How to preserve the original finish of The OLD 48 Truck?

bird

bird

Well Oiled
Aug 29, 2019
1,253
san diego california
First Name
eric(BIRD)
Willys Model
  1. Other
Willys Year:
  1. 1947
Being greatly inspired by Don and his epic adventure on his 1948 trucks reincarnation, I to am traveling a similar path with my OLD 48. It is quite original and is a very dry California truck but it has sat outside its whole life and has been off of the road since 1977 or so. Like Don I am concentrating my efforts on the interior of the cab by thoroughly cleaning and buffing out all the original paint and parts as best as I can. Portions of the original seat material will be replaces and the only thing really new will be the headliner as it is to far gone to preserve. This leaves me with what to do with the exterior of the truck. The paint is shot to say the least and to be honest that's fine by me. The question is how to preserve it from further degradation. Is it as simple as washing and scrubbing the heck out of it and trying to keep it waxed? A clear coat of some sort? Comet bath and linseed oil treatment or simply nothing? I'm up for all suggestions. What are you thinking Don?
 
I don't know the answer. I'm right where you are, wondering the same things.... at this point my inclination is to do nothing at all. I'll be watching for what others have to say.
 
Here ya go Bird
forum.ih8mud.com

Preserving Patina - How To Tips and Tricks

I keep retyping my “formula” for old Patina preservation so I decided to make a thread so I can just link my response to how I preserve my old Land Cruisers the way I do. For the last 3 years I have been learning how to preserve Land Cruisers in their original state. Protecting their original...
forum.ih8mud.com forum.ih8mud.com
 
Lots of good options some of which I have planned to do already. It’s the final seal and what to use that I’m not sure about.
 
I've heard and seen alot of people will clean the surface well and use "Scotch Brite" pads to remove any loose paint and surface rust, then use a Matt Finish Clear Urethane to seal it.
 
Penetrol is great stuff. I use it on bare aluminum masts, booms and spars to bring back a sheen. It works nicely on dull or faded plastic body trim too. It's best known for making oil based paint and varnish flow and adhere better though, so if you're using something like Rustoleum's Rusted Metal Primer (the red stuff) on sound rust it's a great additive to make sure the rust gets seriously sealed. If used alone, it will dry to a non sticky surface (unlike BLO) and is realtivly UV stable; I get about a year out of a coat on spars (out in the sunny SoCal salt air).
rocket said:
I've heard and seen alot of people will clean the surface well and use "Scotch Brite" pads to remove any loose paint and surface rust, then use a Matt Finish Clear Urethane to seal it.
Click to expand...
So Rodney, didn't know you were into "down under" rock
:cool:
 
I have been using Liquid Film. I use it under the wagon and on the paint. About half of the paint is original. I spray it on to areas I can manage. Spread it with a rag in all the corners till it looks like an even sheen. My thought is that it will preserve the areas that have little or no paint remaining. Where the body was repaired it was repainted flat finish. It can be noticed but I kept as much of the original wagon as possible like you want to, but still preserving it. 1606049494777.jpeg
 
Being in San Diego and less than a mile from the beach things can get rusty almost overnight even if covered up. Less so in a garage. Thanks for the sold feed back. I have a 1951 Ford Country Squire that’s bone stock original paint AND wood! Any ideas about preserving the wood with out making it all shiny? I know a bit off topic but
A178223D-8596-409A-8FB2-99044679817A.jpegEDC50484-9375-4C3D-9F9F-801312F53A71.jpeg
 
Like that wagon and your truck. Those Ford wagons (early 50’s) melted to the ground fast here in the northeast. I can remember seeing them on the road with rot halfway up the doors. You could see the windows and frames. You have the salt air out there but it doesn’t seem to be as corrosive on cars as it does here near Cape Cod.
 
Tralehead said:
Penetrol is great stuff. I use it on bare aluminum masts, booms and spars to bring back a sheen. It works nicely on dull or faded plastic body trim too. It's best known for making oil based paint and varnish flow and adhere better though, so if you're using something like Rustoleum's Rusted Metal Primer (the red stuff) on sound rust it's a great additive to make sure the rust gets seriously sealed. If used alone, it will dry to a non sticky surface (unlike BLO) and is realtivly UV stable; I get about a year out of a coat on spars (out in the sunny SoCal salt air).

