So how do you PRESERVE a patina?

A friend of mine has a 47 stude truck. It still has the original green paint which is faded, and there's some light rust on some of the surfaces. We live in Pa, and he would like to keep it the way it is (it's perfect on that truck), put this ain't so cal, and the "patina's" gonna go fast if he uses it a lot. We were discussing ways to preserve it, the former owner was rubbing oil on it, but that's kinda messy. We discussed clear coat, but I don't think it would stick without some prep work, and that would wreck the "patina". He mentioned pledge, and I said there are other auto spray waxes that might work better. Anyway, have any of you other rust belters found a way to preserve a patina, or at least slow the rust while preserving the look, as you guys know, it doesn't take long for it to get away from you in this weather.

 

Take a picture if you want to preserve it's current look.

Then sand, prep and paint the truck.

 

yea, you could do the above mentioned, or you could just keep a good coat of wax on the puppy.. that's what i do to the original paint on my bel air... I have to use cleaner wax every once in a while to knock down the oxidation... but the wax will keep the paint presentable in PA weather... I use meguires cleaner, polish and carnuba... no my car doesn't have surface rust at all... so if this is the kinda surface you're trying to keep up, then i guess wax wouldn't work, but it will work to keep original paint in check...

 

can you wax faded paint? wouldn't it turn white and chalky?

 

wax it

 

Yeah, that's what I think, that's why I'm thinking something like a liquid wax, maybe even floor wax, ya know, something that goes on clear and stays clear, and doesn't require rubbing that would probably take off the "patina". How about tung oil? Penetrol?
Fat Hack, if you'd see this truck you may change your mind, I'm not a big rust lover, but on some vehicles, it's just "right", and this truck is one of these.
I hope this doesn't turn into one of those rust vs. paint threads, cause there's no changing his mind, or mine in this case, the truck looks great as is, and he wants to keep it that way, if this was Arizona, I wouldn't even ask. Unlike the south west, this kinda finish is very rare in Pa, usually they've been repainted many times by now, or they're rusted into dust.

 

Wipe on linsead oil every once in a while ...... That is what I was told by a good old guy that has collecting and selling old license plates for 31 years.

 

Yes, but you have to use a course "cleaner wax" first to remove the top layer of oxidized paint and reveal the good "core" of paint beneath... the only thing is you have to beware of wearing the paint thing... my car believe it or not was covered or rather caked with chicken **** and very faded, but the previous owner buffed it out with Mcquires cleaner wax and an orbital.. the only thing was he was sort overzelous with his buffing and wore the paint thin in some places... that's the danger of taking off that top layer of bad paint to get to the good paint, if you are not careful you will rub through... but I guess this is kinda off the topic of this post, because the guy wants to preseve the truck's paint as it is now... hmm.. ohhwell

 

JUST be careful with how you dispose of the rags.. rags soaked in linseed oil can and will spontaneously combust, I've seen it happen, but yea, that is a good idea.... we rub down my dad's bob-sled everyonce in a while to preserve the paint and patina... although it is wood but the linseed does work on the metal parts as well.. the only thing is it gives the stuff with the surface rust a "wet" look.

 

use denatuerizer(or just give it a really good cleaning) and then clear over it!!! my buddy did it on is, and it is holding up really well!!! make sure the first two or three coats of clear are light, then do a regular coat.

 

Linseed oil or wd40 in s spray bottle then chamoise off,or you can use fine scotchbrite (dont leave scratch marks)then spray the entire truck with 2k clear with a 50/50 mix of flattening base it will look real nice and hold the surface rust back from growing,tryit on something small first it will give a flat suede look to the original patina,looks nice!

 

Gibbs...

 

Allright, i'll throw this into this concoction....Penetrol

 

save patina i thought that was something you paint on to a car

 

This is good stuff.
http://www.roadsters.com/gibbs/

 

Need to use boiled linseed oil vs raw linseed oil or it will take forever to dry.

 

Always used a parrafin oil mix on a cloth with all the ex.army stuff I had. Kept the @Look and lasted well. Also stopped Numpties from leanin against it.
Safe Cruisin Chris.

 

prior to applying clear did you lightly scuff the surface so it would adhere;and didn't it make the surface rust shiney?
steele

 

Have you ever used it for this purpose? I was really kinda leaning this way (or boiled linseed oil), and think it would probably work right over the oil that's already on it. I don't think clear coat would work since the prep work to get the paint to stick would ruin the patina I think. Lots of good ideas here though, I appreciate it. If anyone has had success with preserving their "patina" chime in, since he wants to drive it a lot without worrying about this Pa weather.

 

Try botox, your car can look like Burt Reynolds

 

I don't understand, this Stude sits out in the wheather for 50 years and you like the way it looks but you're afraid let it stay out in the wheather? put it in a heated garage with no light for another 20 then check and see how it doing! let me know OK

 

Paint.

 

WE used to use bowling alley wax in foundry/sculpture cl*** to preserve a meticulously applied patina - no residue ... and it even smells good. It's cheap and you can find it in any hardware store.

 

THATS A NICE 4 DOOR DID YOU HAVE IT AT SUPER CHEVY IN PA ABOUT 6 OR 7 YEARS BACK ?

 

Dude, it's ORIGINAL paint and the truck is damn near 60 years old.....the patina ain't gonna 'disappear' by driving it.....I say leave it AS IS....

 

You could do what late Herb Sniffen of Brewster, NY. did in the 1980's; Installed a garage door that opened in to his living room. He parked his prized cadi there everynight. Well, until he hooked up with a local diner waitress thirty years his junior. Then the cadi returned back to the elements. He didn't seem to mind anymore.

 

Poke it as little as possible and after it dies put it in a jar of formaldehyde.

 

It didn't sit outside for 50 yr's (actually it would be more like 60) it spent most of it's time in a barn or garage, if it sat outside in pa all those years, we wouldn't even be havin' this discussion, it'd be gone. And yes, he likes the way it looks, that's why he's trying to preserve it in this state, rather than let it progress, which it will quickly now that the paint is failing, he doesn't want a rust bucket. The truck looks just right now, and he'd like to use it and at least slow the rust. I think the Gibbs, penetrol, or boiled linseed oil, and bowling alley wax all sound like good suggestions, I'll tell him to experiment with these.
Kevin Lee, right now, it's covered in oil which does make it shiny and darkens the rust, and while it is sort of unnatural, it looks good, except that it's messy to touch, and attracts a lot of dust, but he really like the way it looks. I can't think of any other way to explain it, and he's computer illiterate, that's why I'm asking for him.

 

If it's covered in oil you are going to have a hell of a time getting any clearcoat to stick where you need it. The oil impregnates (that's right, I said impregnates) the rust. I say, keep using some kind of oil to preserve it. Maybe wax the parts that still have paint.

Post some pictures. I'd like to see it and you might convince some of the "just paint the ****er" crowd that you are right.