Classic car - living outside

[Altrezia]

Hey all

Another dumbo question from me.

My little old Amazon lives outside on the drive while I'm restoring my mini in the garage. I cant decide if it's best to keep it under a waterproof car cover which flaps around in the wind, or just naked and in the elements?

I use the car perhaps once a week. The driveway is beside the house, so it's exposed but has some minor cover from the side.

Any tips? I'd like to ruin the car as little as possible.

Cheers!

[zeberdee]

Personally , I’d leave it uncovered .

I have better results that way , but the front of my house is south facing , so gets any sun/warmth that’s around .

I think if you can use it on nice days , that helps in keeping it dry & aired .

Reckon you’ll get votes for covered & uncovered , along with good reasons for both .

👍

[LowStandards]

Uncovered all the way


Covers rub and trap in moisture

[redratbike]

give it a good waxing and make sure none of the windows leak and you should be good to go

[Dr.AK]

Apr 9, 2024 15:09:18 GMT redratbike said:

give it a good waxing and make sure none of the windows leak and you should be good to go

This is the way. If the car is in good nick, the paint is well protected and all the rubber parts and such are taken care of by using some care products, I wouldn't worry. One of my cars always lives outside, whichever I want to drive currently - both of them have received heavy detailing and protection, however. I also regularly wash them so the dirt does not have a chance to really stick.

I'd additionally also caution to make sure all drains on the body are clear and unclogged so there won't be any moisture traps.

[Altrezia]

Thansk guys.

It's a gross old (but mechancically sound) volvo amazon - paint is already a million years old and shows it. I'll check the seals and drains (good shout!) though.

[Jonny69]

I think this can depend on the car. My Anglia lived outside for about 5 years and it really deteriorated it. The main problem is it's one of those cars that leaks like a sieve, so when it rained it soaked the carpets and started to trash the new floor. The alternative was to put a cover over it, but like @lowstandards says, they trap moisture underneath which doesn't get out when it warms up and the whole car starts to go damp and mouldy underneath. Plus they rub when it's windy. I think mine might have been better with a cover over it, but you're basically making a choice between which kind of bad is going to be less bad.

[bmcnut]

When the previous owner had my maxi he kept it outside uncovered. The paint has failed in places buy that probably would've happened anyway. Some of the window rubbers have suffered and although the car was built in 92 using all new parts, its still old stock rubber from the 70s. The important thing is its still 100% watertight and the interior smells as fresh as the day I sold it.
I think using a cover is all down to personal choice and the condition of the car along with the location. Under a tree, in the shade of a house, near a railway line or main road are all factors.

[caprifreak]

I had exactly this problem with both of my classics when living in London. 2 Cars (Capri & Escort) 1 Car cover.

Used to keep it on the Capri which has flat paint but kept it looking ok/rust free. Then used it on the Red Escort which around spring time started going Pink from the trapped moisture when it heated up in the afternoon sun. Still have both cars and the Escort still looks terrible.

Basically with a car cover your saving the interior but ruining the outside it seems... unless its Cr@P white paint then it doesnt matter haha.

[tofufi]

As above, depends on the car really.

In my younger days I've had older cars parked out, and the bodywork has really deteriorated.

Generally I've not had anything tidy to begin with.

Worst is when water can get in via poor seals etc, as then the car gets humid inside and everything rots from the inside out.

With a cover, the paintwork can have problems - but at least water doesn't get inside the car.

If it were me, I'd do anything to keep it under cover (as opposed to under a cover) and out of the elements - carport, (outdoor) carcoon, one of those folding garages etc. I've currently got three cars outside while I work out how to re-roof my garage, and I've purchased a carcoon (which I'll sell on in a year or two) to keep a slightly leaky one dry.

[kevins]

I've gound the car cap type covers that cover the roof and windows a good compromise, keep the car dry inside but still get air under them and most of the paint is outside anyway.

[ChasR]

Apr 9, 2024 15:44:02 GMT Dr.AK said:

Apr 9, 2024 15:09:18 GMT redratbike said:

give it a good waxing and make sure none of the windows leak and you should be good to go

This is the way. If the car is in good nick, the paint is well protected and all the rubber parts and such are taken care of by using some care products, I wouldn't worry. One of my cars always lives outside, whichever I want to drive currently - both of them have received heavy detailing and protection, however. I also regularly wash them so the dirt does not have a chance to really stick.

I'd additionally also caution to make sure all drains on the body are clear and unclogged so there won't be any moisture traps.

What these two said.

-Getting the paint clean and putting on a good wax, and occasionally throwing something onto it to keep that protection every few months (Bilt Hamber Touch-On is pretty good as a quick solution)
-Blasting every bit of dirt away, so that it doesn't get a chance to attach itself to the car, or create rust issues (i.e dirt in wheel arches)
-Ensure it is on ground where the water or moisture doesn't sit and it drains away well.
-Ensure the car doesn't leak, and any drains in the car are kept clean.

Those things will help with the preservation of the car, short of putting it into a garage. I'd chuck a mini dehumidifying thing inside the car as well for good measure.

Covers IME can damage paintwork, which is more of a problem with non-gloss finishes (i.e Satin or Matt). With a gloss finish, it's fine, to a point, as you can polish things up more, albeit keep losing the amount of paint you have to play with. On a Satin car, it will polish up potentially wherever the cover touches, and once it's began to shine up, that's your lot. It's something to consider if your car has satin bits on, like Merc W124 semi-facelifts with their bumpers and Sacco panels (door claddings).

The other choice you have is something like an outdoor carcoon, which would be as good, if not better than a garage in many respects.

[tofufi]

Apr 17, 2024 17:24:25 GMT tofufi said:

If it were me, I'd do anything to keep it under cover (as opposed to under a cover) and out of the elements - carport, (outdoor) carcoon, one of those folding garages etc. I've currently got three cars outside while I work out how to re-roof my garage, and I've purchased a carcoon (which I'll sell on in a year or two) to keep a slightly leaky one dry.

Minor update:

I now have 2 carcoons. Only temporarily until the garage is re-roofed, but I'm very glad when I look out and see the cars in them are staying protected from the elements.

Each one was £250 from Facebook marketplace and (unless the weather destroys them) will make that money back when I need to sell...

[bricol]

If they are the outside carcoons with the silvering on - check regularly! I stuck my integrale in one over winter a few years back - didn't realise the inner liner had dropped and sat on the car roof . . . held the damp on the roof which is now covered in micro-blisters. Sent it back - apparently a defect in the vents, meaning the fans couldn't keep it up.

Stuck a carport up, and the last two winters it's lived under it with no issue apart from dust.

[blackpopracing]

Uncovered and drive it regularly.

Driving it gets the stored water to drain out and the wind dries everything off. Also all the brake/rubber/clutch parts like to be used - they deteroirate relly fast if left unused.