638HP

Ok gentlemen, I could use some of your experienced help. I have a 1960 southern survivor car. The engine compartment, underbody, frame and suspension components are in great original condition, however showing 52-years of built up road grime.

Wiping away the floorboards reveals unmolested salmon-colored fiberglass. Test sprayed bit of carb cleaner to the engine, tranny and rear carrier and they too are in great shape. The front suspension components are caked with grease looking as if the previous owners went grease-gun happy. Thankfully the frame has only surface rust, no flaky scalely rust to deal with.

My goal is to prepare for a frame on restoration, thus I am seeking tried and proven methods (both equipment & cleaning solutions) to rid the engine compartment, underbody, frame and suspension components of this road grime?

I want to avoid introducing any future restoration issues to these areas by the improper use of either cleaning equipment or solutions used.

Looking for some been there, done that experienced tips. No opinions please. Thank you kindly.

snydes

Castrol Super Clean is my degreaser of choice, be careful when using it full strength on painted surfaces. I've had very good luck with it and an ordinary cold water pressure washer. Steam gennys are fantastic if you have access to one.

Nowhere Man

if your car is that original have you thought about NCRS bowtie? I would be careful on cleaning as you might remove crayon or paint markings

Dan Hampton

We did very little in the way of underside or engine compartment clean up on this car, as we wanted to leave the original patina intact. It had been sitting in a garage since '65.

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c1-a...d-revisit.html

638HP

Great advice, thank you for this important point.

638HP

WOW, great job brining back your time capsule. Thank you for sharing.

638HP

Thank you for sharing Syndes. I was just at Walmart last evening and they have the gallon jug available. Thank you for the full strength tip, I would break down in tears if the paint was affected.

vintagecorvette

You can rent hot water power washers from companies such as United Rentals.

Works great at removing years of hard caked on grease.

638HP

Thank you for your advice. Do you recommend using straight hot water or do you spray on a de-greasing solution first?

vt65

varsol, powerwash and paint: still holding up well after 5 years

00fxd

Varsol and a brush would be the safest. Carb cleaner will remove everything. If the Castrol super clean harsh is that I would avoid it.

GreaseMonkey

I used a degreaser in a spray bottle and a lot of brushes. Ended up with some burns in my arm pits the next day due to the degreaser running down my coverall sleeves...



The car body (or most of it was on a dolly) that I wheeled in and out of my garage and into my development street Kept the storm drains clean

65 vette dude

I bought a couple cans of spray Gunk, and used one of those 1500psi power washers. I then went over the entire engine bay with Dawn and a soft bristle brush.......worked great