Wheels: Remember those zany paint colors?

Henry Ford is famously quoted as saying, “Any customer can have a car painted any color that he wants so long as it is black.” Ford was a staunch businessman and his utterance referred to the Model T. His decision wasn’t so much about style as efficiency since it seems black paint dried more quickly than other colors. Ford salesmen, eager to appeal to customers, disagreed, but it was years before other colors were finally offered.

Automotive paint colors have changed with the times. I’m not going to delve into the way paint has evolved over the years from enamels and lacquers, single stage, base and clear coats, candy, metallic and pearl coats. To be fair, many early paints would be considered hazardous even when sealed in the can, so some changes were definitely warranted from a health and safety standpoint. This is more my ramblings on paint colors, taste and style.