The Ford Barn

Don Cape Cod · 08-27-2015, 06:40 AM

1940 dial is darkened & splotchy. Looks like a lite cleaning would improve it. A cotton swab with some cleaning fluid? Any thoughts on good fluid, perhaps "Dawn" which works on oil stains? I'm sure I can't clean the odometer numerals. The outer metal face plate cleaned up decent with damp cloth. Gauge faces still look OK but have some surface roughness but I'll leave them alone. This is not a full restoration but just want to clean it up. Car sat for 40 years in Cape Cod environment! Thanks, Don

wbedwards · 08-27-2015, 07:04 AM

Mine is a '59 but I cleaned mine with q-tips and lighter fluid. Lighter fluid will evaporate without residue. Test a spot out of view first as you may still get some of the finish with it. After cleaning I sprayed mine with clear lacquer for a shiny finish.

Jay in Mass · 08-27-2015, 08:46 AM

Don
What are you working on?
I thought that you were doing a 36 Ford.
Hope that all is well with you. I'll be down your way in Oct. If you need something, give me a call. Jay

morrisgauge · 08-27-2015, 10:48 AM

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A little soap and water can go a long way. Often we find that once oil has saturated the dial face, there is little to do beyond warm soap and professional grade wax and grease remover. The paint becomes quite porous over time so anything that has absorbed goes deep. We also find on steel faces of this nature, that rust creeps up through the face paint due to ambient moisture, etc. Little can be done to correct this other than to use a mild paste wax to take off the top layer of paint. Of course, you can do more damage than good quite readily in each of these scenarios. Be careful.

www.morrisgauge.com

08-27-2015, 06:40 AM	#1
Don Cape Cod Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 114	speedometer face, cleaning 1940 dial is darkened & splotchy. Looks like a lite cleaning would improve it. A cotton swab with some cleaning fluid? Any thoughts on good fluid, perhaps "Dawn" which works on oil stains? I'm sure I can't clean the odometer numerals. The outer metal face plate cleaned up decent with damp cloth. Gauge faces still look OK but have some surface roughness but I'll leave them alone. This is not a full restoration but just want to clean it up. Car sat for 40 years in Cape Cod environment! Thanks, Don

08-27-2015, 07:04 AM	#2
wbedwards Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Birmingham, Al. Posts: 339	Re: speedometer face, cleaning Mine is a '59 but I cleaned mine with q-tips and lighter fluid. Lighter fluid will evaporate without residue. Test a spot out of view first as you may still get some of the finish with it. After cleaning I sprayed mine with clear lacquer for a shiny finish.

08-27-2015, 08:46 AM	#3
Jay in Mass Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Mass. Posts: 379	Re: speedometer face, cleaning Don What are you working on? I thought that you were doing a 36 Ford. Hope that all is well with you. I'll be down your way in Oct. If you need something, give me a call. Jay

08-27-2015, 10:48 AM	#4
morrisgauge Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Portland Oregon Posts: 86	Re: speedometer face, cleaning Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) A little soap and water can go a long way. Often we find that once oil has saturated the dial face, there is little to do beyond warm soap and professional grade wax and grease remover. The paint becomes quite porous over time so anything that has absorbed goes deep. We also find on steel faces of this nature, that rust creeps up through the face paint due to ambient moisture, etc. Little can be done to correct this other than to use a mild paste wax to take off the top layer of paint. Of course, you can do more damage than good quite readily in each of these scenarios. Be careful. www.morrisgauge.com