ate last year I sat down with Jason and Marcel from Auto Revolution (autorevolutiononline.com) and did an impromptu podcast talking about pretty much everything classic truck … at least from my perspective. One of the things that we discussed that I wanted to talk about here more at length are high-end patina trucks.

I made a comment about getting a truck out in a field with (bitchin) patina, throwing a $50,000 chassis underneath it, and having a showstopper. First, for clarification, that chassis estimate includes everything from the wheels to the drivetrain, the exhaust to all the plumbing—as you can buy a brand-new chassis for a fraction of that cost (hell, look at All American Chassis’ new $10,000 budget platform for starters!). But my point remains: unlike many other facets of the automotive aftermarket, it is both financially and technically possible to build a showstopping classic truck without having to go through all the trouble of bodywork and paint, chrome and polish, and all that jazz. Sure, you see it with muscle cars and hot rods, but in no way to the extreme that you see it in our world!

As I clearly stated in that podcast, I truly love that. I love that because I am accident prone—not so much as prone to actual collisions per se, but rather bumping into things, having other people bump into me … you know, the things conducive to owning a nicely painted/polished vehicle! Though I wholeheartedly regret it now, the main reason I sold off my 1975 Cheyenne (the very first Squarebody project ever featured in Classic Trucks magazine!) was because I was terrified something catastrophic was going to happen to it in the course of my daily driving (it is SoCal, so …). With a patina’d or in-progress car or truck, I’m not worried about any door dings, bumper scratches, and so on.

On the flipside—literally—the chassis is where a lot of the time and, of course, money can be spent … right next to the interior, which I’ve seen everything from completely molded structures with full leather upholstery to super-cleaned-up OE-style. While I’ve never gone to the lengths of fully detailing a frame or engine bay, I do prefer a comfy, functional interior and the most modern underpinnings possible (disc brakes, overdrive, that kinda stuff); but one day, that will change—maybe with the 1969 C10, as the once-painted/once-Fleetside truck has slowly lost its polished charm in favor of a more solid, more reliable hauler.

Really though, it doesn’t matter what I say or what I even drive. What, exactly, do you all think about patina versus paint? I can honestly see how the folks who spend a boatload on a high-end truck would snub their noses at similar-caliber patina trucks—but with their current vast popularity, I’m not sure to what extent, as it surely seems to me that everyone’s getting along just fine together (as clearly evidenced at this past Dino’s!). Still, I’d love to hear your thoughts … good, bad, or indifferent!!