| Author | Message | ||
| Neil Green (Neilg)
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Just purchased/applied Amaco's Rub & Buff (Silver Leaf color) onto my valve covers, and what a difference! They look like brand new! As Magoo says, this really works. My 1977 308GTB covers were oxidized, and generally dismal in appearance. It sells in 1/2 oz tubes (got mine at AC Moore's), and a little goes a long way. Just let dry for 10 minutes, then buff with a soft cloth. Magoo, thanks again! | ||
| Warren E. Smith (Magoo)
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Kerosene will not harm painted surfaces. Lee it sounds like from your description that undercoating is over everything. The previous owner was probably trying to deaden sound and prevent rust. My car is clean underneath. | ||
| Lee Filbert (Lfilbert)
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Thanks for all the tips on removing the undercoating. Does anyone know if they were undercoated from the factory? I'm worried if I remove it the car may not be "original." Will kerosene harm painted surfaces? Thanks Lee | ||
| Jerry Wiersma (Tork1966)
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A great way to get that undercoating off and to remove grease, oil, old paint, etc. is a hot water power washer/steam cleaner. If you rent one locally, it will be well worth your time. My business is selling, servicing, and renting power washers and other industrial type cleaning equipment, so I have used steam on mine many times and it really does a miraculous job. If anyone has any questions as to what to rent or how to do it properly, I can let you know if you E-Mail me direct. Jerry. | ||
| Sam NYCFERRARIS (Sam)
|
The stainless rod is sold by a few performance providers . The rod's function , along with urethane bushings, is to more precisely postion and more firmly hold and stabilize the tranverse engine for more torque. Rather inexpensive and nice looking addition but curious if it is worthwhile ..if anyone has one installed please provide a review. | ||
| Warren E. Smith (Magoo)
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Let the kerosene set on the undercoating for a while then scrape with a putty knife. | ||
| Warren E. Smith (Magoo)
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Lee, the best thing to use is kerosene. Its flash point is much lower than Gasoline or other flamable chemicals. However kerosene should still be used out in the open air so fumes don't build up and you are not breathing the vapors. | ||
| '75 308 GT4 (Peter)
|
Alot of elbow grease and an assortment of solvents and wire-brushes. This stuff is really gross and often does alot of harm than good (it sometimes covers drain holes and water will settle and begin the rusting process). Just by coincidence, I was looking at the magazine rack at the local grocery store and thumbed through the latest copy of "European Car". They had the same topic, about removing the undercoating from their project race 911. Very involved from the looks of it. | ||
| Lee Filbert (Lfilbert)
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Does anyone else have undercoating on their car. I looked back at my car's receipts and the previous owner had the local F dealer undercoat every two years. They were pretty liberal when putting it on, so it is everywhere. Anybody know how to remove this stuff? Thanks Lee | ||
| Stewart Chung (Navygakman)
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One thing that I noticed in one of Nick's cars was the stainless reaction rod. That looks a lot cleaner than the stock (black) one. I know it has an adjustment (screw in/out to adjust length) but not sure if it has a real "function" over the stock one, but it certainly looks great since that thing is right there in front of you dead center.  | ||
| 308i80 (Lamont)
|
Thanks Mike, I just got the Red hose kite from a auto store that had 4 or 5 different sizes in it. There was one or two sizes that I had to order from the store. There was no problem fitting them, I just used a broom stick or something about the size that I wanted, just to get the diameter right and not fight the hose. Some of the hoses look bad (The threading) but were still good and only handled air/exh. But I replaced all the water hoses(Green Stripe)and added the braided for looks....I had the Covers and inlet power coated For $150. | ||
| 308i80 (Lamont)
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Thanks, Magoo! | ||
| Mike (Dollartaker)
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Lamont, That looks fantastic!!!!!!Tell me more about the braided hoses and lines? | ||
| 308i80 (Lamont)
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No Dave, I was lucky the ower before me keep it (Filter box that is!) in good shape. | ||
| Mike (Dollartaker)
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David, I used the simple green today on the engine bay and underneath. It worked great and no extra smell! Thanks Mike | ||
| David Harris (Dakharris)
