[Quadrige]

Hi everyone,
I’m sorry for the very basic question but I swear I spent hours looking for similar post without success.
I just bought a 1974 Spider and… I don’t know of to clean it ! I’m very worried to avoid any rust and I’m wondering how often I should wash it.
When I wash, if I intensively rinse the car to avoid any remaining soap, water will go everywhere ! It’s a frightening idea to me !
Any advice is welcome

In addition, more generally, is there any « old alfas for the dummies » post on things to do or avoid with such a car (like being careful with the plastic window when opening the roof) ?
Many thanks

 

[PSk]

I think the most important thing is to ensure all the drain holes are open and working, and you do not have mud/dirt stuck against a panel somewhere, like behind the front wheel splash guards. Mud holds the moisture up against the metal . So I think it is important for a hobby car that the underneath and wheel arches are cleaned occasionally. I used to do this with the 156v6

Otherwise water does no harm I believe
Pete

 

[divotandtralee]

You should not have any concerns about washing your car.. Top up or down.. Yes there are drains that you need to understand how they work. In fact, the rear ones around the rear scuttle where the top is tucked under the scuttle lead into the inside of the rocker panels and drain out through bent slots under the rockers.. A car wash every day.. probably not the best plan once a month.. .. don't worry about the car rusting out from under you... it already has a head start unless you live in the Sahara

 

[Stratcow]

I’ve become somewhat amateur detailer , and regularly wash my Nuova Super. Keeping the undercarriage and wheel wells clean is important, understanding the construction of these areas is important , just poke around with a light and see how the bodies are constructed. The most important thing is I use a leaf blower to dry everything ! I open doors & trunk lids and thoughtfully blow everything out. I use it on the engine compartment to remove standing water from the engine areas ,more importantly from around the battery. Then I take it for a ride to further remove any moisture. Good luck have fun , it’s a great way to keep tabs on the condition of your car and components!

 

[6alfas]

It's easiest with the top and windows up. Do it by hand, not at a car wash. If you end up with water in the ****pit, it could either be the scuttle drains or the water deflector on the inside front of the door is missing.

Just don't clean off the oil from underneath the car. It acts as a rust preventative.

 

[samakijoe]

I really think this guy is pulling our legs or he just landed here on earth from a planet that has no H2O......

.

 

[Quadrige]

I really think this guy is pulling our legs or he just landed here on earth from a planet that has no H2O......

.

I don’t. I’m seriously concerned about protecting this car. I always had modern cars until now, so I never really though about these things. Maybe you were already taking care of cars some time ago when I was too young to…😉
.
Many thanks to all for the very interesting feedbacks. Leaf blowers are not allowed (except from October to January) here, so I’ll use an hair dryer and be patient.

 

[divotandtralee]

I’ve become somewhat amateur detailer , and regularly wash my Nuova Super. Keeping the undercarriage and wheel wells clean is important, understanding the construction of these areas is important , just poke around with a light and see how the bodies are constructed. The most important thing is I use a leaf blower to dry everything ! I open doors & trunk lids and thoughtfully blow everything out. I use it on the engine compartment to remove standing water from the engine areas ,more importantly from around the battery. Then I take it for a ride to further remove any moisture. Good luck have fun , it’s a great way to keep tabs on the condition of your car and components!

The achilles heal to closed cars like GTV's and Supers and Berlinas (and Fulvias, too and Spiders with compromised drain conduits ) is water that migrates undetected through lid and door seals and window seals INSIDE the car under the mats , especially wells in the floor and trunk which hold water undetected because of rubber floor mats. It's not so much external from my experience.

 

[Stratcow]

Right that’s why the original query wasn’t so outlandish . The weather for the day of cleaning the humidity , ect one should be conscious of it . Look these cars only lasted two or three years when they came out new, before severe structural rust clamped down ! now they’re 50 years into their lives and special concerns and thoughts & needs to be attuned to them.

 

[Peter A]

Ok here are some thoughts:
- detail your car really well. If the paint is old just use a clay bar and wax with an orbital gently and slowly. If the finish is poor you can polish after the clay bar but gently. You can use a sealant instead of wax. If you don’t like waxing a good detail shop can make your car look awesome, just find one that works on old cars and err on the side of light touch versus max shine.

WHY THE FOCUS DETAILING?

• A well waxed car will preserve the finish AND make it much easier to wash = use less water all over the place. You can do a quick clean-up with detailing spray and no wash.
• After you wash apply spray wax to maintain.
• It might seem obvious but don’t use a pressure washer or high pressure hose that forces water into the gaps, can strip wax, paint, loose trim, undercoating. You car use a hose without a nozzle and on a well-waxed car and use very little water.
• I live in an apartment building and don’t have hose access. I use Griots no-rinse wash, there are other brands. A little goes a long way on a tiny car. You can go to Griots garage website and see videos. Done correctly with high quality microfiber it works really well and not much water is used = not much water to get into the car.

-you can buy good, thick microfiber towels at Walmart (FYI I had a high end paint correction and ceramic on my 4C, the detail shop uses Walmart microfiber, I did receive some nice Griots towels as a gift and they are great but pricey). Lots of clean microfiber towels and “two bucket” method = no scratches.
- a hair dryer is useless. You need enough air pressure to blow water out of crevices. You can buy an blower/vac so you won’t get lynched for using a leaf blower. A good fast drive will help as well).

The car is not gonna rust up and blow away if the drains are clear.

 

[Quadrige]

Great, i’m very grateful for the feedbacks.
Any though on Sio2 products on an old Alfa ? I tried Meguiar’s and Turtle wax products on my Stelvio and was rather happy with the results.

 

[6alfas]

I've had good sucess with Meguiar's Ultimate Wax.

 

[Stratcow]

Yup turtle wax Ice products do very well, easy to use and seem to adhere to my old alfa paint products than my newer cars. I also use chemical guys VRP on rubber plastic trim and the whole interior vinyl of my car with good results, you should see what it does for the engine compartment hoses plastics and battery. Flitz metal polish on all chrome, metals & glass.

 

[Stratcow]

Good luck

 

[Peter A]

For a weekend driver that is mostly good weather, a sealant lasts a long time and is inexpensive. A friend of mine really likes the new turtle wax products.

For old single stage paint, the clay/polish/glaze/wax works great but is a lot of effort. Glaze feeds the paint and is especially noticeable on dark colors, a really high quality carnuba wax can get similar effect. Wax or sealant needs to go on top and if you supplement with some spray wax it will look good for a long long time.

 

[GradBrad]

I believe washing your car will make it LESS likely to rust.

A clean, cared-for car is less likely to rust than a dirty and neglected car. Washing a car is also a great opportunity to inspect the car for anything that needs fixed. When you wash your car, look for any signs of possible rust starting. If you see chipped paint, rust bubbles, or any other sign of damage, addressing it early will mean much better odds of preventing significant rust..

I want to reinforce what 6alfas said above in post #5 about the scuttle drains. Be aware that the cowl/cover/scuttle that sits between the engine compartment and windshield (below the wiper arms) will collect water inside it when you wash the car or when it rains. That's okay, because there are two drain hoses that channel that water away and behind the front tires.

However, look in your footwells after you wash. If there is water there, those rubber drain hoses may be cracked and leaking.