Tailgate Letter Colors

Did all 80-86 trucks have a contrasting color on the raised letters on the tailgate?  I've browsed some posts here, and looked at brochures, and it looks like even the lowest trim levels had coloring on the letters.  My 85 blue truck I know has been repainted.  I'm not sure if my red 86 has been repainted, I didn't think that it had, or maybe the lettering has just worn completely off.  My 3rd bullnose parts truck doesn't have a tailgate, and my flareside bed doesn't have any indication of a differing color which could be another repaint or worn situation.  

I ran across some vinyl lettering sets on ebay in red, white, black, blue, and a few other options.  Does anyone have an experience with these vinyl letters?  How well do they go on?  How long do they last with weather exposure?  I'm not interested in trying the hard rubber roller with paint.  Is the color combo just a personal preference or were there specific colors used depending on the body color?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/291414317897?itmmeta=01J2M3G913D5WN022VG9VH3RWD&hash=item43d9a59b49:g:s4YAAOSwwbdWMmwW&itmprp=enc%3AAQAJAAABABdiKYckB%2BaAfMzPcYElKwJ%2FayUhjPJF2xjHBS15A5FZa%2FMs4jvc%2B%2F3eGxpH5aGo%2BOpqo7FsfNd5fuCey0FjzNiDO7FyvDzfkI9qBOGV24PthCM4PB5VD6M2AUT0QNT1gPJxqmRIs8RHDaF2bP3tOXuOW46uZVz4TN%2BwBWPp3yvccWvt3uhHEfnrSznHGdSDFtDjhUUtipMRxq4n8XAhXNhuwvLRp%2F%2BSus%2BLyyYvdNtXy9Q8zUzk%2FZhSWTMn8hk0fks6X%2BqybNSuRV3bIitVC5BhTUYdMlC9SQUhQpSJX8zXszXYaBS81i0Z0ZU00O3pb7Kqw2cSl7LXT36tzlnyzNE%3D%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR9CQwYOVZA

  

The flaresides usually had a tape stripe, and at least on my truck, the outside color of the tape stripe would be the color of the FORD letters on the tailgate.

For instance, my truck is Midnight Blue Metallic as the base color.  The tape strips should be "Med Blue" (I think) on the outside of the stripe, with the center of the stripe being Dark Blue.

Take a look in the documentation on the site (https://www.garysgaragemahal.com/exterior-paint-codes.html) to perhaps figure out your original color, and from there you can look at the stripe color combos (https://www.garysgaragemahal.com/tape-and-decal-application.html)

Gary, while we are on this subject, have we ever run across this document number?

FPS-8472-TS

That document is supposed to more accurately identify the colors listed in the Tape Stripes page

That's interesting.  Are you saying all trucks had some kind tape stripe configuration?  Or just that all flaresides had it?

I don't have the cab that the flareside came off of.  But the blue and red truck only have one paint color on the door tag.  My blue truck is a "standard" or base model and I don't think it ever had any kind of stripe or molding, and it was like that before the repaint while my grandparents owned it.  I just don't recall what the tailgate looked like.  I think white letters would look best.  But I probably won't put any color on the letters if it could be that sometimes the letters weren't painted.  

The red truck only has one color on the door tag.  It has no evidence of a respray, and no tape stripe evidence either.  It does have some molding. The fender badge just says F150 4x4, so I don't know if it's a standard or maybe an XL?  I think black letters would look best on it.  

And I'd still like to hear anyone's experience with the vinyl letters vs. painted.  

ckuske wrote

Gary, while we are on this subject, have we ever run across this document number?

FPS-8472-TS

That document is supposed to more accurately identify the colors listed in the Tape Stripes page

No, I've not seen that, Chris.  The master parts catalog is FPS-8472-A for the text section, and -B for the illustrations.  But I've not heard of -TS.  And I've searched for it in the MPC and cannot find it.  Where did you hear about it?

No worries, Gary.  In the header for each tape stripe code, it says "Refer To Tape Stripe Color Chart Form FPS-8472-TS" (right under the illustrations)

I've seen enough Ford tailgates without contrasting lettering that I think some trucks left the factory that way.  If I were to continue to speculate I'd say that I think it's probably the base model that didn't have contrasting lettering.  But that's just speculation.

