Art & Inspiration What I am I missing about muti-thousand dollar paint jobs? The anti Patina counter

I have seen so many anti patina threads and people asking why and here is the reason I like real patina (I am not a fan of fake patina or the overkill rat rod/art car style) because it is proof positive that you found an untouched old car, be it a stocker a hot rod or race car.
I look at patina much like battle scars an aged veteran.

However I have never understood 15,000, 20,000, 30,000 dollar body/paint work.
I understand want wanting your car to look nice, but spending hours, mouths, sometimes years lining up panels measuring body gaps with calipers.
It always seamed to me all that time could be better spent driving/and having fun with the car.
I always looked at these overly shiny cars and think none of that body or paint work makes that car go up and down the road, it certainly doesn't make it go faster or stop shorter.

The best example of this I can think of is my father and my maternal grandfather.
My father built a 70 Chevelle dirt late model tube chassis all new GM body panels ect..
He took it to my grandfather to be painted, my grandfather spent hours shimming the quarter panel because the body mount had sucked it in a little.
When my dad picked the car up he took the shim out because it was added weight, he told my grandfather "It's a racecar."

 

And I have never understood why people would spend hours preparing a meal that will be consumed in 10 minutes. Not everyone shares the same motivation and not everyone builds cars to drive them. If you're building a car mostly to show, you will likely spend more on its paint.

 

First, I don't think the "anti-patina" thing is about REAL patina. That is: nicely preserved, but weathered, old or original paint and chrome. I think what you are referring to is today's adoration of rusty, falling apart junk. I see so many cars that a re literally solid surface rust, that people call "patina", but there is no original paint to be seen. They are NOT good looking, just rusty.
About paint. Sorry, but I like my cars. I really do! I want them to look (and run) the best I can make them. Doing both mechanical and body/paint work, I've been trying to hone my skills, buy better tools, equipment, to do a better job. Take my time, practice more patience in building a car. Make each one better than the last. Some, more modern, and sophisticated, though this is not a HAMB thing.
I appreciate craftsmanship, in both mechanics and aesthetics. Most folks seem to gravitate toward one or the other. To me, " your "going fast" seems like a waste of time, and money sometimes. The chase to go faster usually ends in more broken parts. Showing it off sometimes leads to accidents (burnouts). And there will always be someone faster than you, who just makes payments on a car from a dealership.

 

After building my 32 I would much rather drive a patina or survived car than a painted car. The 32 doesn't have the nicest paint job but it ain't no slouch either. I have gotten better every time I see a new rock chip and I'm not the biggest fan of cleaning and polishing so patina car suits my I guess I'd call it laziness.

 

Like it or not, there are people out there who strive for the very best, and do there best to acquire it-whether with their own skills, or via accomplished, and yes expensive craftsman.
I can appreciate the no holes barred fantastic paint jobs, I choose to paint my own cars, and I guarantee you, they will never win a "best paint" award. My sense of accomplishment is doing the best I can, with my acquired skills thru trial and error.
Life is about choices, don't let other peoples choices dictate your own path, or condemn a well deserved flawless finish.

 

Comes down to personal preference. Sometimes depends on the car too......
I like shiny on most things...

 

I'm far from the best painter out there. My work isn't perfect. But I take great pride in getting it as close to perfect as I can. It's satisfying to beat a wavy panel into submission. To cut out rust and replace it with new. To block primer from guide coat to a nice even grey.

If you don't like shiny paint you don't like it. But for me the pursuit of perfection is Zen like

 

Rust is rust. Patina is a tarnish on wood, copper, bronze and other metals. Rust is not a tarnish. Call rust what you want but rust is still rust.
If people want a rusty car then more power to them. I have to admit that rust looks better on someone else's car than on mine.
As I say, Don't try to sell me a lump of shit by telling me that it's a candy bar.

 

I agree with everybody

 

Way to set on that fence Don.....lol
I have 2 59 el caminos, one pretty paint , the other old patina. I do worry more with the one that has the good paint on it.

 

Have a Snickers Dave, you'll feel better. Lol

 

I'm an Almond Joy kind of guy

 

If I build one to drive, a Maaco paint job at 40 mph looks as good as any. Not a lot invested and you don't have to worry too much about rock chips..... They give you a bottle of touch up paint.

I have never had a car that would win a car show, but they looked good cruising.

Speed kills blemishes...

