Patina or Paint?

[BlueChev72]

Hi all. I am the proud owner of a 72 C20, and I am at a crossroads: Should I leave my truck with patina, or should I do a paint job? My first instinct is to paint it, but most of the people who I've talked to about it have said to leave it how it is. One thing that should be understood though, is that if I did paint it, it would not be a $2000 professional job. Most likely, I would set up some sort of booth and use rustoleum from a sprayer. It wouldn't be a roll-on job though, it would at least be primed and applied with an hvlp gun. Alternatively, I would replace some of my missing trim pieces and give the truck a very thorough cleaning, but not a clear coat over the patina. One final thing to note is that the truck does not have all original paint. The bed is not original to the truck, and one of the previous owners sprayed at least part of the truck so the colors would match. Here are some pictures of the truck as it sits now:

[trac209]

I would leave it as is. But taste is subject to use etc. That said I’d prefer a patina truck no matter what

[Coley]

Without a doubt....paint it.
....Respectfully, I don't know if I would categorize that appearance as patina.
I would finish the trim with some good used stuff and get that final missing hubcap on there.
The upside to doing this is the money you spend on the truck pushes the truck's value up immediately with it.
This is different that spending money painting a new car.....which rarely changes the final value of the vehicle.

So if you invest....say $1200-$1500 and do a really nice job you are going to easily pick up probably (at least) double that in the truck's value.....and there is nothing wrong with that result.

These trucks are good investments if you go about the right way.....money in the bank.

All Good
Coley

[special-K]

That would be a really nice beautiful truck if you paint that piece of crap looking thing

We painted them as you plan, minus the Rustoleum, all the time before they started getting frame-off restorations. Go to TCP global and buy yourself a kit of single stage urethane for under $200. You can scratch that up can't you?

[C10 - C90 Bill]

Another vote for Paint.

I love new Paint.

Nice truck by the way.

[BlueChev72]

Originally Posted by special-K

That would be a really nice beautiful truck if you paint that piece of crap looking thing

We painted them as you plan, minus the Rustoleum, all the time before they started getting frame-off restorations. Go to TCP global and buy yourself a kit of single stage urethane for under $200. You can scratch that up can't you?

That sounds pretty good to me. I agree that the truck looks pretty horrible, that’s why I wanted to paint it. Other people were saying to leave it how it is, and I wanted to make sure that wasn’t a good idea before I messed anything up. I’ll look into the urethane, I wasn’t as familiar with that material. $200 shouldn’t be a problem, but $1200 is a lot for a truck I only have about $1500 into.

[BlueChev72]

Originally Posted by Coley

Without a doubt....paint it.
....Respectfully, I don't know if I would categorize that appearance as patina.
I would finish the trim with some good used stuff and get that final missing hubcap on there.
The upside to doing this is the money you spend on the truck pushes the truck's value up immediately with it.
This is different that spending money painting a new car.....which rarely changes the final value of the vehicle.

So if you invest....say $1200-$1500 and do a really nice job you are going to easily pick up probably (at least) double that in the truck's value.....and there is nothing wrong with that result.

These trucks are good investments if you go about the right way.....money in the bank.

All Good
Coley

Thanks for the response. I do have the missing hubcap on the truck, that picture was taken right before I rebuilt my calipers. While I would prefer to do a professional paint job, $1200 is a little steep for a truck that I only have $1500 into. I might get one some day, but there are a few more pressing issues I’d like to take care of first. I’d definitely like to get some sort of paint on it though, and maybe do the nicer job before I sell it (if I ever do).

[68bowtie]

Before you paint it I would give it a good wash, CLR / 0000 steel wool the surface rust areas (i.e.hood), and wax it.

[Canuckvetter]

I'm with 68bowtie. Give it a good wash with CLR,0000 steel wool & elbow grease and see how it looks. In my own experience once I paint them then the chrome & interior starts looking crummy and the moldings etc and I start replacing things. Cha ching cha ching. It's your truck do what makes you happy!

[davepl]

Paint it. It'll be a very nice truck, and I like that blue!

I'm OK with some patina trucks, but that isn't really a nice patina on that one, it's kinda dirty wear and tear, so I'd scuff and shoot even if it's just a cheap job!

[hotwls13]

I'm kinda in the same boat as you. Though your paint looks much better than mine. Haha. Iv'e got a bunch of chipping/flaking paint, some surface rust and lots of previous body work and bondo.

If I had your finish, I'd try the CLR route first. That's a cheap way to see if the "patina" comes out of it.

