Hi I'm Looking to clean my car to its former glory of when I had rebuilt it all with new shiny parts. Now the engine is oily. Underneath is dirty, paint faded, some parts rusted, chrome dull etc.
What do you guys recommend for oil removal? What degreaser, do you recommend, do you use a steam cleaner with that?
What chrome cleaner?
Rust eater?
How do I restore chrome? The exhaust tip is rusted and headlamps rusted too.
Can I sand down rust, On subframes treat and paint over?
Just any cleaning restoration guides would be good, and what products you use.

Thanks

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It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice.
1979 998cc Leyland Roundnose Irish Mini

I use brake cleaner to degrease the engine, works well and no slimy residue like some degreasers. Chrome work try some coke and steel wool or autosol.

If its just surface rust on the subframes you could treat it and paint over.

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1965 Riley Elf
1974 Ex Army Moke
1997 Rover Cooper
2002 JCW Cooper
2003 JCW Cooper S

Does the brake cleaner strip paint? Or is that brake fluid? Could I use brake cleaner on other oily dirt parts? Do you rinse with watcher after or how does it work?

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It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice.
1979 998cc Leyland Roundnose Irish Mini

We use brake cleaner at work. You can use compressed air to help blast gunk off. Brake fluid is harmful to paint!
On bright work I use a product called Purple. Works pretty good for me

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1963 Morris 850 Smoke Grey
1963 Morris 850 Shadow Blue
1965 Morris Mini Smooth Van
1966 Morris Mini Van
1969 Morris Mini Deluxe Resto
5/72 Clubman Gt

Don't have an air compressor, wish I did!!

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It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice.
1979 998cc Leyland Roundnose Irish Mini

Its not essential but helps.

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1963 Morris 850 Smoke Grey
1963 Morris 850 Shadow Blue
1965 Morris Mini Smooth Van
1966 Morris Mini Van
1969 Morris Mini Deluxe Resto
5/72 Clubman Gt

Il chase down all these. Is coke actually good?

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It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice.
1979 998cc Leyland Roundnose Irish Mini

the supercheap degreaser (chemtec?) is good for getting road grime etc off, it's useless as degreaser but great to do under guards, engine bay, in round doors etc, and carpets/door trims. Diluted 50-50 in a spray bottle.

I use spray cans of Australian Export degreaser from Supercheap. I try to buy it when it is on special. It works very well.

CRC Brakeleen is too expensive to waste on general degreasing but I do use it for special jobs.

Super cheap spray degreaser then hose off.
For heavy grease you may need to do a few times plus use a brush to help loosen grease.

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1969 Cooper "S"
1967 Mini Deluxe
1973 Clubman Van (the fleet spare)
1978 ex 1275 LS ("Wizard" Eaton Supercharged)
2015 HSV GenF GTS(occasional drive & tow car)
2019 MINI F55 Cooper S

I use supercheap degreaser, then pressure clean it off.

I lust clean chrome with WD40. If it's rusty - depends on the chrome. Try some fine steel wool in an inconspicuous area first. Good quality chrome won't be damaged by fine steel wool, but some chrome will. But it will take the rust off nicely.

For subframes, use a wirewheel to remove the rust, then it depends on how much effort you want to go after that. I have used RustKill rattlecans in the past with good results, but it won't be as hard as powerdercoating or some other options. If you're going all-out, coat the subframes in POR-15 before topcoating - that stuff is as hard as nails and won't rust.

As they all said , Supercheap degreaser , spray it on , get a thick type cheap paintbrush
and brush it around where you have sprayed the degreaser to work the oil and grime off,
then a light rinse with water , ( stay away from carby & dizzy ) don't drown the thing or you might create yourself more problems that you don't need .

You might have to do it a couple of times , but good old elbow grease , unless you want to pay a professional a few hundred dollars to do the whole car .

I try to use environmentally friendly stuff to do a lot of my cleaning and polishing. I use eucalyptus oil to clean chrome, plastic and oldish rubber parts. As long as u use it sparingly and wipe it off it works a treat, especially in bringing the black back on rubber and plastic bits. I soak all the rusty metal bits, screws and bolts etc in neat vinegar. For big metal bits I leave them soaking for one or two weeks then pressure hose the gunk off.

Eiles

How much would it cost to get someone to do it? Is there anyone that specialises in minis? I want every part done, steering suspension, underbody, engine, engine bay etc etc. how long would it take them?

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It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice.
1979 998cc Leyland Roundnose Irish Mini

I use a HP cleaner on hot water setting. Amazing finish