So Rodney, didn't know you were into "down under" rock
:cool:
Click to expand...
Funny Ha Ha
 
Guys, time for an opposite view. Don't get upset ... but can anyone tell me Why? What is the fascination with "patina"? Personally, I hate driving a dirty vehicle, let alone a rusty one. I'd rather drive a car with a bad paint job or even primer. I understand vehicles are only original once ... but once that new car look is mostly gone, it's time to move on.

By the way, I don't understand buying torn jeans or furniture that looks used either.
 
It takes many many years of service and life of a vehicle to get to where they are now. I like mine warts and all! No rights and obviously no wrongs just a personal preference. Plus you can drive and park them where ever with out swearing bullets. On another note the cost of a decent resto prohibits me from having an additional other cars in an unrestored state. All in my humble opinion ✌
A840E74B-0F3F-405A-A749-E62C15182CE0.jpeg
 
Bird, the biggest problem I see with "woody" wagons (and boats) is, surprise, wood rot. Anywhere water can get in and not dry out is a problem, especially end grain. I have a neighbor who kept a woody Olds covered up with old tarps and all the wood was rotten when he finally decided to uncover it. Lost a lot of value because of his laziness. Also, rust from metal can destroy wood as well. IMHO your best bet is to keep the vehicle garaged or out n the sun. Then focus on leaks or where water collects. Then focus on preserving the wood: Git Rot and Restore-It epoxy products do a great job of hardening up and rot proofing wood, and you can pick them up at West Marine on Shelter Is. Give me call if you need assistance, I can sign you up on my "wholesale" acct. Heck, even plain old bar top epoxy thinned down with acetone and soaked into the wood will keep it in one piece for quite a while longer. But not sure if it will keep that well weathered look that gets you all the thumbs up over at OB ;) But it begs the question why isn't there surf racks on that beast? Don't you have a surf shop? BTW, please observe Franco's wagon...

As for the pros and cons on patina, I go both ways (Rodney should have a blast with that comment). I'm very envious of the look Carter's and Franco's wagons, but my shine will stay, along with all the chrome; I even have a new paint job on the master "to-do" list (fixing the two tone split with either the existing orange or switching the orange to something close to the original blue).

BTW, lots of other threads on patina, here's one:

Preserving Patina- How To Tips and Tricks

Wanting to preserve the original paint/patina on my wagon and I have been looking around for ideas other than the usual clear coat method. I came across this Post on another website that looked interesting and informative. Think I’m gonna give it a try , anyway here is the link for anyone...
www.oldwillysforum.com www.oldwillysforum.com
 
I have not even washed mine. the roof and hood are darker than the rest. Lots of dents and scrapes from 60+ years of farm life -perfect. Of coarse living in Syracuse NY it does not go outside between very soon and perhaps late March after the salt has washed off the roads. The only cosmetic difference is the wood sides and rear box braces were removed.left side.jpg
 
Barney said:
Guys, time for an opposite view. Don't get upset ... but can anyone tell me Why? What is the fascination with "patina"? Personally, I hate driving a dirty vehicle, let alone a rusty one. I'd rather drive a car with a bad paint job or even primer. I understand vehicles are only original once ... but once that new car look is mostly gone, it's time to move on.

By the way, I don't understand buying torn jeans or furniture that looks used either.
Click to expand...

I totally get what Barney is saying, too, though. I grew up in the hobby, 51 years since my first "collector vehicle" - a Model A Ford.

We ALWAYS restored stuff - the mission was to "make it new again." A solid car with patina was simply a car that needed a paint job! haha.. As Barney says, "New" is better than "worn out" - or so we all absolutely believed, for a very long time....

But I also "get" the appeal of something that shows its age and battle scars. (I certainly do!) It feels more real, more authentic.

Nevertheless, I have struggled to accept that what I really want to do is keep my patina on the current Willys project. But I am, I've gone to great lengths to preserve it, and even worked to duplicate it in the few areas where I've had to make repairs, etc. Inside the cab will be new (because there was nothing left to save) and mechanically it will be new (because everything was worn out and inoperable) - but it'll look just like it did when I drug it out of that Oklahoma field after marinating for 54 years....

Screenshot_20200311-142459_Chrome.jpg
 
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