Patina...

[diggerbob]

I am getting a little whizzed off about all the "patina" lovers on this board. Before I started restoring my orange 1970 some 15 year ago, she was chock full of patina. There wasn't a place on her where the paint wasn't thin. The cab had running lights added on top when I bought her and I guess they must have leaked because the inside of the roof had tons of rust around the windshield. If saw the bump in the road ahead, I soon conditioned myself to keep my eyes almost closed so that rust wouldn't get in my eyes. I bought her to pull a bass boat and she did just fine when she was a rust bucket. If I had known that patina would soon be so much in style, I would've tried to preserve her in that state rather then replace the cab and doors and then spend a jillion dollars to strip her down to bare metal, weld in patch panels, prime/block and repaint her. I finally got her done but now I can't haul anything in her for fear of scratching her precious paint job. I would never dare to leave her parked at a boat ramp for fear that someone would steal her. I sure do miss my old orange "patina" truck.

[Chevypoor]

Yeah mine started out with "patina", then I painted it. Sometimes I miss the "patina" look as well. It has a couple of scratches after 6yrs and with the "patina" thatv would be just more character!

[65standard]

Don't confuse patina with a rusted out truck. They're very different. A perfect patina truck is just sun burnt, faded, and worn through paint. No flaking rust or gaping rust through. It is very rare and hard to find in most states.

[65standard]

Patina

[65standard]

Rusted out

[diggerbob]

Originally Posted by 65standard

Patina

I am an old fart. I wouldn't drive that lowered patina truck. Not my style.

[Mike C]

I'm kinda' an old fart too. And LOVE driving my lowered patina truck...

[cooperhw]

I know exactly what you mean.

I restored a 51 and a 55 second series truck years ago and they quit being a truck as soon as the slick paint and polished bed wood went in. Sold the 55 and said "never again would I ever do another truck". Well here I am years later in the trucks again. Hopefully wiser and not just older.
I do like the patina trucks probably a little more than the slick painted ones if only because I know most all the "done" or "restored" trucks are single seat cars that can't haul nuthin.
I am hoping that maybe I can possibly find a middle ground whereas I can put a little cheap paint on my truck but forget anything shiny or really top notch especially in the bed. Gotta be able to haul at least an ice chest and some lawn chairs.
"Gotta drive em"
Of course patina and slammed trucks are the rage or "flavor of the month" so
carry on.
I kinda dig em all, but like the trucks that still function as a truck once in a while.

[68bowtie]

as stated above, the desire of patina is finding a true survivor truck, not a rust pile.

it's interesting how many threads people start either bashing or questioning "patina". there are so many different options to love or hate with these trucks (long vs short, c vs k, bagged, modified, original resto, etc). but there seems to be so much concern about patina.

[67ChevyRedneck]

Originally Posted by diggerbob

I am an old fart. I wouldn't drive that lowered patina truck. Not my style.

It's on bags, raises up to a normal driving height

[leftybass209]

Originally Posted by 68bowtie

as stated above, the desire of patina is finding a true survivor truck, not a rust pile.

it's interesting how many threads people start either bashing or questioning "patina". there are so many different options to love or hate with these trucks (long vs short, c vs k, bagged, modified, original resto, etc). but there seems to be so much concern about patina.

Everyone needs their patina opinion heard, it's important! The best ways to start heated debates and see men act like kids is to throw the word patina in the mix.

[tommys72]

I don't mind it patina'd or shiny. But personally I like patina, shows the history. Only original once.

[Willie Makeit]

whyizit you only hear guys with shiney trucks bashing patina'd trucks but you never hear guys with patina'd trucks bashing shiney trucks?

it's almost like it's a self-esteem thing. one group is looking for some type of "approval" from others. while the other group could give a $hit what others think.

<shrug>

[sboris]

Not true..

I like em all. And i haul stuff in my shiny truck! Wood bed and all. I look at mine as an new old truck. If it needs sprayed again 15 yrs from now, so be it.
Mine was WAY past the patina stage, so had to fix it. But wont let that keep me from using and enjoying it.
Would gladly have had that origanal look though...

[cooperhw]

I personally think a lot of the "dislike" thrown towards PATINA trucks or cars is based either partially or completely on the idea that "I spent this much money painting my truck and your patina truck draws all the crowds at the shows and on the message boards". To some degree it's true.

