Want wwway less shine, wwway more patina!

[J. A. Michaels]

Re: Want wwway less shine, wwway more patina!

Personally speaking. If you bought the vehicle for its structural integrity and value. You may be stuck with the Blue. I would be hesitant to do something that may mar the paint.

[Brook]

Re: Want wwway less shine, wwway more patina!

I suppose it's akin to having bought a Dalmation and then being sad that the dog has spots.

[bmrfan]

Re: Want wwway less shine, wwway more patina!

Floyd - have you checked some of the Rat Rod forums or sites for info on aging your paint. Those forums probably have much more info on making your paint low-gloss (opposite mission of this forum)

I found this article about low gloss painting - here's the link:

http://www.rodandcustommagazine.com/techarticles/0706rc_suede_paint/index.html

[Michael Stoops]

Re: Want wwway less shine, wwway more patina!

Well now, this is certainly an interesting thread!

Floyd, that 911 is a stunningly beautiful car, but that is just my opinion. Plenty of folks don't like blue, or don't like 911s even. We all like different things, and you happen to not like really shiny paint.

The biggest problem here is that you want to do something to tone down the gloss and still be completely reversible. If you plan on keeping this car long term that may not be so much of an issue. But to try and make really nice new paint look like naturally aged 40 year old paint is going to be very difficult to do, if not darn near impossible. There is certainly a lot to be said for truly original cars - original interiors, original mechanicals, original glass, original paint. But this car is no longer truly "original" - it's been resprayed. There are painters who do remarkable airbrush work to mimic severely weathered paint. We've seen a hot rod that looked like the paint was 80% flaked off, surface rust, rust lines running down from bolt heads, etc. And it was all airbrush painted! From 10 feet it looked like a typical rat rod, but up close it was absolutely perfect. A great illusion, but a very pricey one, we're sure.

So what to do about your car? Wetsanding to mimic a flat or matte paint job can certainly be done, but to do it right takes time and talent. And it can easily be buffed back to near perfection at any time. But you end up with a matte finish, not what looks like a naturally aged patina. It's much more of a modern, trendy look, and that doesn't sound like your thing.

The images are taken from a bit of a distance, but if the paint is free of orange peel your task is going to be made just that much more difficult since mirror flat paint is always going to look glossier than orange peeled paint. One safe thing you can try to knock down the gloss is some glass cleaner. Of course, if you apply a coat of wax after that you're going to bump the shine back up. And again, if that paint has been wet sanded orange peel free, it's going to shine. Brightly.

[floyd]

Re: Want wwway less shine, wwway more patina!

Okay, guys, and especially M. Stoops -- thanks for the great thoughts and insights into the world of high gloss paint. At this point, I think I'm just going to have to get used to living with an object of rare beauty and forget about my Dumpster-diving, low-rent preferences.

The paint is absolutely smooth, no orange peeling. As to the question of why did I have it done like that if I don't dig the look -- I didn't. The previous owner did, to the tune of major bucks. Like I said, when I bought the car, I was hoping to get over my aversion. Now I'm just going to redouble my efforts ... though I might try the glass cleaner just to see (but then won't i lose the protective elements of a wax job?).

Again, thanks to all. It's been fun!

[Bill Davidson]

Re: Want wwway less shine, wwway more patina!

Best of luck Floyd, I'm glad some of us took you seriously. I was just a bit of a shocker, I guess. After seeing your car I can appreciate your point of view. It does scream "look at me".

If you love the car, but don't love the paint, maybe you can repaint it down the road.
It' not like you will be devaluing the car as the paint isn't original.
Personalize it to your character and preference.

Until then, just keep in mind that most people like the way your car looks.

[bmrfan]

Re: Want wwway less shine, wwway more patina!

Floyd - enjoy your great looking 911 - although its a little too shiny now, regular use will create real patina (i.e. actually driving the car rather than a garage queen).

[bmrfan]

Re: Want wwway less shine, wwway more patina!

A friend sent me this picture of a Porsche 356 with a "Rusty" patina paint job.

The car's owner said the 356 itself is actually rust free but was painted to look rusty.

[Bill Davidson]

Re: Want wwway less shine, wwway more patina!

That's pretty cool bmrfan... thanks for sharing it with us.

