TerryB Posted June 9, 2017 Share Posted June 9, 2017 (edited) This page from the 1923 American Automobile Digest gives the formulas for compounds you can make to keep your 1920s era car looking clean and fresh. The rust preventative is my favorite! Terry Edited June 9, 2017 by TerryB (see edit history) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonMicheletti Posted June 9, 2017 Share Posted June 9, 2017 Oh! The good old days!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
60FlatTop Posted June 9, 2017 Share Posted June 9, 2017 #1 on the list, a gallon of turpentine. I can't begin to imagine how many cars I have wiped down with kerosene and made them shine nice enough to sell, especially the red ones. And how recently I have done it. A body guy was in my garage and spouting about how appalled he thought it was for me to do that. I was courteous and didn't count the money from the sale while he was there. Bernie 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
46 woodie Posted June 9, 2017 Share Posted June 9, 2017 I can see the guy's on the show field at Hershey now. Detail kit with turpentine, liquid asphaltium and FRESH lard! The best is to "never use GASOLINE on your seat covers, it spreads the dirt". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
auburnseeker Posted June 9, 2017 Share Posted June 9, 2017 52 minutes ago, 46 woodie said: I can see the guy's on the show field at Hershey now. Detail kit with turpentine, liquid asphaltium and FRESH lard! The best is to "never use GASOLINE on your seat covers, it spreads the dirt". So is that what the new car smell was back in the day? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PFitz Posted June 9, 2017 Share Posted June 9, 2017 The old bodyshop man who taught me auto painting told me that when he started in the business in the 40's it was common to "cut" the polishing compounds with gasoline to prevent over heating "comet swirl" when using power polishing wheels to rub out new paint. Remember, this was back when many workers had a cigarette hanging out of their mouth. Must have been an exciting work place !!! Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hidden_hunter Posted June 9, 2017 Share Posted June 9, 2017 29 minutes ago, auburnseeker said: So is that what the new car smell was back in the day? General motors for cleaning things in the 20's was pretty much pour gasoline or kerosene on it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
auburnseeker Posted June 9, 2017 Share Posted June 9, 2017 So I'm assuming there was no warning in the instructions about being dangerous in CA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerryB Posted June 9, 2017 Author Share Posted June 9, 2017 I wonder if gluten free wheat flour would work in the glass cleaner mix? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
auburnseeker Posted June 9, 2017 Share Posted June 9, 2017 Just now, TerryB said: I wonder if gluten free wheat flour would work in the glass cleaner mix? Only if you want to make flat pan cakes or milky glass. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Henderson Posted June 9, 2017 Share Posted June 9, 2017 Kidding aside, corn starch is a great mild abrasive that we used to use to get swirl marks out of newly compounded/polished lacquer finishes, and old newspapers rather than paper towels work great with windex for cleaning windows, they don't leave the paper residue that towels do. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spinneyhill Posted June 9, 2017 Share Posted June 9, 2017 Lard + camphor + graphite! Camphor to cover the smell of rancid lard down the line. But graphite? If the lard dries up you have a rust promoter! And lard is acid; clearly there is something else in there that works, for a while. Hmmm. 1 minute ago, Dave Henderson said: and old newspapers rather than paper towels work great with windex for cleaning windows, they don't leave the paper residue that towels do. We used the newspaper with methylated spirits but these days a window cleaner might be cheaper. Soapy water is pretty good too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheMoneyPit Posted June 10, 2017 Share Posted June 10, 2017 I can see using graphite as more cars were black than colored. I'm actually surprised that this doesn't suggest spraying the undercarriage with used motor oil, I can remember my father doing this in a sand pit behind his shop in the 60's and won't speculate on the number of laws the EPA put in place since then... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonMicheletti Posted June 10, 2017 Share Posted June 10, 2017 The mixture also can be called "restoration fluid". (told to me by a famous racecar driver who also had a restoration shop) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Willie Wurke Posted June 11, 2017 Share Posted June 11, 2017 (edited) On 6/9/2017 at 3:33 PM, TerryB said: This page from the 1923 American Automobile Digest gives the formulas for compounds you can make to keep your 1920s era car looking clean and fresh. The rust preventative is my favorite! TERRY You really know how to scare an old timer! I thought someone had broken into my library and stolen my secrets. Mine is undated. Now you know why my 1931 LaSalle looked so good at Huntington! as ever, Willie Edited June 11, 2017 by Willie Wurke to correct spelling (see edit history) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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