Classic Alfa DD and salty roads!
Discussion
... what a combination!
I recently moved to Austria for work reasons. As it turns out the taxes on fun (fast!) cars are crazy over here... 16500€ tax (that doesn’t include VAT) to register a used 2013 C63 over here, ha, no, thank you very much.
A sensible diesel compact car is just too boring for me, so I’m thinking of going with the comedy option, which is daily driving an old 60-70’s classic all year long.
The tax on historic cars is near zero and I have made friends with a local guy who does all sorts of classic car repairs (with very "understanding" TÜV inspections…).
I figure that even if the 15k € classic only lasts me for a year or two until it is "totaled" by the salty roads in winter, I would have paid roughly the same amount on the depreciation and taxes of a brand new car that suits my tastes. And it’ll be a great ph-experience to look back to when I’m older.
Since live in the city it would be ok for me to go for a week or two without a car. Almost everything I need is in walking distance. I have a safe underground parking spot but I don't plan to ever leave the car garaged because the weather isn’t nice enough.
Now the real question is how long it would take for a relatively solid and waxoyl-treated Alfa Romeo step-nose (for example) to completely disintegrate into an unusable pile of rust when driven daily all year long, no matter the weather conditions.
Any ideas?
My father has a few classics but they are all carcooned garage queens in comparison. Most of them don’t see rain, let a lone snow. The upside is that I do know the basics (e.g. swap ignition points on the side of the road, etc.) of classic car maintenance.
(yes, a Volvo Amazon would be a much much smarter choice but I love the looks of the bertone and they are quite cheap in Italy at the moment
)
I recently moved to Austria for work reasons. As it turns out the taxes on fun (fast!) cars are crazy over here... 16500€ tax (that doesn’t include VAT) to register a used 2013 C63 over here, ha, no, thank you very much.
A sensible diesel compact car is just too boring for me, so I’m thinking of going with the comedy option, which is daily driving an old 60-70’s classic all year long.
The tax on historic cars is near zero and I have made friends with a local guy who does all sorts of classic car repairs (with very "understanding" TÜV inspections…).
I figure that even if the 15k € classic only lasts me for a year or two until it is "totaled" by the salty roads in winter, I would have paid roughly the same amount on the depreciation and taxes of a brand new car that suits my tastes. And it’ll be a great ph-experience to look back to when I’m older.
Since live in the city it would be ok for me to go for a week or two without a car. Almost everything I need is in walking distance. I have a safe underground parking spot but I don't plan to ever leave the car garaged because the weather isn’t nice enough.
Now the real question is how long it would take for a relatively solid and waxoyl-treated Alfa Romeo step-nose (for example) to completely disintegrate into an unusable pile of rust when driven daily all year long, no matter the weather conditions.
Any ideas?
My father has a few classics but they are all carcooned garage queens in comparison. Most of them don’t see rain, let a lone snow. The upside is that I do know the basics (e.g. swap ignition points on the side of the road, etc.) of classic car maintenance.
(yes, a Volvo Amazon would be a much much smarter choice but I love the looks of the bertone and they are quite cheap in Italy at the moment
)I suppose it depends on the state of rust before you start.
If clean and rust free, and prepped as you say, it should easily do 2 years without being a pile of rust.
I guess just try to keep on top of the build up of salt deposits etc, clean it regularly and regular inspections.
You could always buy a fibreglass panelled one, with bob doves panels. But these won't halt the onset in the likes of the sills, boot floor etc....
I used to drive an Alfa S4 spider daily in the uk for 4 years to little detriment. But then that had a lot better body treatment that its late 60's counterpart.
If clean and rust free, and prepped as you say, it should easily do 2 years without being a pile of rust.
I guess just try to keep on top of the build up of salt deposits etc, clean it regularly and regular inspections.
You could always buy a fibreglass panelled one, with bob doves panels. But these won't halt the onset in the likes of the sills, boot floor etc....
I used to drive an Alfa S4 spider daily in the uk for 4 years to little detriment. But then that had a lot better body treatment that its late 60's counterpart.
depends entirely on how well constructed it is to start with (as it's bound to have been restored) and how well protected, then how well washed!
We protect the underside of the cars we restore with polyurethane truck bed liner, and that won't worry about a bit of salt.
Get it up on a ramp a couple of times a year for a waxoyl session, keep it clean and it'll last a long time.
PS though they rust badly, it was all down to protection with those alfas, the actual steel is very thick and sturdy stuff!
