Does anyone have the same fear/curse that I have? All of my life I've had several vehicles.The really nice ones-they were unreliable and constantly giving problems.The undesirables-you know,off years,4drs,rusty and/or beat up ones tend to be my best friends.They always start,never leave me stranded and most everything still works. So,I'm really wanting to spiff up the Pea('75 2dr)with such things as small bumpers,maybe a v8,discs,fixing the rust/replacing the dented pass door,etc as well as new paint n stuff.But the drums work well(all new stuff)the little 200 runs great w/the 3speed manual and the dented door and little rust make it just ratty enough to not be afraid to drive it anywhere,but not ratty enough for people to say "when you gonna fix it up".I've just decided over the last few years that I'm cursed to have dependable,but scratched up,dented or rusty cars/trucks.I guess "patina" really does add character.
The undesirables know they better perform well, because they sure as heck don't have looks going for them! Oh, this don't sound right...
one reason i hate to start on my '72... it just runs and drives so good that im afraid it'll all go to hell if i start putting new parts on it, lol
i belive in the uglyfast theory. i put the money into the mehanicals. i always am thinking that i will get the car painted but end up selling them before that ever happens.
I cant drive cars that dont shine. I have tried. When my pickup got really tired looking I went for the patina look. I could not stand it. I hate rust, primer, dull paint on cars that I drive. I MUST repair it or it haunts me and I cant sleep. I think I need therapy. Dan
The "Rat Rod" look goes well on some cars.....on others, it just looks like a kid with no money doing the best he can. I can stand driving a car in primer, because I know soon it will be sporting a shiny paint job. Rust and dents bug me though. I could never just primer over rust and call it finished, and if it's dented, I'm gonna do my best to straighten it out. The only way I like patina is on a fresh from the barn type car, one you just rescued and got it running and want to show it off. But come to think of it, I usually stop by the wishy washy car wash and at least spray one off before I get home with it, that way the wife doesn't look at it and say, " What are you going to do with that piece of junk?".
I am more than OK driving mine lightly dinged up and with faded paint. I know that if I start repairing the outer body and shooting primer in spots, it will drive me nuts until all the body work is done and it is shiny again. I would rather that it have the "long-suffering survivor look" rather than the "half-a$$ed in-process look". How weird is that? Actually, I would just settle for just driving it soon regardless ... pretty well scattered all over the garage and the spare bedroom right now ...
