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yragyrag90 · Oct 1st, 2011, 19:01

With the really warm weather this week, I got a late chance to give Tor a good clean.
It gave me a bit of a bug, and so I'm in the mood to get it looking in great condition.
So I've got a bunch of questions on some fixes. And on how to get things looking great.

1. Rust.
Could anyone point me in the right direction for a good, all-inclusive how-to on patching up small areas of cosmetic rust.
I'm talking under the arches, and some at the bottom of the boot.

2. Paint.
I've got the right colour for my car. But as it's white, I'm worried about the final match. I'm going to do the rust first, then patch cover with the spray tin. Any tips?

3. T-Cut.
I should do this after re-spraying right? Again, any tips?

4. Exterior Plastics.
The outside plastics on the car, the bumper, some trim are obviously a bit dull and faded. How can I get them back to shiny again? I'm looking for something that'll really last. But I understand that it'll need to be re-done every so often.

5. Interior plastics.
I gave the inside a damn good clean the other day. But even now, 3 days later, it's a bit dusty. And dull. Is there any way to get it all shiny and new looking? I've been told to try olive oil and lemon juice. Right/wrong?

Extras....

6. Roof Rack.
I've got a Roof rack .It's metal. (Possibly galvanised? Don't really know the right name for it.) It's the normal Volvo one you see around. And I'd love it to be black. How should I go about paining it? I'd like it a shiny black, but any black would do. I'm mostly worried about chips, and flaking. So looking to avoid all that.

7. Central console. (Handbrake bit).
I've got a spare. And looking to replace it, has anyone done a how-to? I'm guessing the seats just need to come out, then a few bolts? But my seats seem to push on to the console itself, touching it, squezzing it. So I'm worried once I get it out, and put the seats back. They'll just crack the plastic again.
Also, it's black and my handbrake is blue. Anyone have a black handbrake? (Is it even a possible swap?)

8. Seats.
While I have the seats out, I'm looking to sort out a few things. The driver's seat is falling to bits, the foam is crumbling. My parents are upholsterers so that shouldn't be a huge problem. But I may just switch the foams if that's possible. If not, I'll make replacements.
But also, the heaters have never worked on this car. Any obvious checks?

9. Engine Bay
When I first got the car I gave the engine bay a bloody good clean. I used that Gunk(?) stuff. The spray to lift off oil. But I've forgotten the rules on water/engine areas. What should I avoid with the gunk? And what should I avoid getting wet?

That's about it.
It's an extensive list. So if anyone has an answer for any of the bits,just refer to the number.
Any other tips on detail cleaning are greatly appreciated.
And if anyone wants any pics taken just ask, I don't know what for. But if someone is going to do a job at some point it might be helpful (?)...
And thanks obviously.

Oct 1st, 2011, 19:01	#1
yragyrag90 Senior Member Last Online: Jan 15th, 2019 20:45 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Newcastle	Detail cleaning... With the really warm weather this week, I got a late chance to give Tor a good clean. It gave me a bit of a bug, and so I'm in the mood to get it looking in great condition. So I've got a bunch of questions on some fixes. And on how to get things looking great. 1. Rust. Could anyone point me in the right direction for a good, all-inclusive how-to on patching up small areas of cosmetic rust. I'm talking under the arches, and some at the bottom of the boot. 2. Paint. I've got the right colour for my car. But as it's white, I'm worried about the final match. I'm going to do the rust first, then patch cover with the spray tin. Any tips? 3. T-Cut. I should do this after re-spraying right? Again, any tips? 4. Exterior Plastics. The outside plastics on the car, the bumper, some trim are obviously a bit dull and faded. How can I get them back to shiny again? I'm looking for something that'll really last. But I understand that it'll need to be re-done every so often. 5. Interior plastics. I gave the inside a damn good clean the other day. But even now, 3 days later, it's a bit dusty. And dull. Is there any way to get it all shiny and new looking? I've been told to try olive oil and lemon juice. Right/wrong? Extras.... 6. Roof Rack. I've got a Roof rack .It's metal. (Possibly galvanised? Don't really know the right name for it.) It's the normal Volvo one you see around. And I'd love it to be black. How should I go about paining it? I'd like it a shiny black, but any black would do. I'm mostly worried about chips, and flaking. So looking to avoid all that. 7. Central console. (Handbrake bit). I've got a spare. And looking to replace it, has anyone done a how-to? I'm guessing the seats just need to come out, then a few bolts? But my seats seem to push on to the console itself, touching it, squezzing it. So I'm worried once I get it out, and put the seats back. They'll just crack the plastic again. Also, it's black and my handbrake is blue. Anyone have a black handbrake? (Is it even a possible swap?) 8. Seats. While I have the seats out, I'm looking to sort out a few things. The driver's seat is falling to bits, the foam is crumbling. My parents are upholsterers so that shouldn't be a huge problem. But I may just switch the foams if that's possible. If not, I'll make replacements. But also, the heaters have never worked on this car. Any obvious checks? 9. Engine Bay When I first got the car I gave the engine bay a bloody good clean. I used that Gunk(?) stuff. The spray to lift off oil. But I've forgotten the rules on water/engine areas. What should I avoid with the gunk? And what should I avoid getting wet? That's about it. It's an extensive list. So if anyone has an answer for any of the bits,just refer to the number. Any other tips on detail cleaning are greatly appreciated. And if anyone wants any pics taken just ask, I don't know what for. But if someone is going to do a job at some point it might be helpful (?)... And thanks obviously.