Protecting paint - classic rally car

[Shoestringracer]

Hi,

I've done several HRCR Clubmans rallies in the past in a Midget. My car had a long history as a competition car and was of the "allright from 5 yards" school of appearance. However, with use it deteriorated very quickly, with lots of chips and flaking paint, especially along the sills and behind the rear wheels. I assume the paint was damaged by stones being thrown up, probably because it had very cheap blow-over type resprays in the past. Lots of the cars I was competing against looked perfect, despite having done several seasons of rallies. How is this achieved? I don't remember them wearing rally-style mud flaps. Do they have regualr repaints? Or is better paint ok with stones. Or what?

My new car has a pretty good quality paint job and I want ot keep it that way. I was thinking about that plastic film along the sills?

Cheers

[robg2]

Midgets are low and therefore susceptible to paint damage. Your new car might fare better.

You could use stick-on transparent film, but there's a chance that the paint would come off with it when you peel it off - especially if the paint is relatively new.

Quite a lot of people running in historic road rallies (even the UK daylight variety) have quite a big budget - they probably just have regular resprays.


Depending on what the car is and how frequently you want to compete in it, I'd suggest just going for it and sorting it out afterwards. But then all of my cars have been ok from 15 yards, not 5...

[velocemitch]

I tried POR 15 on the underside of mine, it's supposed to be tough, but it wasn't. I think it's probably pretty hopeless trying really. The only thing you might get away with is sticking some sort of heavy film, like sound deadening stuff underneath. But I would be more worried then about trapping moisture and creating a rust trap.

Rally Cars get tatty, unless you repaint them after every event, it's just a fact.