Some help appreciated... To paint or not to paint

[hardcastlephil]

Afternoon,

Will try and make this as short as possible - I've been building this 3 wheeler commercial for a few years now. The original idea came from an article in MOG magazine and I thought it looked like fun, so not a classic but that is the look I want hence the post here.

There will be a canvas tilt over the pickup bed and 19" wire wheels when complete to try and help with the picture.

Anyway I'm at the stage where I need to decide sharpish if I'm painting it or not. I'm not into show cars at all and want it usable, so my options are:

Leave bare aluminium and go for a patina finish.. Maybe some faded race numbers or signwriting etc. There's lots of patination fluid about which will give an oily rag effect. Possibly green or maroon wire wheels.

Or

Coach paint it. I'm thinking of the RAF blue land rover colour at the moment. I like greens really but did the last one in land rover Keswick green and life's too short to do the same all the time.

I am just completely indecisive and have been thinking about it for months now with no way forward!

All responses appreciated,


Phil

[4rephill]

Personally speaking, I would go with an aged paint look - Faded paint, some paint looking like it's worn away back to bare aluminium from use, and maybe make up your own personal old garage sign, and have that painted on both sides (Something like: [/i]"Hardcastlephil's Garage and Parts"[/i] with the name at the top ,the "Garage and Parts" at the bottom, and crossed spanners or such like, in the middle), and have the signs faded and aged to look old.

Make it looked like it's lived a full life already

[mbwoy84]

Paint it. It’s looks incomplete at the moment. Your colour choice is strong, but do the wheels in a nice cream to set it off.

[4rephill]

mbwoy84 said:

Paint it. It’s looks incomplete at the moment......

I'd go as far as saying that it looks too much like a new project at the moment, and a fresh looking, perfect paint job will also look too new.

It needs a bit of fake ageing, to give it a nice, old looking patina.

[52classic]

I would brush or roller paint it and the blue would be a good choice IMHO. Don't overdo the patination/fading, get it right and it will look delightful.

Not sure I would sign it as a garage tho' Chimney sweep perhaps? Better still, a trade that has died out over the years.

[52classic]

Flying Circus? Aeroplane rigger? Lion Tamer? Wall of Death operator?

[Scrump]

I agree with the views that paint is the way to go.
With regard to any vintage style sign writing, now about ‘Hardcastle and son’


Fantastic thing.

[Mike-tf3n0]

Bare aluminium will go dull very quickly as it oxidises when unprotected. It will just look tatty and you will not enjoy watching it rapidly deteriorate. Prime it with acid etching primer and then paint it in cellulose which will give it that lovely dull shine we were used to before two pack and lacquer top coats became the norm.. Love the look of that, 2CV wheels but what is the engine, looks a bit like a Guzzi V twin?

[Turbobanana]

Firstly, I love it - great work!

Off the wall suggestion: how about a fabric bodied look, like an old Velorex or similar. Could be done with a wrap, or simply stick fabric onto the ali.

[shih tzu faced]

Good call on the wrap there (see above)

Can be changed easily if you get bored of it or if it doesn't turn out how you'd imagined.

[AMGSee55]

First of all, what a brilliant car. The world would be a duller place without vehicles like this like your choice of RAF blue, applied in a suitably rustic fashion as has been suggested.

[smn159]

That will look fabulous in RAF blue

[hardcastlephil]

Evening - sorry a bit late to the party today.

Thanks for all the replies - you've convinced me that paint (and RAF blue) is the way forward. I had looked into vinyl wrap but it's quite hard to do a decent job over the rivets from what I'm led to believe. Also a lover of cellulose finish but I'm going to try handpainted enamel paint for a really vintage effect.

Agree also that faded signs 'Hardcastle & Son', 'Hardcastle Sales and Service' would be great. Even thought about the remains of a little stripe across the bottom, but I'm not entirely sure how to get the effect os need to look into that. I'm guessing that I can flat back the paint quite easily - I can also buy the real MOD style stuff in a satin or matt finish but I think that putting it on in the gloss and flatting would give the effect. Any help or advice again appreciated.

Finally thanks for the positive comments! Poster was correct about a 2cv wheel on one side, the other side is a Ferguson TE20 (grey fergie) wheel as I'm experimenting with a custom hub to take the tractor wheel for a more commercial look. Although I'm thinking black wires would look good. Engine is Guzzi 750.

Best,

Phil

[Keep it stiff]

Wow, what a great looking thing. I agree with your conclusion, paint with a patina feel. I think a wrap would be all wrong on this, I know you can get some fantastic wrap effects but it would just be wrong to it's hand-crafted style.

Looking forward to seeing the end results!

[aeropilot]

hardcastlephil said:

Although I'm thinking black wires would look good.

This.

Black wires would look so much better than the solid wheels.

[Mike-tf3n0]

More Morganesque but there were plenty of cars using disc wheels back in the 20s and 30s.

[CharlieAlphaMike]

Personally, I'd paint it. In French blue. Ditch the wire wheels and stick with the original 'steels', painted in cream or 'off white'. Beige canvas cover will complete the picture

[shih tzu faced]

hardcastlephil said:

Thanks for all the replies - you've convinced me that paint (and RAF blue) is the way forward. I had looked into vinyl wrap but it's quite hard to do a decent job over the rivets from what I'm led to believe. Also a lover of cellulose finish but I'm going to try handpainted enamel paint for a really vintage effect.

That's fair comment about vinyl wrap over the rivets; hadn't thought of that to be honest. Those bonnet louvres look like they'd be tricky as well so I agree, paint would be best.

Whatever you go for I'm sure it will look great. I'd be inclined to go for something visible to other drivers; when I had a smallish classic Alfa I had a few drivers of moderns just pull out in front of me, they simply didn't see me. I think the relative small size of my car took them by surprise by being outside of their normal field of vision.

[Mr lestat]

Flat green paint and RAF roundels for me.

[aeropilot]

Maroon and cream with black wires.....

Like an old British Railways Scammell Scarab