If that looks good/great, wax it and leave it. If not, then paint it.

I plan to clean mine up, DA sand where needed, add a little filler where needed, and spray it at home. Haven't decided if I'm gonna go cheapy rustoleum or get a single stage kit. I want 2-tone (White and a blue or green) so that might be more $$ going the single stage route.

Anyway, do what you like and what you can afford.

Cool looking truck BTW

[Bigdav160]

The "patina look" looks like a vehicle that needs a paint job to me.

[1968 baby blue C10]

Originally Posted by 68bowtie

Before you paint it I would give it a good wash, CLR / 0000 steel wool the surface rust areas (i.e.hood), and wax it.

Originally Posted by Canuckvetter

I'm with 68bowtie. Give it a good wash with CLR,0000 steel wool & elbow grease and see how it looks. In my own experience once I paint them then the chrome & interior starts looking crummy and the moldings etc and I start replacing things. Cha ching cha ching. It's your truck do what makes you happy!

I third that idea. I just did my truck the other day, I used a gray scotchbrite pad and a 4 parts water 1 part CLR mix. The results are amazing, and it actually buffs the paint some.
I enjoy not having to worry about a scratch or rock chip. It allows you to just enjoy driving it.

[BlueChev72]

Originally Posted by 1968 baby blue C10

I third that idea. I just did my truck the other day, I used a gray scotchbrite pad and a 4 parts water 1 part CLR mix. The results are amazing, and it actually buffs the paint some.

That truck looks amazing. My truck hasn’t even been washed yet, so I think I’ll try to clean it up and wax it some before I do anything. My main concern is that I need to weld in new cab corners, and the new metal probably won’t look right with the old paint. I’ll definitely give it a shot, however, as it’d be the first step to painting prep anyway.

[BlueChev72]

Originally Posted by hotwls13

I'm kinda in the same boat as you. Though your paint looks much better than mine. Haha. Iv'e got a bunch of chipping/flaking paint, some surface rust and lots of previous body work and bondo.

If I had your finish, I'd try the CLR route first. That's a cheap way to see if the "patina" comes out of it.

If that looks good/great, wax it and leave it. If not, then paint it.

I plan to clean mine up, DA sand where needed, add a little filler where needed, and spray it at home. Haven't decided if I'm gonna go cheapy rustoleum or get a single stage kit. I want 2-tone (White and a blue or green) so that might be more $$ going the single stage route.

Anyway, do what you like and what you can afford.

Cool looking truck BTW

I think I’ll try cleaning it up first, but I’m not sure the patina will come out. I agree with the two-tone on the new paint though. If I paint it, I’d like to do the same color blue with a white top and white between the upper and lower trim.

[1968 baby blue C10]

Originally Posted by BlueChev72

That truck looks amazing. My truck hasn’t even been washed yet, so I think I’ll try to clean it up and wax it some before I do anything. My main concern is that I need to weld in new cab corners, and the new metal probably won’t look right with the old paint. I’ll definitely give it a shot, however, as it’d be the first step to painting prep anyway.

Thanks man, I'm probably going to wax her before too long. And believe it or not the front fenders on my truck were replaced sometime in the past and sprayed with just base coat and no clear. It matches up pretty dang good to the old paint, so it's possible to get close.

[Jacoby]

I'm not knocking "patina" but its just not a look I'm into. They look unfinished to me. I see trucks at shows that are bagged, sitting on $6k worth of wheels & tires with a new crate motors or LS swap and meanwhile they got rust holes in the rockers and the outside looks like crap. To me that just means you ran out of money and couldn't finish it.

If you're not building a show truck then don't give it a show truck paintjob. You can paint a truck for cheap and it still look good and be a useable vehicle.

[BlueChev72]

I’ve looked up the single stage urethane special-K recommended, and I think that’s probably what I’m going to go with. I can get a gallon of blue and a quart of white for under $200 in a kit with the hardeners, and I imagine that should be enough to do a two tone, with the white section between the upper and lower trim. One question I have though, is how do you mask when painting two tone? Do I just paint the white first and then use making tape like in a house, or is there more to it?

[Coley]

If you want very good info and assistance, then post up your paint questions, etc and your specific situation under the 'Paint and Body' area on the forum here.

Enclose a picture of your truck and let the experts know you are looking for some good advice and good direction on how to go about doing this and doing a nice job.

