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MG TD TF 1500 - Cleaning advice, probably a dumb question?

I am very much in the mode of wanting to preserve my car, meaning I don't want to destroy the patina of age. This is new territory for me, so I am seeking advice of those that have gone before me.

First the leather, as seen in the photo, it is cracked and worn. I have no interest in reupholstering the car, but don't want it to decay any further.

The interior vinyl has an aged look to it, so I don't want to clean it to the point of it looking new.

The paint on the car is original, which means it bears the signs of age, scratches, nicks etc. I don't really want to use the modern coatings that I would use on my everyday car, so what would you advise for improving the lustre of the paint without making it look like it has a coat of polymer glaze on it.

Under the hood, the car has a nice aged feel, I want to clean things but not go too crazy.

What are the recommended chrome cleaners that you like to use on your car with good results?

I would be very interested in any advice anyone has to offer. I want to be cautious here so as not to go down a path that is irreversible. I believe that I have a responsibility to this car to do this right and not go too far.

Thanks much, looking very much forward to any sage advice that is out there.

Simon, Troy Il

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

S Griffin

Simon,

When doing things on the TD, I tend to stick with "period" applications. For the leather, I would start with good old saddle soap. It will clean and mildly moisturize without getting real shiny. A nice mellow look. For the body, I stick with any good quality carnauba-based wax after a bath with car soap (NOT dishwashing soap). Finally, I am using Mother's chrome cleaner/polisher with good results. My only concession to modern times is the occasional use of Armor-All on the tires.

Nothing more pleasing than an afternoon spent spiffing up the TD. Enjoy.
Charles Duffy

Simon, not that there might be a better solution to the leather problem, but I've used Lexol Leather treatment. Works well for me. PJ



Paul Jennings

I'd use some leather restoration product that contains lanoline. I use Connally hide food myself and in the case of what I see I would apply a very liberal dose of whatever you use and let it soften up the leather ( maybe a week with repeated applications) before continuing. Once the leather becomes soft I would use some saddle soap cleaner (I use Lexol) and after the cleaning you could dye the bare spots if you like or not. After finished I would treat the leather again with the Hide food. Paint finish.... Use what was available in the day...wax..any quality carnuba wax will do. If you want to try and shine the paint up you can use some light rubbing compound but beware it is going to remove the layers of paint that are oxidized and there may not be any paint left at that point. I'd buy a polish specifically made for chrome. I happen to use a chrome polish made by Turtle wax but others are available. Stay away from general metal polishes as they may damage the chrome finish. Chrome really wants all most no abrasives in the mix. If you want to polish up any aluminium bits ( like the carb dash pots or the TD intake manifold for example) I don't think you can beat Mothers aluminum mag polish that comes in a jar.

Just my two cents.
L E D LaVerne

Look up the UK site for YouTube furniture clinic.

Jan T
J Targosz

Along with my barn find PA purchase, I received some leather seats which were unused but rock hard from 35 years in a dirt floor garage. They were faded and not looking like they were usable.
However, I purchased two products called Leatherique. One was a softener, the other a cleaner. After a few treatments the leather came up supple and the color nearly perfect.
I can highly recommend Leatherique for any leather upholstery.
http://www.leatherique.com/

Photo to follow...
Lew3

Photo of PA interior as referenced above...


Lew3

Thank you very much for the suggestions. Mothers chrome polish, Mothers Aluminium and Mag polish and some Carnauba wax polish now grace the potions shelf in the garage. I will do some research into Leatherique, I looked at their site some time ago and was intrigued, good to hear from someone that has had results from it. I think that the weather tomorrow may lend itself to getting the car out on the road and then a nice wash. Appreciate the input from everyone. I have been reluctant to do much to the car to date.
S Griffin

Jay Leno suggests quick-glo chrome cleaner and it is the best stuff around hands down according to everyone and their brother. I am ordering some now. A family owned/operated US company.
quick-glow.com

If you cleaning up paint be aware rubbing compounds comes in different grits. Finish with, or try finest grit rubbing compound first, followed by "polishing compound" to get out the scratch marks and liven up the paint prior to any wax. Polishing compound should contain zero wax.

Then ditch the carnuba wax and get some Klasse "all in one" which is a cleaner, polish and synthetic car wax. An acrylic car wax, not a polymer sealant.
S Cole

Great questions. Leather needs a moisturizer, just like other skin.

If your paint is faded, There are chemical products you can use that will bring back the shine but are not abrasive. Mirror Glaze #7 is a great product for this.

It is not wax/sealant. It brings back the shine, but offers no protection. Your carnuba will do that.

I love a product called "Harly" (Not related to the Harley motorcycle). It is just pure carnuba. It drys to a haze but will not turn white like other wax's. No powder residue. Makes the car really slick (use care when leaning on the fender after using. I have found myself on the ground a number of times, forgetting how slippery it makes the fender) http://www.harlywaxusa.com/

Here is a good article on restoring paint using Mirror Glaze. #7. http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/ask-mike-phillips-your-detailing-questions/25304-secret-removing-oxidation-restoring-show-car-finish-antique-single-stage-paints.html

http://www.harlywaxusa.com/
Bruce Cunha

On Wheeler Dealers they coated the old leather with a moisturizer/cleaner than covered the seats with black plastic bags and left them in the sun for a couple of hours. It is supposed to drive the dirt to the surface while the moisturizer gets into the pores. I think it was the show about the Sunbeam Alpine.

Tim
TD12524
TW Burchfield

For the leather keep in mind the whole leather restoration potion industry is mostly all $$$ snake oil. When leather gets old and dried out it has had it and normal use is no longer possible, no matter what you re-hydrate it with. The leather is dried up and no potion is anything more than goop to make it feel slippery or not so slippery, and re-hydrate it. You can have it sanded and dyed and it will look new, but it will never feel like leather again, and all the goop makes it unable to breath so you may as well be sweating in a plastic chair. It is at this point for display purposes only. If or if not your seats are that far gone is impossible to tell from the pics. It does look like you have already tried something on them, judging by the color of the exposed leather in a few spots.

Never- ever use a mechanical polisher on the paint finish. Not for wax or anything. That is where people get the idea rubbing compounds are sandpaper abrasive and other things are not. Other things will "rub" through paint, just like rubbing compound can, if common sense is not applied. The idea of "converting" the oxidized top layer of paint left untouched for 30-70 years is just absurd. The oxidized layer is either being removed or it is not, and if not it still will look oxidized. The key to using rubbing compounds is clean soft rags and light pressure, and counting the number of strokes, then using polishing compound with just as much care, before "wax" is put on.
S Cole

Quick-glo is by far much better than any other product out there for chrome. The more filthy and oxidized it is the more amazing the results. Rags and hands clean up much easier than after other products, and it does not stink. It does contain pumice, and there is also an ultra-fine formulation. I use the regular. Buy it from the website quick-glo.com

It is $15 a jar delivered, but I did an entire TC windshield frame that had been sitting 60 years, with about a 1/4 of a jar and ample rag bits. Quite different than Simichrome or Mother's type products.
D mckellar

Ditto Paul from Okla regarding the leather. As far the paint goes, I use a white polishing compound cut with water and hand rub the entire car being real careful around the "thin spots". After that I use a liquid wax, then 2 coats of soft paste wax also hand rubbed - never use a wheel. Also, remove the wax with a nylon cloth.

Cheers

Gary
79 MGB
gary hansen

This thread was discussed between 26/12/2016 and 29/12/2016

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