Classics used to have to shine as loudly as possible. And chrome couldn't get too fast on it. These days 'patina' is the magic word.
Patina so
If you can see from a classic that he has lived, then he is extra beautiful. Extra valuable. Apparently there is so much to be said for that there are nowadays specialists who make a classic and instant look old and aged. Say: "The inverted Patricia Paaij approach". We believe that this approach is not only used by wildly romantic hipsters with the most well-kept wild beards. It is also a nice approach to make hard but ugly classics of quick and inexpensive ready for sale. Want to tighten and spray well? That costs too much!
The idea comes from the Rat Look world
As long as it didn't shine. Gloss was for 'pussy's and pensioners'. A car was only good if it didn't look good. Was held together with sticks and strings. Skulls and barbed wire were top notch accessories. Rust, junk and rubber formed the new religion. It was the height of immaturity. It was fake. Conceived. Not grown.
The idea comes from the construction boxes / scale model world
The trend towards Real Old has also been discovered in the scale model world. The 'wheating', making it look as if a vehicle has been hit by wind and weather has been brought to great heights with scale models of tanks and other war stuff. Enthusiasts even ensure that the 'mud tracks' are correct in color in relation to the terrain where such a tank, Jeep or thing has ever driven. Nice is not it?
The current trend is 'softer'
Little or no more work is done with all kinds of old iron and plumbing stuff. Skulls, dead pigeons and manhole covers are no longer needed to make a handsome Rat. Rats are also clean and smart animals. And they don't rust. Unique artistic outbursts remain largely absent. But mounting imperials with a few old suitcases on it is apparently a kind of 'must'. Such a classic in his death garment can still look 'real' or endearing from a distance.
But up close? We'll just say every little bit of his own. At Albert Venema we saw a Dodge pick-up with a real and honest patina that makes you technically knock out. Plus an impressive estate car whose hard body had been given the coat by an experienced homeless person. We were more impressed with the Dodge. Because in our opinion 'real' is always better than 'pretending'. Because after all, do we have our politicians for that?
Every disadvantage is a major advantage
In the meantime, there is a sub-aspect for professional patina counterfeiters that we, ordinary classic enthusiasts, can benefit from. A car (or let it be an engine) with real patina, but serious rust problems can be technically corrected while the repaired parts can look authentic again - such a magic word - after the work of such a rust maker .
But then you are not 'pretending' because the basis is fake twice, then you try to put an existing whole back in order without giving the repairs a showroomshine. You could call that restoration
My Jaguar XJ 1998 is now 22 year with a tiny bit of patina in the making, but I do my best not to let it get more patina. In the old days people were also careful with their cars, I still do now. But unfortunately she is outside, so a little bit will be added.
Nice piece and with that my doubt about whether or not to put my old Norton in showroom condition is resolved: he can keep his patina :-). Thanks !
Real patina is irreplaceable and priceless. Congratulations. What kind of Norton are we talking about?
Norton Command 850 III Electric Start (1975). My father bought it new in England at the time (with a second bought by a married uncle). Price then: 1.000 English pounds.
I bought the Norton in 1982 from my father for 50.000 Bfr and gave my Ducati 250 (Silver Shotgun) on the side (he didn't even ask, but I wish he still had something "to ride with" and that I still regret the latter, my father later sold it to a German…).