<VV> My Project & Clean-up

[Kevin Spargur]

Gentlemen,

Being one of the newest "lurkers" on Virtual Vairs, I stirred up some 
hornets a week or two ago with commenting about providing members with 
the option of receiving their newsletter in hardcopy or electronically 
as a PDF file.  More recently, I stirred the nest again when talking 
about cleaning window scum and dirt.  Well, HOPEFULLY, I won't irritate 
the hornets nest this time (again) and actually contribute something to 
the list.

I am not sure if I posted this to the list but, recently, I was the 
recipient of a 1967 Corvair 2-Door Hardtop.  I went and retrieved my 
trophy this past Monday evening and I must say that it was a shocker 
when I first saw it.  Silently, I wondered if I really knew what I 
wanted and if I was sure I was ready to do this.

The car had sat in a horse corral for probably 5-7 years, if not 
longer.  It was supposed to be white but it honestly looked like a cross 
between "Algae Green" and some form of "Moldy Grey".  There was no way 
in the world that you could see through the windows as the mold, algae, 
and lichen had appeared to form some kind of calcification over the 
glass.  The leaf litter and every thing else contributed to a layer of 
decomposition that appear to be "dirt-like" in constituancy.  
Apparently, the young man was going to restore it, got interested in 
horses and dropped the project.  After a build up of leaves and such, he 
then covered it over which allowed the mold and alge to form and grow.  
The "good" part of this (if there is a "good" part) is that the algae 
and mold actually seemed to have formed some for of protective covering 
for the metal as the amount of body rust, though more than I would have 
liked to see, is only that which is typical of the early GM cars (rocker 
panels, windshield & trunk/hood corners, etc.)  It was difinately 
something to make me step back and consider take a long second thought.

As is most often the case, I took the "Original photos" of what the care 
looked like when I got it.  Everything that I could get to first, I 
photographed.  As I get to additional areas, I will be photographing 
them before I begin work on that area.  If anyone is interested in what 
the care looked like on Monday, let me know and I can send you the pics.

Well, yesterday, I began what I call "Phase One: Clean-up".  My 
objective was to start trying to clean it up and see exactly what I have 
to work with.  Step #1 was to clean all of the glass on the outside.  I 
grabbed a bottle of the "new & improved" Fantastic Spray Cleaner and the 
"new & improved" 409 Orange Spray Cleaner, a roll of Bounty paper 
towels, and a can of WD40 to spray all hinged parts and rusted metal.  I 
say "new & improved" because both of them claim to contain a "new 
formula" to "cut through the toughest dirt, grease, and grim."

I started on the Driverside Window and rearview mirror using the 
Fantastic.  "WOW!" is all I can say.  It took the "scum" off right down 
to the glass on the first pass!  This by no means indicates that the 
glass is completely clean but I could see through the glass almost 
immediately.  It took me about 35 to 45 minutes to go completely around 
the car doing only the outer glass surfaces.  I can now stand at my 
curb, look at my car from the street and see all the way through from 
any angle.  Some of the "over-spray from the nozzle landed on the chrome 
and paint around the gladd and the Fantastic cleaned it.  The chrome 
looks like a new dime and the paint is actually WHITE!

This morning, I went back out to spend a little more time "cleaning the 
car and lubing all of the hinges, etc. I commenced with "Phase One: Step 
#2", cleaning the body.  This time, I started with the "new & improved" 
409.  It cut straight through the mold, algae, and lichen.  In fact, it 
worked so fast that it looked like green paint being smeared on top of 
the white and bare metal areas.

I have to tell you that the cleaners and the Bounty paper towels 
performed excellently on something that I thought would be hopeless.  I 
figured that it would be a start at least and was pleasantly surprised 
at the results.

BTW...  In the process of cleaning everything, I made the discovery 
that, what I thought was a Corvair 2-Door Coup Hardtop is a Corvair 
Monza.  Now, they may be one in the same vehicle but I'm new to Corvair 
ownership.  So please be gentle with me.

If anyone is interested, I can e-mail you pics of the "before & after" 
of this work in progress.

Kevin

Kevin Spargur
'67 Corvair Monza 2-Door Hardtop
Jacksonville, Florida