Patina restoration for your collector car

Patina restoration is all about reviving your collector car's true beauty. Though it may not eliminate all imperfections, it can give you a stunning new look and a way to attract the proper attention it deserves. Patina is different from repainting a car. It creates the softened look of a used car with old chrome elements and zinc plating. Patina gives your vehicle the character and feel of genuinely authentic ageing. Should you do it?

Is patina a good thing?

Patina is something only some car collectors want to manage. However, if your car has some provenance to it, patina makes sense. It helps to meaningfully show the car's true value, age, and history. It helps maintain the history of a worthy vehicle. Patina is the weathered finish on a clean car, as it's not dirt or dust. It is worn-through areas of paint that show the years of washing and waxing put into it. Only surface rust, not rust, has penetrated through the metal.

What you need to know when restoring your classic car’s paint

Restoring a classic car is a task for enthusiasts who want to take on a big project. Your options are numerous. For some, it means stripping the vehicle to the bare metal, restoring the functionality and features, and creating a like-new look using the original paint and colours.

For others, it's about fixing the problems, patching the areas that are deteriorating value, and maintaining the overall weathered look. You can learn to do both of these tasks based on what you wish to learn and achieve. Consider these strategies to help you.

Join a classic car club. Before starting any work, get involved in the local industry. This not only allows you to learn opinions and methods but also allows you to determine what strategy is best for your goals.

• Get a tool kit and learn to use it. That includes the tools used based on the age and condition of your vehicle. The more authentic skills you have, the more likely you are to create a stunning finished look.
• Choose a realistic project car and starting point. This takes skill, and the only way to learn that skill is to try it out. Having a project car to work on can be an exceptional strategy for building valuable skills.
• Be realistic about your time. Finding a way to restore the patina and find parts will take time.
• Know your limits. Restoration work can be learned over time and with patience, but you will need to reach out to experts when necessary. Structural damage requires welding knowledge, for example. If you are looking to restore the original paint, you certainly want to get some hands-on support from those who work in classic car restoration.

Note that restoration work to add patina is a very different process. Rather than transforming the car to a like-new look, you are adding components that help to improve the overall condition while maintaining the aged feel.

Know when like new is not the right thing to do

Adding patina to a vehicle transforms the look and gives it a classic, aged look. Yet, restoring your collector car to its original glory is sometimes the better route. Consider what your objectives are with the work you are doing:

• Do you plan to fix the car and sell it? If that’s the case, research what buyers look for in these vehicles. Most want authentic paint and patina, not restoration work that adds false weathering.
• Do you plan to make this your project car and keep it? Then, there are no boundaries. Make it what you want to, taking the time to do so meaningfully. You can make it look just like the car you used to own.
• Do you want to honour the value of the car's history? In that situation, you should repair the damage and maintain the natural patina, allowing the vehicle to tell more of the story.

Protect your car’s value with Orbit Insurance Services

Contact Orbit Insurance Services today or request a quote for Collector Car Insurance. Orbit is your insurance ally and can help protect all of the work you’ve put into it.