How to Build a Patina Volkswagen

Covers the appraisal, buying, strip down, repair and sympathetic renovation of original paint and patina Volkswagen cars and vans/Buses across the air-cooled range. This includes matching original paint or patina to repaired areas, coming up with a style, and popular modifications.

The explosion of Patina Volkswagens on social media has inspired those car fanatics, who realise that you don’t have to restore a car to end up with a good-looking ride. At last, you can stand out from the crowd, even on a tight budget. The look of the cars that result from patina builds is honest, unspoiled, and characterful; it has also inspired the media, movie stars and celebrities.

Interest in patination has undoubtedly resulted in increased car values, and turned a brand of cars that had always been a cheap, honest mode of transportation into something cool with a high price tag. The people the look initially inspired have grown with the hobby, finding ways to achieve a great look on a tight budget, and producing a micro-industry that still manages to embrace the 'Built not bought' ethos.

This book takes a look at the differing styles of patina VW build, and imparts tips on finding and buying a project car, carrying out a sympathetic patina style renovation, and includes a chapter on recreating a patina finish on repaired areas or missing parts.

• Covers the different styles of Patina VWs
• Explains what constitutes a patina Volkswagen
• Shows the reader what is involved in purchasing a Patina project vehicle
• Explores a brief history and evolution of the Patina scene
• Looks at sympathetic restoration of VWs
• Looks at car preservation, not restoration
• Focuses on both modified and unmodified cars
• Explores the different manifestations of the look
• Covers some of the most common modifications
• Shows the reader all of the individual elements needed to build a good-looking Patina VW