Preserving Patina - How To Tips and Tricks
- Thread starter wngrog
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cruiserinsanity
SILVER Star
I started scrubbing at the oxidized gray paint on the Pig today with some CLR and a scrubber pad, curious if there was anything good hiding under the years of respray. It looks like there is.
Underneath the gray there is white, and at the bottom, red.
Does the red look like primer or paint to the people on here? I’m having to be very careful not to rub through it as it’s thin. There is red in the wheel wells so I’m inclined to believe it was red and white originally.
Underneath the gray there is white, and at the bottom, red.
Does the red look like primer or paint to the people on here? I’m having to be very careful not to rub through it as it’s thin. There is red in the wheel wells so I’m inclined to believe it was red and white originally.
Ok need some advice as to where to start on my pig. This thing was stored under a tarp under fir trees for at least a couple years before I picked it up.
I hosed off all the pine needles today and pulled it out of my buddies shop to get another look at it. I parked it in January and just now got another look at it.
Whats my first step?
Power wash?
Hand wash?
If hand wash should I just use a normal wash mit?
I hosed off all the pine needles today and pulled it out of my buddies shop to get another look at it. I parked it in January and just now got another look at it.
Whats my first step?
Power wash?
Hand wash?
If hand wash should I just use a normal wash mit?
I'd power wash after a foam cannon soaking. Then spray the rust with WD-40.
Not sure what a foam cannon is but it sounds interesting 
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Hit it with a power washer. Soapy hand wash with a brush and mit. Let it dry inside and out and give it a look over. Then again to get the chalk off and such with some 0000 scotch brite or the famous comet wash. Then a carnauba wax. Prob some Fluid Film on the scale. That's what I'd do.
Before you get it wet, I'd look it over completely to make sure all the water drains are clear. The last thing you need in an extremely rust prone FJ55 is standing water.
Good advice Mr. Dan!
I’ll do so.
I’ll also wait to power wash it until the temps get back into the 90’s here in the PDX area. These tin boxes heat up really well in the sun. Hopefully that’ll help with evaporation.
I’ll do so.
I’ll also wait to power wash it until the temps get back into the 90’s here in the PDX area. These tin boxes heat up really well in the sun. Hopefully that’ll help with evaporation.
nabbasi
SILVER Star
This thread is for patina. That thing looks brand new
Another vote for a foam cannon or a foaming sprayer and something that lifts the dirt away a bit. With just a few minutes to soak and rinse off before a hand or power wash.
I use an ik foaming hand sprayer with some diluted optimum no rinse hyper foam, then just regular onr in a bucket with microfibers.
nabbasi
SILVER Star
Have you had luck with WD-40? It dries out too fast for me.
I liked fluid film, but it’s expensive to keep it on if it’s outside a lot, which most with patina usually are.
A buddy of mine picked up a tip at The Muscle Car and Corvette Nationals. Zep floor polish (the ~$30 gallon from Lowe’s or Home Depot).
Here’s a picture he took of the gloss (and a bear). Downside is that it seems more semi-permanent.
Clean the glass, and drive it! 
WD40 is a decent penetrant though right? Would it make any sense to spray the whole freaking thing with WD or even the cheap walmart lubricant version of it before you wash it, just to penetrate the dirt/rust/corrosion/oxidation and help "lift" it all away? Then the usual soap cannon, pressure wash, and then hand wash?
Ive been using a fair amount of the walmart "lubricant" on my 40 as Ive been bringing it back to life, and Ive thought about literally just spraying the entire exterior down with it. As others have said, its pretty thin, (the generic walmart version is even thinner I think) so its not hard to wash away.
To be clear, this is not for any sort of protection or rust prevention, but for the initial cleaning.
Ive been using a fair amount of the walmart "lubricant" on my 40 as Ive been bringing it back to life, and Ive thought about literally just spraying the entire exterior down with it. As others have said, its pretty thin, (the generic walmart version is even thinner I think) so its not hard to wash away.
To be clear, this is not for any sort of protection or rust prevention, but for the initial cleaning.
At least in some of the cracks and crevices that have built up and accumulated some gunk?...This stuff is cheap and actually sprays nicely too....what the hell, Im probably overthinking it but whatever, it cant hurt....
@wngrog are you still using the same rust converter that you linked on the first page of this thread?
Trying to line up all the products to get this thing cleaned up.
Trying to line up all the products to get this thing cleaned up.