New book published on building a patina Volkswagen

(April 26, 2020) — The explosion of Patina Volkswagens on social media has inspired those car fanatics who realize 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.

"How to Build a Patina Volkswagen" by Mark Walker — published by Veloce books — 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.

"How to Build a Patina Volkswagen" in hardcover goes on sale in the U.S. on May 12 and is available for pre-order at Amazon.com for $42.79.

The book    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; and shows the reader all of the individual elements needed to build a good-looking Patina VW.

Mark Walker bought his first 1964 VW Beetle at age 16 before he could legally drive. Over 25 years of VW ownership and over 100 air-cooled Volkswagens have now passed by since that point. Mark was the owner and operator of The Bus Station (2002-2013) and Vintage Werks (2006-2007) — both companies heavily immersed in the VW scene that were known for importing classic Volkswagens from around the world, and carrying out sympathetic restoration work.

These companies also gained an international reputation for out of the box thinking, high-quality suspension modifications and turning out magazine feature worthy cars. The success and popularity of his business earned Mark the nickname "Slam King." Mark has written for Volksworld and Camper & Bus magazines since 2012.