The grime is positively incredible. It's up to 1/4" thick in places and is a hard, congealed mess loaded with sharp swarf. It doesn't even scrape off. I took some parts and pressure washed them and some of it comes off, but some is like varnish. But, Citristrip seems to work wonders on it and the multiple layers of paint as well. You can see the slave cylinder for the variable speed drive. There's parts missing so it would be very hard to recover it from dead and I don't plan to.
A benefit of the grime is that I think it really protected the machine. As I get under the garbage, the machine looks very nice. The ways are in great shape and nothing is damaged or broken that I've found. I am going to completely restore it including a complete teardown, strip, and repaint.
Charles your lathe project looks facinating. I am a woodworker, semiretired pharmacist,and love old cars & trucks. My machine experience is limitted to recently restoring a 1950 Chevy PU. Will your lathe fit in your shop when done It looks verey big?
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