[dpoltzer]

Just picked up a rock solid 1970 Formula 400 all matching #s (YS) motor and drive train with Keylime Green paint that I will restore. This was a Van Nuys built car and kept in CA most of its life. I pulled the gas tank last night and retrieved the build sheet which is in poor shape. Anyone have ideas on what if anything I can do to clean the build sheet to where it can be read and then preserved? Thanks Dave

[vertigto]

Not sure there is anything you can do to the actual build sheet without further deterioration. Maybe take a few pics and digitally enhance them, so that you can at least read?

[turbo69bird]

Idk looks like it was a pink build sheet though doesn’t that typically mean something special about he car gears in the trunk or something?

Car sounds awesome. I’m looking for a 70 body that’s clean if you happen to find another you’d like to part with, prefer a factory yellow car. 400 not needed can be a 350 car. 4spd manual everything preferred

Sounds like a great find though really like that color.

[unruhjonny]

that looks like it's about to fall apart.

I have heard of people taking pages like that, getting them wet so that they would dry flat;
once flat you could scan and enhance the image, or see about trying to improve it.

I'd be worried that apart from getting it wet, that thing is going to flake apart if you attempt to flatten it.

There are people doing incredible things with comic books right now, maybe chase that down to see what they're doing, and maybe you can get some ideas from that.

[johnta1]

There a some threads on PY about this.

Don't use water to wet it!

Mineral Spirits come to mind but better to find the threads probably.

[Formulabruce]

The PH of the liquid used must be considered.
Also I have helped a guy re create his from a sheet like this based on other originals.
This car is probably a Jan, Early Feb car. Based on my findings on these.
Sounds like a cool car

[Stuart]

There are people who specialize in restoring old paper documents and books, that's probably your best bet although there may not be much they can do with something as deteriorated as that. I found this guy in your area, but there are probably others. http://www.sawyerbinder.com

['ol Pinion head]

Originally Posted by johnta1

There a some threads on PY about this.

Don't use water to wet it!

Mineral Spirits come to mind but better to find the threads probably.

John, the soaking method was for the small square style build sheets that soaked up a bunch of resin from the tar based floor insulation. Have several original buildsheets like that.

The buildsheet dpolzer is showing is the much more common 8 1/2 x 11 style, different type of paper. I've had several of that style I removed from above gas tanks that looked very much like in the original post. not much one can do to them.

[dpoltzer]

Thanks everyone for the input. I did gently wipe it with a cloth and I can now read some of the data but don't think much more can be done. Dave

[keith k]

The original sheet from my Van Nuys 70 TA doesn't look much better than that, although it is mostly legible. I put it in a big ziploc bag, in a cabinet drawer, and left it alone. Too fragile to mess with.

[burd]

Hand it off to a document Resto guy, give him a blank , and one from a sim similar car. Let him do the rest.

[Aus78Formula]

Results would be limited, looks fairly poor condition. Take a lot of photos close up of each panel. Then get a very soft brush to dust off any dust. Sometimes you can't read any but can make out a shape or pattern for that number square to match options listed looking at others. Be aware that VN and Norwood used different numbers and squares for theirs.

[Aus78Formula]

After, put it in a clear plastic slip to protect, can try scanning it too so stays intact and drops no dirt on glass. You can even try putting it between sheets of paper and lightly iron on a warm setting to smooth out.

[mlewisariz]

Just this week I removed my tank from my 70, it is worse off than the one shown. Mine was folded over and has been wet many times and just crumbles into small pieces. However many years recovered one from behind rear seat. Possible there is a copy in yours if seat has never been out.

[burd]

If it’s the only one, take it to a specialist. Don’t mess with it.

[Transamric]

Van Nuys builds were noted for stuffing more than one build sheet in their cars. As was mentioned, could be another in the top half of the rear seat. May also be another in the bottom of the drivers bucket seat, wedged into the springs. I've even found remains of one sandwiched between the right front rear inner fender to rear cowl brace. Yep, they bolted right through it.

[burd]

Yep, I orig found the ****ty one under the seat, then found a new one behind the rear seat.
If you had a painting you wanted to restore it, you wouldn’t put a hot iron on, or dump mineral spirits, or have some fat lady sit on it, take it to a specialist.

[fiedlerh]

Take photos and scan it ASAP. I found the ink fades to nothing after a few days of exposure to light. Seal it up in an archival storage bag and keep it in the dark for now.