Your opinion on Patina?

[1STMP]

I had both of my cars at a show a few months ago and Jigsaw got far more attention.

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My best guess as to why was that maybe people could relate more to the project car than a finished one. Jigsaw looks like how many of us find these cars...Multi colored with primer spots, vinyl top peeled away, stock steel wheels and a farm fresh vibe to it.
It isn't fake. The car is as ratty in person as it appears. No way in heck would I prime it either through a paint gun or rattle can. I don't like the look of primer cars.

"I don't like the look of primer cars."

In my case, old age has caught up with
me. I have a completed restoration
that was done 30 years ago.

My latest has gone thru multiple color
changes as the build progressed
(primer). Mostly due to cutting down
and shortening various sheetmetal
components to work with the home
built tube chassis. We've cut fenders,
running boards, bed sides, and grille.



To paint this to the planned color
scheme is going to require complete
disassembly and reassembly after
painting plus all of the bodywork
in between.
I've pert-near run out of gas.
We did manage to get it painted a solid
color of primer (with just masking it
off).
I don't care much for the patina look
and I'll leave the finish work to my son.

 

[66 Sat]

I MUCH prefer to see a car with a ratty original exterior and a nice clean interior, restored engine and chassis
than
That perfect paint job car that you see with fancy chrome wheels and when you look under the hood it's an oily mess, dirty engine bay, crappy interior
I can't stand rust holes though, on any car. Scratches or faded paint is fine but the metalwork has to be structurally sound.

 

[Big bill]

I went from show cars to rat bombs and I treat the rat bombs like show cars always cleaning them and polishing.

 

[hacksaw]

i love it.

 

[HawkRod]

Some have mentioned how patina cars get more attention. In my humble opinion, it is because those cars tell a story.

People like us who love old cars also love a story. When I go to Carlisle, there are 40-50 beautiful 70 Road Runners, but most of them just sit there with no details about them and no story. My 70 Road Runner gets a lot of attention because I tell a story how it was found, restored and driven across country (and on the Hot Rod Power Tour too). There are also (somewhat) hidden upgrades for people to find. This seems to draw people in.

With respect to patina: I generally prefer cars without patina. If a car has some patina, or is an honest original paint car with little patina, then that is cool. My 62 Corvette (father-in-law's special car - now mine) is completely unrestored. I think that is cool because it has survived 61 years and still looks decent.

As I continue to drive my 70 Road Runner (now 9 years after restoration) it is gaining some "patina". It has a couple of minor chips in the paint, mainly around the front from highway use and behind the rear wheel wells. But I think the story of how much it is driven makes that patina cool. It shows it is not just a trailer queen. Here are a couple of recent pictures of it:

However, in most cases a rusty or beat up old car generally doesn't do it for me.

 

[Triplegreen500]

I won't paint it.

I did buff the crap out of it (it had all the shine of a pool table when I got it)...but I won't paint it. Looks good from 10' but when you get close you can see stains in the paint from having crap sit on it for years in a carport and you can see thin spots in the paint:

The sides are wavy and the vinyl top is shrinking and tearing

But I don't care.

I can drive it and enjoy it, without paranoia.

True patina, I like. It tells a story. It's...REAL. The fake stuff? Not so much.

The jury is still out on how I'll eventually finish my wagon...

The sides are currently black primer due to decades of use and abuse and body scar fixes (dings, dents, scrapes, side molding removal)...I may just give it a few good wipes with a rag soaked in brakleen to get the original F7 Sherwood Green to show through, and leave it. We'll see.

 

[GrabberOrange69]

I’m not a fan of “fake” patina.

But I enjoy a survivor car with a few blisters or warts that is clean and mechanically sound. I own 2 garage queens and 2 survivors. I enjoy them all, but it’s nice to jump in the seat of the survivors and not worry about getting a paint chip

 

[1967coronet]

Walking small town junk yards before all the muscle cars became investments was fun.
The patina was on each and everyone.
The history was along with them.
Fast in their day cars that you knew the owners, Wrecks that you remember.
Ex girl friends family sedan that you spent a evening or two in I like true patina cars. The sand it and pour vinegar on it or 320 in weird spots till primer pops I'm not a fan.
Some of the 70s day 2 and day 3 cars i love, My brother trailered home a 68 GT 390 4 spd torino i stuck a couple pics on that burnt charger thread. That torino has lights wired up every place even the slapper bars had lights, diamond tuck interior and a home made sun roof that is a huge chunk of curved glass i think is 56 ford vintage.
It has a flame job that's pretty crude, the builders name is over the door handle and his gals name is on the passenger door.
We have it running now ( kinda lol ) his plan is restore it , he bought a roof allready.
I wanted him to leave it as is and just get it running and safe.
Grab a couple Joe Dirt mullet wigs and head for Good Guys next year..

 

[68BabyBlue]

I've seen many ratty cars with restored engine bays, nice interiors and flawless running drivetrains but with a relatively untouched outer body. With this, I'm a little conflicted. I understand the appeal of focusing on the mechanical aspects and simply tolerating the ratty exteriors. When I see one, it tells me a few things about the owner.
1) They are not the type that pays others to build their car.
2) They are the core of what we are as a car guy....mechanically adept and more concerned with performance rather than appearance.

