Topic: Vintage car rust protection

[68Polara]

Greetings fellow car buffs.  Glad to have found this site.  This is my first post.

This past November, I bought a 1968 Dodge Polara 500 as a surprise gift for my wife (exact duplicate of the last car her father owned at the time of his death in '68).  I presented it to her on the 40th anniversary of his passing in the same driveway in downtown Ottawa that the original Polara sat in 41 years ago.  To say the least, she was a happy gal, and I earned some brownie points for some years to come.

The car was located in Calgary, was (and is) in excellent condition, and was kept in a garage in Calgary its entire life.  I placed it in winter storage in a proper enclosed dry space that was lightly heated and will continue to do so each winter.  However, now that I have the car at home in Chelsea, I have a problem.  This car is long at 221" -- 9" too long to be able to close my garage door.  Beyond that, the area I live in is damp (especially right now) and humid a lot of the time, including in the garage even when I (must) keep the door open.  I'm going to have to store it outside and I've been searching the web for a suitable exterior portable enclosure.  Of course, not just any portable enclosure will do especially since I must keep the car on a non-paved surface -- directly on the ground.  There are some enclosures that have bottoms in them, you can drive the car into it, then zip it up, and some even come with "drypacs" to absorb humidity.  However, those I've found don't seem suited to the outdoors.  I suppose the ideal would involve a concrete pad and a good enclosure, but the only place I have to keep it, I cannot install a concrete pad.  I'm wondering if a good base of crushed stone and enclosure would do?  If not crushed stone or concrete pad, what might work?

I'm hoping some of you folks with old cars you care about have had to deal with something similar and can give me some advice.  It concerns me that I may not be able to properly prevent the car from rusting when it was kept so for so long.

Also, I wouldn't say the car is entirely rust free but nothing actually shows.  I don't plan to do a full body off restoration and I've read that if all rust is not removed, rustproofing is of no use.  However, would an oil spray/injection at least help?

Advice from anyone in-the-know is greatly appreciated.  Thanks.

For those interested, here's a url to some pics of the car: flickr.com/photos/32255413@N06/show/  (as a new member, I can't post the full url. So, please type "http..." in front of the provided url.)

Tom

[dorin]

PODS?

www.pods.com

[68Polara]

PODS?

Provided they'll drop it off at my house, leave it here for 7 months at a reasonable rate, and there's a way to control humidity, it's an option to explore.  I'll inquire further.  Thanks.

[rrocket]

I'd say a yearly rust/oil spray.  They work very well from what I understand.  Cheap too.  About $100 or so per year.  It will slow/stop the rusting issues you already have....and prevent new stuff from happening...

[68Polara]

I'd say a yearly rust/oil spray.  They work very well from what I understand.  Cheap too.  About $100 or so per year.  It will slow/stop the rusting issues you already have....and prevent new stuff from happening...

Thanks.  Does anyone have any recommendations as to which company is reputed to do a good job with rust/oil spraying?

[dorin]

I'd say a yearly rust/oil spray.  They work very well from what I understand.  Cheap too.  About $100 or so per year.  It will slow/stop the rusting issues you already have....and prevent new stuff from happening...

Thanks.  Does anyone have any recommendations as to which company is reputed to do a good job with rust/oil spraying?

Apparently Krown is the forum favourite.  There are a few places that do it in Ottawa.  There might even be some on the Gatineau side.

[articsteve]

KROWN for sure.  You can either have them do it or buy it in bulk and with compressed air and apply yourself.

What motor is in that car?  318, 383 or 440 ?

There is a heavy rubber pad for cars available. I'll look for it.  Parking directly on grass/earth = death.

OK, I just looked at pics and I'd say you got a 318 2 barrel.  Sure remember that instrument panel as it was a Chrysler main stay for years.

Car is in excellent condition. 

[68Polara]

KROWN for sure.  You can either have them do it or buy it in bulk and with compressed air apply yourself.

What motor is in that car?  318, 383 or 440 ?

There is a heavy rubber pad for cars available. I'll look for it.  Parking directly on grass/earth = death.

Thanks guys!

articsteve, the car only has a 318 2bbl.  It's a simple 4-door sedan.  Pretty ordinary, but she looks pretty good, original light blue paint/brown-goldish interior, and still a lovely ride.  Besides, most boomer's (and anyone, really) fond car-related memories were borne in ordinary cars, often Mom's and Dad's sedans.  This is one of those!

Thanks for looking into the rubber pad.

Tom

[articsteve]

Ya, I looked at your pics and then edited my post without first refreshing to see if you had been back.  Single exhaust and a sedan = the 318. 

