couple ?'s

['68 Pieces]

well im a newbie, and i just recently started tearing into my 68 shortbed. this well be my first restore/ build/ put back together, whichever you may call it

its got (what im sure to be) clay, and oil from the transmission, caked on the transmission itself, some on the firewall, and clay lodged in the inner frame rails....... whats some of the best methods to remove it??? i was thinking taking it to the local car wash ( i dont have a pressure washer) that 40 some odd year old clay is "Cemented" to the underside of the cab and bed also, i have been using a puddy knife to scrape it off, but some of it doesnt wanna budge.

I have the bed off the frame, and am getting ready to pull the cab (this truck was started to be restored by PO but stopped, so nothing is really hooked up), their is no motor in it. Is it alright to lay it on its backside? im sorta leery to do that cause i dont want anything to happen to the back panel, is it gonna hurt it to do that????????

any additional info will be Greatly Appreciated, thanks to anyone!!!!!