saving the patina

[Ed Saniewski]

I have old fenders on a T that I want to run on the truck as is. What is the best way to just shine up the patina? I remember someone at a national meet saying they used a mixture of kerosene and oil and rub it in. Anyone have a favorite cocktail mix that will work? Thanks Ed Saniewski

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Kerosene, -or WD-40 is about as good as anything. The key is not to get it too shiny or make it attract dust/dirt.

[Ed Saniewski]

I was hoping to use the dirty old kerosene from my parts cleaner.It's pretty nasty now and I am cleaning out 4 old oil pans, and will need to change out the kerosene after. This should bring up a nice shine. Thanks Brent.

[gwhite]

I'm a little leery of WD-40 after trying to refinish some parts a previous owner doused in the stuff. WD stands for "Water Displacer" and is made to have an extremely low surface tension (and viscosity) so as to penetrate in the tiniest crevices. Very difficult to remove from seams, rolled edges, etc. when it comes time for a proper paint job.

Your T fenders were originally dipped in M102 "elastic japan" (Gilsonite), of which linseed oil is a major component. I'd mix BLO and turpentine 50/50 and apply. Make sure to wipe off any excess or you'll have a sticky mess.

Another option would be Gibbs brand lubricant/preservative...you can paint right over the stuff if need be.

[34Fordtk]

Gibbs Brand pentrant ,no silicone so you can paint it later if you ever wish.

[ronn]

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Ed,
I have done the oil thing and it's not bad, but needs to be done regularly.
what I prefer is a satin or flat finish varnish. Seems to last several years out and looks good as well. There is no sure way to keep that patina look wo maintenance....

[darrylkmc]

I use Penetrol, manufactured by Flood.

Here is a link to the data sheet:

http://www.flood.com/TDS/664736.pdf

It is a drying oil and will dry thus it does not attract dirt or have an odor like WD-40 or Diesel.

Darryl in Fairbanks

[1crosscut]

Ed,
I used Johnsons Paste wax on my truck. You can see the before and after in the pictures. I used a 4" fine wire wheel on a drill to polish up the rust and followed up with a small fine wood handled wire brush and some 000 steel wool rubbing as needed. You might just be able to use only the steel wool on yours to polish it up a bit. Most think that I put on some kind of a clear coat. Very easy to maintain and it doesn't smell or attract dust. Plus it beads water if I happen to get caught out in the rain.

[SeaSlugs]

crosscut I was hoping you would reply. I will contest what he said/uses does give a beautiful patina! It gives it a bit of a dry slick feel to it that allows dust to be wiped off with a dry towel.

[C26Pinelake]

Originally Posted by 1crosscut

Ed,
I used Johnsons Paste wax on my truck. You can see the before and after in the pictures. I used a 4" fine wire wheel on a drill to polish up the rust and followed up with a small fine wood handled wire brush and some 000 steel wool rubbing as needed. You might just be able to use only the steel wool on yours to polish it up a bit. Most think that I put on some kind of a clear coat. Very easy to maintain and it doesn't smell or attract dust. Plus it beads water if I happen to get caught out in the rain.

Major difference, very impressive !
Wayne

[zzlegend]

Originally Posted by 1crosscut

Ed,
I used Johnsons Paste wax on my truck. You can see the before and after in the pictures. I used a 4" fine wire wheel on a drill to polish up the rust and followed up with a small fine wood handled wire brush and some 000 steel wool rubbing as needed. You might just be able to use only the steel wool on yours to polish it up a bit. Most think that I put on some kind of a clear coat. Very easy to maintain and it doesn't smell or attract dust. Plus it beads water if I happen to get caught out in the rain.

X2 Nice.

[Hoogah]

Originally Posted by 1crosscut

Ed,
I used Johnsons Paste wax on my truck. You can see the before and after in the pictures. I used a 4" fine wire wheel on a drill to polish up the rust and followed up with a small fine wood handled wire brush and some 000 steel wool rubbing as needed. You might just be able to use only the steel wool on yours to polish it up a bit. Most think that I put on some kind of a clear coat. Very easy to maintain and it doesn't smell or attract dust. Plus it beads water if I happen to get caught out in the rain.

Your AA has come up really nice, Crosscut.

Looks like you didn't have much paint on there to begin with, and probably even less when you'd finished with the wire brush?

I also wish to preserve what I have, but am starting from what appears to be quite a different starting point, compared to your truck. Would you also recommend Johnson's Paste wax for my car - which appears to have a mix of original, very weathered paint on the fenders, together with body paint that is generally in better condition (and has had light coat recently blown over in some areas (hood and cowl)?

