What is the best/easiest/simplest way to clean parts?

Note: the starter motor, distributor and alternator work fine just would like to clean them up visually.

It looks like your issue is no so much dirt and grease, but rust. Get rid of as much surface rust as you can using a wire wheel or wire brush then treat with rust converter. There are several products in the paint section at Bunnings that will do the job.

You can then paint over the top, including galvanised paint that comes in a rattle can if that's the effect you want on the distributor, or just metal colour paint.

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ex-NSW Police 1970 MK II Cooper S
VMCI #43

A phosphoric acid bath is good for removing (not just converting) rust on steel but isn't kind to aluminium or zinc plated parts, but most of your parts really should be dismantled and the steel bits treated separately like winabbey suggests. "Deoxidene" is a brand of phosphoric acid but you can buy it at cleaners' warehouses in 5 litre containers - needs to be watered down a fair bit for most jobs.
Septone sell Albrite for aluminium parts - removes dirt and oxidised surfaces.
Others use a molasses bath, or vinegar. Use the search box at the bottom of the index page for more ideas.

Re the alloy rocker cover I would hand sand it with 400-600-1200 paper then hand polish with Mothers mag wheel polish or similar.
If you want to paint inside the top ribs, do it before polishing.

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

Bead Blast

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The bitterness of poor quality (or Crappy Workmanship) remains LONG AFTER the Sweet Taste of Low Price is forgotten.

Thanks everyone for your help.

I’ve wire wheeled all of it except the alternator (need to work out if I can disassemble it), I used a wire wheel on the angle grinder, and this works a lot better then one on the drill, but be careful as on the starter motor (round surface) it kicked back and ran up my arm.

Dismantling these parts can be an education too. You start to find out what's inside them.

Vapour blasting for anything alloy, it’s simply amazing

This has been treated

If you have a compressor, a sandblasting cabinet is cheap and super handy for a resto.

Garnet for an etched finish, glass beads for a peened/smooth finish. If you want to mess around trying other stuff, baking soda blasting is very gentle and washing the part after gets rid of any hidden soda. (With garnet and glass beads they can get caught in books and crannies).


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