Double Down

A Pair of Patina Trucks From KC’s Paint Shop.

- John Mata Jr.

THE FIRST THING YOU’D EXPECT TO SEE ON A WORLD-RENOWNED PAINTER’S PERSONAL PROJECT TRUCK IS A FRESH PAINT JOB, RIGHT? Maybe that’s an unfair assumption or a result of thinking too much inside the box; either way, KC Mathieu of KC’s Paint Shop can appreciate the value of a natural patina finish just as much as a high-shine gloss. There’s no way to duplicate what years of neglect and punishment from the elements can do to a paint job. Sure, faux applications can yield passable results, but for authenticity’s sake, KC decided to leave the worn surfaces of both of his latest SEMA projects completely as-is, without any cosmetic rehab whatsoever. Every dent, scratch, gouge and rust spot is a testament to what these trucks have endured throughout their combined 132 years of existence.

These trucks spoke loud and clear to KC and his pal, Steve Benson, as they spent the day wandering rows of salvaged vehicles. “Both trucks were found at … Valentine’s place in Burleson, Texas,” KC said about sourcing these two specimens. “He has a huge field of hundreds of cars and trucks. Every now and then we’ll stop by and walk the entire field, because he gets new stuff all the time. I was drawn to the Ford F1 and Steve was digging the Chevy for himself, so we made a deal on them before we left.”