MTFCA Forum

So my dad and I picked this up this weekend. An 18 touring in almost an original state. How should we preserve the finish on this car? We will keep it original. Suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I restore cars and this is a new one on me. Thanks Mark Eyre

I rub dilute linseed oil into the surface with a rag.

Mark, I bid on that car! I was going to flip it and double my money. Glad it went to someone that will preserve it.

I have had success preserving tools and parts with Johnsons past wax, shines up the paint and seems to stop the rust from growing. Big job to hand rub and buff an entire car though, perhaps too big a job. I tried it on my survivor model T but I have more rust than paint and didn't get the result I wanted.started with a headlight and didn't get any further. I have seen linseed oil brushed or sprayed on cars but do not like the wet rust look. Let us know what you end up doing.

Congratulations with your purchase. What a steal, and without a mask and a gun.

My advice is whatever you decide to put on the paint (if anything at all), clean it first.

After I bought my 1917 roadster, I stopped by an auto detailer on the way home and had the running gear and engine compartment steam cleaned to get rid of decades of country road dirt.

The original owner of my car had shellacked the body, fenders and splash aprons, etc. I have a photo of it from 1947 after second owner bought it from the original owner and the car was still very shiny. Unfortunately, the second owner poorly stored the car causing the shellac to become hazy.

After I brought the car home, I washed it with soap and water. I used mineral spirits to remove additional grease and grime from the engine and running gear, etc.

I used denatured alcohol to remove the shellac. This had an added benefit that it livened up the factirt paint. On the baked sheet metal, the denuatured alcohol doesn't hurt the paint at all. However, on the body, which does not have baked paint, the alcohol can completely dissolve the gilsonite paint if you let it sit in one spot for too long.

After the above, I went over the sheet metal with fine polishing compound by hand just to clean it further. Then I waxed it with automotive carnuba wax.

My car is far from the best example of an unrestored Model T but it turned out nice none-the-less.

See photos below - first two are before, second two are after.

Some folks like to coat everything with boiled linseed oil. To me that seems to make everything look wet.

Some folks wipe down their unrestored Model Ts with kerosene - an old used car lot trick. It doesn't hurt anything but does attract dust.

I did know a fellow who had a really nice unrestored 1919 touring with very good paint and he would wipe down the car with WD-40 instead of kerosene. Made it look real nice.

PS: my father is talented at cleaning, conserving and preserving original items (and he really enjoys doing it) and I've learned a lot from him over the years. Subsequently, I enjoy doing the same thing.

We powered washed a 1929 Model A Fordor and then sprayed it Rustoleum clear gloss. It came out nice and is holding up well.

We are lucky here in the West that the weather has little effect on our original patina. If it were here in Idaho I wouldn't do a thing to it. I'm not sure your humidity and climate will allow that. Most treatments leave a sheen. If that is acceptable, then there are several choices as those mentioned.
This shows original paint that has survived outdoors on my Coupe.
Rich

Thanks everyone I have a good idea of the job ahead now. Washing it tomorrow is job 1.

So the funny thing how this car came about my dad had a decent original 18 he gave to my son to restore. We got to thinking it would be fun to have an unrestored example and a restored example of the same car. Here is where we are on the restoration of the early 18 touring. The one he bought at the auction is a late 18 although it was advertised as a 17. He was surprised at the lack of interest on it at the auction on Saturday. He was prepared to bid a lot more.

Paste wax is good. Pretty much any wax will work but some will shine up the paint FYI.

Wax and compound will turn the rough, rusted areas white. I would wash it real good then after it completely dries spray a satin or semi-gloss rattle can clear coat on it. Covering the original paint is the only way to preserve and protect the original paint and it won’t change the color of the rust and rough areas. Jim Patrick

I used Linseed Oil on my Fordor with good results. I did a wipe down with Kerosene as a cleaner and that worked better than you would have thought.

The first step is to clean the car thoroughly - brush, vacuum, etc as gently as possible, especially on the top and upholstery. Use harder methods like steam cleaning only where necessary in limited applications. A better approach is to use a rag with a bit of solvent on tough areas.

The next step is to use a conservation grade approved wax to protect the original surfaces. This both protects the surface and restores a finish, and it's also reversible in event a future owner finds a better/safer method. Here is a link to several options from, a conservation materials supplier:

https://museumservicescorporation.com/c ... x-products

If the finish is crusty with rust blooms, going over it gently with VERY fine steel wool dipped in kerosene would be helpful. Doing this will remove most of the rust from remaining paint surfaces and smooth down the rust blooms while leaving any remaining finish intact. Rinse the steel wool in kerosene frequently as you go if it loads up with rust or turns rust colored. Rinse it less or not at all if it takes on the paint color, and rub the paint color into the rustier areas where less finish remains. Do this outdoors in warm, dry weather. Avoid letting kerosene run into joints and cracks or down inside doors. Keep it off rubber. Keep a clean soft cloth handy to wipe surfaces down as you go. Let the car sit for several days, preferabley outdoors in warm, dry weather to allow the kerosene to dry off. After this procedure, the rustier areas should be diminished and should feel about as smooth as the remaining finish. Some of the finish color will probably be transferred to the rusty areas. Rubbing the car with wax should prevent further rusting, and the smoothed out rust areas should not turn white. If any areas do turn white after several days, re-treat them to further smooth out the surface. GoJo type hand cleaner can also be used, and might be better to use on interior finished metal surfaces.

You might try contacting Matt Anderson at the Henry Ford for some preservation advice. He is the curator of transportation.

I vote to just leave it as it is, mother nature and father time have done a real good job on this one.

Black graphite stove polish will give you a nice matte finish.

I agree with Dennis. Just leave it alone. I don't like the shiny clear coat over a great patina. bobt

Henrietta is staying as she is. After 97 years she has weathered well. We did not even disturb the grease coating around the outside of front hubcaps when fitting new wheel bearings.
When asked if I intend to restore her, the answer is a firm, but polite, NO! Most people agree. I love the fact that after I have cleaned the windscreen,I am done with cleaning. But doing nothing takes some getting used to. When cleaning the windscreen, I very carefully skirt around the original 1955 waterslide decal which serves as a registration sticker on our cars. It is still on the plate glass windscreen. If ever I break the glass, I have a copy of the unused 1956 decal which came to me with her paperwork. The copy will go on the glass and the original kept on file.

Allan from down under.

In many areas, ambient humidity will cause weathered finish and the underlying metal to continue to deteriorate, even in indoor storage. Normal handling and use of a weathered car will result in areas of disturbed patina. In order to prevent further deterioration, I would clean up the surfaces as described and apply a sealant, such as a good wax, to prevent further decay of the metal, paint, and plated items. Doing do will improve and stabilize the appearance of the car and diminish irregularities in the finish that tend to obscure the cars's lines and contours. It will not make the car shiny. It will make it look much better, and just as importantly, it will arrest decay. It will also prevent spreading oily areas around body parts that ought to be lubricated, such as door hinges and latches, hood hinges, etc.

The car in the first picture has areas of active surface rust and what appears to be a spreading oil stain on the splash apron near the hood. I'd want to arrest that rust.

I give mine a rub over with a rag soaked in Penetrol maybe twice a year. It give a low sheen to the old paint.

You could arrest the rust and turn the rust black by wiping down with “Ospho” after a light sanding to knock down any bloom or crusty rust. Try to avoid sanding the original paint. Jim Patrick