Saving patina??

The roof on my import bus has some great rust cover.I have removed all the windows & checked the gutter rails & there is no actual rot just surface rust.
I'd like to save the roof & not repaint it but I'm unsure of the best way of preserving it.
I was told to use scotch brite pads with wd40 then wash off & lacquer.
Has anyone done something similair & got any tips or useful info?
Here's mine.

 

scotch pad with water to flatten the rough spots then wash and lacquer I think, plenty of lacquer though, probably wont get a really really smooth finish as it is rust and patina but its preservation of that thats key!

 

if you watch Fast n loud on Discovery they do it on there quite a lot on 'shop trucks' etc check videos out on catch up or you tube maybe?

 

That's fantastic patina - well worth preserving

 

Thanks for the info I've watched a few you tube videos but they all seem to be different.I'm not looking for smooth just saving it for vanity!!!
Fast & loud is a good idea I'll have to see how KC does it"

Thanks mate I love it too.

 

Everyone else its trying to get rid of their rust, your trying to save it lol

 

Ye I'm a bit backward in all aspects of life!

Right I bought some Jenolite rust remover & it arrived today.
What I'm thinking is wire wheel & scotch brite all rust areas then apply Jenolite treatment to any open rust.
I'm T-cutting the body but want to keep the rusty areas should I apply wax to the rust or is there anything else I can do as I don't want to lacquer the body as it's already tidy?

 

Ankor wax is your friend, apply with a brush, then buff up in circle motion. Pour some water over it after and watch it bead orgasmic.



Left hand side is untreated

 

That looks perfect.Just what I'm looking to do.
Did you do any pre treatment at all to the exposed rust?

 

It has its down sides, apparently you can't re spray after applying, but looking at there website, it is possible. It can be sticky if applied thickly, although I just reapply when needed, don't do it in direct sunlight.

Just a light sanding down of some areas really.

 

Jenolite is acid based and will disolve rust, not preserve patina.

 

Rust is rust, no such thing as patina.

 

years ago the wife bare metalled her bus with nitromors and clear laquered everything except the engine lid which she did in clear rustoleum ( she had to phone them to get them to mix it without pigment)
The bus eventually started to rust after a couple of years but the engine lid still looked ok

First done



Years later

 

Excellent info @mushroom - real life in action is so much more useful than hopeful unproved opinions.
Rustoleum for the win then?

 

Just checked ebay & found the clear rustoleum.Seems to be good stuff but would it not be as easy to matt lacquer the whole van in a spray shop?

 

Of course, but then according to evidence above, it would rust. I imagine you can spray rustoleum.

 

That looks great

 

It was a bit of a warts n all look but at least you could see there was no filler
I can't remember if she brushed the rustoleum on or sprayed it
the whole bus is still a work in progress kinda thing

 

You could always keep re touching areas in a spray can annually, I would think that should help it from rusting even more.

That's what I plan to do with the wax, had the van for 6-8months although it is garaged which keeps the worst of the weather off.

 

WD40 & anchor wax will probably make it very difficult to spray in the future!!!!??
I clear shiny lacquered my last bus, I think it looked lush, & it could be washed & polished etc to keep the water beading up & running off!!!!