restoring a rusty P.O.P
 

Can anyone advise me how to clean up a dirty/rusty plate? I was thinking Evaporust, but I am worried about the owners info on the plastic tape portion. Can I just dip the whole thing or just suspend and dip only away from the tape?
Thanks
Paul

I think I would leave it be. Just my thoughts...Joe

Soak it in white vinegar for a day or two.

leave it alone..its history for the car...

i guarantee if i bought a car and the POP was showing age i would believe it belonged..clean and shiney..yeah...not sure id trust it..theres so much fake stuff out there

Don't mess with it.

Thanks for all the replies, it is just so crusty it's hard to read! I've tried taking some pictures and see if the #'s are legible and I think I can match them to #'s the car. This POP definitely does not look new nor does what's left of the book.

Metal Rescue works well..

Rich

Just take a piece of paper & dirty hands. Rub over the number to the paper & read the paper....Joe

Joe, I'll try the paper tracing, might try the dirty hands trick or a pencil tracing and see how that works. Thanks.

maybe lightly brush it with a brass brush?

Use an old tooth brush and knock off the heavy rust then just rub it down with your fingers. Leave it as is and the oils (assuming you dont have acidic hands that sweat) from your hands will preserve it. Dont remove the rust with a rust remover as if it still has the tape on it it COULD lift the adhesive on the tape or damage it.

Reason I mention acidic hands; I had a kid that worked under me at a previous job and everything he touched (tools included) would rust within a day if it wasn't wiped down with WD40. One of the craziest things I ever seen.

i have acidic hands..i struggled as a painter..never had an issue til i sprayed Sikkens, on dark cars, they came back with a perfect hand print, right down to finger prints..

had to learn how to deal with it..continuous hand washing, and then gloves fixed it..but had to pay attention all the time..

Just leave it as is. Take photos of it with a light source from the side so it shows the embossed letters more clearly. Then put the protecto-plate back in the safe deposit box.

Evaporust will dissolve the adhesive on the original tape as it is dissolving the rust.

That is a vital, irreplaceable, original, piece of documentation from your car. Anything that touches it will be a destructive force on it - i.e. brass brush, finger rubbing, vineger, Evaporust.

It is worth its weight in gold because it is in its original condition. If you alter it, then there be questions about it authenticity in the future.

Really?
Personally, I'd dip it. It's worthless if you can't read it.
I saw one that was done and it came out really nice. You don't have to leave it for days, just til enough is gone that is it legible if you want patina.