Hot Rods How many are afraid to make changes?

I built my 36 20 years ago, I painted it flat black, it was a seldom seen colour at the time, kinda happened by accident, my painter taught school, gave me an awesome price if he could teach on my truck. Called me one morning to have a look at what they'd done, mixed up some base coat full of metalflake and played. I loved it, convinced him not to clear it, against his advice, it stayed the way it was and more or less has always been a hit.
Now, though, it is turning white in places and resists cleaning up, it was pinstriped by "Boots" in exchange for work done on his car, and now, years later, it needs a refresh badly, but I am afraid to touch it, and Boots is dead, I can never get my truck back if I change it. Trouble is, I love the truck, and if I repaint it, restripe it, I feel its a decision I may regret. I love the 20 year old look, but the paint is sun damaged and really needs some attention.
How many of you face this with an old hot rod?

 

I'm not a painter, but what about matte clear? Should preserve where it's at now, right? Without changing the appearance.

 

Never spray clear over bad paint or so called patina.

 

By the way, I'm not looking for advice, just wondering if you guys ever faced this, how many regretted making changes? In the last pic, you can see the white patch in the roof.

 

Your just going to paint the outside, right?
Tape off the flames and any other pin stripping on the outside, paint the truck, remove the tape, and clear coat the whole truck. You can choose the level of gloss for the clear coat.
Boot's pin striping will still be there, and the original color near the pin stripping, and then you have new paint and the coat of clear coat will protect it all.

My coupe has been the same for 8 years, but this year I had to replace the rear window frame. The old window frame was rotted out and rain was leaking into the car. I'm keeping the old race car look, but it will have new colors, fresh paint, and a new interior. Its not going to look like the same car. I'll let you know at the end of the summer if I am happy with the changes, though there really wasn't much of a choice. Gene

 

Not an answer to your question; but your thread title brought to mind all the pastel painted, graphic covered, billet wheeled, tweed upholstered, living in the '80s & '90s cars; always wonder if the owners are naive or maybe as your title says; just afraid to change 'em.

 

My twenty year old paint was showing its age, and a few blisters too. A couple years ago I made a few custom additions, which made the need more urgent. I loved the color but change was needed. I’ve kept the color, but added Cadillac Bahama Blue as a lower body color and color for scallops. I am looking forward to the same, but still new.

 

Only regretted tearing a good driver down to make it better and 18 years later it’s still waiting.

 

If one of my cars reach's a point that I think it needs an update , I guess I have to decide what would bother me more . Changing it or watching it deteriorate more? I am a car guy because I have always looked at a old forgotten soul and thought I can make it sweet again. I have never been a pantina / drive it as is guy. In the end I would have to redo it and give her a new look and life. It is just who I am as a car guy. I have driven my cars in suede at times to work out the bugs but the end game is always to be finished in gloss and in a finish that can be repaired and maintained for years to come. Good luck on your choice. Larry

 

I didn't want to paint my 55 for a long time, but I finally did, and it looked great when it was done. Then I sold it 6 years later.

 

That is my greatest fear, because once you start it is slippy slope

 

Trollst, I can relate to so many things you said. I struggled with the same "leave it or fix it?" thing for a year and a half with my '39 Chevy. I loved the way it looked sitting by the office at a wrecking yard. I knew she'd be mine. The guy said that he was planning on fixing it up himself and it wasn't for sale. I know that sometimes means "I don't have the time or money to fix it up." And it was like the car was saying "Are y'all just gonna let me sit here?" So a few months later my cash was his and his car was mine.
The car was from Mexico, and the hood, fenders, deck lid and top looked like they baked in the desert for 20 years. The paint was cracked like a dry creek bed and looked mostly light grey with the primer showing through.
I knew if I started on the body it would never be the "same car", and I knew it would take at least a year just to get it in primer. But like you said, it needed
"attention". So think of it that way.
It boils down to a "love of the memory" and a fear of losing it. But memories are what they are.
I don't regret starting on the left front fender when I pour water on the new primer and see it perfectly straight. And the top of the hood is even "more perfect".
I say go for it and enjoy every moment.

 

I understand what you're saying, there's history in your truck that can't be replaced, but it can be recreated. I don't actually fear change, I'm just lazy lol

 

If it's what I want, and not somebody telling me what I should want, I have no problem making changes. Since I did it once, I figure I can do it again, and again....

 

Im at that point with my 33 pickup. I grew up in the truck as it currently sits but rust is finally getting to the point I need to fix it and then paint the truck. This has then led to me now acquiring a lot of parts and pieces as im getting ready to do a full frame off on it. My though process was I either spend the money on the truck or it gets spent on another project car, might as well tackle the rig that I currently have and do a really nice job so it will last as long or longer than when my grandfather built it originally.

 

afraid of change? my newest car is a '71, my computer is 14 years old and i don't own a cell phone and i still own vhs,no dvr's.. yea, i'm afraid of change.

 

As it sits right now, this is a REALLY nice truck, and especially so considering its an old hot rod developing "patina", and I'd probably be happy to leave the paint. But, it will also get to the point where its actually starting to look neglected, as long driven cars tend to, thus my question to you guys, where have you drawn the line before a teardown and a rebuild?