 

When I say patina this is what I am talking about-



I admire craftsmanship and I understand wanting a car to look good, but when you get to the point where you are fear driving the car because of stone chips what is the point?

I always look at chassis fab. machine

We have a guy in town who is a body man he spent hours body and paint, then slapped a pair pf junkyard van seats and a used T.H. 350 in it.
The transmission failed within a couple thousand miles wouldn't some of that money spent on money been better spent on a transmission rebuild?

 

LAUGHING OUT LOUD...That's funny. My family tosses Snickers at each other during family gatherings. I'll turn into Betty White.

 

Never been a shiny type guy, but I have one in primer, I don't worry about, just enjoy, others sit on the tires and are comfortable around the car, the other has twenty year old paint that is really starting to show its age, and I do everything I can to preserve it cause its very nice. However, I drive the living shit out of each of them, but it's nice to own a truly nice car. I sit on both sides of the fence.

 

To each his own. At the end of the day the only one who has to be happy about “your” car is you. There are certainly cars I like better then others but I never comment about someone else’s work or style. I certainly understand people asking for advice on how to accomplish a task that’s how we all learn. However, I don’t understand why people think they have to ask permission on what they should do to their own car. Hot rods should be as individual as each owner.

I appreciate good engineering, fabrication, welding, attention to detail, problem solving and yes nice paint. I personally “don’t get” rat rods but that doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate some of the unique work that may have been done.

 

As long as the old iron is still around either driving or show circuit.....I don't care what the paint looks like!

 

I'd wash the first one, paint the second and third ones, and just maybe brush paint the wheels on the last one so they all match.

 

Is there anyone else that thinks this Patina/Mostly Rust and flat paint thing has been over done? It seems theres now more unpainted then painted cats out there.
I've been there done that with my 63 BelAir 2 door post car and my 60 Pontiac that wins "Best Paint" every time. Its all good. View attachment 4479524

 

I weld , do bodywork, prime, block and block and block and prime and block and polish and paint and on and on and have for many years. I'm 64 and my body is telling me to slow down after a knee replacement, and various other operations. I enjoy seeing a nicely painted and polished car. But I do not want to do it on my car when I'm off work. I want to drive it. I just bought a 47 Buick, because I wanted to drive it. Everyone asks when am I going to paint it?. I reply, I am not going to. I am going to make a sign for the window that says.....Please touch me. Instead of Please don't touch. Lippy

 

If he spent all his money on a transmission rebuild, then the car wouldn't be much of an advertisement for his skills.

So in the end it will have nice paint and a fresh transmission, and he will be broke. This is the natural order for a car guy.

 

It's nice to show what is possible ... I love highly detailed and perfectly painted cars. They inspire me to do my best.

 

Whenever you see a rusty old car it’s not patina it’s a sign of age and neglect.

People who own cars like that usually show signs of the same thing

 

The older I get, the less I wash and wax anything. My drivers get taken through the auto wash when they get to looking bad. That said, I don't like rust. Rust is cancer, is neglect, is deterioration. I'm happy with a cheap paint job that I can put on myself, wash it once in a while, and drive it knowing I did what I could afford to protect the metal. I can paint my car for around $500 doing all the work myself. Bullshit some will say. Not so. I buy cheaper paints and primers, they are not nationally known brands. I can get a gallon of enamel for less than $100, a gallon of clear for about the same, and have a decent looking paint job. It won't be a Riddler winner, but I'm not out for that. Last one I painted was over 5 years old when I got rid of it and still looked as good as it did the day the paint went on. My body panels won't have perfect gaps, but they didn't when it left the assembly line, either. It will be preserved, not allowed to slowly deteriorate back to the earth.

 

To each his own, it's all good.

 

Mines going to deteriorate back to earth. But at 80 on the interstate. Lippy

 

When I sold this car the paint was about 30 years old. When I painted it in my garage, the cost of acrylic enamel was about 35 bucks a gallon. From day one, I was never worried about the paint. In fact, as an act of rebellion, I had a sign on the car that said "please touch". Liked to park next to the guy whose sign read the opposite.

 

I just do what makes me happy...I’ve painted some, I haven’t painted some...

I get asked quite often when I am painting my summer everyday driver, I have no intention of it, it’s presentable and I will drive/park it anywhere


Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.

 

I like choffman 41's rebellion comment. Me too! LOL. Seems the older I get the more rebellious I become lol. Lippy