Owning Classic Cars: Rust Remedies

From Classic Car Life

Car rust is one of the biggest destroyers of most classic or vintage cars. A car that has not been well-maintained can easily become a victim of car rust that is beyond repair. By making sure that restoration cars are kept properly, and by paying a good level of care and attention, you can treat rust before it gets out of hand. See the following guide to getting rid of rust from a vintage car.

Car Storage

One of the ways you can prevent rust from forming on your classic or vintage car is to store it properly. You may think that a dry garage is the perfect place to store your classic car. However, if it is stuffy and has no ventilation, you may find it is a breeding ground for car rust. The ideal place to store your old car is in a dry garage that has sufficient ventilation.

Plastic covers (even the breathable ones) cause more harm than good as they trap moisture underneath which creates rust. If your only option is to keep the car outside you should pay extra attention to the screen seals. If these allow water leakages, this could be catastrophic for the sills, door pillars and floorplans.

Car Rust

Depending on the material and age of your model, rust can form in any number of places. Look out for bubbling in the paint work. This is a sign of rust and can get out of hand pretty quickly. When car rust is allowed to seep into the core of the car and its structure, it is unfortunately only a matter of time before it disintegrates and is beyond help.

Rust Remedies

• To begin to remove car rust, use a scrubbing pad that you would use in the kitchen. This should take off the surface rust and stop it from spreading.

• Mix one teaspoon of lemon juice with a tablespoon of salt into a paste. Apply this to the rust stains on your car. The citric acid helps to get rid of the problem. Wipe it off after a few minutes.

• You could also use naval jelly. This is a substance that is stronger than lemon juice. The phosphoric acid in it dissolves the rust. The instructions should be followed carefully though, as it can do harm if left on for too long.

• Commercial rust removers are also available to buy for restoration cars. Each one will treat a vintage car differently so it is again important to apply as instructed.