Water Pump Fan and Air Cleaner color

[Guest]

One fellow Bird owner said the color for 59 352 is an off white and he recommended Rustolume Antique White. On inspection of the inside of my aircleaner and fan blade it appears dull cream biege white after cleaning, not bright white that I see in all the color pictures. Taking account of the oil over the years I still don't get bright white as the color sanding should show bright white but it stays true to the beige (this is not repaint or over coat). I like the off white and it matches the orginal paint but are we wrong or is the group wrong? Or are there two possible colors (white shades) On another note the concurs colors for a 1960 air cleaner states white when my freind, has the orginal owner has it yellow. and I have seen other yellow aircleaners.

[tarps3]

RE: Water Pump Fan and Air Cleaner color

My '60 352 also has the "cream" colored air cleaner.
It appears to be original with no indication of overspray, etc.
It even has what looks to be a factory-applied rubber stamp of some sort (hard to make out).
I have seen pictures of the cleaner as BRIGHT white but maybe mine is just faded. It isn't grimy or dirty at all but it isn't white either.
I don't know what the answer actually is but I can be almost certain that the cream color on mine is original.

Casey
60 hardtop

[Alexander]

RE: Water Pump Fan and Air Cleaner color

I have seen the fan and air cleaner a beige-yellow color on some original pieces, but I am not sure that that was the original color or due to the aging, heat, rust and oil fumes in the engine. Most Thunderbird clubs agree that the original color of these assemblies was an off-white, the same Colonial White that was on the 1958-59 Thunderbird (M30J PAINT CODE: 524 White). Where that information was originally obtained is not clear.

If you obtain an antique or off-white can of spray paint from the local hardware store, you will get an acceptable result. Any white except bright white is visually acceptable.

One note, the four blade fan on non-air-conditioned 1958-1960 Thunderbirds is an off-white. The five blade fan on air-conditioned cars is a semi-gloss black.

Alexander
1959 Hardtop
1960 Golde Top

[Guest]

RE: Water Pump Fan and Air Cleaner color

Thanks I have painted it antique white and had problems with the paint reppaling wrinkling and was about to give up and paint it white It would be nice if a page could be built that records the possible difference in colors or equipment (modification change page) where lets say May 59 all cars started with beige aircleaners and every one list their vin or build date

[Guest]

RE: Water Pump Fan and Air Cleaner color

Thanks it would be nice to have a page dedicated to modifications or changes inputed by owners that records build dates and what color or modification might have started. In other word the build dates of a group of owners might support that a one time there was a change in paint and or in may have been a short period where not enough white was availble and they subsituted.