Classics that live well outside
Discussion
I have no garage, so any Cars I own have to live outside on the driveway in the rain.
I previously had a Morris minor, but the rust was a continual problem with it. I now have a 1995 Toyota Celica ST205, and a 1991 Saab 900 Turbo. They both seem to hold up fairly well in terms of rust and paintwork.
I fancy a bit of a change now, but what other classics / modern classics can I consider that hold up well being left outdoors?
I previously had a Morris minor, but the rust was a continual problem with it. I now have a 1995 Toyota Celica ST205, and a 1991 Saab 900 Turbo. They both seem to hold up fairly well in terms of rust and paintwork.
I fancy a bit of a change now, but what other classics / modern classics can I consider that hold up well being left outdoors?
Obvious answer is Volvo:
Cool old Amazon like this:
https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C1114175
Or The early 144s like this are getting very pleasing on the eyes these days if you can find one:
https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C1101522
Cool old Amazon like this:
https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C1114175
Or The early 144s like this are getting very pleasing on the eyes these days if you can find one:
https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C1101522
hairy vx220 said:
On a similar yet completely different tangent:https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C1205799
I can vouch for these living well outside as long as you get a non-leaking one and get a battery charger.
vixen1700 said:
On a similar yet completely different tangent:
https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C1205799
I can vouch for these living well outside as long as you get a non-leaking one and get a battery charger.
And not one drop of rain, touches the chassis - which is made of tissue paper!https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C1205799
I can vouch for these living well outside as long as you get a non-leaking one and get a battery charger.
Older Volvo can be a good choice, I've had a few 940 Estates and they've all been pretty much rust free.
Bottom of front wings and battery tray are the only likely candidates unless it gets chipped/scratched. They are all given an underbody protective coating which seems impenetrable. the only exception was a 960 which looked like it had been in the sea for a while.
I currently have a SL129 Merc (SL500) and they are similarly protected underneath.
It's often said that cars are better left outside as they dry off in the breeze whereas I can park a wet car in a garage and it'll still be wet days after.
TVR a good choice but the thechassis will go eventually but that's probably road use not parked up.
Scimitar GTE/GTC have a separate chassis that also rots away. I know of a GTC currently getting rechassised. It has about 250K miles on the clock but was regularly garaged.
How resistant to wind are those carcoons. Have thought of one for here but it gets a bit windy on the west coast of Scotland
Bottom of front wings and battery tray are the only likely candidates unless it gets chipped/scratched. They are all given an underbody protective coating which seems impenetrable. the only exception was a 960 which looked like it had been in the sea for a while.
I currently have a SL129 Merc (SL500) and they are similarly protected underneath.
It's often said that cars are better left outside as they dry off in the breeze whereas I can park a wet car in a garage and it'll still be wet days after.
TVR a good choice but the thechassis will go eventually but that's probably road use not parked up.
Scimitar GTE/GTC have a separate chassis that also rots away. I know of a GTC currently getting rechassised. It has about 250K miles on the clock but was regularly garaged.
How resistant to wind are those carcoons. Have thought of one for here but it gets a bit windy on the west coast of Scotland
Skyedriver said:
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Scimitar GTE/GTC have a separate chassis that also rots away. I know of a GTC currently getting rechassised. It has about 250K miles on the clock but was regularly garaged.
My non galvanized chassis GTC lived outside all year round for 15 years and has never been welded. Just got the occasional coating of Dinitrol. A post 84 GTE/GTC should have a galvanized chassis so should be OK.Scimitar GTE/GTC have a separate chassis that also rots away. I know of a GTC currently getting rechassised. It has about 250K miles on the clock but was regularly garaged.
I would imagine – but don't know – that a Lotus Excel would be reasonably good. Much like the Scimitar – GRP body, galvanised chassis. Toyota drivetrain. Lotus engine. A friend of mine kept an SA as his daily until fairly recently. To be honest he wasn't that diligent with maintenance but it seemed to keep going OK.
Definitely still on my want list actually.
Definitely still on my want list actually.
lowdrag said:
It is what I am doing, and it is kind of a pain... If you want to do it properly, then you should put it only on a clean (and polished) car to avoid damaging the paint. And sometimes, the rain comes suddenly, for few days, so you can't put it, as the car will always be wet. Then, at some point, the cover can gets dirty, so it will also damage the paint... And the cover does have a price, if you want to change it every X years.Also, it is hard to be motivated to go for a drive on a sunny afternoon, when it was raining the day before and suppose to rain the following day : the cover will be wet, so not nice to remove, you need to find a space to put it, and then you need to put it back on when you are back from the drive... on a clean car !
Still, it is a solution, and I am doing it, but don't forget to mention the cons too...
plasticpig said:
Reliant Scimitar SE6b ,GTC (1984 or later) or Middlebridge Scimitar. Galvanized chassis and fiberglass body work. Porsche 924, 944 and 928 do pretty well living outside as the body shell is galvanized.
My G reg 944 has lived outside for six years now. I had to do one sill last year due to an MoT fail, but that wasn't from living outside, that was just general rust over 30 years. I will do the other one this spring. As long as the sunroof doesn't leak you'll be fine - they're good cars and able to withstand the elements. Helps that the factory undercoating is about an inch thick of course - mine is mostly still there.I have still got a Saab 900 that was left outside because of lack of space, I feared the worse but connected a battery last week and it started 1st time, no worse condition than it was in the summer other than a bit green outside and mould inside, quick wash and mould killer & it looks fine.
I have had 4 Morris Minors, Mogginton, Barbar, Bottomley and Maureen.
Mogginton was a traveller that lived outside and fell to bits.
The 3 salloons all lived outside and seemed none the worse for it.
My Gilbern GT lives in/out about 50/50.
Silver Shadow lives inside, it would get a monk on if I left it out.
Mogginton was a traveller that lived outside and fell to bits.
The 3 salloons all lived outside and seemed none the worse for it.
My Gilbern GT lives in/out about 50/50.
Silver Shadow lives inside, it would get a monk on if I left it out.
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