Posted By: scatpacktom
Survivor detailing tricks - 12/28/12 04:56 AM
Products, methods, experiences what are your survivor detailing tricks?
Survivor detailing tricks
Posted By: Mr4Speed
Re: Survivor detailing tricks - 12/28/12 09:36 AM
ask a lot on details on the moparts forum;
www.mmcdetroit.com can help you with a lot of information.
and, you can aks for detailed pics.
( i made tons of pics of my 1971 charger SE survivor )
best regards,
Marcel
the netherlands
.jpg "7521614-geledodgecharger1971(32).jpg")
www.mmcdetroit.com can help you with a lot of information.
and, you can aks for detailed pics.
( i made tons of pics of my 1971 charger SE survivor )
best regards,
Marcel
the netherlands
Posted By: autoxcuda
Re: Survivor detailing tricks - 12/28/12 09:46 AM
Try to avoid petroleum based products.
Always clean a test area first.
Start mild then work your way to more aggressive cleaners. Will seem like you are doing the job twice or more, but will preserve markings.
Old toothbrushes are your friend
Patience.
Always clean a test area first.
Start mild then work your way to more aggressive cleaners. Will seem like you are doing the job twice or more, but will preserve markings.
Old toothbrushes are your friend
Patience.
Posted By: ScottSmith_Harms
Re: Survivor detailing tricks - 12/28/12 05:14 PM
What Steve said. Use the least aggresive methods first (not even water at first, dry cotton swabs, etc.), work your way slooowly towards more aggressive all the while accepting the fact that some imperfections will not be removable without collateral damage and imperfections on a survivor are not only acceptable, they are expected. Remember the entire time that there's no going back if you go too far.
Posted By: scatpacktom
Re: Survivor detailing tricks - 12/28/12 05:49 PM
Where do you start with this mess? I realize it needs to be "DONE" at this stage I'm just looking to put it back to the way it is supposed to be. It is beyond "survivor" status. I just don't want to slip on the slippery slope right now.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c375/Scatpacktom/71TX9RT154.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c375/Scatpacktom/71TX9RT154.jpg
Posted By: ScottSmith_Harms
Re: Survivor detailing tricks - 12/28/12 05:52 PM
Honestly? I'd leave it EXACTLY as it is. It's a history book right now, under all that road grime and dirt lie clues to originallity that a good cleaning will wipe away forever. I'd guess that someone has already pressure washed the engine by the looks of it? Don't do further harm IMO. It's not a mess, it's beautiful!
*Replacing the fuel filter, hoses, and any other replacement parts with good reproductions wouldn't hurt it any, just keep good before and after records, save the aftermarket parts, and let people know what's been replaced when asked.
*Replacing the fuel filter, hoses, and any other replacement parts with good reproductions wouldn't hurt it any, just keep good before and after records, save the aftermarket parts, and let people know what's been replaced when asked.
Posted By: scatpacktom
Re: Survivor detailing tricks - 12/28/12 06:01 PM
Hard to do Scott.
Posted By: MLR426
Re: Survivor detailing tricks - 12/28/12 06:50 PM
Leave that engine compartment alone...it's not hard to do. You cannot clean the rust on wiper motor or master cylinder just like you cannot remove the staining from the A/C lines, just leave it. It's called patina and it has plenty, leave it.
MLR426
MLR426
Posted By: RSNOMO
Re: Survivor detailing tricks - 12/28/12 07:01 PM
Leave it, or do it all the way...
Can 'patina', and corrosion peacefully co-exist???
Can 'patina', and corrosion peacefully co-exist???
Posted By: autoxcuda
Re: Survivor detailing tricks - 12/28/12 07:32 PM
Quote:
Leave that engine compartment alone...it's not hard to do. You cannot clean the rust on wiper motor or master cylinder just like you cannot remove the staining from the A/C lines, just leave it. It's called patina and it has plenty, leave it.
MLR426
Is that a rusty wiper motor or just an upper radiator hose that blew and put rusty water on everything?
IMHO, it looks like a hose blew.
Posted By: ScottSmith_Harms
Re: Survivor detailing tricks - 12/28/12 07:36 PM
Quote:
Can 'patina', and corrosion peacefully co-exist???
Generally speaking you can't remove one without the other
Posted By: scatpacktom
Re: Survivor detailing tricks - 12/28/12 07:53 PM
The paint on the wiper motor and voltage regulator are gone. I can understand what you guys are saying but I just don't know what I'm clinging to. Enough stuff messed up and the rest is gone so it will never be "orginal" enough.
People will look at the car and say the engine compartment is just messed up. It's not patina it is Fouled up
Enough stuff messed up and the rest is gone so it will never be "orginal" enough. People will look at the car and say the engine compartment is just messed up. It's not patina it is Fouled up
Posted By: ScottSmith_Harms
Re: Survivor detailing tricks - 12/28/12 08:21 PM
Quote:
but I just don't know what I'm clinging to.
My suggestion is not to do anything until you DO know what you are clinging to.
