Preserving Patina
 

Preface: I'm not intersted in opening up a debate on patina vs. restored. I like them all. Restored to original, unrestored original, modified, ratrods and such. If I had the resources any worthy car would be restored to original. That being said I got to poking around on the internet on how to preserve patina. There are many YouTube videos but one product that caught my eye was Penetrol. I dismantled an old metal shed recently with solid metal but plenty of patina, so for $10 I bought a quart and tried it. Sure enough after 3 coats it shines nicely and covers well. The pictures may not show the sheen but it seems to work quite well. If anyone has used this product can you relate how well it holds up?

Re: Preserving Patina
 

I have not tried or even heard of that product. I used a simple spray can of clear urethane to protect the patina on my 52 Merc. Of course before spraying it I did a major clean up with rubbing compound and on some spots, steel wool and that brought a good shine on any surviving paint. Clear spray over that made it glossy and protects from further rust. Indoor storage of course so I can't comment on how well it might stand up to the weather.

Re: Preserving Patina
 

Thanks for your reply. This stuff is a liquid that I brushed on and has a looonngg dry time. It buids up with a nice shine and depth. Just did this over the last several days and is still a bit tacky. Gonna wait until it's hard then try a small spot with 1500 grit wet sand to see what happens. It actually is an oil based paint thinner but the label also has instructions on preserving rusty metal. I am reluctant to use a spray can on account of overspray and the resultant masking required, at least in this exercise. So far my opinion is positive. Just not sure it holds up over time, or if one can recondition it in the event it fades.

Re: Preserving Patina
 

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Re: Preserving Patina
 

Another idea is Gibbs oil. I've heard it preserves the metal without leaving it shiny. I've got a gallon for my '39, just haven't tried it yet.

Re: Preserving Patina
 

Penetrol has probably been around for 50 years. Main purpose is as an additive to make oil base paint flow out better. Great stuff.

Re: Preserving Patina
 

Gibbs is great stuff as well. When I have metal work done on bodies - I always coat it with Gibbs to protect it . . . as there is always a lag between the work and between any body filler/primer work.

Re: Preserving Patina
 

I like to preserve the surface without the shiny look of a clear coat. A lot of the “fake patina” vehicles I’ve seen have a clear coat....Mark

Re: Preserving Patina
 

Gibbs is good but, won't last long if left outside for long periods.

Re: Preserving Patina
 

CLR on a completely rusted body will expose any paint left under rust stains leaving you with that worn look without the rust.

Re: Preserving Patina
 

1950 F1 w/Gibbs oil.
Goes on well, one spray can per coating. Dries in a couple of days so not oily to the touch. IMO Nice look.

Re: Preserving Patina
 

Re: Preserving Patina
 

I have worked on patina for 30 years. I have never wanted anything applied over the top to give it an even gloss. One of the main things that make a real patina work is the varying amounts of gloss to different parts of the vehicle. It is subtle, but very important to me. What I mean is the area where your arm sits on top of the door with the window rolled down, right there it's shiney!. Center of hood, dead flat from the sun. Crowns of fenders, especially the fronts a bit burnished from laying across them working on the engine. I have never faked a whole car but sometimes we have a really badly damaged fender etc on an otherwise neat original vehicle. My first flathead was a 38 truck with a really ugly and rotten homemade wooden bed. I liked the faded red cab. I was lucky to find a '47 bed that fit it (after narrowing), but it had been painted a metallic blue. I primed the bed with flat black and mixed up some rustoleum red with flat white house paint, and added some corn starch to further kill the gloss. This made a very dull red. Taking a piece of old burlap sack I polished the areas of wear, leaving the rest flat. I daily drove this truck for 11 years, always kept in a shed and it just looked more natural with each year. I don't think we need to lock the patina into one 'time'.

Re: Preserving Patina
 

Spray the truck with motor oil and don't touch it. Spraying clear over rust will only last a couple years at best, then you have to deal with that too. Depending on rust level. Neutralize the rust with clr or ospho. Then clear if you have to clear it. I would not with original paint.


Or just oil it like a fine tool you don't want to wire brush.

Re: Preserving Patina
 

I can only imagine the amount of 's fish eyes" that will appear if, later on, the "motor oil" spray residue is still in the nooks and crannies when someone tries to paint the vehicle.

Re: Preserving Patina
 

Really can't imagine why people want to make an old faded, rusty car, etc car shiny. It's not like you are going to park it back out in a field for a few more decades; it won't deteriorate instantly.

Re: Preserving Patina
 

This reminds me of what my contractor buddy likes to say.... " At our age we no longer have to buy the expensive 35 year asphalt shingles. We can just buy the 20 year cheapos ".

Re: Preserving Patina
 

I only clear sprayed the parts of the Merc that had no paint left like these 53 front fenders and hood. That hood actually had lichen growing on it when I got the parts car but a lot of hours of t.l.c. with fine steel wool and diesel fuel brought a pretty good shine out. The rest of the body I just used Turtle Rubbing Compound which shined up the remaining original paint quite well. I wasn't going to put a high dollar paint job on the car and then be afraid to drive it. This is the best compromise for me. Time will tell if it rusts underneath the clear spray or not.

Re: Preserving Patina
 

Follow up after several days of dry time. Product has a high gloss sheen and builds up depth (like a polished agate). I did not try a wet sand as even after several days of dry time it still feels a bit soft. I know nothing of automotive paint dry times but from what I've seen and read it is a long dry time, perhaps this is similar? Many people wish to not only preserve patina but also highlight it, as shown in several of these posts. Again, this thread is not intended to elicit opinions on patina or not, but rather to investigate the options one may have given their desired results and resources. This product is supposed to dry to a solid finish. From what I've read other products such as Gibbs and the like are an oil, which never dries. Also, I brushed it on which I think was a mistake. I should have wiped it on to get thinner coverage. It was applied on the horizontal surface, if applied on a vertical or sloped surface one need be careful as it will run and puddle. In conclusion if one desires a gloss sheen over aged patina I would recommend this product. Having just retired and with the stay at home in effect I have been rewarded to with time and interest to investigate this.

Re: Preserving Patina
 

What product clear spray did you use?