MTFCA Forum

How would you all recommend someone to wash a Touring car?
I only want to wash some of the dirt and dust off the car that accumulates from gravel roads, and dust from storage. Are there any certain car soaps or to avoid?
I have seen other threads that mainly say low flow water, and a bucket of soapy water.

I always use a bucket of soapy water (almost any soap sold in auto parts stores for automotive use) and a sponge. Be sure to rinse well.

Low pressure water and a bucket of water with a little soap. It doesn’t take much. After you go for a drive use a dust rag and dust it off. That’s what I do.
I wouldn’t wash any T open or closed with a wide open water hose. The closed cars aren’t as tight as modern cars and will leak if really you spray it down. No T these days gets dirty and muddy as they did in the T era.

Perry, those are closed cars !!

John, I'm the exception that proves your rule. Mine gets about as muddy/ dirty periodically as most "back in the day" I drive a lot of fields and dirt lanes (and it's great !!)

Roadster (pickup now) i use the garden hose with a spray nozzle to wash mud off the undersides of fenders and running boards. The rest of the car gets a sponge bath in sections, soap and rinse. I don't run the hose over any topside parts.

I use hose and rag on mud underside, and wipe off any grease. For the top side, I get some of the stuff you mix into the water from an auto parts store. This has wax and wash together. I wipe that on with a sponge and wipe with a bath towel. I have some towels I use just for the cars. It works very well here but we have very few rainy days and unless I get caught out in the rain usually avoid driving in rain. This stuff also waxes the car as I wash it, so haven't need a wax job since I've had T's.
Norm

Thank you all for your ideas! Is there any way to clean the inside of the car, other than just "dusting" with a dry rag?

Austin, re cleaning the inside of the car, ask your wife how she cleans the home? you never know, she may even volunteer to do it for you.

Allan from down under.

First, always aim the sprayer in the right direction!

With a touring, unless it is a very early one, it has fake leather seats. So if you can't get everything off, you can wipe with a damp rag, maybe a little dish detergent or other cleaner. Likewise for rubber floor mats. vacuum out or brush out with a hand brush. Anything sticky can usually be removed with a damp rag with a little soap.
Norm

I treat the fake leather with mink oil about once a year. This makes it easy to clean. The touring top gets cleaned with a soft brush and mild soap.

Art Mirtes

Thank you. So looks like gentle soap and soft brush for the top, and a damp rag for the seats.

I'd vacuum the interior to get as much dust out as possible. Then use a damp cloth or an auto interior cleaner product. If you have actual original or very old upholstery, either leather or leatherette, it might be a good idea to seek advice from others with original material. Same goes for original or very old top material. I'd think any reproduction material made in the last 50 years would be compatible with modern cleaning products, but read and follow label directions.

Personally, I like to use Murphys Oil Soap and a soft palm sized sponge. I diluted the Murphy's in the hottest water my hands can tolerate when working on the undercarriage. It does a great job with the greasy stuff. If the water gets too dirty I just dump it and mix up more. I used that on both of Stynoski winners I owned and they came out, well, winners. Hope that helps.

TXGOAT2 wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 04, 2022 10:09 am

I'd vacuum the interior to get as much dust out as possible. Then use a damp cloth or an auto interior cleaner product. If you have actual original or very old upholstery, either leather or leatherette, it might be a good idea to seek advice from others with original material. Same goes for original or very old top material. I'd think any reproduction material made in the last 50 years would be compatible with modern cleaning products, but read and follow label directions.

The car that I plan to wash is a 1925 Touring that my Grandpa restored during the 1960's.

Rich P. Bingham,

The Touring car must have left the car wash before you looked at the picture.


I drive my Touring in all kinds of weather and I wash it with a garden hose and bucket of soapy water the same way I do all my moden cars.

Dennis, the touring car didn't leave - it SANK !

I love ibiz products waterless wash and wax, maybe not wax but after a sponge bath I keep it looking shiny with Ibiz. I'm in hotel room now waiting for Hershey to open up in ten and a half hours so I don't remember the exact name but it is good stuff.

Surely you're not going to wash off all that carefully collected 'patina'!!

Don't worry, I won't wash off any patina. The only "patina" is the F-111 Red primer showing in many spots.