Take a look at the truck in the "General M37" section of this forum posted by "just me".....titled "My Truck is Home". I've seen more than a few M's painted in flat WWII OD (don't remember the codes off-hand) that look to have been painted a hundred years ago and have what look like original stars and hood numbers. I'm saying those on that truck are original, but I've seen more than a few that really look like they were put on there from day 1. Some are really good old repaints no doubt, but some really look authentic. So I'm wondering if any......maybe early trucks.......were ever painted in flat OD?
Personally I love the look and the way that paint wears. Call it patina or whatever you like, but areas around the edges of the fenders and places that are touched a lot get a bit darker and get a sheen that just can't be replicated with new paint. I guess you could spend a few weekends rubbing different areas of your truck to try to get that look.........but your neighbors will definitely think you're a nut-job.
So has anyone ever seen an M factory painted in flat OD instead of the usual 2430 or 24087 semi-gloss OD paints???
My truck was a repaint with MIL-E-52798 Enamel, Alkyd camouflage Dark Green. It was just a repaint in 1987 and has been outside the whole time. (I was given a new 1986 gallon of the paint with the truck.)
According to TM9's website 2430 is the only color that trucks were painted when the left the factory. That being said..... Units often repainted trucks when they needed it. Therefor to answer your question. Trucks didn't leave the factory in WWII color 319. But units who had surplus paint sitting on the selves might have repainted them in the early years to the wwII color.
Well I'm thinking mine was blue when it left the factory. OR....someone went to a lot of trouble to cover up any spec of green, even the inside of the cab, In between the panels, under the insulation is blue.
What K8 meant was all ARMY trucks were painted 2430 when they left the factory. Air Force M37's were painted Strata Blue. I don't know if the Marine M37's were 2430 and then repainted or if they were painted that Marine green at the factory. I've got a AF blue one too!
What's interesting to me on that TM9 page is the comment regarding the 1951 M37......"During the tear down phase of a frame-off restoration, Master Restorer Gary Wirth (Hastings, MN) discovered that the original paint used at the factory was indeed lustreless (flat) and the same color and shade as TM9 has replicated with Shade #6." Shade #6 is a flat WWII OD paint, not the 2430 that all M37's were supposed to be painted. So why was this one painted this way? I doubt they stripped the truck to bear metal in the field and re-painted it......so this is why I asked the question in the first place. Odd.......isn't it?
I am with the understanding that the trucks were painted with ww2 23070 up until about 55/56 or so when the color changed to
2430.
I know my 52 uncovered a very close shade of the 23070 when I sanded it for a repaint which is what I put back on it.
TGP
Home 