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Lamont: How did you restore your air cleaner cover? Did you do the $250 exchange? | ||
| Warren E. Smith (Magoo)
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Looks Great Lamont. | ||
| 308i80 (Lamont)
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Click here This is my engine after a over-haul this spring. | ||
| Warren E. Smith (Magoo)
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Mark, Use the "RUB&Buff." Scroll down I mentioned a few comments ago | ||
| Jerry Wiersma (Tork1966)
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All right, all right I will give a tip if nobody else will. I was going to keep this a secret but I guess you guys are OK to share it with. On my 308 I sanded the two flat side areas (by the trunk struts) right up to the roofline and then I masked it off with masking tape and newspapers and painted the areas. Be careful not to touch your I.D. tag with the sandpaper. It looks fan-f******-tastic. My buddy that owns a body shop turned me on to the paint to use and it looks and goes on awesome. It looks factory...kind of between gloss and flat. It is called Spray Max brand Trim Paint and the color you want is Satin Black. If you have Finish Master body shop supply stores, they definitely carry it. $9.00 per can. I also painted my radiator tank and my charcoal box. Jerry | ||
| David Harris (Dakharris)
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Simple Green smells strong until you rinse it off. It does an excellent job of cutting the grease and you don't need a moon suit to use it. It is not flammable or abraisive. I also use it to clean the oil stains off of my garage floor. (Under my BMW) | ||
| Mike (Dollartaker)
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Wouln't Simple Green really smell up the bay???? | ||
| Mark McKenzie (Redcar)
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Any tips on cleaning dingy cast aluminum, like a 348's clutch cover housing? The exposed lower part with the "Ferrari" cast on mine could look a lot better. Thanks Mark | ||
| Warren E. Smith (Magoo)
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C'mon Guys,There has to be some Tips among all the Ferrari knowledge out there. | ||
| Warren E. Smith (Magoo)
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Any body got Tips? Long time, No Tips. | ||
| Warren E. Smith (Magoo)
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TIP. The question keeps coming up about how to get the valve covers back to their silver color. I found something that is great. You won't believe it but it works. After I cleaned, degreased, everything in the engine compt. I went over the entire valve covers and block area with "Rub and Buff." What is "Rub and Buff?" It is a tube of very fine aluminum particles ground up microscopicly in a paste. When you put it on metal it impregnates the pores in the metal. After drying you buff it with a rag, I like using a soft paint brush and it comes out looking brand new. It is found in any ART STORE and sometimes Home Depot. It won't burn off, flake off or loose its color. It can be thinned with WD 40 or light oil. I use it in many applications on my other cars also. You won't believe what it does for a metal surface. Don't use too much and be sure to buff afterward. Sometimes you may want to reduce the consistency by adding a small amount of WD 40 and paint it on with a brush for tight areas that cannot be easily reached. "RUB and BUFF" in a small silver tube with red printing on it. | ||
| David Harris (Dakharris)
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I have an '85 Mondial QV (US). I used some steel wool on the bare metal parts (fuel lines, oil filler cap, unpainted nuts and bolts) to get rid of the baked-on grime, but not the heads and block. I don't mind the natural oxidized look. Then I ran the engine for a couple of minutes just to heat up the engine compartment a little. I sprayed liberal amounts of Simple Green (undiluted) all over the engine compartment and let it sit for about 30 minutes. Then I rinsed with water, being careful not to soak the ignition parts. I have a power washer, but was afraid to use it with all of the delicate, aging components in the engine bay, so I just used my garden hose with a spray head attached. Then I took it on the road and made some steam. After the engine cooled down, I wiped off the ignition wires with a cloth rag so that they are all bright red again and applied ArmorAll to the distributor cap covers. My engine compartment is clean. It's not up to the 100pt. concours standard, but I drive my car. | ||
| Mike (Dollartaker)
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What have you all done to spruce up your engine bays on older cars ie 10-20 y/o? The aluminum oxidizes and general degreasing tips would be appreciated. I would love to see some 308 engine bays if everyone would care to share. I have a 1985 308 QV Euro that looks fantastic interior/exterior, but the engine bay is dingy. Thanks Mike |