Clear coating over patina: anybody done it?

[Grit dog]

Decided to bite the bullet and get ann exterior detail to see what the paint really looks like in its best condition and it came out real nice. Found a great detailer in Austin called the Wax Shack. The guy who runs it, George, has been doing it for decades. He did the whole 9 yards: clay bar, cut, polish, wax. I reckon moving forward my best bet is to wax it myself once in the winter and pay somebody to do it the summer, since i don’t have a carport or garage.

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

Awesome big 10 dude!

 

[Grit dog]

Any experience with the VGG stuff? It's more of a protective coating than a permanent clearcoat isn't it?

No, but RV guys use Zep floor polish on faded gel coat.
Some say it peels eventually (but they may do multiple coats ) but most say it’s just shiny for a couple years and when it starts fading again wipe on another coat.
Wonder if all these patina concoctions are the same thing?
Been meaning to get some to test, have a painted aluminum cap piece that is faded on my trailer. Good place to test it. Trailer wouldn’t lose value or look worse if it didn’t work. Haven’t yet though.

 

[bucket]

It would seem that many people apply some kind of coating. I just polish the car from time to time. The only annoying part is the polish leaves a chalky haze in the surface rust.

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[EastAustinSawdust]

A bad/degrading clear coat job on top of original finish is like a retired super model that still looks decent for her age, but proceeds to wreck herself with a botched facelift and implants that defy the laws of physics and ultimately makes herself less attractive in the end.

It’s like when I’m caulking the bathtub and the caulk bead is pretty clean but not perfect so I get my finger in there and start smoothing it out and next thing I know I’ve f’ed it all up and regret ever messing with it, shoulda just left it as-is, I don’t even take baths anyway.

 

[TotalyHucked]

Any experience with the VGG stuff? It's more of a protective coating than a permanent clearcoat isn't it?

No experience but I know he's got both "Shine Juice" and also a clear coat. The clear coat is still that, clear coat that I wouldn't touch with a 10ft pole. The Shine Juice is his combo of boiled linseed oil and whatnot, it's a temporary thing like the Patina Sauce I mentioned earlier.

 

[TotalyHucked]

It would seem that many people apply some kind of coating. I just polish the car from time to time. The only annoying part is the polish leaves a chalky haze in the surface rust.

You must be registered for see images attach

You wouldn't have to polish as much if you'd coat it with a sealant and then a wax. That's what I do, I use Chemical Guys Jet Seal, let it set up for a day or two and then top coat with wax. Usually only do the buff/polish/re-seal every couple years if I keep the top coat of wax up.

 

[ChuckN]

Any experience with the VGG stuff? It's more of a protective coating than a permanent clearcoat isn't it?

I have the Shine Juice on my C10. It does a good job, pretty subtle but adds a little bit of gloss. Goes on really shiny, dries up nicely and isn’t sticky or tacky at all.

 

[Grit dog]

DO NOT CLEAR OVER THAT PAINT! While there are some guys that do it and it's fine for them, I've seen and heard more horror stories than anything. My '85 got cut down, paint spotted back in and the whole truck clear coated before I bought it. Looked great at first, 4 years and 40k miles later (and lots of outside time, it's not an indoor trophy queen), the clear is lifting and flaking off left and right. I wouldn't have bought it had I known then what I do now.

Please for the love of god, just cut/buff and keep it waxed. Or get some Patina Sauce from Sweet Patina. Blake over there is a super great guy and that's a quality, non-permanent coating. Stay away from Poppy's Patina also, lots of people have had their paint start lifting all the way down to metal after a while with his stuff.

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

That’s a tough call. You could lose the clear on a newer factory 2 stage paint job sitting in the sun for 5 or more years.
I’d say it was sort of to be expected and you got a decent service life out of that work. Plus probably don’t know if they sanded the whole truck before clearing or just cleared over (relatively) shiny paint?

 

[TotalyHucked]

That’s a tough call. You could lose the clear on a newer factory 2 stage paint job sitting in the sun for 5 or more years.
I’d say it was sort of to be expected and you got a decent service life out of that work. Plus probably don’t know if they sanded the whole truck before clearing or just cleared over (relatively) shiny paint?