And with a similar lack of confidence, I'd think that the tape stripes were only on two-tone trucks.  Any time I've noticed them they've been where the two body colors meet but where that line isn't at the body molding.

Not trying to argue at all, but my truck (well, my Dad's) wasn't two-tone off the lot. It had the Type 6 stripe kit on it.  The "FORD" on the back was light blue, but only a single color (Dark Blue, Code 3L) on the rest of the truck (plus the stripe).  But as you say, it wasn't a base model either.  That's probably the difference.

That's my plan to get it painted back to later this year (fingers crossed)

I think there were lots of variations.  I agree that the stripe would have made sense on the two-tone trucks to have a nice transition between the two colors.

I have a lowly 'Custom' and it came with white lettering, although  it has no other stripe package.

In fact, when I repainted it I ordered reflective vinyl.letters.
They hold up really well and now they really show up at night.

There was some discussion with a member from GA about how best to paint them on.
I'm pretty sure he settled on a brayer (inking roller) in the end.

Dad's is a base model as base model gets. Red. White gate letters.

I thought there was a post on the letter colors used with body colors or was that on the other site
From the factory the letters where painted on using a  rubber roller and why the edges as not sharp like decals.
When I pained my truck I looked into painting the letters but was way too much work and could not find the right roller so I went reflective vinyl letters as I did a lot of night time driving and wanted to be seen.



I did not think the non-two tone trucks (style side) got pin stripes?
I can see maybe molding and not two tone?
Yes flare sides if two tone did get pin stripes as there was no moldings for that body style.
My truck was a custom and I did find traces of the stripes when doing the body work.
Because you can no longer get the flare side stripe kits and was too much work to paint them on I just butted the 2 colors up to each other.
I think it looks great.

Style side had moldings. No tail gate so dont know what it had, this was a Ranger package.

Dave ----

Matthew in Georgia painted the tailgate of his grandpa's truck.

On style sides I usually see them white, and red if on a white truck.
I've seen blue on blue & silver/blue tu-tone trucks

If I recall I've seen orange (bittersweet) as well, but I don't know what rules were followed.

My 1980 started life as a tu-tone Custom trim level, so base model. The tailgate letters were white, on a light tan background.



The 1983 tu-tone tailgate I picked up for my F350 has tan lettering on a white background.

Thanks for all the comments.  I've decided to order two sets of the non-reflective white letters for both my blue and red truck.  Will post pictures after I've put them on.  The 95 F150 that is slated to be turned into a bullnose flareside is still not running, so the tailgate lettering isn't even on the to-do list yet.  

Sounds like a new stencil job for my 3D printer  ... need to use it for something ;/

Since most of mine are patina-jobs, in the past what I've done is just tape and spray paint the letters and then run over the edges with a 600 grit sand paper. That will knock off all the imperfections and give it a nice patina finish. It actually is probably better than patina.

Thanks for the intel on the vinyl set. They are affordable and I may try them next time.. keep us posted.

My base model 86 same color as the body. I have both NOS decal kits for the tailgate on stubby and one tall. I think the short one is for flare sides or vice versa. Both decal kits If I remember correctly are black. I'll take pictures when I get home tomorrow.

Flare sides have vertical letters. (Cory's pickup is pictured on the homepage)

Stylesides have an extended font.

Can't say about Flairside, but Big Brother's original color (Styleside) was Desert Tan, no stripes.  And the tailgate was originally one color, no accent for lettering (all Desert Tan).

Alan, this is my 85 F150, original paint with vinyl letters. I will use the same after repaint. CJ

Finally got the letters put on.  I went with white on both after reading through these comments and looking at the pictures.  They aren’t perfect but I like them.  And I was wrong, both of these tailgates did have vinyl letters previously, I just never noticed until I was cleaning them closely for putting the new letters on.  The blue one just had the letters painted over, which makes sense because this repaint was done by the local community college years ago when a cousin was working there.  And the corners on some areas of the “F” aren’t rounded like the original.