Question about Preserving Patina

[Lynn]

OK, don't laugh. I love old trucks, and I like "different" as well as liking some of the bellybutton cars.

Recently bought this cool Studebaker (so how come there is no Stude specific muscle car forum Charlie?) dump truck. 100 HP flat head six. Dump works off of PTO over hydraulic. Just using this around the house for now. Who knows what it may turn in to long range. Besides, highway use isn't much of an option as she sits with a 6.66:1 rear axle, even with tall tires! Tranny is a fully UNsynchronized four speed with 6.4:1 granny gear.

I really like the look of the old truck. As you can see, the paint is worn through to primer in a few spots, but the only bare metal is at the bottoms of the rockers, where there is light surface reust only. There is not one place on this truck that is rusted through. For now, the truck has to sit outside.

So... yes, I really do have some questions.
1. Is there something I can put on bottom of rockers to keep the surface rust in check that won't harm the surrounding paint?

2. Anyone ever tried spraying a satin clear over old paint just to keep the old look alive? Would like to use something where I can just scotch pad it with the least abasive pad I can find and then mask and shoot.

3. If I can spray a satin clear, what should I use, and can it be applied over all three surfaces I am dealing with, meaning the paint, the primer and the light surface rust?


I know there are some guys doing "old look" restorations, where they to down to bare metal and spray a combination of finishes to make it look old. I am not interested in that.

[m22mike]

That's one cool Studpecker, I like it. I am not sure what the Rat Rod boys are doing. I think your on the right track, wipe the heck out of it with prep solvent, scotch bright, and clean again. I would use a low buck clear like PPG Omni and flatten it to your liking.
When you are preping the areas of light rust on the painted surfaces, scotch bright those places with some phosphoric acid, and wipe off with a damp towell and force dry if you need to. That will kill the rust and leave a nice coating for the clear.
Prep and etch at Home Depot is about 15 bux a Gallon. It's in the paint isle.
Clean Stripe Prep and Etch
Now git to work... [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/biggthumpup.gif[/img]

Mike

[Lynn]

Thanks for the laugh Mike. Didn't see your funny reference until I read it a second time.

Made me laugh out loud.

And thanks for the heads up on the Prep and Etch. I will give it a try. Won't have to force it dry arouond here, at least not in the next few weeks. We are solidly into triple digits. Last evening the humidity was 15%.

[Charley Lillard]

[x Baldwin Motion]

I dig the truck also and admire the road to presevation.

1. Is there something I can put on bottom of rockers to keep the surface rust in check that won't harm the surrounding paint?

Mike has good ideas but I would also suggest if the area around the rockers is down to bare metal after removing the rust you may be able to rattle can match a color that is similar to the factory primer before shooting any clear.

2. Anyone ever tried spraying a satin clear over old paint just to keep the old look alive? Would like to use something where I can just scotch pad it with the least abasive pad I can find and then mask and shoot.

On the Patinamobile I wetsanded (400/600) the heavily rusted areas and used Penetrol to protect the almost bare metal (car is garaged, not sure how it holds up outside)

3. If I can spray a satin clear, what should I use, and can it be applied over all three surfaces I am dealing with, meaning the paint, the primer and the light surface rust?

Not a professional body man but like with any painting PREP is the key to a good finish. I would try any of your choices in a discreet location.


me personally I would wet sand and try to bring back the luster first with some easy compounding (again trying a hidden location first).

[Lynn]

Not sure what you are saying with the pic of the old Mercury (?) Charley. Are you saying I need to pile a bunch of crap on top of my Stude to preserve the patina? Is there something in the pic I am missing.

[Charley Lillard]

Ha ! No. That is just something one of my idiot friends drug out of that garage yesterday. Has 11,000 miles. 57 Mercury with the Trunpike Cruiser engine. I just posted in this thread to fit in with the odd Stude truck.

[Lynn]

I'm insulted.

[Bill Pritchard]

A 57 Colony Park wagon with 11,000 miles? Jeez [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/drool.gif[/img] The vehicles shown/discussed on this site never fail to amaze me.

Lynn, in regards to your cool Stude truck....is it fair to assume that this thing sat outside for many (if not all) of its years? If so, and it hasn't had any metal deterioration yet, is there really anything to be worried about? [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/dunno.gif[/img]

[mockingbird812]

I like your Stude Lynn. I like old trucks too!