Somebody once asked me why I was so fascinated with muscle cars. You know, its hard for an outsider looking in to understand why we muscle car lovers are so fanatical about our cars. Until theyve been behind the wheel of a newly restored 66 Pontiac GTO, they just havent a clue.
Why is it that we can browse through muscle car advertisements for hours on end? Why do we have to go to every muscle car show that comes near our town? Why do we drive out of our way to see some of the hottest muscle cars around? Why do we seemingly pour all of our extra money into our muscle cars?
Some people think a passion for muscle cars comes from peer pressure a need to impress other people per se. As a muscle car enthusiast I can honestly say thats not it, at least not for me. My interest in muscle cars dates way back to before I was ever concerned about what anybody thought. I have always found muscle cars to be fascinating and exciting.
First, muscle cars are original. Those who collect or restore muscle cars put their heart and soul into their hobby which makes every muscle car truly unique. Second, muscle cars are powerful. Theres nothing that gets the adrenaline pumping quite like sitting behind the wheel of a classic, high-performance muscle car. Third, when you take a classic car, restore it and muscle it up, you really have something to be proud of. Its a lot like an artistic ability for me like taking a blank canvas and creating an incredible piece of art out of it.
One thing is for certain, regardless of the reason a muscle car devotee is interested in muscle cars, we all seem to talk the same talk and walk the same walk. Dealing with muscle cars is an incredible social outlet. Whether we collect, restore, show, or race our muscle cars, it doesnt matter. Were all on the same wavelength and we truly enjoy looking at and chatting about muscle cars.
Some enthusiasts have specific lines of muscle cars that they are interested in, while others are just crazy about muscle cars in general. Some like imports, others like exports, and most all muscle car enthusiasts have a strong interest in classics. We can look at them, talk about them, drive them, or just work on them. Muscle cars give us something to look forward to, something fun to invest our time and money into, and the muscle car hobby keeps us out of trouble for the most part.
The Details of Detailing the Interior of Antique Cars and Trucks
Your antique car or truck is a treasure. A treasured possession of history, class, and performance of bygone days. While you can never go back in time, you want to do all you can to preserve the aura and the dignity of antique cars and trucks. Detailing or cleaning and preserving them as close to their original state as possible, is the owner’s dream.
Care should be taken in every step of the restoration process to ensure all original materials are treated only with products designed not to have a negative effect on the material’s future quality and durability.
One especially delicate area is the interior of your antique. Whether the seats are plastic, cloth, or leather, they must be treated with care to ensure pliability so as not to occur future damage. The cleaning products used must be chosen with care. Today’s technology offers many excellent solutions to the dilemma of cleaning without incurring damage to these aged materials.
Selecting products that clean and protect in one step saves you time and insures your interior has constant protection. Again, it is important to choose products that won’t damage the interior’s materials with repeated use. You may want to consider these types of cleaners for seats, dashboards, and rubber moldings found in the interior of your vehicle. Note that any form of abrasive cleaner, no matter how miniscule the abrasiveness, with repeated use, will begin to deteriorate the surface being cleaned.
It is not unusual to have one specific stain in the interior of a classic car or truck that seems almost impossible to remove without damaging the area. Again, be cautious not to use abrasive cleaners. Remember the interior of your antique car or truck has weathered many years. The materials have become worn, and are fragile simply by time. A spot remover designed to remove the stain without harsh chemicals is most likely your best solution. Proceed slowly and repeat the process gently if necessary to completely remove the stain. One or more treatments may be necessary for extremely stubborn stains. Harsh scrubbing and rubbing will only damage the material. Let the cleaner do the work.
Once you have completed the restoration process and your antique car or truck is in tip-top condition, you want to make sure you do everything you can to protect it and your investment in it. The restoration process most likely took time, effort, and money. Now you want to make sure your vehicle remains in good shape.
At this point, it is very important to store the vehicle in a climate-controlled environment. Extreme heat, cold, and moisture should be avoided if possible. Whenever the vehicle is taken out for show, or a drive, you should make sure to properly clean it whenever you are done. All that really should be necessary concerning cleaning and protection will be light maintenance. A good wipe down with a chamois cloth will most likely do the trick. Chamois cloths are excellent to absorb moisture, clean dust and grime, and polish the surface.
Your antique car or truck has survived many years. A true display of elegance. A few simple steps will keep it looking great for years to come.
