The “faux-tina” trend seems to be slowing down a bit, but there’s still something cool about a real patina shop truck. This 1957 Chevrolet has a great look and will make a great new ride for someone. It can be found here on eBay with a current bid over $10,000. Located in Mountain View, Arkansas, this truck is sure to be a conversation piece wherever it goes. Take a look.
The 355 cubic inch small block is pretty dirty, but I’m sure with a little elbow grease it will shine again. The old saying says “chrome won’t get you home” but if it runs well, there’s nothing wrong with a little jewelry. The engine features go-fast goodies like aluminum heads and a mild cam. The seller says the engine starts and runs good but does leak fluids from a couple of areas. Backing the engine is a Turbo 350 transmission with stall converter. It has been upgraded with 4-wheel disc brakes, but still features manual steering.
Like the outside, the interior metal has a nice patina to it. There are a few aftermarket billet pieces like the gauge cluster, steering wheel, column, shifter, and pedals. The blanket-style seat cover and matching door panels aren’t bad and could be easily replaced if the new owner chooses to. The vent windows are gone, replaced by one-piece power glass, which is nice. This truck could easily be driven as-is.
Overall this a really cool truck. The stance is great. The patina and door lettering is great. It only needs a little bit of TLC to be a really cool ride. Even the bed has a really cool license plate treatment. What do you think about this truck? Is the “shop truck” look still cool?
It would be a great conversation piece if one of GM’s best looking trucks ever didn’t look like a rust bucket. Deserves much better than this. Log this one off as unfinished.
“Perfect” and “Patina” don’t belong in the same sentence as far as I’m concerned. While this pickup has a lot going for it there’s a lot more needed to be done. As bobhess commented, it looks like a rust bucket as-is and the interior looks awful. The license plate bed is kind of silly looking. To some, this truck may have the perfect look but it has little appeal to me. I like resto-mods, original looking but with modern components, but with a nice paint job, not lowered and with period correct wheels. If you like the “patina” look, that’s fine by me but I prefer to polish paint, not rust.
Outstanding project potential. The whole Patina madness was a non starter. Buy this and give it a real paint job.
Change the wheels
nothing wrong with the wheels they offset the no paint, paint job
From Merriam Webster:
pa·ti·na | \ pə-ˈtē-nə, ˈpa-tə-ne\plural patinas\ pə-ˈtē-nəz
, ˈpa-tə-nəz \ or patinae\ pə-ˈtē-ˌnē , -ˌnī , ˈpa-tə- \
Definition of patina
1a : a usually green film formed naturally on copper and bronze by long exposure or artificially (as by acids) and often valued aesthetically for its color
b : a surface appearance of something grown beautiful especially with age or use
Neither applies here. That poor truck has survived 63 years and deserves a re-finish in it’s original color. Coating rust and corrosion with clear will do nothing to stop the march of corrosion and more rust from forming. Faking it it further is lunacy. As bad as taking a not so old wooden table, beating it with a chain, scratching it and selling it as a rare and weathered antique.
I just don’t get the attraction to rust. Faded paint, in my opinion, is about as bad but at least it offers some protection to the metal beneath.
This truck deserves better; they’re not making these anymore.
Saves having to wax every month 😁
Best example of patina would be The Statue of Liberty.
While it is a cool truck with decent upgrades, especially that little 355, as it sits now it would appeal more with the rat rod crowd…which is fine if you’re into that.
Faded paint as opposed to mostly rust, 60’s/70’s style mags, a little bit shorter shifter, three spoke steering wheel out of a mid sixties car especially if there is no power steering, and obnoxious sounding mufflers. The lowered stance works well…….and leave the engine as is, maybe different valve covers for looks only. Just a thought.
Paint it the original color, finish it and this would be a cool truck, plenty of $$ spent already. Might make a good start for a project, as the guys said. Good luck . IMHO the silly wheels would have to go.
Cheers
GPC
Now you are calling an old rusty truck perfect! If it were restored to original specifications it might be perfect. Hopefully the rust fad will pass quickly.
If it were to be painted it would be double the price! Good start for a young hot rodder wanting to get into the hobby.. Take a cool picture of it in this state, blow it up frame it. Then paint the truck.
Agreed. Although I do find some vehicles that have a patina finish to be quite appealing. When it’s gone this far it’s time for a restoration. What I can’t stand is some of silly nonsensical design ideas that are seen in the rat rods. The license plate bed, the huge shifters and the deliberate attempt at celebrating “shabby.” Not to mention the phony signs! They only become characatchers of themselves.
Why are the tires so skinny? Dumb!!!
Paint it the original color, get the license plates out of the bed, lose all the billet pieces in the interior or paint them, put a column shifter on it, change the wheels, especially the steering wheel and I think you could have a nice truck. I do like the 1 piece side glass though!
“Perfect patina”–an oxymoron. Those who subscribe to that, well, just morons.
What kind of Barbarian removes wing windows? This thing is irredeemable!
Cars in the south seem to rust from the top down but here in the great white north they rust from the bottom up. ‘Nice shiny paint but it might fold in half if you put it on a lift’
Rat rods were born from necessity. I have no money and a bunch of parts and old cars. Let me see if i can build something to get around in. To purposely build one to try to cash in seems just fake to me. I like rat rods if they are original and not built to be a copy or fake, especially to just make a buck.Fix this truck and bring it back to its former glory!