Hot Rods Are Satin Paints Losing Their Appeal?

This picture is of the acrylic urethane on my 49 Dodge truck, 24 hours after it was sprayed.
This picture was 2 years after being driven through 2 winters.
The 48 Plymouth coupe with 4 year old acrylic enamel paint. This one sits outside in the weather all year around. I like the shine of the acrylic enamel better, the urethane has more shine then I like.

 

I've had cars with primer spots that I wet sanded buffed and waxed along with the rest of the car. The primer spots ended up being just as shiny as the paint.
And that's what I'm afraid would happen if I had a satin paint job. I wouldn't be able to help myself... I'd start rubbing on it.
But I don't want it too shiny. And I've been thinking I might like enamel better than urethane for that reason and more. As @gene-koning 's post illustrates so well. Thanks Gene.

Satin pants to ly on
Satin pants to cry on...

 

I'm wondering if several of the new car manufactures getting in on the satin paint thing took the coolness out of it for a lot of rod and custom guys Especially in the Custom OT rides but you would have to look at photos and vidios from SEMA to see what the latest hot lick outside of wraps is.

 

crazy....I had tried everything to get rid of the chalky appearance....some pricy remedies ...none that meet up to the internet hype...
Howards lemon oil wood wax...spray bottle
clean surface of dirt, dust...but you are going to pick up dust with the white rag....
spray it on an area and spread it around evenly with a white rag (think old tee shirt)
I usually let it sit overnight....but not necessarily, necessary
wipe it back down with a new microfiber cloth and light pressure to even out the application where there might be a little excess oil....
the beauty of this....
my gas cap belched gas all over the tank and bottom of the fender...you can 'spot blend' by applying some oil and blending in with the microfiber towel
the gloss gradually fades with time and the oil will wash off in a car wash ...but just re apply
hope this was understandable enough for you to give it a try .....you will figure it out and develop your own technique

 

zackly.... thanks @Rickybop
I've used the bees wax version of the Howards, nut the lemon oil is easier to apply

 

Built a '55 Chevy over a 8 year time period that was as close to perfection I could get. Beautiful paint.
Drove it 600 miles and sold it. I discovered I didn't like really nice cars.
Bought a '55 Studebaker coupe and did some rough body work and sprayed on a coat of satin black.
Put on 6,000 miles. Indian blanket interior... a true low buck driver.
Was it because of the paint or my at***ude about what I really liked in a car?
I think my tag line sums it up. Enjoy what you like.

 

Yes. I don't dislike satin but I think it dates the car. It was quite popular in the early '10s but seems to have dropped off.

 

What do a typical satin paint job look like? Won’t somebody please start one of those ever popular picture threads?

 

Looks like satin

 

For those that like 'em glossy, I tried a new spray detailer/wax last month that I have to say after decades of products this one "outshines' them all. I applied it to my daily first which is gloss black and it looks wet and beautiful, nicest it has looked. Water just sheets off it and takes dirt with it. I did the 442 (28 year old paint) and it looks wild. I'd say 80% of surface scratching is invisible, dark, high gloss that dust just blows off with an air nozzle. I have done my roadster, which was already machine buffed last year and in seconds you would swear I just polished it again.

Downside, it is damn expensive. This is the stuff. I have done 3 cars so far and I have used 1/4 of the bottle. This is the easiest way I have found to keep a high gloss paint finish looking good without the toil and sweat. Patina and matte finishes are easier and cheaper to care for. But I like 'em wet and slick.

 

I've seen @Bandit Billy black finishes, you can shave in them!

 

Thanks for the info. on the Howards lemon oil wood wax spray. I'll have to try it!

 

Personally I'm not a big fan of satin paint jobs unless its a military vehicle of a ch***is, fender well, under carriage .. But that satin black chevy truck looks way better than the fruity looking Pink and Baby blue flame-a-mondo disaster

.

 

It's all I spray.

Nobody has asked for gloss, in years.

 

Gotta love a KB.

 

Military vehicles use Matte paint. Satin has a sheen. Two different looks.

 

Old new car paint kinda looked low gloss compared to newer cars anyway

 

I think when Porsches and BMWs started appearing on the streets with the satin paint jobs, it kind of tainted the “outlaw” effect of painting a hot rod in satin.
The first time I saw a hot rod in satin paint I thought, “man, I’ve gotta do that to mine!”. But like most trends, by the time I’m ready to paint my junk, the trend is p***é.

 

You know that's coming back I mean the mini truck guys are starting to replicate it again so it's just a matter of time.
When those type of cars were popular that is when I was just coming of age getting into cars and I didn't like them then and I don't like them now, I can appreciate the billet street rods even though I'm not into them but the pastel monochrome cars with the weird paint jobs that look like ribbons or melting away puzzles or something along those lines yeah I can't do that.

 

Really ? No kidding? Are you sure? wow ! ... what about semi gloss? Did I spell anything wrong too?

 

Get a cheap paint job you’ll get the best of both worlds shiny today and in a couple years. It’ll be right in style.

 

Nice paint is just patina that hasn’t reached it’s full potential

 

I painted the green truck several years ago. We used a enamel paint and used a bunch of flattener to get this look.

 

Satin is better than fake patina with a gloss coating,
Just my opinion.

 

Absolutely!!

 

It has its place - I have four shiny "special interest cars" - two are black. It amazes me how many people want to touch the car and the paint. After hours of wet sanding and other ***ociated work people come up and put their hands all over the car....sometimes right in front of me!

I once had this little '29 RPU with satin paint and it was low maintenance and people touched it all the time - EVERYWHERE, and it didnt freak me out...it was easy to maintain with a "mother's spray and mist".

However, just to note that paint was chosen because it hid a lot! I could have never pulled off a gloss paint job on it.

 

Glossy is easier than satin

 

If you call satin paint Primer it's no longer satin it's primer, HAHAHA!!!!

 

You make a valid point, my '32 pickup didn't recieve hours of body work before it was painted with Kirker SG paint, I had a dead line and shiny paint was not high on my priorty list. HRP