winter usage

[xcentric]

Just wondering what people's typical inter usage of their 7 is - is it tucked up waiting for spring; do you take it for clear cold blue sky blasts; do you wait eagerly for damp roundabouts?

[tankplanker]

If its dry and no salt on the road I'll be out if I can, otherwise it'll stay under cover. I don't like the idea of not running the car on the road for a few months even with proper prep.

[mharris]

tankplanker said:

If its dry and no salt on the road...

Unfortunately thats a combination that rarely comes about. Salt needs the rain to wash it away, and if its dry, it'll be cold so more salt goes down.

Having said that, there are usually a couple of opportunities to get out over the winter.

[tankplanker]

mharris said:

Unfortunately thats a combination that rarely comes about. Salt needs the rain to wash it away, and if its dry, it'll be cold so more salt goes down.

Having said that, there are usually a couple of opportunities to get out over the winter.

Agreed, if I'm lucky it'll be once a month.

[framerateuk]

If it's a nice winter day I'll take mine out.

I give it an ACF50 treating twice a year (once before the winter, then when spring comes along I clean everything off and re-apply) and the chassis looks fine. There's a few bits of rust on the watts lineage and track rod ends but they were like that when I had the car and there's no sign of it getting worse.

[xcentric]

/off topic - but as it's my topic :-) /

so is ACF50 the recommended treatment? and I assume a rinse with fresh water after a salty blast?

/back on topic/

[downsman]

Salt gets between the alloy skin and steel tubes and corrosion will set in, there's no way you'll be able to wash it all out.
When I built my Seven I sprayed Dinitrol into all the crevices and sealed the grot traps, but I still won't take mine out if there's any salt down.

[andy1912]

I use my Caterham every day to go back and forth to work, regardless of the weather. I live in Aberdeen. It's mostly fine. Use a half hood if it's pouring down.

[framerateuk]

xcentric said:

/off topic - but as it's my topic :-) /

so is ACF50 the recommended treatment? and I assume a rinse with fresh water after a salty blast?

/back on topic/

You'd want to wash off all the visible grit and salt with water and dry it, but for the "grot traps" (the areas at the bottom of the engine bay, nearest the footwells), you'll want to get a good spray of ACF50 or something similar in there to try and put off any corrosion before taking the car out.

You'll always get some degree of corrosion on the 7 eventually (hence why many cars end up having a rebuild eventually), but you can certainly put it off if you treat it correctly. I think the ACF50 does a good job, and it's not too messy to apply. I cleaned my car last week and I'm planning to get a layer of ACF50 on it this week. I always end up out in the winter as my MOT is due in February. I love a sunny, dry winter morning!

[Dave_H34]

Got mine moted last week to avoid having to take it out in February!

[tomwoodis]

Ditto, just did mine today!

I will take it out in the winter but very rarely, I'm too scared of the corrosion.

[coppice]

tankplanker said:

If its dry and no salt on the road I'll be out if I can, otherwise it'll stay under cover. I don't like the idea of not running the car on the road for a few months even with proper prep.

I haven't used my Sevens between Nov and March for 20 years; all I do is pump up the tyres , disconnect the battery and stick it in a Carcoon. Despite people saying you need to do X, Y and Z in winter I have never had the slightest problem,and both cars have always started immediately when woken up in early Spring.