I am currently restoring a 1966 MGB that sat in a grassy dirt patch for about five years. The moisture has taken its toll on the hardware, causing much of it to corrode and rust. However, because I am a college student on a far-too-tight budget, I wanted to save as much of this hardware as possible.

Take the offending parts and dump them in a glass jar filled with vinegar (I used white vinegar). Let them sit for a couple of days and then pull them out and clean them using a fine wire wheel or bench grinder. If all the corrosion is not removed, put them back in the vinegar for another couple of days. Wire wheel them again and your hardware will emerge clean and shiny. Of course, rust pits will not disappear, but the rust will be gone.

You can use steel wool if a wire wheel is too awkward. This method is non-toxic as far as I know, and is inexpensive and best of all, is easy.

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