Patina Questions

[OlSmokey]

Could someone explain to me the appeal of Patina? I mean to me it just looks like an old rusted truck. I'd much rather (personally) have a truck with a shiny solid coat of paint than a patina truck. I don't know I guess it's just me.

[1968aj]

I think it has something to do with the high cost of a paint job

[65standard]

I think it's cool, it shows the true condition of the original body. Nothing hidden under filler and patch panels. Very few trucks today have untouched original finishes anymore.

[kcsa75]

Originally Posted by OlSmokey

Could someone explain to me the appeal of Patina? I mean to me it just looks like an old rusted truck. I'd much rather (personally) have a truck with a shiny solid coat of paint than a patina truck. I don't know I guess it's just me.

I've been wondering the same thing for a while now. I just don't get it.

[Malamute]

Diff'rent strokes for diff'rent folks.

I never worry about anyone scratching my truck, that's for sure.

[davepl]

Hmmm... wasn't this a much longer thread?

I hate fake patina, and rarely real patina, but that's a personal choice (paint it pink, it's non of my business nor should you care if I like it). Here's a couple of factors that I think brought it about:

1) Real paint jobs cost real money
2) Bodywork is very expensive, and few do their own anymore
3) Envy of people with really nice paint, you get to feel smarter than them
4) "Barn Finds" were all the rage on TV and in magazines for a year, and they had patina
5) "Rat Rods" came about from Rockabilly culture and cheap cars. I'm a fan of craftsmanship, so not my thing.
6) Flat or matte paint also became acceptable at some point along the way

So a lot of these are about cost, not preference. If I found an old actual hardware store or gas station truck with a logo, some history, and patina, I'd leave it like that. If I found a beater in a farm, I'd paint it.

But again, that's just me.

[aod92]

I like the look of both...I can't decide which way I Want to go with my truck. It has the patina look but I might want to paint it.

[hdff]

Originally Posted by Malamute

Diff'rent strokes for diff'rent folks.

I never worry about anyone scratching my truck, that's for sure.

to each his own. i like em all, except for something that is really custom.

[nlped]

When finished... I'll have one of each. 68 Chevy with original paint/patina and the 70 GMC with slick custom paint. That way I can have both worlds

[slikside]

Originally Posted by aod92

I like the look of both...I can't decide which way I Want to go with my truck. It has the patina look but I might want to paint it.

Well, you're in luck! You can do both.

Patina now. Paint later...when ever you want.

But ONLY in that order.

[HSRACER]

So I have 3 perfect paint job trucks and 1 patina truck. I like them all but we find ourselves driving the patina one the most. Don't have to worry about the weather, if anyone touches it or leans on it and it always draws a crowd. I love them all but I really like having one that is mechanically modified with all the bells and whistles but looks like a worn stock truck.

[70cst]

I thinks is a fad right now. But what do I know.

But I like some of these trucks.

Belive it or not some of these trucks have had a lot of work put in them to get that look.

As said one doesnt care if the trcuk gets scratched

[68bowtie]

Originally Posted by slikside

Well, you're in luck! You can do both.

Patina now. Paint later...when ever you want.

But ONLY in that order.

you can do it in the opposite order. but you will be waiting a LOOOOONG time...

[rustymarco]

for me when a see a truck with a good paint job i think "yea nice truck"... another of the bunch , but when i see a truck with original patina i think "thats is cool" and i can look that truck for hours and i wanna know more about,everybody with some money can have a good paint job but not everybody can have a original patina 50 or 60 years old untouched and that is something that you cant pay with any money "THE TIME". so by the end the original patina is more expensive than the best paint job
but is not only the patina the truck has to have style and the only way is put in very nice rims and tires and some others details to contrast like brand new chrome or tech stuff

[hamjet]

I have one of each, I got the stock, newly painted truck first and am proud to drive it but was limited to where, and when I could drive it as not to get the paint dinged by people in the parking lots, etc. Two years later I picked up another one that has original paint, dings, dents, but not much rust,( from out west) and took my 90s model truck off the road and made this my daily driver. I drive it everywhere, sommer, winter, in parking lots not worrying if it gets scrached, and I get tons of people admireing it as though it just came off the showroom floor. Its just what I always wanted in a truck. daily driving. I hardly drove the good 69 at all this past summer and the wife says why dont I sell it if I dont drive it. I'm thinking on that. Its all in what YOU want, or can afford, atleast you're still driving a fine GM. I don't think PATINA is something to be debating over, If thats all someone can afford to be part of this group then Great for them. Keep these trucks moving no matter what shape they're in...

[dell72]

I can appreciate a patina truck that had stood the test of time. sort of story of the life a truck has seen.

[faribran]

Well said Hamjet. I like patina trucks...no fun if everyone liked the same.

[Sicklajoie]

Very well said Hamjet!

[Cash3481]

I personally like both types and feel it's hard to find a true patina'd truck to clean up with original paint. especially if you want one without rusted rockers/cab corners. As mentioned paint jobs are pricy IMHO. Recently patina has been getting popular and like anything else, it will get over played. I like the fact of trying to work with what you have. Remember... it's only original once and then it's lost in the sea of repainted shinny stuff. If money was no object I'd have a new paint job on at least 1 truck. For now, I'll clean up my junk and hope I impress myself when I walk out into the garage.

[liftlawssuck]

I agree with all above. The price of paint has made people rethink cool. I have 1 of each as well. And just like them I drive the patina one the most. To me it's like the truck tells a story. All original and has a story behind each dent and scratch. I like patina as long as it's solid. Mater has a good line in Cars 2. He gets a small scratch and says to leave it because it leaves a place in time to remember. Something like that. I see the same thing and think about someone was doing something 40 years ago and put that scratch there or wore out the shifter knob, etc. Then I try to come up with a story as to what they were doing. They were just going about they're day to day business and now I'm trying to get behind the emotions of what was going on at that time. Kinda like forensics.

[flashed]

Im not sure if my daily driver is considered patina or not but I like it just like it is .Its a short bed stepside 74 Chevy with 6 cylinder and 3 on the tree with just over 62,000 original miles .Im constantly asked when Im going to restore it and always give the same answer ,Im not . It has badly faded burgundy colored paint with a couple of very small rust holes and a little primer showing in a few spots and van rally wheels that were on my 72 short fleet which was frame off restored and stays indoors most of the time .I like all styles of trucks so it doesnt matter really what they are called .

[Malamute]

I guess it depends on the truck, people ask who did the paint on Stella and I always say, "GM in 1971". Patina doesn't mean rusted out and there will always be enthusiasts that want those trucks. I'd be crazy to ever considering painting that truck, it's 100% rust free and has no need for paint. I'd take it over a truck with a $10,000 paint job in most circumstances.

My '69 will likely get paint somewhere down the road but I'm happy to drive it with it's horrible '80's re-paint nonetheless.

[BKSS67]

Patina paint trucks are no different than blue jeans now-a-days that have that worn out look.

It's a trend that eventually will fall out of favor for something else.

[DeadheadNM]

I have an original paint patina truck and have no plans to paint it - not because I want to be trendy but the paint polished up well as shown and is only original once. Sure it's thin in areas and there are the inevitable dings that develop over 40 years of driving but I don't worry about getting it dirty.

I went with single stage paint on my K20 rebuild the thought being in 20 years I'd rather have a faded paint job that looks like an old (read patina) truck than risk a shaggy peeling clear coat.

[hamjet]

Patina's a "phrase" put on things worn out through time. You see the phrase used on antiques all the time. The way I see it is, your trucks got its work cloths on or its sunday best..