2/27/2024 0 Comments Rat rod patina paint jobI also know that this isn't always the case but I have found that patina reflects a certain amount of happy usage and that, to me, is more beautiful than a mirror-like finish. Yes, it'll get dinged (and salted!) along the way but that's ok because, by driving it, I am enjoying it more than I did when I let it sit in the garage because it was raining outside.Īgain, I'm not knocking people who want immaculate cars. But I have found that not stressing over things has allowed me to be more care-free with the car, including being willing to do things like drive it up to Maine and back for a weekend trip. Would I prefer it to be spotless? All things being equal, yes, I would. not pampered.Įven my beloved 944 is speckled with stone chips. Sure, the one in the shop was prettier to look at but I couldn't help but feel that the beat up one was enjoyed more in the way that I personally feel a car should be enjoyed. However, I was more drawn to another Testarossa in the parking lot that had mud in the wheel wells and was covered in stone chips and bug guts. This car was being detailed to the point where he had a Ferrari mechanic disassemble major components of the car to get everything just that clean. He does some hardcore auto detailing and was in the process of doing an 80s Ferrari Testarossa. For me, cars are meant to be driven, not looked at, so that is what sways my attention.Ī few years back, I was at a friend's shop. Yes, a genuine, driven survivor gets a lot of respect from me but I am still more impressed by the car that is covered with little dings moreso than the car that is immaculate but lives in the garage to only come out on the weekend when the weather is perfect. That said, I prefer drivers to garage queens so I have a draw towards cars that get used, regardless of their condition. Let me start out by saying that I always respect a well-done car and could spend plenty of time staring at a car that has been restored to look like it rolled off the showroom floor. That was a little more patina than I was comfortable with. Oh, and replaced the 472 when it punched a piston sized hole in the side of the block. Also replaced the weatherstripping throughout the car. I pulled the wood door panels, sanded and varnished them, but that's about all other than a good cleaning. I don't have any interest in doing much to fix it up more than it is now. The dashboard has a small crack on the top of it, but is otherwise in very good condition. The interior leather on the seats is fantastic and I can't believe how good it has held up over 45 years and 125,000 miles. As it is, I have no qualms about driving it anywhere at anytime. If I had paid for a new paint job and gotten the body perfectly straight before it was painted, I would be much more hesitant to drive it. A few chips, although because the car is always garaged, no fade. Since this was strictly a driver I was happy with the paint job, but it is probably a 10 footer, maybe a 20 footer at this point. The interior was mostly original, except the door covers have been replaced, and not very well, at some point in the distant past. When I bought my 68 Cadillac in 2007, it had a probably 5 to 7-year-old respray. It could be a symptom of a rough economy and prioritization.or it could be that you can only look at so many perfect cars with $15,000 paint jobs before you get bored. but it's something I'm noticing and I think it's great. Even a mismatched fender or door seems to be in-bounds, so long as the car is in good mechanical condition, well cared for and tastefully/purposefully modded. it seems that this is perfectly acceptable these days. I'm pretty sure that crash damage, neglect and rust will always be undesirable but if you show up with your old sports car or hot rod at a cruise night with stone chips, flecks of molten rubber on the wheel arches, scratches, faded paint, worn interior. but I'm starting to get the sense that enthusiasts are drifting away from that scene. It's also neat to see immaculate custom cars with deep metalic paint and thick gloss clear coats. So it's always cool to see an old car that has been restored to prestine/showroom condition.or better yet preserved that way.
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