1957 Safe to use brushless carwash?

[TbirdFan76]

Just purchased my first classic 57 Tbird! I have not owned a true collector car and need some advise on keeping the undercarriage clean.

1. Is it safe for the body and undercarriage to take a 57 Tbird to a modern automated brushless car wash?
2. What alternatives would you suggest to keep undercarriage clean of dirt and grim?

Any advise is appreciated.

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[biddle]

All car washes have liability notices. It's always best to hand wash when possible! There are sprayer attachments you can use to spray the undercarriage at home.

Those car washes recycle the water, so I think it's kind of a dumb idea in the first place because you are spraying recycled water on your car. It's supposed to clean the water, but I don't trust anyone nowadays. You know what you are spraying at home!

Buy Undercarriage Spray Wands here

 

[Lee Green 56]

I wouldnt take my '56 thru any automated anything. I've never had the car dirty enough to even need one. Mine doesn't need washed very often, but when it does I use car washing soap (not dish soap, it will strip wax). A bucket of water & a soft sponge. Finish it off with old soft bath towels. It has a good coat of wax, sits in the garage under a cover most of the time.
Congratulations on your Bird!!

 

[Machinehand]

For the love of God, Don't drive it through a carwash...wash it by hand! That’s part of the bond between owners and these classic machines.

I take my daily drivers through carwashes and they are violent. I can't imagine Driving a classic through one.

These classic Birds leak, and did so when they were new, even under normal rainy conditions. I can't imagine how much water would get inside with the high pressure water of a carwash. Also, new vehicles are designed to be flush fitting for aerodynamics. There are a lot of trim items on old cars the stick out. Even soft touch carwashes have elements that spin. They will remove a mirror faster than you can believe. Trim moldings can be ripped off, loosened or worse. The high pressure air in the drying cycle alone would concern me.

If you want to keep the underside clean, use a garden hose or a power sprayer. I have a lift in my garage so I just use a bucket of water and a sponge.

 

[Tom Alpers]

I'd be very reluctant to go thru one. These cars don't have much clearance, perhaps not a problem but I don't want to find out the hard way. Plus I just don't want to flood it with that much water, have those flying brushes slapping it, hammering at the antenna, and mirrors and the wing windows. Many places will do a hand car wash (and hand polish too if you want). Even that would worry me!!

 

[Frankie the Fink]

I had classic cars for decades, Mustangs, Camaros, Chevelles, Corvettes and British MGs.
I would squat over a flaming hibachi full of M-80 firecrackers before I took even the worst of the bunch through an automated car wash.

Does that about cover it ?

 

[rylie]

Just purchased my first classic 57 Tbird! I have not owned a true collector car and need some advise on keeping the undercarriage clean.

1. Is it safe for the body and undercarriage to take a 57 Tbird to a modern automated brushless car wash?
2. What alternatives would you suggest to keep undercarriage clean of dirt and grim?

Any advise is appreciated.

If you do decide to run your car though a car wash you should wear a wetsuit the weather stripping around the windows notoriously leak if you want to clean the undercarriage have it detailed at a shop in the spring and then stay out of the mud.

 

[TbirdFan76]

You've all confirmed my concerns about car washes and a couple addressed my question about keeping the undercarriage clean. Previous owner did take it to carwash. I won't be doing that. ?