My Ford buddy Scott falls in this group. He is a gifted fabricator and mechanic, and his fleet of three Ford F100s, and a ratty looking '64 Galaxy all have superb drive trains he installed and tweaked himself. He has refused to maintain outward appearances in all areas of his life. Although born to a wealthy family, he refused to attend college, and like me, drove a tractor trailer for most of his career. Shown below, "Bubbles," his Galaxy, which we drove to Virginia, when I bought my Hemi GTX. Former owner of the Hemi liked Bubbles so much, he replaced the GTX with a ratty Dodge D100, rather than another shiny B body.

 

[Fran Blacker]

The price of body work and paint is so high it's a major problem. Everything goes up don't blame the body & paint guys.

 

[hacksaw]

sometimes thay do come out good just the way thay are.

 

[hacksaw]

I won't paint it.

View attachment 1550795

I did buff the crap out of it (it had all the shine of a pool table when I got it)...but I won't paint it. Looks good from 10' but when you get close you can see stains in the paint from having crap sit on it for years in a carport and you can see thin spots in the paint:

View attachment 1550796

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The sides are wavy and the vinyl top is shrinking and tearing

View attachment 1550799

But I don't care.

I can drive it and enjoy it, without paranoia.

True patina, I like. It tells a story. It's...REAL. The fake stuff? Not so much.

The jury is still out on how I'll eventually finish my wagon...

View attachment 1550800

The sides are currently black primer due to decades of use and abuse and body scar fixes (dings, dents, scrapes, side molding removal)...I may just give it a few good wipes with a rag soaked in brakleen to get the original F7 Sherwood Green to show through, and leave it. We'll see.

wash it and call it good...

 

[hacksaw]

Pickup trucks certainly carry better. Hell, most are natural. The marriage of them and Hot Rod made "Rat Rod"

But B-bodies? I'm just not feeing it.

JMO.

i agree it dose fit trucks better than a Road Runner.

 

[Runcharger]

My Savoy was unacceptable IMO. It was cool as found but every time I looked at the fenders slapping in the breeze I wasn't happy with it.

 

[Detective D]

I won't paint it.

View attachment 1550795

I did buff the crap out of it (it had all the shine of a pool table when I got it)...but I won't paint it. Looks good from 10' but when you get close you can see stains in the paint from having crap sit on it for years in a carport and you can see thin spots in the paint:

View attachment 1550796

View attachment 1550797

View attachment 1550798

The sides are wavy and the vinyl top is shrinking and tearing

View attachment 1550799

But I don't care.

I can drive it and enjoy it, without paranoia.

True patina, I like. It tells a story. It's...REAL. The fake stuff? Not so much.

The jury is still out on how I'll eventually finish my wagon...

View attachment 1550800

The sides are currently black primer due to decades of use and abuse and body scar fixes (dings, dents, scrapes, side molding removal)...I may just give it a few good wipes with a rag soaked in brakleen to get the original F7 Sherwood Green to show through, and leave it. We'll see.

All your wagon needs is a set of smaller diameter Crager black steel D window wheels and some FAT rubber with white letters. 275/60/15 in back(or something like that in 14 if you want) and maybe 225 or 235 wide up front. What are those now? 17"? Not enough rubber.
That's it. Then burn outs and cruise nights await!
Wagons need to be taken seriously enough that you make it straight and MEAN, but not all the way serious. A little rough around the edges says hot rod burn out machine. Primped and shiny means you wanted to restore a grocery getter your Ma drove. Need to keep the needle on the hot rod side.

 

[DeltaV]

Howza 'bout fake patina on a fake (some people say clone) muscle car barn find advertised on Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace?

 

[mmissile]

I'm doing a patina car, after having done so many jewelry-type cars. Only the sheetmetal is patina'd. It reminds me of starting out in this hobby, 50 years ago.

 

[Triplegreen500]

All your wagon needs is a set of smaller diameter Crager black steel D window wheels and some FAT rubber with white letters. 275/60/15 in back(or something like that in 14 if you want) and maybe 225 or 235 wide up front. What are those now? 17"? Not enough rubber.
That's it. Then burn outs and cruise nights await!
Wagons need to be taken seriously enough that you make it straight and MEAN, but not all the way serious. A little rough around the edges says hot rod burn out machine. Primped and shiny means you wanted to restore a grocery getter your Ma drove. Need to keep the needle on the hot rod side.

Yep, 17s on it now.

I need to take it back to it's high -12-second smallblock days. Sold that drivetrain when I got married, to pay off her debt (whoops). Need to get around to putting the Gen-III hemi in it...and a procharger. Hehe.

Eventually.

 

[Sahara]

I like patina if it’s real. Way too many cars are over restored, perfect. If you so much as get a thumbprint on them it’s a disaster. I like the patina look as a “eff you!” to the matching numbers, over restored snobs.What really boils my bottom is fake patina. The rat rod crowd is terrible at this, to the point where I now detest rat rods. Taking perfectly good parts and beating the crap out of them is just wrong. It’s also becoming the style to artificially age old furniture, and most disturbing to me is artificially aging perfectly good guitars.
But that’s just me, your results may vary.

 

[6PKRTSE]

I was never a big fan of it. Until I built this. Not fake patina. All original patina and rust. Now it is fun pulling up next to and beating anything I pull up next to. Always been a fan of sleepers.