 

I think it looks Great.... Shoot/dust in the roof if ya can't live with it.... Boob's truck!

 

Isn’t that always the truth.

 

Well, change is good other than a wife or a paint job , then it gets expensive .

 

X2...That would make it look slightly better without loosing the history/memories

 

About the question of drawing the line. For me, so many places on the car had crossed the line between patina and deterioration. It sounds like your truck is way on this side of that line. So as far as "go for it", now I say you'll know when when you see it.

 

I appreciate the question, and can understand how it could be difficult.
When I build something, with my ideas from my head put into place, and it comes to life from that vision, it is a bit euphoric at the time.
As years go by it's still seems like yesterday when it was built, but at the same time I may have recognized some changes I wish I would have done, back then.
It's a mental tug of war-discard the original vision/build vs new and improved vision, with the knowledge that the original is/will be lost forever.
I would imagine a lot of us can't help the fact that we are a bit sentimental in certain areas we are passionate about, which is where the mental tug of war comes into play.
I can't tell you what to do in your situation (plus you never asked), but investing time, weighing options, is warranted for such a decision, not to be made hastily.

 

My biggest fear is always "mission creep"
My current rewire job seems to be expanding into a grill change and the addition of a hood (and the associated costs of body and paint work).
It seems no matter what little job I plan on doing I find myself saying " well, while I am here I might as well do {insert super difficult and expensive job here}"
My other fear is what PO handywork will I find that I cant live with and not be able to rest until I correct it...
Chappy

 

"Mission Creep".....I like that term, but hate the possibilities of it. Always seems to be how my luck works.

 

I can know the battle the OP is having... I have toyed with re doing mine over the years, the scratches here and there, few spots chipped off but it was a garage paint job with my buddies, 2 days from nothing to this, and its kinda just fitting for the truck still after all these years. I just dont know what I would do differently other than a few spots differently on the scallops. When we did it, hardly anyone was running scallops, still hardly anyone running scallops, seems flames still everywhere. So I guess what adds to the flavor is the old john deere blitz black base has held up good, I do wax it, yes wax a satin paint with the turtle wax ice stuff works like a charm... Adds some black back to it for sure. I think the OP is torn, and I can see how... If you gave the truck a light scuff, then shoot clear on it, you will seal in what is there, let it live on the memories.. You can try to wax and see if that helps any... Sometimes painting one pretty takes away the alure of it... Hence why I havent sanded this thing down and shot shinny paint on it.

 

Been there done that. I was sorry I did it, lost some of the history. So a few years later we changed it back to what it was before.
But I didn't have pinstripe from a long lost friend. Although I did it because an old friend loved my car the in flat black, when I repainted, he hated it. I had respect for the man, after he passed, it went back to black in honor of Todd.

 

The old gray Chevy was painted in 83, the paint job suffered within a couple of years with de-lamination, (a problem that many GM and Ford cars suffered with the metallic gray paint hue) plus some dents caused by a crazy lady with a Hudson Sprayer and now some rust is creeping into the quarters that I fixed in the 70's. It's chipped and dented. I can't imagine driving this car with a nice paint job. It's like my body, worn, bad parts and a poor finish, I just accept it. It all goes back to you..what do YOU want? I've said this before, I have one neighbor that has owned old cars and admonishes me get it painted, another neighbor with a beautiful 40 Ford Coupe says "drive it"!!

 

I don't understand the Q very well,do too my own older way of thinking,if it wasn't painted with shiny 20 years ago,it just looked unfinished then, an still looks unfinished ! So paint it what ever nice shiny color you like,it's a cool truck.
=It's going to look nice finished,plus be EZ to keep clean I think.
Myself,I've made small changes on my own hot rod I put together first in 1959,like better R-tires,,from gen. to alt.,even added a folding top an a better steering wheel,happy with them.
The fake bubble of flat paint BS,with names like hot rod black n other dual crap.
Primer was not thought of as a finish in 1950s an 60s. It was just primer prep on the way to a shiny finish. I built rods in the 50s an 60s,belonged to 3 car clubs then, an no one in them clubs liked primer,other then as a temp prep.
It's your cool truck,so if you get a smile out of it being unfinished,then just primer it again,or jump forward too shiny,ether way,there is no rule that said you can't do it again etherway. Ask yourself why didn't you finished it the first time{ if the A to Q is,you though it cost too much for shiny?or was just to lazy to get her smooth enough for shiny? That should help make what too do EZ.! But if A to Q ; Is you thought it was old school* looked cool flat,then you had sucked up the bubble of BS formed by those that wanted a cop out,so they didn't need to finish there cars. Ya some cars in the passed didn't make it too shiny,but that was not the plan then,shiny was!! I still don't find the dropped the ball unfinished look a good one for me.
In the end you do what makes YOU smile the most ! But know why !

 

Take good photos of the pinstriped areas in case you do decide to repaint so that it would be possible to recreate. For example, the Kookie car; for its most recent reincarnation, I'm sure the guys at Brizio's must have studied every last picture they could find.