[TempestFugit]

Patina!

The stuff they used to call rust.

I have a fifty year old survivor Tempest that we pulled from a barn and saved from the crusher. The car is a 4dr base model so it isn’t worth a lot. It’s an all original driver, and I like the battle-scarred look of it the way it is. The paint is mostly there and actually takes a shine and looks good, it’s not burned off or chalky faded and thin.

It shines up really well, but there are specs of rust all over the car. The problem is that when I wax it it looks good but the wax does not stay on the rust. A heavy dew is enough to change the rust from a nice ‘patina’ look back to just rust.

Is there something that will cover the rust, like wax, but not wash away so easily or something that will seal the entire surface without changing the original look of the paint that is there.

I’ve seen hot-rods with that weathered patina look does anybody know what they use to keep that look? Does anybody make WOR-15?

[scott w]

depending on how many spots you have, you may want to spot clear them???

[TempestFugit]

Yeah, I wish there were few enough. Actually there are millions of small specs and some larger ones surrounded by good paint. Somehow it developed this way in the barn that it was in. It's not the kind of rust or worn paint you usually see.

[scott w]

You could wet sand the areas to "fotina" them, then clear the car?

[Old Goat 67]

Not having ever been faced with what you are, AFTER finding this stuff, I'd be inclined to try it. I have been absolutely amazed at what it can do.

http://www.roadsters.com/gibbs/

Charles

[TempestFugit]

Scott, there aren't really areas that could be wet sanded or treated differently because the specks are everywhere yet the paint has held up really well. If the car were worth it, a repaint would be a no-brainer. It's a hundred-footer. The car is a really well preserved totally original car that I can drive anywhere and leave in a parking lot without worrying about it. At a distance it looks like new.

OG67, I think I'll give that stuff a try and see if it will stand up to moisture and hopefully not ruin the paint.

Here's a picture of it fresh from the barn and before I cleaned it up. It was last registered in 1985.

[sts]

I wouldn't use wax on paint, but I'd give it a shot on rust. I like the real-car look too, and this type of condition will soon be the benchmark. Everyone laughed at me in 1985 when I bought my car for a rip-off price of $150. See who's laughing now! Time will prove this fact because it's already starting to catch on.

You caught me in a good mood because this is a secret that I have never shared. Wet silicone spray is the cat'sass. Dry may work, but I have never tried it. I discovered this by accident during my suckass career. The problem with silicone as a 'top coat' is that it plays hell if you are going to paint anything within a half mile or so of where it was sprayed. I don't know how long is long enough to be safe, but if you can envision even a remote possiblity of paintwork, you are going to have to go overboard with paint-pre-prep.

The next best thing is wd40. Unlike silicone with its long shelf life, you have to apply on a regular basis. After a few applications, it will reach a point in which the rust quits bleeding through, but you still have to apply on a regular basis.

[dataway]

Last year I used some "rust converter" I found on the shelf next to the paint at tractor supply. Forget who made it... but it was name brand. Thin milky stuff. I had some rust spots on my 2002 GMC and wanted to do something to keep them from getting worse, but I was selling the truck the truck in about 18 months. I used this stuff, just brushed it on and left it. Turned the rust black, had a hard sort of finish on it, kept the rust away for six months at a time easy, even in the winter. Was hardly noticable on the dark blue paint of the truck. I was very surprised that it offered any protection at all ...but it wasn't bad.
JohnnyB

[TempestFugit]

That's what I'm looking for, something that I can apply to most of the surface of the car that won't ruin the paint that's there. That gibbs stuff or a silicone that will just keep the water away for a while would be good if it lets the paint show thru. This isn't the kind of rust that bubbles up from underneath and when it breaks through you have a serious rot spot. It's mostly on the hood, roof and trunk yet there is still enough color left in the paint that it dosen't look horrible. I'm going to use this car as a daily driver in the summer and leave it out in the rain so I need something that will be a moisture barrier and let the color show thru. I don't care if I have to wipe the car down with an oil or silicone rag every few days, but I would like to get a few days out of it. The spray on wax that I've been using lets the water through after a heavy dew.

[GTO68FXSTC98]

You need to go on a rat rod forum, those guys will steer you in the right direction.

[elefantrider]

Any auto-paint supply shop should be able to help.
I've used 3M's Mar-Hyde brand with good luck.