Ford reintroduced other factory colors for the Model T in 1926, after years in which black had dominated the car’s appearance. The change came during the model’s final major update, when Ford was trying to revive interest in an aging design.
The famous “any color so long as it’s black” idea was not true for the entire Model T production run. Early cars, from 1908 to 1913, could be ordered in shades including gray, green, blue, and red. Ford adopted an effectively black-only policy in 1914, helped by the low cost and durability of dark paint finishes and the demands of high-volume production.
By 1926, competition from newer cars made styling and choice more important. Ford offered colors on the updated Model T, including greens, maroons, gray, blue, and brown shades; the exact selection varied by body style and production period.
The return of color is often confused with the introduction of the Model A. Color returned for the final 1926–1927 Model T cars, while the Model A replaced the T after production ended in 1927.