# Cleaning up my new Westfield.



## Slick4d4d (Oct 27, 2018)

Hello fellow Cabers, I'm looking for some advice on what to use to clean up the the original paint on this 1930's Westfield bike. It looks good in the pictures because it is wet but the water dries and it is dull dingy looking. I want that wet look all the time but I don't want to damage the original paint. So any tips tricks or advice would be helpful.


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## Mercian (Oct 30, 2018)

Hi, I do like that bike.

It has a June 1939 made frame.

Best Regards,

Adrian


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## anders1 (Oct 30, 2018)

Try Rubbing Compound. Rub it on gently especially around the pinstripes.


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## anders1 (Oct 30, 2018)

Nice bike, welcome to the CABE...


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## KingSized HD (Oct 30, 2018)

I like this stuff, it leaves a nice glossy shine. More expensive then most stuff you find but it goes a long way.  It can be applied by hand, not just machine. 
Like everything you use, be very careful around old pinstripes, I’d think about taping them off to protect them.


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## the tinker (Oct 30, 2018)

Look up Oxalic Acid bath[ only for the painted parts] It will require the complete disassembly of the bike, which is a good thing]. It will pull the brightness of the colors out. Abrasive compounds will remove pinstripes. I'd say one hour in a hot Oxalic Acid bath [ and no more] will do wonders for that frame, fenders and light. Then wash off with soap and water, then a light wax job with a cleaner type  wax. The blue paint may  seem lighter, as it has darkened with age. If your bike was red, I wouldn't do it, but blue paint works out good with OX.
See the post, "Seeing is believing," in the Restoration Tips thread.


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## Sven (Oct 31, 2018)

*First of all great bike!*


Secondly, these are the tools of the trade I personally use. TOTAL DISASSEMBLY OF BIKE REQUIRED 

I learned this trick when I use to collect beer cans and would clean my rusty  "dumpers" .  Now I use for painted and chrome bike parts and other things as well. Citric acid also plays hell on *red* paints, if left too long.  I use  cold water to slow down the action and check periodically . After you are satisfied with the results, take the parts out, dump the pool , clean and put fresh water with baking soda to neutralize the acid . Put your parts back in the pool, let soak for a few minutes. The rinse again and again.
Like _Tinker _stated clean  with soap & water and use a good cleaner wax. You don't have to use Mequiars, its just what I like.
I've treated lightly rust parts chrome parts with great results. The gloves are an option, but if you have the smallest cut on your hands, Citric acid will find it

And what ever method you decide on..post some pictures of your results. Have fun with your project


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## Kickstand3 (Oct 31, 2018)

KingSized HD said:


> I like this stuff, it leaves a nice glossy shine. More expensive then most stuff you find but it goes a long way. It can be applied by hand, not just machine.
> Like everything you use, be very careful around old pinstripes, I’d think about taping them off to protect them.
> View attachment 892791




I’m with king Size on this . I don’t care for baths much , paint to old . I think baths change the color, so I lightly clean with gojo then use 3 m products. Be careful though don’t over rub with 3 m , but the results are much better and don’t harm pins and 

emblems 
Nice project 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro


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## locomotion (Oct 31, 2018)

Sven said:


> View attachment 892792View attachment 892794View attachment 892793View attachment 892801View attachment 892803View attachment 892802
> 
> 
> *First of all great bike!*
> ...





do you have a recipe for the ratio of water to citric acid ratio? and water to baking soda?


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## Sven (Oct 31, 2018)

locomotion said:


> do you have a recipe for the ratio of water to citric acid ratio? and water to baking soda?




About 1/4 cup per gallon for both the acid and baking soda


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## Allrounderco (Oct 31, 2018)

Yes, great bike!
I didn't have any time to mess with cosmetics, when I built up my DX. So I applied a product called ACF-50 to protect the bike, and give a bit of shine. I haven't seen your bike dry, but I think this might give the desired effect. ACF-50 is good stuff to have around for protecting bare metal - I use it on my tractor and snow blower. Some of the Vespa guys will use it on plated parts or raw hardware to keep the new look, which is where I learned about it.


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## Archie Sturmer (Oct 31, 2018)

They still make that automobile wax which came in paint-matching colors like blue.


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## alecburns (Nov 12, 2018)

Boiled Linseed Oil. Protects bare metal, non-permanent and gives the wet sheen look.


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## Slick4d4d (Nov 19, 2018)

Thank you all for your help and advice! Well here it is, this is as far as I think I am going to go with the cosmetic aspect of this bike. I didn't have the room to full disassemble the frame and soak it so I tried gojo and compound but they were little to light to handle the rusty build up so the final option after trying that was a gray paint prep scotch bright pad for some of the heavy areas and some 0000 steel wool with some spray wax to clean the rest. I finished off with a coat of the spray wax and what you see is the end result. I left the wheels and tires rough to help the paint pop more and keep that barn find look, added the kick stand and fixed the horn. I took if for its first shake down ride today and besides needing some tightening of the re-greased bearings she is ready to ride. The only other thing I would like to fix some day is the light, the lense is missing and the inside looks rusted beyond saving, but I have all winter to do that  enjoy the pics and Thanks again.


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## A.S.BOLTNUT (Nov 19, 2018)

I like it the way it is,  looks great !


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## s1b (Nov 19, 2018)

Nice! Looks great!!


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## Kickstand3 (Nov 19, 2018)

KingSized HD said:


> I like this stuff, it leaves a nice glossy shine. More expensive then most stuff you find but it goes a long way. It can be applied by hand, not just machine.
> Like everything you use, be very careful around old pinstripes, I’d think about taping them off to protect them.
> View attachment 892791




Yes , but first start of with a clean surface first , that way your not moving dirt and grease all over . I use the original Gojo . 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro


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## barneyguey (Nov 19, 2018)

anders1 said:


> Try Rubbing Compound. Rub it on gently especially around the pinstripes.



Truer words were never spoken! Be careful, I've ruined paint jobs.


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## barneyguey (Nov 19, 2018)

I think all these Ideas for cleaning and preserving paint jobs should be posted in one forum. It would've been great to know things I've learned the hard way over years, when I first started. People just starting out could save themselves lots of heartaches, if they had a forum to read about the subject. Barry

Someone may have done this already, and I just don't know?


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## Slick4d4d (Nov 19, 2018)

Now that the bike is clean a partial decal has been revealed and I was wondering if anyone knows what it originally looked like.


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## lgrinnings (Nov 19, 2018)

Slick4d4d said:


> Now that the bike is clean a partial decal has been revealed and I was wondering if anyone knows what it originally looked like.




Where is the decal in question? Fender? Seat tube? Down tube?


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## Slick4d4d (Nov 20, 2018)

lgrinnings said:


> Where is the decal in question? Fender? Seat tube? Down tube?




You can see it on the side of the tank, I thought it was rust and scratches at first but it looks like parts of a decal, and from some blurry pictures I found online these bike did have decals there, but in all the pics I found I couldn't tell what it actually looked liked.


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## lgrinnings (Nov 20, 2018)

Slick4d4d said:


> You can see it on the side of the tank, I thought it was rust and scratches at first but it looks like parts of a decal, and from some blurry pictures I found online these bike did have decals there, but in all the pics I found I couldn't tell what it actually looked liked.




The white striping on the tank makes it look like an Airider Special (photo below courtesy of Chris). Check out the Westfield Wednesday thread for other tank decals.

https://thecabe.com/forum/threads/westfield-wednesday-show-your-bikes-here.88774/


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## 1968fury (Mar 26, 2019)

Nice bike. It has the same head badge as mine but are wheels metal clinchers?


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