new Model P18...

Edited January 21, 2011 by Tim Adams

[Rodney Bullock]

Yes, one layer that I removed it was white and light green. I wondered why they would do that, we must understand that even then folks experimented. I toyed with the idea of two tone however after I saw the color I have I was in love with it.

Believe it or not I remember seeing your car along time ago. On my other computer you had a website of the car when you where first building it. I think it was your car. You guy's had done a lot of work on it and were ready to put it on the road. I had not built my car then. The whole site was dedicated to the car, was that you and your son?

[1940plymouth]

Yupper, that was a website that my sister did for me years ago. It was called "Robert's Garage" I had alot of fun with her doing that website. It is no longer around, but my sister has it saved

[greg g]

I have a picture of a 40 or 41 that was for sale in the area. It was light blue over blue, and the colors were metalic. This car looks like had it had an added chrome trim strip that was used as a divider line. It did not look like stock colors or a factory two tone, also didn't think the split at the back looked attractive either.

Neve have seen the car at any local events or out driving, this pic is 4 or 5 years old.

[1940plymouth]

Greg,

That is a '41 Plymouth, it looks darn close to the one I am posting now. This photo was taken in Camden, NY in Aug of '91. Russ and Marie Sage from the Syracuse area owned it at the time

[greg g]

Looks like the same car. It was parked at a shop in Bridgeport, NY with a For Sale sign.

Still had a current plate and reg when I saw. Haven't seen it since.

[Plymouthy Adams]

cut lines for two tone..here is an example of my Dodge D19 Town Sedan for 1941...the paint path at the rear top of trunk vicinity is as the Plymouth it seems

[40phil41]

Don't know about Plymouth but Dodge did have two-tone in 1940. I have some magazine adds showing the two-tone as well as a factory photo (unfortunately, all in Blk/wht).

Phil

[40deluxe]

1940 Dodge magazine ad:

[JerseyHarold]

IF anyone has a salesman's book, that would tell what color combos were available.

[Roadkingcoupe]

IF anyone has a salesman's book, that would tell what color combos were available.

I am looking at a 1939 and a 1941 Plymouth Data Book (just my luck that I do not have a 1940 Plymouth Data Book).

However, the 1941 Plymouth Data Book shows:

Four Two-tone color combination's "available on Special DeLuxe Sedans only".

The color combination's are:

1- Air Wing Gray No. 501 and Mandarin Maroon No. 601

2- Aviator Blue No. 201(Polychromatic) and Eddins Blue No. 203 (Polychromatic)

3- Metallique Green No.301 (Polychromatic) and Jib Green No.303 (Polychromatic)

4- Flight Gray No 503 (Polychromatic) and Plaza Brown No. 401 (Polychromatic)

Please correct me if I am wrong, but if I remember correctly the Special Deluxe Sedans had a thinner extra piece of trim above the belt line molding. As previously mentioned this "extra" molding acted as a delineating marker between the two colors.

note: "Metallique" is not a spelling mistake....that is exactly how it is written in the Data book.

Edited January 22, 2011 by Roadkingcoupe

[B-Watson]

Plymouth did not offer two-tone paint before 1941.

In Canada, all Windsor-built cars (Plymouth, Dodge, DeSoto, Chrysler 6) could be had with the following two-tone combinations :

Code 1620 :

Upper - Amphibian Green (code 1619 : CIL 246-8973)

Lower - Garland Green (code 1618 : CIL 246-8972)

Code 1622 :

Upper - Metallic Skyline Grey (code 1906 : CIL 202-8975)

Lower - Metallic Harbour Green (code 1621 : CIL 246-32503)

Should point out that before the war Chrysler of Canada used different colours than in the U.S., even when the names were the same. Also, Chrysler of Canada used some GM colours. The Metallic Harbour Green, 246-32503, is actually an American 1939 Chevrolet (code 257 - Yosemite Green Metallic) colour. The other three are unique Canadian colours.

After the war Chrysler of Canada used some U.S. colours, but the number of unique Canadian colours decreased over the years until 1966 when they used the same codes and colours as in the U.S.

[1940plymouth]

Thanks for all the information, it is appreciated