Rust proofing, ideas and suggestions please

[BMWChris]

My competition Midget has spent the last few weeks outside. This wasn't the plan but there was a much bigger delay in the engine being ready due to confusion over the rules (thanks to MSA for briefly getting rid of my class!).

Anyway, last time I saw it up on the ramps the underside was looking solid but the waxy rustproofing was wearing off in several areas (particularly the areas that get brushed by vegitation or hit the ground!) I am also worried that it has been outside and, presumebly leaking, for several weeks.

I'm not a big fan of fixing it anyway so to save work in the future I want to rust-proof or at least rust-reduce it. Other cars I have owned have been covered in sticky rubery underseal which I'm not keen on as every time I did anything I got tangled up in sticky stuff and it got in the way of the threads etc.

Currently the car is structually sound but scruffy so I don't need body coloured wheel arches or anything.

The car spends almost all of its life in a dry but not heated garage but comes out and gets used what ever the weather and put away wet / muddy (I often don't get back until very late on Sunday night and haven't got time to wash / dry the car)

So, what would people suggest? I won't be doing the work myself. Costs and beefits would be nice if possible. I could just get my local garage to slop someting all over the bottom or I could find one of these people who inject stuff into the nooks and crannies.

Thanks

Chris

[belleair302]

If you can justify the distance I would recommend Rustmaster in Hatfield Hertfordshire. http://www.rustmaster.co.uk/

[SB - Nigel]

Instead of using the black underseal you could use the "clear" (yellow) Waxoyl

If you have electricity in the garage (or possibly some work off batteries??) you could get a Carcoon, eventually it will dry out a wet car I'm told, I only ever used mine with a damp car at worst

Whether using a Carcoon or not the garage should be ventilated (gaps in garage and door can be enough in some garages), do not have any mats, carpeting or such like that will hold moisture and cause damp

Heating and a dehumidifier in a garage could be a good idea but the dehumidifier will need emptying a lot or permanent drainage and it 'll need protecting against frost so the heating could get very expensive

Some types of heating can be potentially dangerous if left unattended and some have by-products that require additional venting to air and include water, both counter productive to what you're trying to achieve

[MGB Boy]

I'm going to completely Hammerite the underneath of my MGB, Stone ship has also been recommended to me

[BMWChris]

belleair302 said:

If you can justify the distance I would recommend Rustmaster in Hatfield Hertfordshire. http://www.rustmaster.co.uk/

I'm quite keen on this. £360 doesn't seem a lot, especially for free top ups from off roading damage.

[BMWChris]

SB - Nigel said:

Instead of using the black underseal you could use the "clear" (yellow) Waxoyl

If you have electricity in the garage (or possibly some work off batteries??) you could get a Carcoon, eventually it will dry out a wet car I'm told, I only ever used mine with a damp car at worst

Whether using a Carcoon or not the garage should be ventilated (gaps in garage and door can be enough in some garages), do not have any mats, carpeting or such like that will hold moisture and cause damp

Heating and a dehumidifier in a garage could be a good idea but the dehumidifier will need emptying a lot or permanent drainage and it 'll need protecting against frost so the heating could get very expensive

Some types of heating can be potentially dangerous if left unattended and some have by-products that require additional venting to air and include water, both counter productive to what you're trying to achieve

Thanks for the detail. No power in the garage, I'm afraid. But it certainly feels very dry and I do live in a dry part of the uk and only use the car in the spring / summer so it is more often put away dry than properly wet. Class rules say I have to leave carpets in place but, although the hood leaks, the car is rarely stationary and in the rain so I'm not too worried.

[SB - Nigel]

BMWChris said:

especially for free top ups from off roading damage.

Hey? - my Google Chrome?Firefox(?) keeps closing the site down but I did see that

[SB - Nigel]

BMWChris said:

Class rules say I have to leave carpets in place

sorry I meant any carpets, mats, ect., in the garage on the floor or walls as they can hold moisture (even when it's dry) and they never leave the garage to dry out

BMWChris said:

hood leaks

I've always found Spidget (mk3/4) hoods very dry despite my present one being a not well made or fitted aftermarket one

The quarterlight to windscreen seals can cause leaks as I've found out twice when they've dropped down a bit

[AC Motors]

I used the black waxoyl (not underseal) on my '66 Midget and was pleased with the results. It's also 'self healing' so if it gets chipped by stones, the gaps naturally fill up as the product never goes fully hard. It is a good idea however to reapply every 4 years or so (depending on useage).

[anonymous-user]

I can recommend JR Classics in Doncaster, Joe rustproofed my Ford Ka with Dinitrol, underseal and cavity wax for £270.

http://www.jrclassics.co.uk/

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

Pictures at the bottom of that page.

More pictures here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/wackymacs/sets/721576...

Dinitrol leaves a better finish than Waxoyl and it lasts longer, but does cost a bit more.

Edited by joshc on Tuesday 30th March 19:30

[BMWChris]

SB - Nigel said:

BMWChris said:

especially for free top ups from off roading damage.

Hey? - my Google Chrome?Firefox(?) keeps closing the site down but I did see that

Was your surprise aimed at me or the offer?

During rallies, production car trials and grass autotests the undersde of the car fairly often hits the ground. Ususally it is the exhaust, of course, which is remarkably stong and therefore is busy making a silencer shaped dent in the boot floor, but the underside, particularly where it kicks-up just in front of the rear axle also takes a hammering / scraping.