Most old trucks have multi colors or rust/dents that must be fixed and then new paint shot. Lots of folk will walk by and say "oh nice, you got an orange truck" and keep walking.

Let one of these authentic survivor patina'd slammed on the ground bad boys pull in the lot and it will draw a crowd like flies on sh*t.
Let me be the first to admit, I do the same. I like a good looking restored truck but am really digging the true survivors slammed.
That's not to say I will build one. Just like em a lot.

[54blackhornet]

This is real patina ! She sat in one spot untouched across the street from the dealership for 22 years ! No rust thru, just on top surface. People love running their hands over the hood and fenders.

[HotRodRacer]

Originally Posted by diggerbob

If I had known that patina would soon be so much in style, I would've tried to preserve her in that state

Brother, if you ever figure out a way to predict the trends in ANY automotive segment, share it with me and we'll both be rich.

Steve

[slowcpe]

I really like the clean patina trucks. If I had to do it all over again, I would have taken more time, spent more money, and bought a truck out west.

I would love to leave my truck in its current body state but its got way too much rot. I have people tell me to just clear my truck and leave it, but to me its senseless to do that to a truck with holes in the rockers and fenders.

My only issue with doing all the bodywork and paint is I will be afraid to drive it which is the whole reason I sold my Mustang for a C10. Hopefully that won't happen.

[67 cst swb]

I didn't really get the "Patina" craze either.
But then, I was in the Rowlett Texas area in Sept 2012 visiting friends at the Sachse Rod Shop.
I contacted n2billet and stopped over to see what this "Patina" thing looked like in person. He had 2 trucks there. Possibly Stella Mae and Hazel, I don't remember for sure.
I am not sure if it was the Patina or the quality and vision of the work he does or possibly the combination of it all. But I changed my mind that day.
If I could find a worthy starting point, I would build a "Patina Truck" today.

[sboris]

Originally Posted by slowcpe

My only issue with doing all the bodywork and paint is I will be afraid to drive it which is the whole reason I sold my Mustang for a C10. Hopefully that won't happen.

Its easy, once you get a few rock chips, the pressure is off. Let er rip!!

[Lattimer]

I don't really like patina. My truck was repainted once (badly) many years before I got it. So I don't have patina. But I can't make myself spend what it takes to get a nice paint job, so I slapped a logo on the door and call it a shop truck.

Kinda in between......LOL. But its ugly, fun, and I can drive it and not worry about it.

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by sboris

Not true..

I like em all. And i haul stuff in my shiny truck! Wood bed and all. I look at mine as an new old truck. If it needs sprayed again 15 yrs from now, so be it.
Mine was WAY past the patina stage, so had to fix it. But wont let that keep me from using and enjoying it.
Would gladly have had that origanal look though...

Well said.

And... If you use it like a truck & don't 'protect' it from EVERYTHING (sun/UV damage, rain, snow, parking-lot door dings, scratches, bed floor scrapes, etc...), in 15-20 years it should have 2nd GEN patina.

Shiny or not, just get them out & enjoy them before your time, or theirs, expires.

[cooperhw]

Originally Posted by SCOTI

Well said.

And... If you use it like a truck & don't 'protect' it from EVERYTHING (sun/UV damage, rain, snow, parking-lot door dings, scratches, bed floor scrapes, etc...), in 15-20 years it should have 2nd GEN patina.

Shiny or not, just get them out & enjoy them before your time, or theirs, expires.

"Well said".

[cooperhw]

Originally Posted by 54blackhornet

This is real patina ! She sat in one spot untouched across the street from the dealership for 22 years ! No rust thru, just on top surface. People love running their hands over the hood and fenders.

Love the truck, upside down and all.

Funny thing is when I was a kid in the 60's this was a sign of poverty. My dad bought a station wagon that looked like this. About 2 weeks later he painted it in the driveway "WITH A BRUSH" dark garbage can green. He was soo proud of "how much nicer it looked without all that rust showing". Drove it for years.

[67ChevyRedneck]

Originally Posted by SCOTI

Well said.

And... If you use it like a truck & don't 'protect' it from EVERYTHING (sun/UV damage, rain, snow, parking-lot door dings, scratches, bed floor scrapes, etc...), in 15-20 years it should have 2nd GEN patina.

Shiny or not, just get them out & enjoy them before your time, or theirs, expires.

Depends on the 2nd gen paint job... single stage patina looks awesome... peeling/cracked clear coat looks like poo.