IMO when you own a survivor you need to realize and accept that there are/will be few that will truely understand it's significance, you need to think of yourself as a care taker, not an owner. You can't worry about what (uneducated) people think about your under hood or any other flaws the car has.
Posted By: autoxcuda
Re: Survivor detailing tricks - 12/28/12 08:29 PM
Quote:
Quote:
but I just don't know what I'm clinging to.
My suggestion is not to do anything until you DO know what you are clinging to.
IMO when you own a survivor you need to realize and accept that there are/will be few that will truely understand it's significance, you need to think of yourself as a care taker, not an owner. You can't worry about what (uneducated) people think about your under hood or any other flaws the car has.
How much of a survivor is this car? Looks like hoses, belts, water valve, carb at least have been done. The lack of dirt on the motor doesn't seem to match the rest of the engine compartment. Has the upper end been repainted? Regasketed? Water pump replaced once?
Posted By: JohnRR
Re: Survivor detailing tricks - 12/28/12 08:36 PM
Quote:
How much of a survivor is this car? Looks like hoses, belts, water valve, carb at least have been done. The lack of dirt on the motor doesn't seem to match the rest of the engine compartment. Has the upper end been repainted? Regasketed? Water pump replaced once?
Looks like someone has repainted the upper half of the engine , I can't see the engine paint looking that good and the rest looking like it does .
What does the rest of the car look like ?
Posted By: scatpacktom
Re: Survivor detailing tricks - 12/28/12 08:37 PM
The last guy had the heads off and he had his spay can out too. This car will never be a survivor but I would like it to present it's self well.
Posted By: topside
Re: Survivor detailing tricks - 12/28/12 09:08 PM
Personally, I'd just degrease it carefully - Simple Green and some brushes - and give the whole car a thorough but careful cleaning. I'd likely polish the paint & plating just to get it clean & to preserve it.
If I were to replace even the voltage regulator, in no time I'd have the whole car completely disassembled and start building another monument. Take that as a warning!
If I were to replace even the voltage regulator, in no time I'd have the whole car completely disassembled and start building another monument. Take that as a warning!
Posted By: scatpacktom
Re: Survivor detailing tricks - 12/28/12 09:17 PM
Quote:
Personally, I'd just degrease it carefully - Simple Green and some brushes - and give the whole car a thorough but careful cleaning. I'd likely polish the paint & plating just to get it clean & to preserve it.
If I were to replace even the voltage regulator, in no time I'd have the whole car completely disassembled and start building another monument. Take that as a warning!
I hear you Topside, I'm trying to keep this one from exploding all over the floor.
Posted By: topside
Re: Survivor detailing tricks - 12/28/12 11:57 PM
Oh yeah: My 1st full-blown Roadrunner resto literally started with repairing a rear seat cover and doing a tune-up. In less than 2 weeks, the car was completely apart and underway.
Another RR, probably the one I had the most fun with, I was able to restrain myself - remembering the one above - and managed to only clean & polish, do a few mechanical fixes, seat covers and eventually have the bumpers replated. The rest of it being decent/Survivor condition, I could drive & enjoy it and not worry about chips & parking dings & rain.
There should be a Survivor Support Group for these things!
Another RR, probably the one I had the most fun with, I was able to restrain myself - remembering the one above - and managed to only clean & polish, do a few mechanical fixes, seat covers and eventually have the bumpers replated. The rest of it being decent/Survivor condition, I could drive & enjoy it and not worry about chips & parking dings & rain.
There should be a Survivor Support Group for these things!
Posted By: scatpacktom
Re: Survivor detailing tricks - 01/02/13 01:24 AM
Ok, so my car aside can anyone answer the original question? I see a lot of survivors that look pretty good and others that look doctored up. Are guys dunking their cars in evaporust? What are we using to make a 40 year old car look good?
Posted By: LimeliteAero
Re: Survivor detailing tricks - 01/02/13 07:38 PM
I dont have anything for you Tom, but I sure hope my restored car looks as good as some of the survivors I see under those big tents.
I always thought there was a secret brotherhood of restorers just for that survivor look.
I always thought there was a secret brotherhood of restorers just for that survivor look.
Posted By: FJ5_Fish
Re: Survivor detailing tricks - 01/02/13 07:57 PM
Lots of slow, careful, careful cleaning. Rinse, repeat.... 
Results vary by the original condition of course.
Results vary by the original condition of course.
Posted By: Hemiruss
Re: Survivor detailing tricks - 01/03/13 12:58 AM
The only thing I can add is go slow and easy..I just spent days removing and cleaning my headlights,buckets,and brackets.....and yes used ALOT of tooth brushs,soap and water...ALITTLE BIT of a soft scotch brite pads. Came out great and I put alittle very little vasline on the metal to keep it orginial...as I didnt want to repaint thus removing "the survivor" look....it takes alot of time but its worth it.....ALSO PICTURES PICTURES PICTURES....will help if you ever restore..... 
