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Posted

You see in the hot rod and classic truck magazines the bare metal look, I was wondering how they do it effectively.

I have heard that it can be done by:

1. Spraying the metal down every so often with WD40 (doesn't seem very effective)

2. Using a clear version of POR15 or permalac

3. Powder coating in clear (seems expensive)

Does anyone have any better ideas?

Posted

I was just glancing at a hotrod the neighbor gave me. The hotrod in there that had the bare metal look was painted with flat clear paint. Seems like a good way to go.

Posted

It will require constant maintainence no matter how you do it. I clear coated a motorcycle frame a few years ago after I polished it, but the clear doesn't adhere very well to bare metal. The other issue is getting a clear that's actually "clear", most have a slight tint that shows up over bare metal, especially if you lay it on too thick. So you end up with a thin coat that doesn't adhere and you get rust discoloration below the clear. Paint, especially in thin layers, is more porous than people think.

A good coat of wax will work, just regular carnuba car wax. Or a petroleum product like wd-40. But both will require frequent reapplication, especially in a wetter or high humidity climate.

Posted

metal is prepped primed and painted for a reason..if you got a static diplay with controlled enviroment...go for it..on the street...still reeks of cheap unfinished look regardless of work involved, process to protect etc etc..have seen these cars up front..rat rod guys like this..rat rod says it all...

Posted (edited)

Well this touches a sore point with me that's for sure. As soon as I saw this (and it would be a Ferd) pull up next to my beautiful, hardworked, restoration, I knew I wasn't coming home with a trophy.

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It was the gee-wiz factor catering to a pretty unrefined auto crowd. It was novel enough alright, but just the thought of sanding the truck down to bare metal, leaving all the dings and just clear coating it after knowing all the hard work that went into my truck, well it just didn't seem fair.

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I got over myself when she (yes it was a she) told me her body shop said it would only last a couple of months before the rust would start to show. Oh well if you must here it is in all it's glory.

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Hank :rolleyes:

Edited by HanksB3B
Posted

In the olden days shoddy used car dealers would wipe a car down with kerosene. This would make it look good and protect it for a day or two. Dealing with the stink was another issue.

Posted

In the short run, I have been using a black pigment wax to just hold the bare metal and thin layer of original paint on my cab of the truck until it gets painted this winter/spring. It takes recoating about every other month to just maintain what I have got. I am in eastern Washington with little to no humidity, so in a wetter climate and/or higher humidity, I am sure it would take much more effort to keep the truck shining.

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Posted

I do want to set one thing straight here, the "bare metal look" didn't start with rat rodders. There are a couple of very high profile customs that did it first, and the point was not for an unfinished look. These were cars that had NO flaws whatsoever, the bare metal was the way to show off immaculate bodywork that required no filler at all.

Now, unfortunately, it has been adopted by a lot of rat rodders that strip the paint but don't bother doing the bodywork. But it wasnt their idea, and they've really missed the point of doing it. I also know of at least one traditional hot rod that runs sans paint as well, but it also has immaculate bodywork.

Regardless, if you want to keep it sans rust, it will require a lot of upkeep.

Guest bewillie
Posted

Like it or not its his car and done his way,so if you don't like that puppy parked next to you the best thing to do is move,not run him down for doing what he wants. At least its on the road.

Billy

Posted (edited)
park that puppy with the rat rods..way off to the corner somewhere so the tin worms cannot find the good cars and start crunching..if the hobby has a but crack this is it, one step shy of rat rot rust.

I think bare metal can show off craftsmanship, though. A couple of months ago, I was at a cruise at a vintage restoration place and one of the guys brought this beautiful totally-made-from-scratch sports car made out of aluminum. It looked like it was all one piece of sheetmetal or a huge piece of billet that he had machined out.

That in itself is something else but, it just having clear coat but no filler, you could see that this thing was super straight with it being impossible to tell where one panel started and another began. That's how well the guy had welded them together. Just stunningly beautiful work..

He said that he would paint it at some point but for now just wanted to show off his work. He was absolutely right because that is an extremely difficult thing to do.

Even if his body work isn't that good, to each his own. It is his truck.

Edited by coW52Dodge
Posted

There is no better way to show off top end metalfinishing craftmanship than bare metal. Takes a lot of money and a lot of time and a lot of skill to get it that way and I can't blame anyone for wanting to show it off. Once I've spent an appropriate time being amazed and dazzled, I want to see the completion, meaning paint. It changes the personality of the vehicle, makes it fresh again and I can be amazed and dazzled all over again.

Posted

Hard to argue on that bike and I won't anyway. Give it a couple years and then paint it. It'll still look awesome. I wonder what it'd look like after Mike LaValle got through with it!

Posted

Hey Hank....That bike looks plated to me....not bare. :D

48D

Posted

my comment about the rat rod class was truly a justified remark based on Hanks own description of the truck in question of still having the dents and dings still showing..there is no handwork or craftsmanship in that..so I still by my comments and defend them to the bitter end...lol (gotta stand for something..novel idea in today's world)

Posted

Well since we're going slightly off topic here and not answering just how to handle the "bare metal look".... I like rat rods. I like high dollar billet and chrome. I like race cars and demolition derby cars. I like low riders and the incredible amount of chrome that it takes to be show winner in that class. I like Edsels. I like Tim Adams and Don C. I like chopper bikes and hot rod wagons at swap meets. I like station wagons and Pintos (1978 I was in a nasty wreck as a passenger in a pinto and lived to tell the tale). I like dents and dings, cuz they tell a story. I like 4x4's. I like 72 Buick Rivieras cuz they got that cool back half thing going on. And....I like dogs that get to live in the front seat of any truck.

48D

Posted

The flat clear coat is probably the most effective at maintaining a natural steel finish as long as a little "tooth" was left in the surface for the CC to hang onto. The drier the air is will help. She's getting maybe two months. I'd have two days, max.

Posted
Well since we're going slightly off topic here and not answering just how to handle the "bare metal look".... I like rat rods. I like high dollar billet and chrome. I like race cars and demolition derby cars. I like low riders and the incredible amount of chrome that it takes to be show winner in that class. I like Edsels. I like Tim Adams and Don C. I like chopper bikes and hot rod wagons at swap meets. I like station wagons and Pintos (1978 I was in a nasty wreck as a passenger in a pinto and lived to tell the tale). I like dents and dings, cuz they tell a story. I like 4x4's. I like 72 Buick Rivieras cuz they got that cool back half thing going on. And....I like dogs that get to live in the front seat of any truck.

48D

Geez Tim;

I like all that stuff too but mostly I like women:D

Posted
Geez Tim;

I like all that stuff too but mostly I like women:D

The key phrase was "slighty off topic"....if you want me to go "seriously off topic"...well...I could fill a page of two. lol:D

48D

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