[SB - Nigel]

BMWChris said:

SB - Nigel said:

BMWChris said:

especially for free top ups from off roading damage.

Hey? - my Google Chrome?Firefox(?) keeps closing the site down but I did see that

Was your surprise aimed at me or the offer?

The offer, I didn't see it

£395+VAT for a Midget at Rustmaster

I'm used to cars scrapping the road and they were/are all road cars, I dislike it as it slows you down on nice empty roads A, B and unclassified roads

My Midget has a nasty manifold that hangs far too low under the car and now the U-clap from it to exhaust pipe is waffle thin ("Bucket") again but as the manifold is working it can wait until next year or the year after to be replaced along with a new exhaust unless it cracks or somersaults the engine out

Edited by SB - Nigel on Tuesday 30th March 20:49

[RicksAlfas]

I would recommend Dinitrol or Bilt Hamber Dynax S50 over Waxoyl.
Both brilliant and easy to apply.

http://www.dinitrol.co.uk/rust_prevention_waxes_an...
http://www.bilthamber.com/dynaxs50.html

[Gaspode]

RicksAlfas said:

I would recommend Dinitrol or Bilt Hamber Dynax S50 over Waxoyl.
Both brilliant and easy to apply.

http://www.dinitrol.co.uk/rust_prevention_waxes_an...
http://www.bilthamber.com/dynaxs50.html

I discovered Dynax S50 from Bilt Hamber about 3 years ago, as far as I'm concerned it's miles better than anything from Dinitrol or Waxoyl. I wouldn't use anything else.

[chard]

+ 1 for dynax S50, they also do some brush on stuff not on the web site. I got mine from Rubbish Boys.
http://www.carnaubawaxshop.co.uk/shop/index.php?vi...

[RicksAlfas]

chard said:

+ 1 for dynax S50, they also do some brush on stuff not on the web site. I got mine from Rubbish Boys.
http://www.carnaubawaxshop.co.uk/shop/index.php?vi...

That's useful - thanks!

[JacksHereR]

dunno about dynax, but I used marine clean, then metal prep, then por15. it feels bullet proof.

[RicksAlfas]

JacksHereR said:

then por15

Just don't get a big blob on the end of your nose.

[LS6wetdream]

SB - Nigel said:

Instead of using the black underseal you could use the "clear" (yellow) Waxoyl

If you have electricity in the garage (or possibly some work off batteries??) you could get a Carcoon, eventually it will dry out a wet car I'm told, I only ever used mine with a damp car at worst

Whether using a Carcoon or not the garage should be ventilated (gaps in garage and door can be enough in some garages), do not have any mats, carpeting or such like that will hold moisture and cause damp

Heating and a dehumidifier in a garage could be a good idea but the dehumidifier will need emptying a lot or permanent drainage and it 'll need protecting against frost so the heating could get very expensive

Some types of heating can be potentially dangerous if left unattended and some have by-products that require additional venting to air and include water, both counter productive to what you're trying to
achieve

get a decent dehumidifier (not available at argos), i have a proper one on 110v, and it doesn't need to be protected against frost, depending where it's sited, i have drilled a hole in the wall and poked the outlet through it, also plumbed in its own drain to the outside in the last house, at the moment its draining into a 10 litre bucket.

i have it on a timer 6 hours a night/morning during winter (its off now) i was emptying 1 to 5 litres a week, having said that i wouldn't say no to a carcoon either, just a bit more faffing around and it taking up more room i guess

for actual rustproofing, waxoyl applied via a air compressed gun (sealy do one for 50-60 pounds)not the wky applicator that comes in a kit, will keep it protected, just make sure any welding is done first as its flammable, not alot of people know that!! and theres not much warning either

Edited by LS6wetdream on Sunday 4th April 19:50

[SB - Nigel]

LS6wetdream said:

get a decent dehumidifier (not available at argos), i have a proper one on 110v, and it doesn't need to be protected against frost, depending where it's sited, i have drilled a hole in the wall and poked the outlet through it, also plumbed in its own drain to the outside in the last house, at the moment its draining into a 10 litre bucket.

if you've drilled a hole in the outside wall and have a drain then, depending on were it's sited, it may need frost protection

A friend and local PHer (and tight git) had a wheeled dehumidifier in his garage, he told me I was wrong and his garage was warm enough that he didn't need worry about it freezing - his dehumidifier froze up bore it even got really cold luckily it didn't split (he's also always a jammy git)

LS6wetdream said:

i have it on a timer 6 hours a night/morning during winter (its off now) i was emptying 1 to 5 litres a week, having said that i wouldn't say no to a carcoon either, just a bit more faffing around and it taking up more room i guess

I'd have thought having it on constantly at the correct setting would be better but I assume you do as you do to save emptying the bucket more often, 5 litres a week doesn't sound a lot to me but if you're happy with the compromise and it works for you then great each to their own

LS6wetdream said:

waxoyl applied via a air compressed gun (sealy do one for 50-60 pounds)not the wonky applicator that comes in a kit

my applicator that came with the kit also had a trigger that stuck on even tho' it looked off, really annoying and the stuff goes everywhere - as I need to keep this car for a long time I'm happy to pay for a proper professional job

Edited by SB - Nigel on Tuesday 6th April 15:50