I have a morris convertible but unfortunately can only be left outside in the open air
My question is how long will it take for rust to begin showing and is there anything i can do to prevent rust from occurring
I have heard they can begin to rust quite quickly but how quickly is the answer iam looking for
Cheers for any advice you can offer
If you keep a car outside all the time it will probably deteriorate a bit faster than keeping it in a garage but the main factor will be the condition of the car in the first place. My own Minor Convertible lives outside all year round and has done for years. It is in good condition with very little rust anywhere. I keep it clean, keep on top of rust prevention and don't drive it when there is salt on the roads. I also ensure that it is watertight so that water doesn't enter the car and then lie there in the floor and box sections. It has never been a rusty car and if looked after, rust shouldn't appear. If rust does appear on your car it'll probably be because it was present anyway but painted over. If that happens then you'll have to tackle it but this can all be done.
If you're determined to run such a car and you have to keep it outside like I do, it is perfectly possible - and I've never found that the Convertible lets any more water inside than my saloon. You just have to keep on top of things. Look after it and enjoy it!
Make sure all drain holes under doors and in the chassis leg are clear - and inject a rust-proofing material of your choice into box sections, doors, door pillars, sills etc. etc. Also, if you drive around lanes with a lot of mud and cow pats, don't let mud, cow pats etc. clot up in wheelarches, under the sills and along the crossmember as this will soak up water and quietly rot. Hopefully, the underside is good, painted/rust-proofed.
Keep an eye on everything and nip any rust in the bud if/when it appears. And, of course, ensure no leaks to the inside of the car.
There is a school of thought that says a car parked in the open air is less likely to rust than one garaged after every trip. Any moisture on the former is dried out by air movement and the sun's heat whereas a damp/wet car in a garage creates its own non-moving moisture-laden climate; ideal conditions for the rust bug to do its work. Even if the car is dry when garaged, unless there's a de-humidifier system in the garage, the air in there will still gather and hold a depressing quantity of water vapour, sufficient for rusting to silently do its worst. Probably the reason that so many 'barn finds' are little more than rusted-out wrecks.
ManyMinors wrote: ↑Wed Jun 17, 2020 8:11 am
If you keep a car outside all the time it will probably deteriorate a bit faster than keeping it in a garage but the main factor will be the condition of the car in the first place. My own Minor Convertible lives outside all year round and has done for years. It is in good condition with very little rust anywhere. I keep it clean, keep on top of rust prevention and don't drive it when there is salt on the roads. I also ensure that it is watertight so that water doesn't enter the car and then lie there in the floor and box sections. It has never been a rusty car and if looked after, rust shouldn't appear. If rust does appear on your car it'll probably be because it was present anyway but painted over. If that happens then you'll have to tackle it but this can all be done.
If you're determined to run such a car and you have to keep it outside like I do, it is perfectly possible - and I've never found that the Convertible lets any more water inside than my saloon. You just have to keep on top of things. Look after it and enjoy it!
ManyMinors wrote: ↑Wed Jun 17, 2020 8:11 am
If you keep a car outside all the time it will probably deteriorate a bit faster than keeping it in a garage but the main factor will be the condition of the car in the first place. My own Minor Convertible lives outside all year round and has done for years. It is in good condition with very little rust anywhere. I keep it clean, keep on top of rust prevention and don't drive it when there is salt on the roads. I also ensure that it is watertight so that water doesn't enter the car and then lie there in the floor and box sections. It has never been a rusty car and if looked after, rust shouldn't appear. If rust does appear on your car it'll probably be because it was present anyway but painted over. If that happens then you'll have to tackle it but this can all be done.
If you're determined to run such a car and you have to keep it outside like I do, it is perfectly possible - and I've never found that the Convertible lets any more water inside than my saloon. You just have to keep on top of things. Look after it and enjoy it!
Cheers guys for your very valuable input and advice - I feel more confident now my car has no rust at all but I have noticed some beginning in a few nooks particularly on the under rim of the the boot lid
