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This afternoon, after removing the rear suspension, I decided to take a first pass at cleaning up the frame. The frame was covered in dirt, road grime, and a lot of grease and oily residue in the middle. Before I paint the frame I will need to clean it up at least a couple of more times. I used a rag, hot water, and Simple Green, which in my experience is a good cleaner and degreaser (and it is biodegradable). I also employed a wire brush to get some of the caked-on grease loose.

I wanted to clean up the frame while it still had one pair of wheels on it so it could be easily rolled outside. I'm not sure how heavy the frame will be once it is fully stripped, but as of now I can wheel it around by picking up the rear end myself, wheelbarrow-style.

First I removed the motor mounts, which were mounted by two 1/2" bolts. After scrubbing for a while and spraying at high-pressure with the hose the frame came fairly clean. Not totally clean, but much cleaner than it started. As I said, it will take two to three washings to really get it clean. I tried to clean up the front suspension and steering components, which were covered in grease, while I was at it. The "X" shaped crossbrace in the middle of the frame was very greasy, and still has some grease and grime caked into the nooks and crannies. But I did make a lot of progress.