All good
Coley,

[1968 baby blue C10]

Originally Posted by Jacoby

I'm not knocking "patina" but its just not a look I'm into. They look unfinished to me. I see trucks at shows that are bagged, sitting on $6k worth of wheels & tires with a new crate motors or LS swap and meanwhile they got rust holes in the rockers and the outside looks like crap. To me that just means you ran out of money and couldn't finish it.

If you're not building a show truck then don't give it a show truck paintjob. You can paint a truck for cheap and it still look good and be a useable vehicle.

I love patina and I find that a little ridiculous as well. Mine is lowered just enough to not have to modify the frame or anything and is sitting on Corvette Rallys, that's it, everything else is original. But not everyone can have a survivor or a completely original drive train. I can completely understand wanting a new or modern type drive train and not wanting to worry about paint.
And rust holes is most definitely not patina, I don't know who's tried to convince you of that.
Of course my opinion is subjective as well because I really don't like heavily modified show trucks. I just like to preserve vehicles in their original state as long as possible, they make new panels every day, it can always be painted later.
But there's no way you can tell me that this looks "unfinished" or "like crap"

[demian5]

Its only original once!

[Jacoby]

Originally Posted by 1968 baby blue C10

I love patina and I find that a little ridiculous as well. Mine is lowered just enough to not have to modify the frame or anything and is sitting on Corvette Rallys, that's it, everything else is original. But not everyone can have a survivor or a completely original drive train. I can completely understand wanting a new or modern type drive train and not wanting to worry about paint.
And rust holes is most definitely not patina, I don't know who's tried to convince you of that.
Of course my opinion is subjective as well because I really don't like heavily modified show trucks. I just like to preserve vehicles in their original state as long as possible, they make new panels every day, it can always be painted later.
But there's no way you can tell me that this looks "unfinished" or "like crap"

You've somehow taken offense to my post and I'm not sure why because I in no way directed my post at you or was even speaking about your truck in particular, and nowhere did I say your truck looks unfinished or like crap. I didn't say rust holes were "patina" I merely told you what Ive observed out at shows.

You asked for peoples opinions and I gave you mine. 6 others on this thread said paint it (including one that said your truck does look like crap but I guess its ok because he put a at the end) yet I somehow offended you when I said I wasn't a fan of patina.

Paint it, don't paint it whatever. Good luck with whatever direction you choose. As is your truck looks a hell of a lot better than mine does at the moment

[BlueChev72]

Originally Posted by demian5

Its only original once!

I agree, but mine hasn’t been original in a long time. It started as a chassis cab 292 truck. Now it has a bed, it’s been repainted, it has a 350, and it has many other modifications. Therefore, I don’t feel bad changing it.

[BlueChev72]

Originally Posted by Jacoby

You've somehow taken offense to my post and I'm not sure why because I in no way directed my post at you or was even speaking about your truck in particular, and nowhere did I say your truck looks unfinished or like crap. I didn't say rust holes were "patina" I merely told you what Ive observed out at shows.

You asked for peoples opinions and I gave you mine. 6 others on this thread said paint it (including one that said your truck does look like crap but I guess its ok because he put a at the end) yet I somehow offended you when I said I wasn't a fan of patina.

Paint it, don't paint it whatever. Good luck with whatever direction you choose. As is your truck looks a hell of a lot better than mine does at the moment

To be clear, that wasn’t me (op). I think I want to paint it, I just wanted to make sure that I wasn’t gonna mess up some sort of “patina” that somebody would really like. I personally don’t like the patina look, which is why I wanted to use paint in the first place. After hearing everybody’s opinions, I think that I’m going to go through with it. (Btw, I agree that mine looks like crap. Nothing wrong with being honest)

[BlueChev72]

Originally Posted by Jacoby

You've somehow taken offense to my post and I'm not sure why because I in no way directed my post at you or was even speaking about your truck in particular, and nowhere did I say your truck looks unfinished or like crap. I didn't say rust holes were "patina" I merely told you what Ive observed out at shows.

You asked for peoples opinions and I gave you mine. 6 others on this thread said paint it (including one that said your truck does look like crap but I guess its ok because he put a at the end) yet I somehow offended you when I said I wasn't a fan of patina.

Paint it, don't paint it whatever. Good luck with whatever direction you choose. As is your truck looks a hell of a lot better than mine does at the moment

To be clear, that wasn’t me (op). I think I want to paint it, I just wanted to make sure that I wasn’t gonna mess up some sort of “patina” that somebody would really like. I personally don’t like the patina look, which is why I wanted to use paint in the first place. After hearing everybody’s opinions, I think that I’m going to go through with it.