What's YOUR idea of patina?

I loved the Patina on my 57, it was all natural so I let it roll they way she looked when I pulled it out of a field.
I received alot of mixed emotions from people and the new owner is planning a full stock color re-paint. I guess its a love hate thing.

 

My friend Robbie's 1940 Willys all steel ex gasser! And his all steel 1939 Willys ex gasser. (The 39 is restored now)
And there are many more..like Chadley Johnson's 1930 Model A coupe..

 

With reference to Post #14

 

All I know is that I seem to have a lot more fun in beaters than in fully-finished cars.

 

patina is what your ride looks like before you can afford to paint it,,,, paint is always better ,,,,, unless your broke

 

THAT is great example of Patina!

Patina on an old car, to me, is the faded, cracked, worn out paint on a car....not a rust bucket that has next to no paint left with fake lettering on the side or giant rust spots all over it. rust is rust and it's a fine example of someone neglecting to take care of the car. Bare metal is not patina either. Once the car gets to the rust/bare metal stage...i think its time to start thinking about re-finishing it. It amazes me how many hot rod fanatics are willing to drive or compliment a rot box instead of chosing to preserve it properly for the long run....and yet theyre all going to cry when junkayrd finds get crushed and tossed for scrap metal. In all reality; What's the difference? rust buckets are cool...sometimes. Theyre nice to look at for the "neat" factor...but why, for the sake of preserving the car for years to come, would you want to let a car just rust and rot away.

as someone before claimed that the "patina is hot rodding history"...i strongly disagree unless its like the example i quoted...solid paint that is old, cracked, and shows wear. The car and the fabrication itself are hotrodding history...not the falling off paint. If you want to keep hot rodding history...preserve the car. Work with a decent paint shop and they can help you recreate an original color to the car while preserving a traditional look

 

Thin and dead paint = patina (maybe)
If metal is disappearing, it's rust.
Nether one sounds very appealing.

 

Patina has become one of the worst overused descriptons around lately.
Good post...
I too am tired of seeing ads that say "patina" in them only to see a piece of junkyard crap that may only have some parts.....

 

Patina circa 1983.......

 

Patina is what you get when you burnish copper, hand rubbed leather or aluminum so that it takes on a character and has a soft glow, it shows respect for nobel materials and requires effort and determination. It isn't easily achieved.
It isn't a condition of rust, neglect or simple old age. I feel 'patina' is an overused term coined by a usedcar salesman and adopted by many as a 'legitimate' excuse for justifying a clapped out pile of junk.
Patina only comes from pride, it may not be old at all...a brand new hand formed copper fuel line on a set of carbs that has been oiled, scotchbrited and wiped down has patina. The same fuel line a year later left in the elements and neglected with corrosion and green contaminants has lost its' patina and is in need of attention.

 

waiter, check please

 

Damn I'm confused, there are two simultaneous patina threads going on at once. I thought this was the are you sick if patina thread. So to everyone that is offended, good for you.

My idea of patina is used and well kept.

Worn paint is cool that is patina, worn through paint with rust growing on it is no longer patina its rust.

These 70 year old auxilary lights have patina. The dark striations on the cleaned up lights is not rust it is actually where the nickle is crazed and the copper is showing through.

The pic of the uncleaned light is not patina it is filth.

The bases still need to be scuffed and painted and the lights will need a good coat of polish/wax to protect them so they can be used.

 

Patina.......I like it but I`m just really lazy. It`s a good excuse to enjoy your ride until it`s restored... or not.

 

Ditto!!

 

I have a collector car dealership All my cars are used. I like them with a little wear here and there it gives the the comfortable personalized look and feel. I hate cars that look like they just came off a trailer. Paint em with a brush a rattle can or leave them natural it all fine to me................ And still very well excepted these days, my fresh brush painted 32 roadster just made the cover and inside of Old Car Weekly magazine recently and alot of there readers are purists . And just in case your wondering-- Nope no hate mail yet!!

 

I'm sorry, but to call that mess patina is a JOKE! That's just rust and broken glass (with wheels and air bags). When I was a kid, I strived so hard to make my car better, even though I was broke...I'd by the smallest can of bondo I could afford, attempt my own body work using my Dad's woodworking files. BUT, the point was, I "tried" to make it better. To leave it to ruin was NOT an option. I love 57 Pontiacs. And to see someone spend good money on air bags and wheels, while the car is literally rusting away sickens me

 

I bet he really enjoys driving that sedan......looks very practical.

 

Real Patina?
Steve Silva in Santa Rosa is building patina trucks, or "southwest grundge trucks" as he calls them for many years. His trucks are featured in Classic Truck Magazine. One of his trucks just sold at Barrett-Jackson for $70,000!

For real patina check out his website:

http://macsgarage.biz/2/GalleryMain.asp?GalleryID=88391&AKey=VWLPV9GM

 

You know , i think my 55 more door has patina , The old paint is faded , chipped etc. People i run into do love it and it doesnt bother me at all . But to be honest , the car is just to solid and nice to let deteriate any more. It may be a couple years but im going to completely go through this car and she will recieve new paint . It will be a stock style paint job , nothing flashy or race inspired but i want to keep it around for my sons to enjoy so i figure i better get any future rotting stopped now so they dont have to worry about it in the future.

 

A man after my own heart. This is on my top 5 hot rods of all time....love that thing!!!

 

Mac
An afternoon with some good paste wax and you can make a decent beater out of that car until you are ready to rwpaint. If you wax it you can pretty much stop it from deteriorating much more while it is awaiting its well deserved face lift.

 

Yes WAX!!! I can't wait until I can get my hand on my '35 and a tub of wax. I think it'll really shine up judging from the test patch that I did. Should look really cool.

 

Here's my favorite.



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The Orange Crate? Oh yeah! Love? No, lust is more like it!

 

Still able to shine a bit but showing some wear. No rust or primer spots though.

There is a 57 Chebbie 4 door here in town that has won national awards for the best example of an untouched unrestored tri-5 at national meets. The paint is thin but still has a shine to it an there is no rust anywhere on the car. That is real patina. The car is otherwise spotless inside and out too with no flaws except the paint that has been polished so many times it has worn thin.

 

My coupe. After thousands of miles over the last 5 years... soon to have nice gloss black fenders.



The '55 was repainted in the 80s. I have no plans to repaint it. I tried to put scallops on it, but the tape pulled the paint off.



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BTW, both cars were buffed. I HATE chalky paint.

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I cant believe how some of you people whine about a guy not spending thousands of dollars on paint. I say if you like the patina look kool and if you like the shinny look kool. I bet the patina cars are drivin and enjoyed more then the shine and chrome ones. I personally like both looks a guy I know has a 54 chevy thats chopped and sanded right down with just some clear over the metal its one of the best looking cars I have seen. While a good friend of mine has a 50 merc that took years to do and it is also bad ass and you can park both next to each other.

 

Opinion!
Patina is the shape you get a body or car in that has been sitting for years & you! Thats the word YOU! (owner) Like the look! Patina in dictionary (an appearance or aura that is derived from association, habit, or established character) I like the last two words established character! Take your old car found in a barn put 20K in body & paint & you will kill a lil kids who loves cars if he touches it! I will park my Solo Speed Shop Willys with any 20K to 500K car & we will see which one attracts attention!
Again my opinion & 2 cents! Bill