I am restoring a 1930 Rugby S4. The fenders and body are black. Does anyone know if that is the only color they came in?

Michael E. Kisber
michael@kisberenterprises.com
www.kisberenterprises.com
(901) 490-2576

Where Are You From? Memphis, TN

Do You own a car built by Durant? 1930 Rugby S4 Closed Cab Pickup

I would think there would be a good possibility that the car colors were also used on the trucks. There is a list of colors on the Tech Page.

Dave

Where Are You From? Iowa

Michael,
I have a large RUGBY sales brochure for the 1929/30 (?) "Light RUGBY Delivery" trucks and 2000 Lb. "Model X" trucks(Oval "RUGBY" Radiator emblem; 3 Verticle bar Grille with one Upper Horizontal bar).

The illustrations for them are toned photographs of each model. The Four cylinder "1/2 Ton Chassis with Car and Open Express Body" most closly looks like a modern (Closed-Cab) Pickup.

From the illustrations (closed models) the body appears to be painted below the belt-line, low-gloss medium colored (Med Green; possibly Brown or Blue) paint. Above the belt-line (and wraping around the cab) is a low-gloss Tan,Green, or possibly Blue. Cab above this "colored cab-band" is again the low-gloss medium body color.

These medium colors were very common on Chevy or Ford closed quarter/half ton trucks of the same years. Look up Chevy 29/30 Truck colors for examples (these are well researched and matched to current colors).

Of course the Fenders, Chassis, and rounded Headlight "Buckets" are Black. Wheel spokes are the darker Lower body color, with Silver Rims, and Blackwall tires. Grille,Hubcaps,Headlight Rings,Door handles and Running board trim all appear to be plated...Very Stylish truck! Truck illustration/photo also shows a single side-mounted rim/tire clamped on the Left front fender (possibly an option?).

Note: the colored Cover illustration is a Panel Delivery in Orange body,all Cream (off-Beige white)upper above belt-line and Light Tan Delivery sides above this Beige white body side (4 inch) stripe. Black(?)pinstriping probably separated these colors. All other parts as noted above except for "White" (wall)tires and White Spare cover! This illustration is Really a striking Stylish truck going past a "Rich" house/castle! Hey it's a Sales Brochure!

I went long but Hope all this helps you. I am quite familiar with Chevys (Cars & Trucks) of this vintage.
Lance C.

Where Are You From? Niceville Florida

Do You own a car built by Durant? 25 Locomobile JR-8 Brougham, 25 Loco JR-8 Sedan, 26 Loco JR-8 Roadster project, 30 Durant 610 Deluxe Sedan

Michael,
I went to your Web-site very nice vehicle restoations! Your 30 Rugby truck appears to be "older" than a 30, or perhaps a very early one? My brochure is "undated" but by looking at the style and models of the trucks illustrated I would now think it was for "late" 30 models (Same Grille/Radiator).

Also a strong possibly this sales brochure depicts 1931 models. The "Convertible Business Roadster with Open Box Equipment" is definitely a 30/31 car.

As you know this was common with Chevy and Ford Trucks to "trail" car style offerings by one year or so in the 30's. Also since I picked-up this brochure in Canada, it may also depict "Rugby" export models. I don't know for sure.

Again I hope this helps you or some other club member.
Lance C.

Where Are You From? Niceville Florida

Do You own a car built by Durant? 25 Locomobile JR-8 Brougham, 25 Loco JR-8 Sedan, 26 Loco JR-8 Roadster project, 30 Durant 610 Deluxe Sedan

I have to differ in opinion from Dave. I think most commercial vehicles would not have sported a fancy color combination. You probably could order it an pay extra for any color Durant offered, but most likely it would come stock in black. Remember trucks during this time period were not like pickups today. They were strictly for work use. No frills, and very basic. The Sales brochures probably would have been colored to be more eye appealing and as a sales marketing tool.

Where Are You From? Oviedo (near Orlando) Florida

Do You own a car built by Durant? 1928 Durant Model 65 4 dr

Lance .. if you look at Terry's site he has 28 and 31 for S-4 and missing between. Perhaps he meant 29 and 30. Under tech pages and serial numbers for Rugby trucks the S-4 seems 1929 # 1000 and up, and 1930 # 1227 - 1600 only. 31 was 614.
Seems to follow the pattern trucks are a year behind. My old 31 Chev canopy express truck was 30 fenders etc.

Where Are You From? Ottawa Ont

Do You own a car built by Durant? 1932 614 sedan

It was kind of common for farm wagons to be painted green. That followed into trucks. Bright colors didn't get into the market until late 20's. However, Black was the cheapest, so it was the most common. (And buggies were usually black, too.)

I agree that colors for other cars could apply to Durants as well. I think the vendors would mix up colors for the season, and shop them around to the car makers. They might pick out a few and call them different names.

Do You own a car built by Durant? yes

Norm,
You are probably right , Under the Photos section under RUGBY in the 1929 pictures is one called simply "Pickup Truck" (No other data). This "1929" truck looks very similar to the one Michael is restoring, as shown on his Website as a 1930 model! So without seeing his Serial number I would peg it for an S-4 of 1929 or early 1930. Also as we know "unsold stock" was sold the next year and Re-Titled. Also Titles then were usually listed in year sold, Not year made.

Still don't know Year of my RUGBY Truck Sales booklet/poster? But still guessing it is most likely 1931. The trucks coloring as I have described in above posts "sure are sharp" with Two, and Three Tone colors, and with Black chassis/Fenders, etc.; Four Colors! Very Flashy for trucks in the early 30's as "Cdmn" says; Trucks were usually dull work vehicles. But again by 1931 car companies were doing absoutely anything to bring in a sale, any sale! Probably by offering them brighter colors Durant figured they could pickup a broader customer base. So the "depicted colors" may have been "Extra" as Cdmn says, still holding price with "normal" standard dull colors or the cheapest Black color. The 30's models (Cars & Trucks)were not as "Bright" in color or "Option laden" as most Car Shows today would have you believe. These were very tought times and people were very conservative.

There was a recent editorial in the Hemmings Classic Cars magazine about one of the Editors asked to Judge a Clasic show and he said he had never seen "such weird" or garish color combos as we now see on the Show Circuit. He said "Classic" car colors were chosen to "enhance" a cars lines, not detract or break-up those lines. Also in the day, these cars were bought by people of money who were "conservative" in taste [not usually showy]and the cars reflected this(especially the sedans)too. The open cars were more sporty, but still a bit toned down for our taste today. We would probably call the 30's scene Dark or "Dull" today. The editor also said he would like to see restored cars painted back in their original colors again. But BOY do I know that is a hot Potato subject!

Lance C.

Where Are You From? Niceville Florida

Do You own a car built by Durant? 25 Locomobile JR-8 Brougham, 25 Loco JR-8 Sedan, 26 Loco JR-8 Roadster project, 30 Durant 610 Deluxe Sedan

How true Lance, more deluxe Ford A's out there with all sorts of goodies, than ever left the factory. Your talking depression and keep it cheap but useful not flashy and gaudy like the "restored" cars are now.

Your truck sales thing match up with any of Terrys books to help you with year ??

Hey talking about that where's the 613 you have a copy of ?? Love to see that.

Where Are You From? Ottawa Ont

Do You own a car built by Durant? 1932 614 sedan