What about “fixing” the patina

[Abomb]

I’m torn, I think I could make the truck look much better, but I also think “it can only look this way with age”...Should I try to improve the patina, or just leave it be...What do you all think?

How it looks now







How I wish it looked, and I am confident I can pull it off, and blend it in...



So, what would you do, leave it as is...not original obviously, but untouched for nearly 40+ years I’m sure, or do you try to “improve” it?

[68bowtie]

That’s a unique weathered look, I would suggest leaving it alone. Seems like that’s your instinct anyway maybe. The blue swoosh’s are a bit of an odd fit.

[toolboxchev]

Originally Posted by 68bowtie

That’s a unique weathered look, I would suggest leaving it alone. Seems like that’s your instinct anyway maybe. The blue swoosh’s are a bit of an odd fit.

I did something like that on a 67 Falcon. Figured it would help cause I wanted to get rid of the rust. I hated it afterwards.

Get some McQuires wax, try it. If you dont like it you can always do the paint thing later. PS the color scheme makes it what it is now, I kinda really like the Americana thing right now but thats just me.

[special-K]

It's ready for an easy good paint job or leave it be. If I left it as is, I'd blend the white back on the door and fender then give it a good weathered logo.

[Grumpy old man]

Here's a nice fix for the patina .

[Wyo George]

Originally Posted by Grumpy old man

Here's a nice fix for the patina .

That's the proper way to fix it!

[morepwr]

Great looking truck Grumpy!

As far as the patina goes, mine is that way and until I am ready to actually paint the whole truck, I am just driving it as is. Nothing wrong with the patina look.

[joeydurango]

I like the additional red... but the blue swooshes, not so much. If I had the skills and your truck, I'd probably do the hood/roof as you've shown, and put some stylized old-school logo on the door from one of my past, present, or future businesses.

Sweet truck!

[HO455]

Hot roding like many things has trends and eras. Which when mixed and matched don't always work well together. Nostalgia works when it reminds people of their past.
By adding the swooshes and making them look like they are original you are trying to add 1950's hot rodder paint to a 1967 truck. They look out of place since they were out of style in 67. My suggestion is if you like the 50's hot rod look trade your sweet step side for a pre-1960 truck and go for it.
Taking a small foreign car and stuffing a V-8 in and a straight axle under it was a popular hot rodding trend in the 50-60's. As time went past this trend when away but has become a popular theme to recreate unless you step out of era. It is still the same basic idea but, just looks wrong.
Now this is an extreme example but it explains my opinion.

[Abomb]

While I appreciate a nicely finished vehicle as much as the next guy, this one won’t be getting a complete paint job anytime soon, as it will be my daily driver, and parked at a grain elevator 5 days a week...

Here’s my non-daily driver, so you can see I have nothing against fresh paint...it’s not done yet either, but I’m slowly picking away at it...I sort of have automotive ADHD I guess.

Oh, and I totally get the mixing of era’s, I guess the scallops were more of a doodle than anything...mostly I’m considering fixing up the red and white...

[HO455]

Do you know what the truck was originally painted for? It reminds me of an early square body the local Chevron station had back in the day.

[Abomb]

Originally Posted by HO455

Do you know what the truck was originally painted for? It reminds me of an early square body the local Chevron station had back in the day.

Well, the green is from the Kansas forestry and wildlife dept., that’s where the truck went when brand new, then it belonged to Carr Auto Electric, in Larned Ks...you can still see the remains of the lettering on the doors, and above the rear glass...So, it’s definitely a legit former shop truck, it’s just that some previous owner sanded the lettering off for the most part....

[OARNGESI]

I wouldn’t touch it unless you do a complete respray

[leddzepp]

Originally Posted by OARNGESI

I wouldn’t touch it unless you do a complete respray

This ^^^ Drive and enjoy it. Save your money until you can afford a nice paint job. To me patina is a weathered original paint scheme.

[cypressbog]

Originally Posted by leddzepp

This ^^^ Drive and enjoy it. Save your money until you can afford a nice paint job.

