To keep a classic car looking great and to hold its market value true enthusiast owners really have to take excellent care of it. Keeping the engine in good condition is equally important as maintaining the bodywork and the interior. If you settle into a routine and regularly polish the paintwork and interior trim, add to that regular engine checks and make small adjustments to tyre pressure, oil pressure and the timing as required, you can not only keep your classic car in top driving condition but also looking like new and slowing the effects of car depreciation down, perhaps even adding value to your motor over time.
If the owner uses the classic car almost every day, it will be open to the elements and will therefore need extra protection. Just as the summer sun’s ultra-violet rays attack your car’s paintwork, so the winter’s rain and salt corrode the metal work.
In spite of the expense of motoring it’s possible, without great expense, to carry out some preventive measures that will keep your classic car in excellent condition. There are a variety of things you should do before you store your car for any amount of time. Without proper pre-storage preparation a stored classic car will deteriorate.
Whether you own a classic car, classic pickup van or even a used minibus from decades past you must give the vehicle a good detailing before you put it in storage. The car must be squeaky clean. You need to wash all of the road grime and salt from the undercarriage as well as all the body parts. One important thing to do is to make sure every inch of the car is dry before wrapping the covers around it and putting the vehicle into winter storage. If you are going to use a cover, make sure it is a high quality blanket made from soft fibres. Avoid storing your classic car in a place where there’s dust or direct sunlight.
If you plan on storing your classic car for a short time only, drain the entire cooling system and then refill it with pure antifreeze. If you are going to store your car for any length of time, you need to allow air to circulate around the cooling system by draining the system and removing the radiator cap. Also change the brake fluid, oil and the oil filter before the vehicle goes into storage.
During the washing process make sure you look for any scratches or chips in the paint finish. It pays to touch up any spots, chips or scratches with a paint pen or have a specialist do the work for you before you put your classic car in storage as this will help you stop metal corrosion. Remember to use primer first, as primer helps the new paint to stick and can be used to build up the base so that your paint is level. You will have to order the paint from the manufacturer to match your vehicle’s paint colour. If you are looking for a more professional touch, have a look at purchasing SMART for your car, it is a form of additional car insurance which is an absolute must for long term car owners. This acronym stands for Small Accident Repair Technology.
Tyres.
You will also want to do something with the tyres because the rubber will actually perish if they are left inflated with the vehicle’s full weight on them. You can either remove the wheels completely or put the car on axle stands and let the air out of the tyres at the same time. By doing this you will save the suspension system from bearing the car’s weight and deter thieves.
Car Batteries.
Never put a car into storage with the battery connected. You must decide on how you will maintain your battery once you’ve removed it and cleaned the terminals. For the many older unsealed batteries that leak, cleaning the terminals is best carried out with a bicarbonate of soda and water solution. Putting your battery on trickle charge is recommended if the harsh climate necessitates short term storage. A flat battery is an unwelcome experience for anyone who stores a classic car for long periods or who rarely uses their car. Having to replace a dead battery is an exasperating and expensive experience.
Keeping the Battery Charged Up.
The short term solution is to keep the battery topped up with a trickle charger. If you use your car about once a month, a trickle charger will top up the battery enough to recharge for such usage. Unfortunately the trickle charger will go on trying to charge the battery no matter what state of charge it’s in. It therefore needs to be connected and disconnected periodically or it will eventually boil your battery and permanently damage it. For a long term solution, think about using a float charger. No harm will be done to the battery if the float charger is left connected indefinitely. With modern classics a float charger will help the owner ensure that immobilisers or car alarm systems won’t run it down while the car sits under covers for months at a time. There is a huge choice of car chargers on the market in both the UK and America so buying the right one won’t be difficult. Never leave a charging battery in a confined space where there is no air circulating. Constricting the airflow around a car battery is dangerous and could cause a fire!
Final Prep.
You will want to replace all filters with new ones and remove the spark plugs. If moisture is trapped in the cylinder head, corrosion can result; avoid this by removing the spark plugs. Petrol has high water content and this causes the corrosion. All areas, especially places like hinges or locks, will have to be well greased. The engine should be turned over - a spanner can be used for this - at least once a month. The flywheel bolt allows this to be done. Turning the engine over lubricates the pistons, tappets, and valves and thus prevents them from seizing.
The more a classic car is used the more will be its need for frequent maintenance. By keeping the interior and exterior trim clean and polished, you will prevent the polished areas from cracking. By keeping the exterior trim clean and polished you will prevent damage caused by the sun’s fierce UV rays.
When cleaning your classic car you should use a microfibre or cotton cloth that is designed for use on classic cars or expensive paintwork of other luxury cars. Soft cloth made from pure cotton, as opposed to those made cheaply from nylon and polyester, will not scratch your paintwork. Traditionally made cloths are between 100 and 1000 times coarser than microfibre cloth. Microfibre cloth works so well because unlike when using cheaper traditional cloths, with a microfibre cloth you really don’t need to use abrasive
detergents. Because the mesh is so fine more dust particles can be gathered than is possible with traditional cloth. This reduces the need for the chemicals needed to loosen and remove the same amount of dust as a traditional cleaning cloth would.
Microfibre cloth should be used on surfaces with very little water; use just enough to loosen the most stubborn dirt particles. A quick gentle wash with cotton cloth using a quality car wash detergent first, followed by a fine mist of water and a microfibre wipe should leave you with a great result. You want to use the correct car wash and not an abrasive detergent like dish-washing liquid. Strange as it sounds, many car owners do just that and the result is not much better than washing your vehicle with petrol. The paint will start fading and will continue until the pristine shine has been lost forever. Don’t allow small cracks, chips or dents to get worse; repair them immediately. Rust is less likely to form if you do this. Use one of the many high polymer premier car shampoos available and avoid the cheaper products. There are no real bargains in the automotive industry.
Your car is best polished in the shade. Wax will be baked onto your paintwork by sunlight and will not therefore help in the cleaning process. In order to obtain that smooth professional finish you should not polish in direct sunlight. Use good quality polish to wax your car. Use a high quality polish or special rubbing compound to remove any paint that has oxidized.
Rubbing compounds have tiny particles in the polish which gently scrub off the oxidized layers of paint, leaving behind a fresh, bright layer, ready for polish. Ask an expert about rubbing compounds before you buy. This information will make your job easier as using the wrong compound will damage your paint work.
Always make sure that your vehicle is protected by a dust cover during the night. The paintwork will be scratched if the cover isn’t made from soft material. Using as soft a cloth as possible will prevent the scratching which otherwise can be caused by tiny dust particles. Any bird or bat droppings should be removed as soon as you get back from a trip. It’s also necessary that on your return all debris such as dead bugs, sap or leaves is removed. If you can park under a roof, you will avoid the damage to a car’s paintwork that tree sap can cause. To carry out such removal you should use a branded remover product that has a low acid content.
Since rust will develop if any moisture remains you must make sure that the car is thoroughly dried after it’s been washed after a journey. Petrol spills as well as all mud and dust should be removed as soon as possible. The salt put on roads - especially in Europe - to prevent the formation of ice, causes rust to develop underneath cars. Make sure to wash the underside of your car if you have driven in these conditions. Any moisture in a carpet can cause metal and carpet rot, so if you’ve been in the car with wet shoes, you must dry all carpets after your journey. If your car smells damp, take immediate action. Don’t forget to check the boot, sills, in corners, under the bonnet and around rubber seals after every wash that all is dry.
Ownership of a classic car can be life enhancing. Vast amounts of care and attention will be required if your classic car is to maintain its mint condition. You are so proud of this classic car that there will be no limit upon the time you’ll spend caring for it.
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