A high school buddy of mine's dad had a 68 just like that; 318 2 barrel.  I don't think the car was offered with a 6 banger.  We just killed it and they do go despite the weight.  It was dark blue.

I've been thinking about the mat and your app.  Forget the mat, it needs more of a solid surface.

What I'd do is remove about 4 inches of soil, or what ya can, lay in multiple layers of SUPER 6 poly (plastic sheeting for vapour barrier in homes) over the dirt and fill in with a good packing aggregate.  Apply first inch, then tamp it down, then repeat.   Then I'd place 2x2 patio stones below each wheel, otherwise the wheels will sink in.

Then install one of those shelters over it.  Once again, awesome car. 

   

[68Polara]

Ya, I looked at your pics and then edited my post without first refreshing to see if you had been back.  Single exhaust and a sedan = the 318. 

A high school buddy of mine's dad had a 68 just like that; 318 2 barrel.  I don't think the car was offered with a 6 banger.  We just killed it and they do go despite the weight.  It was dark blue.

I've been thinking about the mat and your app.  Forget the mat, it needs more of a solid surface.

What I'd do is remove about 4 inches of soil, or what ya can, lay in multiple layers of SUPER 6 poly (plastic sheeting for vapour barrier in homes) over the dirt and fill in with a good packing aggregate.  Apply first inch, then tamp it down, then repeat.   Then I'd place 2x2 patio stones below each wheel, otherwise the wheels will sink in.

Then install one of those shelters over it.  Once again, awesome car. 

   

That makes sense.  Thanks.  I may try this myself, but since I to have some "post new drilled well mess" landscaping work to be done at home in the next couple of weeks, I can have this done too!

[airbalancer]

Nice gift
But I think I will pass on get a car from my wife pass, AMC Pacer, is what the MIL had when we got married

[68Polara]

Upon further thought, I may be able to do a fairly simple modification to the back of my garage thyat may allow the car to fit.  However, again, I live in a relatively damp and humid area and as a result, the garage is not as dry an environment as is needed.  I'm thinking of buying a dehumidifier for the garage and I have a line on a used Bionaire 1,700 sq/ft. unit that has been used very little and is quite inexpensive.  Might this work satisfactorily and in fact be my best solution?

[articsteve]

Won't work.  Unit will just freeze over most days  Just make sure garage is well ventilated in summer and heated in winter.

Your looking for between 40 and 60% realitive humidity.

[rrocket]

Ceiling fans work well in garages to keep air circulated...

[68Polara]

Won't work.  Unit will just freeze over most days  Just make sure garage is well ventilated in summer and heated in winter.

Your looking for between 40 and 60% realitive humidity.

articsteve, as the car will always be placed in proper winter storage as it was this past winter away from my house, my issue is dealing with spring/summer/fall at my house. So, I would only intend to use a dehumidifier those months.

[68Polara]

Ceiling fans work well in garages to keep air circulated...

I can do that.  Thanks rrocket!

[articsteve]

So, I would only intend to use a dehumidifier those months.

I think you will find that unit will freeze below room temp of 65F if you set the stat below 60% realitive humidity.   Try it and see?   

[barrie1]

I went to  show in Ancaster last year and there was a new product out that was possibly just what you need. These were a totally clear bag that you drove the car into and when sealed up a air pump kept it inflated and bone dry in all climate conditions. They highly recommended it for situations like winter storage. Retail was in the $700. to $1.000 price area depending on the size required. Heavy commercil type of durable plastic in it which was totally clear everywhere on it. I do not know anyone with one so I have not heard how good they are but sounds like a answer to your problem.   

[68Polara]

So, I would only intend to use a dehumidifier those months.

I think you will find that unit will freeze below room temp of 65F if you set the stat below 60% realitive humidity.   Try it and see?   

Hmmm, interesting.  Thanks for the info.

[68Polara]

I went to  show in Ancaster last year and there was a new product out that was possibly just what you need. These were a totally clear bag that you drove the car into and when sealed up a air pump kept it inflated and bone dry in all climate conditions. They highly recommended it for situations like winter storage. Retail was in the $700. to $1.000 price area depending on the size required. Heavy commercil type of durable plastic in it which was totally clear everywhere on it. I do not know anyone with one so I have not heard how good they are but sounds like a answer to your problem.   

Thanks barrie1,

I've researched a number of such products but the problem seems to be that they're not meant for outside use.  If you've heard otherwise about this product, I'll try and research some more and try and find it.  If you happen to recall the name of the product, please let me know.

Thanks.

Tom