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Hey folks, back to the hobby after quite a break and I am not 100% addicted to collecting...

I've gathered up a few gold pans to get me started and I have a question about cleaning up these old cars and specifically the greased up and yellowed nylon parts...

Did quite a bit of searching and I see some folks using good old simple green to clean parts, some folks using acetone and others mentioning using hydrogen peroxide and letting them sit in the sun. What is the best and safest route to go? My cars will be shelf queens pretty much exclusively but I still want to retain the part strength best that I can. The HP/UV method really intrigues me but it seems some people tend to say that it weakens the nylon. Is HP/UV safe to use, is HP alone enough, or do you really have to get it in the sun for a few days to be effective? Has anyone tried a UV light with HP instead of sitting it in the sun?

Simple green sounds OK but I am not sure it will get the yellowed parts back to their 30 year old glory and acetone just seems... wrong...

Any thoughts?

Thanks!
->Mark

Step one is cleaning and degreasing. I personally use an ultrasonic cleaner with dawn and hot water (my cleaner is heated)

Step two is whitening. I'm not a fan as I have had parts end up chalky. If you do the peroxide, read what the people say and follow the threads to the end. Sometimes what seems to have worked was just temporary

If parts are good and not too yellowed a good clean with a brush in warm soapy water is best. Pipe cleaners work good to clean hinge pin holes and thread holes.

If parts are quite yellow peroxide is the best to whiten after a good cleaning. If you use too strong of a peroxide solution parts can go chalky.

I would not use any harsh chemicals that strip oils out of the nylon, simple green is good for this as it conditions plastics to some degree.

Always start mild and work your way up from there.

Thanks for the replies, for heated ultrasonic cleaners, you just talking something like these: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=ultrasonic+cleaner+heated ?

I also have one car that is pretty yellowed so I might have a go at the HP/UV method. Sounds like cutting it with water (?) is a good place to start, like 50/50 mix?

Thanks again for the help.
->Mark

Mine is very similar but was from harbor freight with a 20% off coupon

I go with straight simple green to soak as long as you want. Remove, scrub with toothbrush pipecleaners, etc. Stick back in and repeat asnecessary. This will take everything off except dye and rust. Also does a super job on fiberglass, and steel parts. NO ALUMINUM.

jwscab wrote:I go with straight simple green to soak as long as you want. Remove, scrub with toothbrush pipecleaners, etc. Stick back in and repeat asnecessary. This will take everything off except dye and rust. Also does a super job on fiberglass, and steel parts. NO ALUMINUM.

Great to know (for fiberglass). I need to clean the towers on my 1st gen GT.

Thanks for the advice.

I use an ultrasonic cleaner every day at work.

Dawn is good, Mr Clean is maybe better. Depends on what you are cleaning.

Use both in small amounts and compare. The cleaner I use is heated as well, rinse everything before hand with water and use a soft bristle brush.

We use a toothbrush for gold and silver.

Simple Green will clean the surface very well. To whiten the parts, see what others have done. An ultrasonic machine will not whiten anything.

Just adding my two cents. Hope it helps.