I also have a belly button, er... opinion. As Ledd says, Drive it and enjoy it until you can afford a real paint job. To me, patina is a poor man's way to say I don't have enough for a decent paint job but I still want to sell it for top price. We can thank the cable TV shows for this craze. Eventually 'patina' will slink back into obscurity as the fad has almost worn off and people are stuck with vehicles they paid way too much for still needing an $8000 paint job.

[Abomb]

Originally Posted by cypressbog

I also have a belly button, er... opinion. As Ledd says, Drive it and enjoy it until you can afford a real paint job. To me, patina is a poor man's way to say I don't have enough for a decent paint job but I still want to sell it for top price. We can thank the cable TV shows for this craze. Eventually 'patina' will slink back into obscurity as the fad has almost worn off and people are stuck with vehicles they paid way too much for still needing an $8000 paint job.

It’s not about affording the paint job, I paint my own stuff, including the 55 pictured above, it’s the fact that it’s a daily driver that will be parked at a grain elevator at least 5 days a week...maybe someday I’ll turn it into a project, but for now I just want a neat driver that will turn heads, but not not make me scared to drive it daily....after you sink a year or two or three (who’s counting, it’s supposed to be a hobby) of spare time into bodywork and paint, you don’t want to park it in a dirty parking lot filled with heavy truck traffic...

[67_C-30]

Originally Posted by cypressbog

I also have a belly button, er... opinion. As Ledd says, Drive it and enjoy it until you can afford a real paint job. To me, patina is a poor man's way to say I don't have enough for a decent paint job but I still want to sell it for top price. We can thank the cable TV shows for this craze. Eventually 'patina' will slink back into obscurity as the fad has almost worn off and people are stuck with vehicles they paid way too much for still needing an $8000 paint job.

There's posts dating back over 10 years warning the dreaded demise of the patina look, and it's probably more popular now than it was then. It is mostly because the ridiculous price of a good paint job these days, but other guys spend $25K+ on cars/trucks and still not paint them. A lot of guys like a vehicle they can jump in and go anywhere and not worry about sand pitting, door dings, etc. I've typically driven my weathered vehicles more than my shiny ones.

[jbailly]

Yes I know it's not a truck, but this is what I like when I hear patina all original and extremely well preserved. This was my Dad's '67 Impala that was parked fall of '77 and just back on the road August 2018. Only has 33,xxx miles.

[CG]

I like both looks. To me the new design you have on your mind doesn't look scalopy, it looks like something a truck painted for a business might have had with just a little extra flair in the design. But we all have our opinions =)

If nothing else go for the white wheels and see how you like the look. Easy cheap change.

[67swb72klb]

8" Steel wheels would do it justice..

[67_C-30]

I’m not feeling the swoosh at all, but it’s not my truck. I do like the idea of white rims and 8” steelies on the rear.

[Abomb]

Originally Posted by 67_C-30

I’m not feeling the swoosh at all, but it’s not my truck. I do like the idea of white rims and 8” steelies on the rear.

Love your 68, it did get me thinking about 8 inch rear wheels...if I hit the salvage yard, what years and vehicles would be most likely to have 8 “ steel wheels?

[67_C-30]

Originally Posted by Abomb

Love your 68, it did get me thinking about 8 inch rear wheels...if I hit the salvage yard, what years and vehicles would be most likely to have 8 “ steel wheels?

The most common vehicle to get the 8" steelies are '84-'86 Military CUCV Blazers, but they came on lot's of 70's and 80's 4WD trucks and Blazers.

Sadly, somebody wanted the '68 more than I did, so its gone. I need to update my sig and picture!

[Abomb]

Maybe just a good buffing and a touch up of the white is the way to go...the sanded doors really bug me

[67_C-30]

Originally Posted by Abomb

Maybe just a good buffing and a touch up of the white is the way to go...the sanded doors really bug me

That looks great! I agree about the sanded doors. If the logo was weathered (no matter what it was) I would have left it, but I didn't for them being sanded away.