I think a lot of us may have a new found appreciation for patina after reading this thread.

[Brook]

Re: Want wwway less shine, wwway more patina!

Actually, the photo posted by bmrfan caused me to realize that if my car looked like that I would certainly be able to spend far less time and money on trying to keep it shiny and bright. No stress, no concerns. Maybe we're on to something here.

[bmrfan]

Re: Want wwway less shine, wwway more patina!

Glad hear the picture of the patina'd 356 is useful.

Cars & Coffee in Irvine regularly has some well-done Rat Rods on display. Interesting to hear the owners talk about the amount of work needed to make the patina look real while also maintaining its long-term appearance.

SOT - I've noticed an emerging trend to satin & matte finishes on new cars. Satin finishes pose an interesting problem since the stuff we're used to doing to paint only makes it shinier.

[floyd]

Re: Want wwway less shine, wwway more patina!

Actually, the photo posted by bmrfan caused me to realize that if my car looked like that I would certainly be able to spend far less time and money on trying to keep it shiny and bright. No stress, no concerns. Maybe we're on to something here.

Uh oh, keep up that kind of talk and Mcguiars will go kaput!

I don't think I'll ever paint my P car. Though the paint isn't original, it is a respray in the original color, and to collectors and buyers that seems to make a difference. an alternate-color respray turns em off.

so, i'm just going to have to grin n bear it. my latest idea is to maybe funkify it up a bit by adding some kind of retro roof rack or maybe a rusty old-school Aloha surfboard rack, if i can find one of those for cheap (ha, not likely!).

thanks again, all. and i hope if nothing else i've helped open your eyes to the (possible) merits of ... patina!

[Michael Stoops]

Re: Want wwway less shine, wwway more patina!

thanks again, all. and i hope if nothing else i've helped open your eyes to the (possible) merits of ... patina!

We fully understand the merits of patina. There was that 1911 Oldsmobile that sold at the RM Hershey Auction a couple of years ago that was patina to the max. Original paint (what was left of it), original leather (worn, cracked, tired and beaten), original glass (cracked and split) and even the original tires hanging like rotting carcasses on the wooden wagon style wheels. It looked like a relic and essentially it was. But it was all there, and it was all original. It also brought $1.65 million!!!

Andy (bmrfan) mentioned Cars & Coffee here in Irvine. I had the great pleasure of speaking to a gentleman there a year or so ago who had driven his completely original and heavily patina'd 1934 Aston Martin to the event that particular morning. About the only thing that had been replaced on the vehicle were the tires and other wear items - you do need safe brakes if you're driving on public roads, after all! He has owned the Aston for almost 30 years and had toyed with the idea of restoring it to its former glory. But he was present at that RM Auction and watched that Olds cross the block. That's when he decided his Aston could only be truly original once - and he was going to keep it that way! And he was going to continue driving it. There was no shine to the paint any more, no smoothness to the leather. The engine bay was a bit dirty and greasy and the trim was dulled and scratched in places. But it was gorgeous. It was real. It was authentic. You could see the history in the car, you could smell it.

The "Preservation Class" at major concours shows is growing in popularity. There is something very special about those cars, even if they don't shine like a bright new penny. Or a new Ferrari.

But just as ardent admirers of preservation cars may not be huge fans of perfectly restored (or, heaven forbid, over restored) cars, something tells me they'd be even less a fan of "faked patina".

Floyd, you bought a car knowing exactly what it was - a beautifully restored example of one of the best loved sports cars in automotive history. Enjoy it for what it is. And if you pick up a little stone chip along the way, so be it. When that happens, the natural patina has begun, and you will have had a major hand in that. In years to come you'll look at those marks and remember when and where they happened, and look back on your history with your car with a fondness that you wouldn't have had looking back on someone else's patina (so to speak). Take care of it, but maybe don't stress over the paint like a lot of us do. Let it age gracefully.

[Larry A]

Re: Want wwway less shine, wwway more patina!

You want patina, just find a automatic car wash that still uses plastic brushes. Wash your car their a few times and you will have your patina

[STG]

Re: Want wwway less shine, wwway more patina!

I'm amazed that all of you guys allowed yourselves to be taken on a long, long trip to nowhere.