[blgitn]

I have had good results with a 50/50 mix of boiled linseed oil and mineral spirits. Wipe it on with a rag and buff it dry after a few minutes. It dries hard overnight or in an hour or so in the sun. You can make it shinier by using more miniral spirit in the mix or flatter with more oil. You need to put it on monthly if you park outside all the time. My AA was total surface rust and my Hudson is broken original paint; they both look great and it halted any further rusting.

[1crosscut]

Originally Posted by Hoogah

Your AA has come up really nice, Crosscut.

Looks like you didn't have much paint on there to begin with, and probably even less when you'd finished with the wire brush?

I also wish to preserve what I have, but am starting from what appears to be quite a different starting point, compared to your truck. Would you also recommend Johnson's Paste wax for my car - which appears to have a mix of original, very weathered paint on the fenders, together with body paint that is generally in better condition (and has had light coat recently blown over in some areas (hood and cowl)?

Your right as I didn't have a whole lot of paint left on the truck to start with but the wire brushing didn't remove much of the paint that was left. I did take the time to "soften" my wire wheels by running them up against a piece of angle iron 1st to make them less agressive. I think that in your case just using some 000 or 0000 steel wool and then paste wax would work rather well for your car. Try a small area and see how it turns out for you. Drop me a p.m. with your phone number if you like and I can explain better some of the application steps I found worked best for me.

Bligitn mentions using a 50/50 mix of turpentine and boiled lindseed oil for a finish. I am a big fan of using this mixture mostly for preserving wood. I used it on the original wood gain sides and metal grain side hardware on my truck. It does a very good job of protecting both. I personally would not use more than 50% lindseed oil in the mix as at higher concentrations it can stay sticky for an extended amount of time. Found this out on a different restoration...

[al's28/33]

Dave I like your AA since you mounted those wire wheels, much classier than the disk type of '29 and later years. Even the work you did on the sideboards must have taken many hours to clean up.

I think those "A"s that show their age are better story tellers than those shiny trailer queens.

[Synchro909]

I have done what Darryl (post #7) says and I have used concrete sealer. Yup, you read right.
About 14 years ago, I was sealing new concrete in the BBQ area and had some left over. I had a steel floored trailer in the yard in which I has kept sand for a while so the floor was very rusty. I poured the left over sealer on the rust and let it be. 14 years later and the rust just hasn't changed except where an engine slid and gouged it through to the steel. A close look at the gouge showed that the sealer had penetrated right through to the steel and sealed it. I use this to save the rolled edges of fenders etc with great success.
Both can be painted over if that is important to you.
Try them on a rusty sample and see what you think. When I get a car with lots of patina, I intend using which ever one of those I have in the shop at the time.

[darrylkmc]

Here are a few photos of my 1930 Phaeton before and after I used Penetrol.

A couple of coats were required for an even effect, but I did nothing but blow it off with air and applied the Penetrol with a dampened rag. I also swapped out that ugly hood.

Darryl in Fairbanks

[pooch]

Originally Posted by Synchro909

I have done what Darryl (post #7) says and I have used concrete sealer. Yup, you read right.
About 14 years ago, I was sealing new concrete in the BBQ area and had some left over. I had a steel floored trailer in the yard in which I has kept sand for a while so the floor was very rusty. I poured the left over sealer on the rust and let it be. 14 years later and the rust just hasn't changed except where an engine slid and gouged it through to the steel. A close look at the gouge showed that the sealer had penetrated right through to the steel and sealed it. I use this to save the rolled edges of fenders etc with great success.
Both can be painted over if that is important to you.
Try them on a rusty sample and see what you think. When I get a car with lots of patina, I intend using which ever one of those I have in the shop at the time.

Yup, concrete sealer is cheap and good .

I painted some on wood and it looks great, will see how it goes.

But if it can take cars driving over it, I am confident it will hold up as a top coat sealer over light rust .

[Ed Saniewski]

Crosscut, I do like the look of that paste wax finish. Thanks for the heads up . The rest of the huckster is wood that was varnished in the early 80's, and has faded a lot. So I will try the linseed/ turpentine mix to bring that back. I guess steel wool on the wood prior will be enough prep? Thanks for all the input. Ed Saniewski

[springerpete]

Probably better not use steel wool on the wood as it will leave small bits which eventually rust. Use bronze wool or, better yet, use scotch brite pads to do the wood prep. If you use turps and linseed oil mixture be prepared for it to remain sticky for a long time and catch all the dust and insects you happen to drive thru. I don't think that is the kind of patina you are looking for. Get some flat finish varnish or one of the many available synthetic finishes. These will dry but will not shine. Just a few thoughts. Bill