clean years of grease off of it. It's a 70, does anyone have a recomendation for a method of cleaning the grease off, but gentle enough to leave behing the fragile, delicate paint?
Thanks, Chris
Thanks, Chris
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1969 Riverside Gold Coupe, L71, 14,000 miles. Top Flight, 2 Star Bowtie. -
Re: Arghh...control arm paint coming off as I try
I've had luck using simple green on a rag either straight or diluted. It takes longer than using more aggressive cleaners, but usually leaves behind the natural or painted surface. -
Re: Arghh...control arm paint coming off as I try
I've had luck using simple green on a rag either straight or diluted. It takes longer than using more aggressive cleaners, but usually leaves behind the natural or painted surface.Comment
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Second the motion for Simple Green *NM*
Comment
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Second the motion for Simple Green *NM*
Comment
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Re: Arghh...control arm paint coming off as I try
Mineral spirits (paint thinner) is an excellent petroleum solvent that won't attack enamel or lacquer, but it will dissolve the asphalt based frame paint.
Use it in the spray bottle with a natural bristle paint brush to dissolve greasy dirt, then rinse with more spraying.
Unfortunately, I've found that on older GM cars with many unpainted or unplated components and fasteners underneath that cleaning off the greasy dirt can acutally make the view look worse, because you expose all the surface rust.
DukeComment
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Re: Arghh...control arm paint coming off as I try
Mineral spirits (paint thinner) is an excellent petroleum solvent that won't attack enamel or lacquer, but it will dissolve the asphalt based frame paint.
Use it in the spray bottle with a natural bristle paint brush to dissolve greasy dirt, then rinse with more spraying.
Unfortunately, I've found that on older GM cars with many unpainted or unplated components and fasteners underneath that cleaning off the greasy dirt can acutally make the view look worse, because you expose all the surface rust.
DukeComment
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Re: Arghh...control arm paint coming off as I try
Duke, if I understand you correctly, I can use paint thinner on everything that does not use asphalt based paint, ie the frame? I can use the thinner on the control arms, etc?
Thanks, Chris1969 Riverside Gold Coupe, L71, 14,000 miles. Top Flight, 2 Star Bowtie.Comment
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Re: Arghh...control arm paint coming off as I try
Duke, if I understand you correctly, I can use paint thinner on everything that does not use asphalt based paint, ie the frame? I can use the thinner on the control arms, etc?
Thanks, Chris1969 Riverside Gold Coupe, L71, 14,000 miles. Top Flight, 2 Star Bowtie.Comment
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Re: Arghh...control arm paint coming off as I try
As far as I know, only the frame and steering linkage used the asphalt base "paint", but I'd like to see confirmation from others. Also, there is some aphalt coating in the wheel wheels that will be dissolved with thinner, and now that I think about it, there is the "blackout coating" that I suspect is asphalt based, but I'm not sure.
The other painted items like the control arms were dipped is some kind of fast drying paint (not sure if it was enamel or lacquer based) and mineral spirits should not attack it.
As you probably know, a lot of major components like the differential carrier and cover, driveshaft, halfshafts, coil springs, and strut rods were not painted or plated Same for most of the fasteners and some of the small hardware Over the years they typically get an oily film, which then attracts dirt giving them a mottled appearance. When you clean off all the petroleum film and dirt you will be back to the bare surfaces that likely have obvious surface rust, so just don't set your expectations too high of what the end result will be.
About three years ago I thoroughly cleaned the underneath of my Cosworth Vega. I started out with a pressure wash, then let it dry and took off all the petrolueum film with paint thinner as I outlined, then washed the underside again with soap and water and different brushes and rags to get everything squeaky clean. Bear in mind that this car has not seen a wet road since 1979, and the undercarriage would have been considered pretty clean by almost anyone's standard for a 25 year old production car.
The floor pan and fluid lines look very nice now, but my "cleaning" removed the film of axle oil that typically coats the axle housing. Now the axle, torque arm, and most of the rear suspension is surface rust, but it is slowly getting a new film of axle oil that will eventually cover it up. Overall I was pleased with the results, but not quite as much as I had hoped.
DukeComment
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Re: Arghh...control arm paint coming off as I try
As far as I know, only the frame and steering linkage used the asphalt base "paint", but I'd like to see confirmation from others. Also, there is some aphalt coating in the wheel wheels that will be dissolved with thinner, and now that I think about it, there is the "blackout coating" that I suspect is asphalt based, but I'm not sure.
The other painted items like the control arms were dipped is some kind of fast drying paint (not sure if it was enamel or lacquer based) and mineral spirits should not attack it.
As you probably know, a lot of major components like the differential carrier and cover, driveshaft, halfshafts, coil springs, and strut rods were not painted or plated Same for most of the fasteners and some of the small hardware Over the years they typically get an oily film, which then attracts dirt giving them a mottled appearance. When you clean off all the petroleum film and dirt you will be back to the bare surfaces that likely have obvious surface rust, so just don't set your expectations too high of what the end result will be.
About three years ago I thoroughly cleaned the underneath of my Cosworth Vega. I started out with a pressure wash, then let it dry and took off all the petrolueum film with paint thinner as I outlined, then washed the underside again with soap and water and different brushes and rags to get everything squeaky clean. Bear in mind that this car has not seen a wet road since 1979, and the undercarriage would have been considered pretty clean by almost anyone's standard for a 25 year old production car.
The floor pan and fluid lines look very nice now, but my "cleaning" removed the film of axle oil that typically coats the axle housing. Now the axle, torque arm, and most of the rear suspension is surface rust, but it is slowly getting a new film of axle oil that will eventually cover it up. Overall I was pleased with the results, but not quite as much as I had hoped.
DukeComment
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Re: Arghh...control arm paint coming off as I try
Chris, Another possible approach is to use waterless hand cleaner and wash it off with a hose. I like Simple Green but this may work even better. Its worth a try. Sounds like you are getting into it pretty good. Good luck.Comment
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Re: Arghh...control arm paint coming off as I try
Chris, Another possible approach is to use waterless hand cleaner and wash it off with a hose. I like Simple Green but this may work even better. Its worth a try. Sounds like you are getting into it pretty good. Good luck.Comment
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Re: Arghh...control arm paint coming off as I try
What do you mean by "paint thinner"? Distinguish mineral spirits from lacquer thinner. Mineral spirits or turpentine can be used to thin oil paint. But it generally will not hurt dried paint. Lacquer thinner will usually attack most dried paints, especially lacquer, which is used a lot around automobiles.
Mineral spirits are not harsh. Lacquer thinner is very harsh.Comment
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Re: Arghh...control arm paint coming off as I try
What do you mean by "paint thinner"? Distinguish mineral spirits from lacquer thinner. Mineral spirits or turpentine can be used to thin oil paint. But it generally will not hurt dried paint. Lacquer thinner will usually attack most dried paints, especially lacquer, which is used a lot around automobiles.
Mineral spirits are not harsh. Lacquer thinner is very harsh.Comment
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