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My 1950 4dr still has the original paint and with this, the grease pencil writing on the firewall. This and the treasure trove of paperwork found in the glove box make the car even more endearing to me. The writing on the firewall reminds me of a time when cars were built by real people, not robots. Is there any way I can preserve this writing while cleaning around it? I would rather not lose the "human touch" of long ago. Thanks in advance for your advice!
That's very cool, Lisa, that the writing is still there, and that you want to preserve it.
I'm no expert, but I've used heat-resistant, clear finish spray to preserve various items around fireplaces, and also in some of my art school/design school jobs. It worked very well. I'll have to look around to see if I can find more specific info about what I've used in the past. I would think that yellowing might be an issue over time with some products?
http://www.flamecontrol.com/metals_n.html
But the car experts here will likely have something that is a tad more car specific in mind. 
Never argue with success.
It's supposed to be fun!
1949 De Soto Custom Convertible (project)
Lisa, my 53 has the white markings on the heater box, there are none on the firewall. We may be talking about different things but I do not believe my grandfather removed any markings from the firewall unless they just easily washed off. The car has markings on the heater box that fit your description. I would try cleaning a small piece to see what happens. I actually painted around these markings and cleaned up near them and it turned out well.
