Paint or Patina?

[countr]

I do not know if I should paint to original or leave alone. this is my rust free 72 Cheyenne that is all original (and that includes all the mechanicals) nothing has been done to it.I have all the N.O.S. trim to put on. do I paint or do I leave alone? comments please Thanks

[jocko]

Budget? That matters. If it were me, I'd leave the body alone. Completely resto the interior (minus the interior paint unless really necessary somewhere), blast and paint the rear bumper, powder coat the wheels, and resto or replace the PO1s, freshen engine/trans, if required (or put an of trans in for more cruising fun), add the NOS trim you mention, and call it a day. Nice truck!

[countr]

Thanks, worried about how it would hold up over the next 10 years. eng./trans is good (driving now and all original) interior needs a few N.O.S. parts but otherwise almost perfect. Sorry for getting off track but the most important question is how will it hold up leaving it alone? I like the patina but worried about exposure to the environment. if I paint the outside the same code the interior including the engine compartment is almost perfect.This way I can leave the soap markings. I think painting it would preserve it longer? thanks

[harpo231]

You can matte clear it

[countr]

Thanks Harpo,in some areas there is no paint left and surface rust is starting will a matte clear stop any rust from getting worse?

[NC_John]

My paint/body guy put things in perspective for me when i asked him about clearing mine. "It took nearly fifty years for it to look like that. What are you scared is going to happen in the next five?"

[Mr Handy]

i would say if you are storing it in the barn, wax it and enjoy it. I am this evening stripping about 6 coats of paint off of the doors for my truck.

They are only origanal once.

[countr]

Thanks Guys, I am leaning towards preserving it the way it is and put the $4000 of N.O.S. parts that I bought for it on the patina. Does this make sense?

[Shinysideup]

Why expensive NOS parts on a patina driver??

[countr]

That is my dilemma? Do I make a show truck to look at or do I keep it original and drive it? all the trim needs replaced, and would the 72 crowd like to see a patina truck with all new trim or a freshly painted truck with all new trim?

[Grumpy old man]

Paint it , Those NOS parts deserve it . or just drive it the way it is until the wheels fall off . It's not "patina" it's rust .

[notsolo]

X2... New trim. New paint.

[Blue GMC]

Originally Posted by notsolo

X2... New trim. New paint.

X3

If your paint was faded more and not just a hood effect would say buff it and roll but the paint isn't gone far enough

[countr]

ok, doing a vote for a week. PAINT REPLY YES, LEAVE ALONE REPLY NO.

[Mike C]

If it were mine, I would go through brakes, seals, hoses, belts, etc. first. Then I would have the truck compounded. Washed and waxed I'd start driving it. Once I put say 25,000 more miles on it then ponder what to do next...

[Rufas]

Originally Posted by Blue GMC

X3

If your paint was faded more and not just a hood effect would say buff it and roll but the paint isn't gone far enough

X4
Paint it! I know I'm in the minority, but I have never understood all the this gaga stuff about patina. It's just rust. Do you plan on keeping it? Then paint or just watch it rust away. For me there is nothing better than a pristine vehicle without rust.

I just got my Dad's 70 GMC back from paint today and have no regrets about painting it. My Dad purchased this new in 1970. It's been in the family 47 years. My son wants it so there is a chance it will be in the family another 40 or 50 years.

[/url]

[jocko]

You haven't mentioned whether or not you like how it looks today. If you like, wax it and enjoy it. It will slowly rust where it's started, but, as far as I can tell from the pics, the body doesn't look that rusty (bumper does, etc). Perhaps some more close up shots will help us shed some more light. The "paint" it guys will probably still say paint it, but some of the "leave it" guys (myself included) reserve the right to change "our" minds after some close-ups!

[drewbert41]

If you spent 4 grand on trim it sounds like you could swing a paint job.

The thing is all original though so I would probably CLR it and wax/buff the crap out of it. Paint bumper/wheels.

I am not a big fan of surface rust. If you use CLR it will still have some character minus the rust.

[JPsChevy]

I absolutely loved that truck when I got the core support from you. I think it'd be a a shame to paint it.

[jocko]

Originally Posted by Rufas

X4
Paint it! I know I'm in the minority, but I have never understood all the this gaga stuff about patina. It's just rust.

You make a great point Rufas - and I am not a patina fanatic, and I couldn't agree more: rust is not patina (if it's rusted OUT, then of course fix it and paint it and move on) - but there is a case for "leaving it as it's become" (you know, the whole It's only original once mindset, if indeed it's just faded out and no more than mild surface rust). Personally, I plan to paint mine, however, there is a small part of me that, although not at all a patina fanatic, has to admit that these days I get much more excited about a truck like the op's when I see it in person rather than one that's slammed and as shiny as a cue ball and clearly massaged. Maybe it's just because I see untapped potential as opposed to originality(?) Dunno, but there is definitely SOMEthing about a truck like that that I truly appreciate and enjoy. Or perhaps it's something a bit more nostalgic - the reason the trucks were built, to be used. Don't get me wrong, I like em shiney and I like em restored, but one thing a restored truck will never be is a "good ol truck I saw on the highway today that looked like it had never been touched, never been wrecked, and the paint was just a little faded". To me, that is a true gem - and truth in advertising here, this is a mindset that has come over the years, I never used to look at a truck that way when I was younger. Close-ups will reveal whether or not the op's truck falls into that category for me, but it sure appears from across the field that it could.

[countr]

Jocko, I am keeping the truck for me to drive. I will post a few more close up pictures. thanks guys for all the input! still leaning towards leaving it alone and adding the N,O,S, trim. but going to wait a week on what every body else thinks. Thanks (THANKS FOR THE KIND WORDS JPSCHEVY)

[tsetsaf]

Your truck do what makes you happy with it. I painted mine and that is the one thing I regret. Why? Because now I can't park it under a tree I can't drive it down a narrow Forest Road I can't I can't I won't I won't because it looks so good and the paint is so darn expensive. If I could do anything over again with my truck I would have left it alone in the paint department.

[Sweeet67]

Paint it, drive and enjoy it. Put that trim on the fresh new paint job it deserves!

[Chevyland]

Originally Posted by tsetsaf

Your truck do what makes you happy with it. I painted mine and that is the one thing I regret. Why? Because now I can't park it under a tree I can't drive it down a narrow Forest Road I can't I can't I won't I won't because it looks so good and the paint is so darn expensive. If I could do anything over again with my truck I would have left it alone in the paint department.

This says it all.

If your intentions are to use it
You will drive the truck 10 times as much if you don't paint it
The paint lasted over 40 years, it will last 40 more!
Buff where there is still paint, clear coat where it is gone
Save your nos trim for another truck down the road
Or sell it for a bunch of money
And buy original, but not so perfect trim for this one
So it looks correct

[Snake72]

Leave the paint. CLR, wizards cut and polish and wax. Fix anything that needs repair and drive it. If you change your mind in a year or two then paint it. I tested the wizards products on my original paint medium blue fender and it looked like new paint. You might be surprised how well it will clean up. Howdy from eastern Iowa!