We've all listened to the occasional stories of lucky devils who stumble across those legendary unmolested hot rods, and there's not a one of us who doesn't wish we had been so lucky. Unfortunately, discoveries such as those are rare and only getting more so.
Enter the faux barn-find phenomenon, or purposeful patina-the art of making a silk purse into a sow's ear, so to speak. It's not everyone's taste, but a growing number of folks are working hard to make their hot rods look the part of vehicle with a long, hard life under its belt. It doesn't take a lot of work or talent to reduce a paintjob to the well-worn look of your favorite pair of broken-in jeans. That said, here's a few tips on how to achieve that time-worn look for those who might consider buildin' a cool hot rod with the look of an old-timer. After you're done, you can spend more time driving and enjoying your old-timey hot rod than polishing and protecting it.