first post here...going patina

[Skooter]

First post here, dog gone every time I get to this place via some link on stovebolt forums where I'm member #74, which means I'm an old dude from way back, I see all the pics here and vow to get active on this forum. So...here we go.

Put 4-5 nice coats of acrylic enamel on Shelley almost 25 yrs ago and despite being garaged most of that time, she's getting some chips and other indications of aging, not to mention my bodywork left much to be desired and many lumps and bumps painted over.

So she's a great candidate for some fauxtina. 100% stock visually, with the exception of varnished oak bed and gloss interior instead of flat like original was. Currently cutting her forester green with 1000-1500 grit to see what I end up with and not quite sure I wanna get all the way down to the red primer but we'll see where it goes.

Ideas? Suggestions? What would you do? We're 35 years late to the patina party but they say everything comes back in style eventually, so...interested to see what kind of ideas are out there.

BTW, avatar shows me and Shelley in spring of 1983, almost a year after I consummated our relationship with a bucket of red tractor paint applied with a brush. ;-D
Some recent pics here: 1952 Chevrolet pickup

 

[coilover]

That engine compartment and detailing of accessories is PRIMO. Nice truck.

 

[Chiro]

Welcome. Looks great. I'm interested in what the heater box is from and how you fabbed it to fit in the engine compartment.

Andy

 

[Skooter]

Thanks for the compliments. Funny you should mention the heater. Think I'm gonna yank it once and for all. We're in northwest AZ now and it can get chilly but haven't used it all winter which is almost over. Was in the truck when I got it in 1982 and looks a lot like an early T-bird blower assembly(pic below). Dunno for sure. Always in the way, not to mention a PO cut an ugly hole in the firewall for it, so something will need to be done with that.

 

[Skooter]

Well I'll be darned. Might've made a quick google ID here, check the heater box about halfway down this page: 1955 Thunderbird T Bird parts 1956 Thunderbird T Bird parts 1957 Thunderbird T Bird parts off California Thunderbirds T Birds
Had always suspected it was some generic aftermarket assembly. Maybe not.

 

[1951 chevy blue]

Great looking truck!! In 54 I think Forester with a Seafoam roof and flip flop stripes at the beltline is a great look

 

[Depoebay]

great job!!! something to be said about keeping the original look. I always ended up with the bastardized ones....hence my ...well you know

 

[Skooter]

Hey no shame there, if Shelley was my only ride, no doubt she'd get changed from original, much moreso than than her 3.55 rear end gears, which is basically the extent of her "hopups" if you could call it that. Getting extra from the old 216 is like squeezing blood from a turnip (NOT HAPPENING), but there's something in that old steel and the inconveniences that grabs my heart down deep, takes me back to that summer of '82. We all have a special summer back in our past don't we? The more Shelley is changed from those days, the more of those days are gone. So the creaky old groans, the flooding carb, I'll live with all that stuff. And happily.

 

[Zig]

Welcome!
Sweet ride!!! And at a standard looking height no less! Love the photos!
I hear you on the love for the originality part.
It's the way it was, and for me, the way it should be.
(unless the straight 6 craps out, then a V8 replacement could work, but the more I drive mine, the more I think I'd just rework the 228 that makes mine roll.)