Tailgate Letter Colors

[thelastkeg]

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

 

[ckuske]

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)

 

[ckuske]

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

[thelastkeg]

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)

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.

[Gary Lewis]

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?

[ckuske]

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)

[Nothing Special]

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.

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.

[ckuske]

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.

[ArdWrknTrk]

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.

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.

[Angelo Voltura]

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.