Vintage Fabrication
September 25, 2022
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THE AUTO BUILDER
Featured
Vintage Fabrication
For every hot rod shop that has a show on TV, there are countless smaller shops that will never get mainstream TV exposure or clothing lines sold at Wal-Mart. But all across the country, it’s these smaller shops that turn out the majority of the street and super rods that you and I enjoy, and that we see at shows. And even though these little guys may not have big reputations yet, they churn out consistent and excellent work—and, that is precisely how some of these smaller shops will eventually become bigger shops with even more prestige.
An Overview of Restoration Products
Gone are the days of struggling to find restoration chemicals and parts. The article highlights how the availability of reproduction parts and user-friendly chemical solutions has revolutionized car restoration. It introduces popular and effective chemicals like 3M Underseal Undercoating, Eastwood Self-Etching Primer, and OEM Paints React, highlighting their benefits and applications. It even delves into restoring cast-iron parts, suggesting solutions like OEM Paints’ Steering Gear Box Finish. Get ready to be amazed by the latest advancements in car restoration!
CUSTOM STOPPING POWER
If you own a Ford or Chevy, most of the parts you will need to build a street rod are readily available, and from a variety of suppliers. We have written numerous stories about kits for these cars in our family of rodding magazines, and some of them were a direct replacement for the original. By and large, they worked perfectly and bolted right in, as designed. These types of kits are convenient for many street rod builders, as well as street rod shops, and they are part of what has helped grow our hobby into such a broad special-interest group. But in addition to the “normal” and most popular rods, there were many other great cars made in the pre-war era, and some of them can be a real challenge to street rodders because there are no pre-manufactured parts, and no kits that make them easy to build. Sounds like the old days, right? Well, that’s the modern world for you–even our hobbies have become targets of convenience.
Spotlighter
Patina Power
The Time-Worn Look Is More Popular Than Ever
Author
Garry McWhirter
Words & Photography
Defining Patina in Street Rods
Patina is defined as “a pleasing surface sheen on something that develops with age or frequent handling.” When that definition is applied to street rods, a patina rod can take on any number of variations. The exterior can be close to original, with age showing through the painted surface in the form of primer. Sometimes the faint appearance of rust can also classify a rod as having patina, provided the rust has not taken over the entire car. Many times these patina rods are built from those treasured “barn finds” that seem to be discovered by undaunted rodders scouring the country searching for the Holy Grail of hot rods.
The Art and Trend of Patina
One of the modern trends of the street rodding hobby has been to create that cherished patina look. The art of patina can be tricky. We have seen patina rods crafted in such a fashion that the naked eye cannot tell the difference between real and invented, the real old and the fabricated old.
The Appeal of Patina Rods
As with all aspects of rodding, each of us has a different definition of what makes a patina rod. There does seem to be one theme that runs through each variation, though: the owners have a lot of fun with their cars. For some, it is a chance to get back to the basics. For others, it is a chance to reverse the high-end trophy-hound trend. No matter what the agenda, patina rods always seem to bring about smiles and arouse the curiosity of all observers.
Exploring Variations in Patina
We searched our archives to provide you with different variations on the patina trend. We hope you’ll find them as interesting as we did when we came across the following examples. Patina rods come in many forms. They vary from subtle to “in your face.” One thing is for sure: they have their own distinct style.
This Model A looks as though it may have been converted into a hot rod appearance several decades ago, only to be revived after years of storage. The paint has a certain amount of fading, and there is minimal surface rust around the edges. Jonathan Wheeler carries the theme to the Olds engine, with unpainted headers showing some age.
Dennis Frings has captured the patina theme perfectly with his ’33 Willys. It takes on a certain amount of nostalgia with its Ford Y-block engine, multi-carbed intake and racecar appearance. The red primer spots over the black paint disguise the narrowed fiberglass body.
This ’48 Ford falls under the patina banner with its satin-finish black exterior. Herb Jenkins installed a nice red interior and had all the trim re-plated, yet kept the car looking older than its recent renovation would reveal.
This is a true patina roadster. Bill Akin built his Deuce roadster in 1982 as a tribute to Tom Medley, complete with a Stroker McGuirk logo on the door. The car has been driven from coast to coast many times. It has aged gracefully.
Pebble Puryear has created a nearly perfect faux patina appearance on this ’33 Ford. The green paint on the coupe appears nearly faded, but with still some shine coming out. The red oxide “rub-throughs” look real until you see the buildup photos laid out in the trunk.
It is impossible to tell the difference between the real patina and the created patina with Mike Hood’s ’47 Chevy woody. The wood on the wagon has a few holes showing, and the dented metal shows some solid character. The car is just plain cool.
Ricky Pike’s ’32 Ford is an example of a ground-up patina rod. The black-primered exterior is highlighted with semi-flat flames extended over the roof. The chassis is all modern, with roadworthiness a priority. Oh, yeah, it also has a ’glass body to defy the odds.
Along with the obligatory surface rust, vintage items can add to the patina level. This shoebox four-door uses a sun visor and a rusty roof rack loaded with hunting trophies to make it look as though it was returning from a long trip from the North Country.
There are times when patina can be applied and removed, depending upon the weather. Scott Ulerick’s chopped A Model already had a certain period look to it. After some obvious mud-bogging in Charlotte, the coupe took on a down-and-dirty attitude.
There are times when patina can be applied and removed, depending upon the weather. Scott Ulerick’s chopped A Model already had a certain period look to it. After some obvious mud-bogging in Charlotte, the coupe took on a down-and-dirty attitude.
This Willys was created with a nostalgic racecar theme. The authentic gasser stance, along with the name and number graphics, makes it appear to be an older drag car. It may have been, but it now has a ZZ454 with a five-speed for power.
Adding patina to a hot rod can mean more than just applying a coat of primer. Using a variety of parts can accomplish the task. Eli Horst shows his whimsical way of thinking by using a Ford tractor hood and grille on his ’29 Ford roadster pickup. It looks like a ton of fun.
ARTICLE SOURCES
Madison Manufacturing
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Madison Manufacturing
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Madison Manufacturing
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