> When the time finally comes to enjoy the car what happens
> when I get caught in a rainstorm. I'd like to have an
> outdoor lift, a pressure washer with warm water, an
> assortment of brushes, a mild cleaner/degreaser, and a
> beautiful day to get the underside sparkling. Pick any two.
> Seriously, assuming the road is salt free how bad is it to
> drive a classic with very little rust protection in the rain
> and what does one do afterward?
My approach is a little different.
A warm day in direct sunlight with a breeze and all the water is gone.
The problems of rust come when we allow water to accumulate and hang
around, or add salt to it. Many people don't consider the factors that
encourage water to hang around. The most common is sand and mud that
accumulates in the fender folds. Bad paint and early types of
undercoating also encourage water to visit too long. If the sand/mud is
rinsed away with a garden hose (a soap injector will help here) and the
car allowed to dry in the sun with good air circulation I think we can
get as much life expectancy from the steel as possible.
Check any undercoating and make sure it's not bubbling or pulling away
from the steel. Fix any failed paint on the undercarriage. A leaky
crankcase is also an excellent rust inhibitor, and a degreaser will only
encourage rot.
I don't like pressure washers because they can drive water, sand and
dirt into seams and crevices and further encourage rot. I don't wash my
non-vintage vehicles in the winter because of the chance of salt being
driven deep into crevices by water pressure (paint is an excellent
repellant and can stay salty without damage).
> Would anyone like to give the number of body drain holes
> our cars have that should be inspected? What panels can I
> remove for inspection and cleaning? What parts should be
> Waxoyled and why is that product popular in England but not here?
Never heard of Waxoyl. Some parts of the USA would mix grease and oil
and spray the underside of the car each winter, but it's not done
anymore for obvious environmental reasons.
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