Steam cleaning of the undercarriage

[z3skybolt]

My recently purchased 1940 LaSalle has decades if oil, dirt, grease caked on the underside.  The body has never been off of the frame.  A near by restoration shop will steam clean if for a very reasonable price.  Are there any precautions?  Rubber, wiring, etc.?  The underside is dirty, oily and has surface rust but floor pans and all parts are solid. Will the underside need to be painted after the steam cleaning?  That concerns me as many hard to get to places would be difficult to paint with the body on.  This car is just a nice driver so I have no interest in removing the frame.

Thank you,

Bob R.

[Jamurray]

There's an old expression, Bob, that I always liked, "if it ain't broke... don't fix it it."

[71 Fleetwood]

I'm going to try dry ice cleaning at some point. 

Here is a youtube video that describes the work from a service provider   
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxeFi-0BuyI

I think this is costlier, but then our cars deserve a day at the spa.

edit - My younger self got involved with Hotsy steam cleaning in commercial kitchens.  The grease never ends!  I regretted every job we sold until we got rid of that cursed machine.

[Poncholover]

It is certainly worth a try. Avoid any grease-able joints & lube them when done. I would also leave it out in the hot summer sun for a day or two.
Nice looking ride.

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

There's an old expression, Bob, that I always liked, "if it ain't broke... don't fix it it."

I am in agreeance here.

What might be nice now, once totally de-greased, including heavy steam cleaning and get rid of all unpleasant stuff, you will be driving a car that in a lot of cases, won't be as tight and as nice as before.   Untraceable rattles will become evident, and annoying, squeaks will come, and you will wonder just why you did it, ort had it done.

Remember, that if you are doing the work, you will take care and be nice to it, but paying for someone else to do it, they will get it clean, but easily over-pressurise areas, just to get that last bit out.   Plus, the hard work will probably be done by an apprentice who might not really care.

Bruce.

[z3skybolt]

Well,

I got the worse of it off of the front end components and bottom of the frame using degreaser lots of elbow grease and commercial car wash sprayer.  It looks better already.

I think I am going to follow the conservative approach and just leave it at that. Never going to be a show car anyway. 

Thanks for all the sage comments.

Bob R.

[Scot Minesinger]

Could not agree with Bruce more unless you do it all yourself