Clean your used parts before you sell them!

[F-Body International]

I just want to share some pictures real quick. For those of you trying to sell parts, clean them up! I did this quickly this morning before posting my 4spd setup for sale. Bellhousing literally took like 5min with brake cleaner a rag and spray paint.

Again, this was literally a few minutes of brake cleaner and spray paint. While this is not a full blown restoration, it looks so much more presentable for people who would be interested in buying.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2020/07/50071592678_9240c3a0cc_c-1.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2jhE133)Untitled (https://flic.kr/p/2jhE133) by Jonathon Randolph (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156619454@N04/), on Flickr

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2020/07/50072402727_16cba78484_c-1.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2jhJ9Qp)Untitled (https://flic.kr/p/2jhJ9Qp) by Jonathon Randolph (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156619454@N04/), on Flickr

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2020/07/50071592343_2e27da9b7f_c-1.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2jhDZWg)Untitled (https://flic.kr/p/2jhDZWg) by Jonathon Randolph (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156619454@N04/), on Flickr

[badazz81z28]

I'm actually pretty hesitant to buy something that been freshly painted...I actually prefer to buy a cleaned part, but not a stripped part.

[Alwhite00]

I’m Leary of fresh paint also. I’d rather see it in its natural state.

[TheBandit]

I think that's very smart. It also helps to take GOOD photographs. You will get top dollar that way.

[dontlifttoshift]

Fresh spray paint looks great in pictures but leads to disappointment upon delivery.

[Sbeck09]

Dirty used parts drive me nuts! But I'm with most everyone else in that I don't really want it fresh painted, just cleaned up a bit where I can put it in the car without looking like I'm the one that actually removed the part from the vehicle.

[F-Body International]

It is interesting to see everyone's responses here.

This is something else I have for sale right now. This turbo manifold looked bad until I wire-wheeled and wiped it with a WD40 type of cheap lubricant to, at least, clean it. Even if the part is not perfect, I like my stuff clean for whoever buys from me.


https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2020/05/49911107547_aa69fca8a3_c-1.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2j3ttp2)Untitled (https://flic.kr/p/2j3ttp2) by Jonathon Randolph (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156619454@N04/), on Flickr
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2020/05/49917564533_1ef3ecec5f_c-1.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2j43yQn)Untitled (https://flic.kr/p/2j43yQn) by Jonathon Randolph (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156619454@N04/), on Flickr

[Jim Streib]

I would rather have a cleaned up part with original paint on it to where I can decide to either clean it better, use it as is, or repaint it. If it was an originally unpainted part and it's rusted then I might want it left how it is now to where then I could decide what to do with it or if it had been sandblasted or whatever and it was a hard to come by part, get it and live with it.

Most of the parts I've gotten are just cleaned up some or the part still has the years of accumulated junk still on it and even through I might not be using the part right away I normally clean the parts up and then store them away. This way I know what I've got or if I decide to get rid of it can give an honest opinion as to what shape it is in.

A rubber door jamb boot as delivered and bought:

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2020/07/27993908180_8fb9abea4c_b-1.jpg

And then after I cleaned it up:

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2020/07/28275229185_7c9f91c488_b-1.jpg

Sometimes too when one buys a part you might be wanting it to have all of the original qualities to it like still having rough edges from casting, grooves from the stamping process, original ink stampings on a part, and so on to where another person might have gone nuts with a grinder or whatever and then these things get lost.

Jim

[Sbeck09]

And then after I cleaned it up:

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2020/07/28275229185_7c9f91c488_b-1.jpg


Jim

Not to thread jack, but what did you clean that with to get it looking brand new, WD40? I can get old rubber stuff clean-ish, but not like that!

[Jim Streib]

Not to thread jack, but what did you clean that with to get it looking brand new, WD40? I can get old rubber stuff clean-ish, but not like that!

A lot of times I'll use Simple Green in some warm water and let the part soak then after a while scrub it wih an old toothbrush. After that I sometimes use some reducer. On a lot of underhood rubber on my 68 and also on the tires I use Pledge.

Jim

[mbuenavides]

I totally agrees, buyers looks at the picture before purchasing stuff. It looks nice and new.

[tm5nardo]

Cleaning the parts is enough. Paint is not necessary.

[FlyDoc]

I like clean used parts.
in my opinion,
to oily/greasy = lazy seller part questionable.
new paint = what are they trying to hide?
Clean = trying to make a fare accurate representation.
there are acceptations to every rule