Patina protection

[Rudiee]

Another vote for Owatrol, I believe it needs re-applying every so often.

[Sunny Jim]

I have to say that I wouldn't use Owatrol oil directly onto old paint indiscriminately. It is certainly suitable for keeping galvanising from further deterioration. Also, I revived my nuts - the wingnuts for the windscreen that is - by pickling them in POR15 Metal Prep, then coating them with Owatrol oil. They are still good after a few years. I have used Owatrol successfully on steam locomotive side rods, giving them a good clean (more accurately supervising some trainees giving them a good clean), then coating them. It would prevent any deterioration of steel parts, where the paint has failed and there is only superficial rust.

I did experiment with Polytrol on some faded carriage paint and found it was not suitable, and it didn't revive some that dated from the 1880s either - it might work on modern paint that is sound but totally 'chalked' though.

The benefit of using a good Carnuba wax is that it can be re-applied without further work, and can be removed if necessary. Proper museum type conservation should be a reversible process. I still have some 1 Grand polish and wax, but it doesn't seem available now.

There is probably no single process that would work for everything.

Being as mine is used regularly, I gave it a reasonable paint job at its last rebuild 16 years ago (not worrying about getting rid of minor blemishes etc) and periodically polish and wax it with Carnuba to keep it looking OK. It has a nice patina from usage now, but still looks good overall. I have had mine for over 45 years (well, some of it anyway) from a time when it was just an old Land Rover, so don't have the same perspective as some people! I also find the whole 'one year bitsa' concept quite amusing (second hand age appropriate parts from another vehicle), and am quite happy with supersession parts i.e. genuine replacement parts that are not identical to the originals, as part of the ongoing maintenance of the vehicle in working order.

The stupidest thing I have had said to me was when someone asked me if it was ex-RN (it is dark blue you see), as they were going to tell me it was the wrong colour! The idea that someone might paint it a colour of their choice didn't occur to them. The best thing for a 'factory' look restoration is to give it 10 years use, then it will look good again!

Sunny Jim

[simonbav]

^^^ Not forgetting the ability of linseed rags to self-combust after use. Dry them flat or burn straightaway. Don't scrunch 'em into a waste bin.

[Len]

Landrover Len 210
I do not have a series landrover now . I do spend a lot of my retirement time rebuilding my friends 2a(bulkhead refit in progress).
Evan,my friend has a 109 2a nd I have a def 110 our dragons (better halves bless them) think they look disgusting as they are only jet washed underneath.
The outsides have been left to develop into our own patina ie weathered,battered,scratched,dented,dropped on ,stood on,walked on,splashed on,played on ,craped on ,slipped on,slept on seen the world on & lived our dreams on.
Patina tells the stories about our landrover's adventures.
Q,I wonder if Santa's sleigh shows any patina ?
Happy Christmas to all.

[Santa]

It's pristine new each Christmas with a new MoT.


 

[Peter Holden]

YOD is sort of half way, not patina because it has been brush painted a few times but the paintwork is not pristine.  However it is used regularly including off roadingand was good enough to be on the club stand at the NEC.

Underneath is treated the same as the underside of our Romahome camper with Lanoguard which will get redome every 12 to 18 months.

Peter

[Ken]

The issue what to preserve and how is a key question in restoring a car. I would always preserve an original component that could be made good at the ultimate expense of its appearance. For me originality is all.
It does depend on your starting point, if what you have is in truly terrible condition you have little option but to restore to the highest standard. I would then use it. I had this issue with a 1931 works racing MG which was in scrap condition, after some use it looked just as it should. In fact it was then worn out and rebuilt several times competing, once after a 24 hour record run at Millbrook but that is what it was made for and it was promptly re built.
A Lotus 18 I rebuilt kept its slightly googly steering wheel where a previous owner had given himself a fright.
My most recent completion is my 1928 Chrysler shown here on its first competitive outing on this year's Exmoor trial before and part way round.
I am impressed by the standard some people turn their cars out to, most recently the S2 in the car park at the Exmoor trim open day, beautifully done and I guess that for some the process of getting there is enough but the above with the conversation of how to maintain the function and appearance of old machinery I find really enjoyable.

[Exile]

My body definitly has "patina" and looks well lived-in.

I am waiting for it to become fashionable.

Will Owatrol oil do a better job on me than just soap, I wonder?




(Forgive me, it's nearly Christmas.....)

[Space-Kook]

Exile, you're in luck, dad-bod is in at the moment. Work it if you've got it 🍻

Thanks everyone for your advice, some really good points to consider. I've gone with wax to start with and had good results, I'll try owatrol on the galving after Christmas and see how that goes.

[NoBeardNoTopKnot]

'Wash'... anything on from that quickly borders insecure. And, so it goes on... each to his own.

[Len]

Landrover Len 210
A while back I used to help out at the loverly open weekends of Dunsfold,arriving a few days early to set up the caravan.then when the landrovers were planted in their rows wipe all their paintwork /patina over.
I was given a can of wd 40 and a cotton rag and got on with it,that is all,the rest is elbow and smiles.
Dunsfold weekends was a place where every landrover got an encouraging smile.I went away with my  smile,buzz all the way to the next open weekend.

[Littlelegs]

I've not heard of owatrol before but having had a look on their website they seem to have some interesting products. Has anyone used the owatrol CIP antirust primer to paint a chassis and then overpaint in chassis black? I'm thinking that could work to protect the Series 2a I'm getting. Any opinions?

On a non landrover tangent the gel coat restorer I'm considering trying on my VW T4 pop top, so if anyone has used that on anything I'd be interested in your thoughts.
Cheers