Was it painted by the likes of Dean Jeffries or Junior Conway? Striped by Von Dutch? Preserve what’s left.Ī car’s finish doesn’t need a famous name attached to earn the title of patina. The same applies if the car still sports remnants of its period racing livery or the handiwork of an icon. For example, if the car has its original paint, maintaining the factory history is a worthy cause-after all, a car is only original once. If a car has significant provenance and the patina reflects it, we feel it’s appropriate to maintain that finish. We’re prepared for letters and emails from your own soapboxes, whether you agree or disagree with us.įirst off, we think patina and provenance go hand in hand. In fact, patina has gotten so mainstream that people have starting going to great lengths to fake it, giving rise to what many consider the faux pas of faux patina.īefore we get technical and discuss how to maintain and stabilize a car’s patina-and yes, even how to fake it-it’s time we stepped on a soapbox. As it has moved into the spotlight, however, its value and application have been diminished when used in the wrong context. For many years, serious custodians of classic cars have quietly respected this special type of wear. Whatever the case, we feel there are philosophical and perhaps even ethical implications that should be considered when dealing with patina. Is it recognition that cars are driving machines-not sculptures on rolling pedestals-and should rightly sport some wear and a few road rashes? Is it an indicator that car collecting has “grown up” to become an established and respected hobby, like collecting fine art or furniture, in which original pieces garner more value than restored ones? Is this obsession a subtle backlash to the over-restorations many cars have received in recent years? Soon after these explanations are offered, our questions start pouring out in response. The value is in the patina, they say, or in the provenance that it symbolizes. Worn examples of automobiles are occasionally achieving higher prices than their restored counterparts-ones in significantly better condition. Like most things in life, the more you practice ahead of time, the better your results will be.To be honest, we can’t quite figure out the classic car world’s recent fascination with patina. Otherwise, you'll pay that much more to have someone undo poor-quality work. You don't need a fancy spray booth, but a very clean environment is crucial. If you're even more ambitious, you can spray the paint yourself, too. If you are competent enough, you can take on much of the labor, then send the car out for final primer and paint. Shiny paint will show every flaw beneath it, and satin paints and vinyl wraps will only hide small imperfections. Applying the paint does take skill, but the best painter in the world can't hide bad prep work. The unsung heroes of any quality paint job are the people who did the metalwork and paint prep, and that's where the majority of the cost of a paint job comes from. The work is painstaking and labor-intensive, and it's easy to get overwhelmed. There's a reason most car builds stall at the paint-and-body process. You can see why painting a car is one of the most expensive things you can do to it it's practically a lifetime commitment-"till death do us part"-so you had better pick a good color.Īt Car Craft, we were champions of the low-cost paint job, but that hinged on one big caveat: doing the majority of the work yourself as the biggest money-saver. Plus, body shops need to pay their employees, pay their rent, maintain and update their equipment, pay taxes and environmental fees, and so on. What condition is the sheetmetal in? Will the car need rust repair, dents removed, or panel replacement? That really ratchets the price up. Don't forget what's beneath the paint, either. A modern paint job will typically utilize a coat of etching primer, epoxy primer, sealer, the color, and finally several coats of clear. Of course, a paint job is much more than just the color coat. That's a good thing, though, because modern coatings are much brighter and more durable, plus there is a nearly infinite range of colors and finishes, from low-gloss flat and satin to a shimmering, three-stage glossy pearl. The cost of paint has increased quite a bit since the days of lacquer and enamel. The costs are extraordinary, for one, and there are a variety of reasons for that, with material cost being primary among them. There are a number of reasons car owners would fear having their car painted. Continuing with Doug's theme from the previous page, I agree that patina has become elevated and almost fetishized lately because of "paintophobia," or the fear of paint job.
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