We protect the underside of the cars we restore with polyurethane truck bed liner, and that won't worry about a bit of salt.
Get it up on a ramp a couple of times a year for a waxoyl session, keep it clean and it'll last a long time.
PS though they rust badly, it was all down to protection with those alfas, the actual steel is very thick and sturdy stuff!
OP, you can provide total protection, but it will cost time and money.
I've generally been blessed with interesting cars that leak oil out of various seals and gaskets. However, I've also used waxoyl for 30+ years (not on the same car!), messy but seems to work when applied properly (mix with thinners and heat it up). Also weekly spray with the cheapest penetrating oil (aerosol) on the most exposed sections and a penetrating oil/greasy wax mix on hinges/locks etc. For steel panels, a good wax helps. Don't pressure wash or steam clean unless you're going to protect bearings and seals, dry thoroughly afterwards and apply a lot of protection. POR15 and Dinitrol have a lot of supporters.
In the UK, we generally get some winter days with dry roads and no salt, I take this opportunity to use a hose (domestic water pressure) on the chassis to remove salt then a fast 20 mile run to dry the thing before applying penetrating oil. TVR chassis has got no worse over 5 winters so must be doing something right.
16.5k Euro to tax a Merc??!! Is that a one off tax?
I've generally been blessed with interesting cars that leak oil out of various seals and gaskets. However, I've also used waxoyl for 30+ years (not on the same car!), messy but seems to work when applied properly (mix with thinners and heat it up). Also weekly spray with the cheapest penetrating oil (aerosol) on the most exposed sections and a penetrating oil/greasy wax mix on hinges/locks etc. For steel panels, a good wax helps. Don't pressure wash or steam clean unless you're going to protect bearings and seals, dry thoroughly afterwards and apply a lot of protection. POR15 and Dinitrol have a lot of supporters.
In the UK, we generally get some winter days with dry roads and no salt, I take this opportunity to use a hose (domestic water pressure) on the chassis to remove salt then a fast 20 mile run to dry the thing before applying penetrating oil. TVR chassis has got no worse over 5 winters so must be doing something right.
16.5k Euro to tax a Merc??!! Is that a one off tax?
retropower said:
depends entirely on how well constructed it is to start with (as it's bound to have been restored) and how well protected, then how well washed!
We protect the underside of the cars we restore with polyurethane truck bed liner, and that won't worry about a bit of salt.
Get it up on a ramp a couple of times a year for a waxoyl session, keep it clean and it'll last a long time.
PS though they rust badly, it was all down to protection with those alfas, the actual steel is very thick and sturdy stuff!
I agree entirely with the above, though I would hesitate over the last paragraph, some Alfa's of that era were made out of inferior quality Russian imported Steel, which was full of impurities and actually did seem to degrade no matter how well it was/is protected.We protect the underside of the cars we restore with polyurethane truck bed liner, and that won't worry about a bit of salt.
Get it up on a ramp a couple of times a year for a waxoyl session, keep it clean and it'll last a long time.
PS though they rust badly, it was all down to protection with those alfas, the actual steel is very thick and sturdy stuff!
But I'm sure you will be fine for a few years if protected as described especially bearing in mind most of the vulnerable bits will have been replaced by now anyway.
I'm interested in the Truck bed liner, how do you apply that and where can you get it?.
velocemitch said:
I agree entirely with the above, though I would hesitate over the last paragraph, some Alfa's of that era were made out of inferior quality Russian imported Steel, which was full of impurities and actually did seem to degrade no matter how well it was/is protected.
But I'm sure you will be fine for a few years if protected as described especially bearing in mind most of the vulnerable bits will have been replaced by now anyway.
I'm interested in the Truck bed liner, how do you apply that and where can you get it?.
I might be wrong, but I thought the russian steel era was when Fiat sold the old 124 plant to the russians in exchange for steel, but that was in the '70's. Certainly I wouldn't doubt that these alfas rot, but compared to later ones they are much better believe it or not! But I'm sure you will be fine for a few years if protected as described especially bearing in mind most of the vulnerable bits will have been replaced by now anyway.
I'm interested in the Truck bed liner, how do you apply that and where can you get it?.
The truck bed liner that we use is Upol Raptor. Its a 2k product, compatible with normal 2k acrylics in terms of tinting and hardening and thinning, but it is a polyurethane resin base. We thin it by using a greater amount of a slower hardener than recommended, then apply it with a 2.5mm nozzle in a primer gun.
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