How do I fade the paint "add patina" to my truck

[murguia]

So i have an original paint truck and I want to fade the paint in some areas to add that patina/shop truck look to is. Anyone ever do this? If so, how do I go about this? Sand paper? Please be specific or just buff it down?

Thanks
Nick

[jocko]

So, I have to ask. If you have an actual original paint truck as you state, it HAS to have some patina at this point in its life - if it doesn't then, whatever you do, I'd think long and hard before sanding it off to look like the latest fad.

I LIKE patina jobs, but, wow, it'd be kind of a shame to sand through original paint that's survived half a century if it looks pretty good (and if it does, it's GOT to have some patina to it already). If the original paint is already trashed, then no harm and no foul, go for it.

First decide if you want "faded" or "patina" (as in, sanded through to primer showing). If faded, then perhaps clean it up and spray a satin clear coat, if you must - but 50 y/o paint should already be a little faded. If it's just an original color repaint on it already, then no worries, do what you feel like. If you want patina on an already rough paint job, then some fine sandpaper and a wet sponge (or running trickle from a water hose) to wet sand the tops of the fenders and hood and roof and trunk. Bottom line, picture the surfaces that would receive direct sunlight at mid-day and those would be faded/burned through over time. Sanding through the primer on lower half of body panels isn't really where the sun would wear them down - unless you want it to look like you have old unfinished body work also. Turning an existing original paint job into patina is totally different than "creating" a patina job on from scratch. I'd submit the latter is perhaps easier (as you can control the color of the under coats) whereas making patina on a factory paint job could easily turn out disastrously.

To each his own, but truly, if you have an original paint truck that has decent paint, I'd resist the urge to muck with it much - it's only original once. That's just my 2 cents. Again, if it's already trashed, then yeah, grab some 240 grit and a sponge of water and go for it.

How about a picture?