Carchaeology: 1940 Mercedes crusty chrome cleaning and treatment.

In life it is often best to make the most of what you have, and vintage vehicle preservation, this is the end game that all conservations aim for. The difference between a "barn find" and a "preservation class" car all comes down to touching every surface with the eyes of making it look its best without restoration, and treating it so the deterioration process slows down. To show the car totally as found displays years of neglect. To show it after preservation attention, it shows that the car is loved and cared for and that it deserved to be preserved. Plus when you don't have the bankroll behind you to dive into a full concours restoration, you have to rely on sweat equity to bring a forgotten relic to the show field. You also need to make sure your efforts don't make a future restoration harder by having to re-do a budget restoration.

Added 18 May 2026