Itinerant Air-Cooled

Specifically, going from the original Montana Red to White for the roof of Bertha. Doesn't seem that far a stretch, as most passenger busses sported white roofs, and it wouldn't be a heat sink in the sun like Montana Red. Montana Red is one shade away from Black. Do you think if I go white I'll be killing my bank on retiring on the proceeds of selling Bertha down the road?


neal

I vote don't do it. Bertha has always been one of my favorite buses on here, and it is because of her "patina". She is a bad-ass survivor. I would only paint the top if it was a matter of preserving the metal from impending rot.

Easy for me to say, right?

I like the patina as well. Wax it up and leave as is.

It's your bus, so what do you want? When I owned a sailboat, I quickly learned why most hulls are painted bright white. Even a canary yellow hull was much hotter inside. Driving out of South Carolina several years ago, on a 96 degree August day, I was very happy that my bus rooftop was painted white.

Currently the roof is universally rust, no primer, no paint. A bit on the last 10 or twelve inches of slope. We'll opt wax at this point.

neal

Regarding the patina. Today I lost a bit of it, after an application of TR-3 trying to bring what paint is left out from under the heavy layer of oxidation. My first experience with the product. Going to have to give it another shot. My 'massaging" in the product wasn't consistent, and still oxidation to "massage" out. Oh, and don't bother hitting rust with it. Her first parade is next Saturday.


neal

And the rust. If I treat it to arrest the rust, it becomes black. If I wax over the rust, won't the rust continue to eat away metal, just slower?

neal

ruckman101 wrote: ↑

Fri Jun 30, 2017 7:51 pm

And the rust. If I treat it to arrest the rust, it becomes black. If I wax over the rust, won't the rust continue to eat away metal, just slower?

neal

Paint the top. Your bus deserves to survive well past our current fetish for patina. Let people in 2047 remark on the patina of your 2017 roof paint job.
Colin

Amskeptic wrote: ↑

Sat Jul 22, 2017 10:14 am

Paint the top. Your bus deserves to survive well past our current fetish for patina. Let people in 2047 remark on the patina of your 2017 roof paint job.
Colin

I agree. (And, Neal, check your PM folder.)

x2.... and my nick name is Puppy Patina ( no joke) As much as I hated to do it, I repainted the nose of my bus to keep rust at bay (no pun intended). If you've got rust, it needs to be stopped, otherwise it will just keep eating away like a cancer.

Your positive support has made Cheryle very happy. I feel better now, too. Thanks.


neal