True. But this was freshly done when I bought the truck and I've kept up on keeping it waxed and protected. It's stored inside our shop at AMD most of the time but y'all know all the miles I put on it and it sits outside at shows all the time. It never spends weeks at a time outside. I'm sure they buffed the paint and then cleared it. Hell, they might not have washed/decontaminated it enough after the buffing and that's what reacted with the clear

 

[CheemsK1500]

Made a huge difference with my 85...Used a Milwaukee orbital polisher, and polish, then carnuba wax. I plan to wax it at least twice a year maybe more. Only takes an hour, and uses 1/4 the wax, makes ya feel good, doin' the ol' truck right.

Beautiful result. At quick glance, I’d almost accuse it of being a repaint. Unfortunately, the trucks I’ve gotten either didn’t have enough paint left to polish or had paint missing in several places. Mother Nature and Father Time have not been kind to ‘80s GM paint.

 

[Grit dog]

True. But this was freshly done when I bought the truck and I've kept up on keeping it waxed and protected. It's stored inside our shop at AMD most of the time but y'all know all the miles I put on it and it sits outside at shows all the time. It never spends weeks at a time outside. I'm sure they buffed the paint and then cleared it. Hell, they might not have washed/decontaminated it enough after the buffing and that's what reacted with the clear

Hmmm if they actually shined the old paint up rather than sanding/scuffing it, that would be cause for the clear to not bond well.
Single stage or basecoat alike, once it’s outside the repaint window (24hrs or less) from being sprayed it needs to be sanded.
Most say 400-600. I’ve had no issue going 800-1000 grit before clear coat.
Although the acrylic enamel (I think?) paint of the 70s-80s is softer than newer urethane single stage paints. I’ve never tired clear coating old acrylic paint.
So that could be why it didn’t last as long, even if it was prepped right.

 

[bucket]

Hmmm if they actually shined the old paint up rather than sanding/scuffing it, that would be cause for the clear to not bond well.
Single stage or basecoat alike, once it’s outside the repaint window (24hrs or less) from being sprayed it needs to be sanded.
Most say 400-600. I’ve had no issue going 800-1000 grit before clear coat.
Although the acrylic enamel (I think?) paint of the 70s-80s is softer than newer urethane single stage paints. I’ve never tired clear coating old acrylic paint.
So that could be why it didn’t last as long, even if it was prepped right.

Yep, if it was not at least scuffed before the clearcoat, it'll all just peel off eventually.

 

[bucket]

You wouldn't have to polish as much if you'd coat it with a sealant and then a wax. That's what I do, I use Chemical Guys Jet Seal, let it set up for a day or two and then top coat with wax. Usually only do the buff/polish/re-seal every couple years if I keep the top coat of wax up.

I'm hesitant of using anything on it because the paint shines up super nice. It looks legit original (because it is, lol) and I don't want to make it look like imitation patina in the slightest bit. People already question the legitimacy of my oddball car as it is. But there's oodles and oodles of surface flaws that get highlighted when the polish residue dries.

Does the Jet Seal change the appearance of the surface at all?

 

[TotalyHucked]

Hmmm if they actually shined the old paint up rather than sanding/scuffing it, that would be cause for the clear to not bond well.
Single stage or basecoat alike, once it’s outside the repaint window (24hrs or less) from being sprayed it needs to be sanded.
Most say 400-600. I’ve had no issue going 800-1000 grit before clear coat.
Although the acrylic enamel (I think?) paint of the 70s-80s is softer than newer urethane single stage paints. I’ve never tired clear coating old acrylic paint.
So that could be why it didn’t last as long, even if it was prepped right.

True. I have no idea how it was done, though a buddy of mine knows of the shop that did it. I suppose I could contact them to ask, not that it really matters at this point

 

[TotalyHucked]

I'm hesitant of using anything on it because the paint shines up super nice. It looks legit original (because it is, lol) and I don't want to make it look like imitation patina in the slightest bit. People already question the legitimacy of my oddball car as it is. But there's oodles and oodles of surface flaws that get highlighted when the polish residue dries.

Does the Jet Seal change the appearance of the surface at all?

Nope, not in my experience. I put it on with an applicator pad, let it haze over and buff off. Let it cure for at least a day (usually I'll just wait till the next wash) and then top coat it with a good wax. Gives the paint a very deep shine.