How to treat a potential Bowtie car

[Michael J.]

Re: How to treat a potential Bowtie car

The exterior and interior are gorgeous and like new, and everything seems to work, but again I need to go through it with the Ops/PV manual.

[Paul B.]

Re: How to treat a potential Bowtie car

When I Bowtie'd my Orange '74 coupe in 2000 & my Silver '68 L-79 coupe in 2004, I carefully, carefully washed the chassis and rear end, front lower suspension(ball joints, tie rod ends, steering ram cylinder, etc....)with kerosene. The kerosene, like WD-40 will dry and I used a very soft bristle brush to do in hard to reach areas and a sponge in others. Kind of the main reason I sold my '68 L-79 car, put 1700mi on it in 7yrs and didn't enjoy it like I should have. My Orange '74 coupe on the other hand I've been putting about 400mi a summer since it got it's 5th Star in 2003. These cars do not like to sit & sit. They were built to be driven!!!

[Duke W.]

Re: How to treat a potential Bowtie car

You have to be careful using any kind of petroleum solvent. The asphalt-based paint on the frame is soluble in petroleum solvents, and I believe the steering linkage paint is the same.

Kerosene (similar to diesel fuel) leaves a film. Mineral spirits does not, so that's what I use for degreasing.

Of course, never, ever use gasoline because it is highly flamable.

Duke

[Rob M.]

Re: How to treat a potential Bowtie car

Michael,

Congrats! It's a great looking car!

I don't have a Bowtie Car, so I can't speak from experience. But, I have spent hundreds of hours under my car cleaning, reconditioning, and restoring everything I can. So, considering how nice the pictures are, I would strongly suggest not going any farther than your kitchen for cleaning supplies. A bottle of Dawn dish soap, warm water, a spray bottle and a sponge. Maybe an old toothbrush or two or a soft bristled brush used to clean dishes. More than that and you risk losing something important.

Enjoy the process, take pictures along the way (before/after cleaning) and share.

[Michael J.]

Re: How to treat a potential Bowtie car

Thanks, that sounds like the best path for now. And I just picked the car up from the carrier, the fastest service I have ever had from any carrier. Bought on Monday, loaded on Wednesday, and at my house all the way across the country on Sunday. It is a beauty, can't believe it is 34 years old. Now the work (and fun) starts, pics to follow as I check it out.

[Patrick H.]

Re: How to treat a potential Bowtie car

Thanks, that sounds like the best path for now. And I just picked the car up from the carrier, the fastest service I have ever had from any carrier. Bought on Monday, loaded on Wednesday, and at my house all the way across the country on Sunday. It is a beauty, can't believe it is 34 years old. Now the work (and fun) starts, pics to follow as I check it out.

As you know, I have hundreds of photos of my 72 Bowtie car, as well as hundreds of a couple of other cars that I don't have linked here. Thanks to digital photography you can get pictures of it now, as you progress, and when you are done. I wish I had this accessible when I started working on my 71 about 20 years ago.

I would suggest finding a place to put them online for others to reference as you go along. I happen to hate Photo Bucket because your pictures are not viewable once you hit a certain number of views. I currently use Flickr as there doesn't seem to be a limit, but have also used other services.

[Michael J.]

Re: How to treat a potential Bowtie car

Good idea, I have never used any outside-a-forum photo sharing, so would have to do some research on it.

[Michael J.]

[Kevin G.]

Re: How to treat a potential Bowtie car

Cool stuff Michael! Keep posting your finds!

As Patrick has said take tons of pictures! Sometimes the pictures will reveal things you overlook while under or around the vehicle.

I agree you're having fun now!

[Michael J.]

Re: How to treat a potential Bowtie car

OK, one more, showing the detail of the rear half shaft and newly developed lightweight mono-leaf, rear leaf spring that was first used in '81.