Patina or Paint?

[1971Series88]

This is the Q of the day? The 71 I just bought has a very oxidized Marine Blue paint with a lot of missing paint, incl bonnet with probably little to no paint, and a lot of surface rust on the breakfast and the side of the window.

I have read on some boards, particularly LRFAQ that a nice old patina is more "valuable" as there are quite a few restored glossy ones around?

So, what to do? Obviously either way I go I need to treat the rust, sand it down and prime and paint...but, should I just polish what paint there is?

I am leaning towards leaving it, as there is no body damage (dings) and it sort of looks like a 40 year old should.

It is the one as my avatar.

Thoughts?

[phoenix37]

Nothing like a good patina on series land rover. Its tough to tell from the avatar but IMO id leave it alone. Look at the before and after on these two trucks.

It doesnt look nearly as good painted white as it did before.

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/cto/2758612793.html

[gambrinus]

Clean it, tune it up and drive it.

[TedW]

Reasonable people can disagree. It's your beast: Do what makes you happy.

I suppose that you could live with it as is for a while, and paint it down the road if you feel like it. But if you paint it now and then change your mind you'll have to wait 40 years for the patina to come back!

[kwd509]

I am in same boat. My father's 64 2a has a heck of a patina, and is slowly, very slowly moving toward becoming a drivable vehicle. I am cleaning up the rust and this involves cleaning up the bulkhead and the breakfast. As a result they will get primed and painted. I see no way around that. But, I am hopeful that the contrast between patina and new paint will fade quickly.....I think patina is beautiful

[jac04]

My vote: Repair & galvanize the radiator support & bulkhead and leave them bare. Also do the door frames while you are at it. Don't touch the rest of the body.

[SalemRover]

I like patina, its like a nice pair of old jeans. If all the body panels are original to the truck and you have consistent patina then stick with it! Besides there is nothing worse then freshly painting your rover and having it towed sideways through a frozen snow bank in front of a crowd. If that doesnt dissuade you then take you freshly painted, freshly dainted rover down some pinstriping trails to seal the deal. It will accelerate the patina process.

-Jason

[o2batsea]

The aluminum skin doesn't matter so much as the steel parts that they wrap around. You say that there is rust on the bulkhead. That means there is significant rust elsewhere that you may or may not be able to see. Door frames in particular rust at the bottom where moisture tends to collect and stay. Add the electrolytic corrosion factor between the aluminum and steel, and you may find things are worse than you thought. Frames tend to rot from the inside out.
If you plan to keep the vehicle you will have to address the rust issue sooner or later. I recommend sooner.
Your only true recourse is to dismantle the truck down to it's component parts and have the steel parts chem stripped and then galvanized. This will ensure that you not only get all the rust out but keep it away forever.
You can always re install your "patina" parts over the treated bits and nobody will be the wiser. However, going to all the trouble and then not painting it would be kinda weird unless you like that rat rod look.

[kwd509]

Having lived all its life down south it has never seen salt, and so the frame is pretty solid and a couple knowledgable folks have checked. The footwells are a little thin and so that is where the repair will occur. door frames are OK, but will need some cleaning-up. The frame has been stripped and painted with POR 15. all of that can be hidden, it is the bulkhead and breakfast that will show. I hope/think I can protect it while not imparting too nice a pastel green finish.

[daveb]

there is nothing worse then freshly painting your rover and having it towed sideways through a frozen snow bank in front of a crowd.


Ha! I don't think it was a crowd, maybe just me and Bruce. Anyway, a classic moment. The look on your face was priceless and Richard was completely oblivious.

FWIW I painted my 109 with Rustoleum. I secretly was hoping it would return to an original looking patina in fairly short order. It has not disappointed me in that regard.

[Partsman]

Ha! I don't think it was a crowd, maybe just me and Bruce. Anyway, a classic moment. The look on your face was priceless and Richard was completely oblivious.

FWIW I painted my 109 with Rustoleum. I secretly was hoping it would return to an original looking patina in fairly short order. It has not disappointed me in that regard.
This is the reason I used Rustoleum this summer to paint my 109, it was a patchwork quit of paint, no paint, different color paint. So I painted the whole thing one color with Rustoleum, and hope that the patina comes with-in a few years.

[1971Series88]

Thanks for all the feedback, and suggestions. It seems like Patina is the chosen solution....sure helps with the budgeting :). I was leaning that way so it just helps for a second or fifth opinion.

Now the big question is with the surface rust on those panels requiring sanding down do you just rattle can Rustoleum a "like" color, or prime it then Rustoleum. And does anyone know a good color for the Marine Blue produced by Rustoleum, or some other like rattle can?

[SafeAirOne]

I think the only really close match to a Land Rover factory color was Rustoleum "almond" and whatever color this is in the pic. In fact, the rear tub has fresh Rustoleum "almond" paint while the rest of the rover has dirty, faded original paint:

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7016/6506796999_64fe463911.jpg

I think somebody said that some auto parts stores that do paint can custom mix small quantities using the PPG color numbers and put it in an aerosol can for you. NAPA was mentioned, IIRC.

[Skeeball]

Tower paint and Seymour of Sycamore will custom mix spray cans for you. FWIR they both have the Land rover color codes already
Steve

[1971Series88]

Thanks for the info...here is a better shot of the truck as it is today.

[Skookumchuck]

Personaly I would paint it. But there is something to be said for the patina look as well. It all boils down to personal choice.

[garycox]

IMHO That one looks about perfect. I would not even touch the surface rust. Looks like one would expect on an old LR.

The world is plenty big for new, bright and clean as well as unrestored, aged, dirty. Your truck, your choice.

Just be cautious, it is a slippery slope if you whip out the paint can and start making improvements.

If you run across a series II that looks about like that, I am looking.

[1971Series88]

I agree Gary...however I have to do something about the surface rust, if I wire brush or sand it then it is left as bare metal - so I will do something, just have to figure out what that something is going to be.

I was extremely lucky to come by this - in the shape it is in - for the price I paid...I will post up any more that I may come across...unless it is a 109/110 then this one will be for sale! :)

[jac04]

... if I wire brush or sand it then it is left as bare metal...
Wire brushing or sanding will not get rid of all the rust. Abrasive blasting is the way to go.

Have you thought about galvanizing? On a truck like yours, after the initial shine dulls down a little it would blend in well with the rest of the vehicle. Plus, it will last forever.

[73series88]

patina
mine looked great but when you start replacing things
and reparinig and painting the multi color looks funny.

aaron

[1971Series88]

hey Aaron - that is a good looking 88"...is the first pic of it how it is today? If so what did you do with the light guards? I want to add these back to mine - as it doesn't come with them.

[73series88]

i had to flatten them out a little to fit over the big signals
then bolted them down
the body was realy strait when i got it but it but we tipped over a couple of years ago
the tub turned out to have tons of filler.
i have a perfect 2a non corroded tub to replace it. its poppy red
aaron