St Tropez restoration blog

[Tim Leech]

Des you can get some good car covers for sensible money to use in winter months....

[Paul296]

Des you can get some good car covers for sensible money to use in winter months....

I bought an outdoor BX sized cover from these folks;

http://www.coverscars.co.uk/generallistofcovers.php" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I can honestly say it's brilliant and completely water proof. Infact I've been looking at the foldaway garage they do for 500 odd quid - would pay for itself in garage rental in a couple of years.

[Defender110]

Des you can get some good car covers for sensible money to use in winter months....

I bought an outdoor BX sized cover from these folks;

http://www.coverscars.co.uk/generallistofcovers.php" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I can honestly say it's brilliant and completely water proof. Infact I've been looking at the foldaway garage they do for 500 odd quid - would pay for itself in garage rental in a couple of years.

How brilliant Paul? I have read many discussions on classic car sites and forums and witnessed for myself cars that have rotted much quicker under tarps and covers that apparently don't allow the cars to breath trapping acid type moisture, these discussions have mentioned better quality 'breathable' type covers but if they are breathable are they still water proof? The general consensus was that the only really effective type covers are the cocoon type that have a built in pump which keeps the cover off the car and has continuous air flow preventing moisture build up?

[Paul296]

Des you can get some good car covers for sensible money to use in winter months....

I bought an outdoor BX sized cover from these folks;

http://www.coverscars.co.uk/generallistofcovers.php" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I can honestly say it's brilliant and completely water proof. Infact I've been looking at the foldaway garage they do for 500 odd quid - would pay for itself in garage rental in a couple of years.

How brilliant Paul? I have read many discussions on classic car sites and forums and witnessed for myself cars that have rotted much quicker under tarps and covers that apparently don't allow the cars to breath trapping acid type moisture, these discussions have mentioned better quality 'breathable' type covers but if they are breathable are they still water proof? The general consensus was that the only really effective type covers are the cocoon type that have a built in pump which keeps the cover off the car and has continuous air flow preventing moisture build up?

There's always drawbacks to anything that isn't a climate controlled garage. You just have to take notice of what the drawbacks are and manage them - that's just part of sensible maintenance. The cover I bought is both waterproof and breathable - having said that I take it off a couple of times a week when I start the car and give the suspension a work out. If I left the cover off I know for a fact the car would be covered in all the shit that Mother nature can throw at it - ruining the paintwork into the bargain. I suppose it's down to individual preference in the end - I prefer to keep my cars covered.

[mat_fenwick]

Without wanting to turn this thread into one on car covers (unless Des wants it too - it may be a step upwards from licking?) I bought one for the van last winter. It's a bugger to put on as it's heavy with loads of straps, so I only put it on when I know I'm not going to be using it for a week or so, but it survived the first winter of continuous use fine.

As a test I put it on once when the van was wet and it dried out the next time it stopped raining. Water pools up on it where there any folds so it seems to be completely waterproof. I did notice in the winter than if it's both very cold and damp, there is some moisture on the metalwork. I assume this to be inevitable condensation rather than leakage though. Time will tell how well it works, but without an identical vehicle uncovered I'm not going to know for certain how much, if any, it slows the inevitable. But it certainly seems to keep the vehicle drier in my case. I don't know how breathability is affected by the wind though - we live in quite an exposed location which may help.

[Caffiend]

Forget all that about waterproofing and breathability, what flavour of cover goes best with vanilla paint?

[mds141]

My Honda motorcycle lives outdoors under a breathable cover. Never had any issues with corrosion forming in over 8 years. If moisture does penetrate, then by virtue of being outside it soon aerate's and dries out.

[Des Smith]

Stop Press!!! First pics of the complete car shiny side up.


Final fitting-out being completed


Front end with new number plate

[Tinkley]

Lovely, WAM, BAM thank you ... Des!.

On the cover side, I sail a lot and the breathable poly cotton covers save the deck varnish on wooden boats a huge ammount. The solid PVC ones get condensation on the inside and keep that moisture there which is what does the damage. The small difference in price is well worth the difference in maintenance. I believe the same would apply to cars. My preference is to have no direct contact with the paintwork and the cover ie leave an air gap. Effectively a boom up cover does this on a dinghy.

[TizzyD]

Wow, that looks stunning!

[saintjamesy89]

Wow, definitely lickable Des!

On the car cover side of things, I use a breathable indoor cover for my GT. It's garaged, but the garage is slightly leaky and water also comes through the breeze blocks that are the back wall (it's a council garage cheap job) and the cover stops all manner of shite from getting onto the car (cobwebs, dust etc), the only time it has been moist under the cover is when we have heavy rain but this is just humidity getting through rather than water in liquid form, and it dries off very quickly even with the cover on. The cover is 'Sahara' by coverzone, which was recommended to me by a classic car mag - can't remember which one.

[mat_fenwick]

Looks very nice (even though I prefer red myself ) and I'm glad to see them putting cavity wax on the behind bumper areas - exactly what I do as an extra layer of protection. Am I right in thinking it will be at the National? I hope to be there to have a look at in in the flesh.

[Des Smith]

Yes Mat, you will be able to eyeball it at the National! I'm due to pick it up next week, although Rob is teasing me by not committing to a specific day yet. As for red cars, when they are polished, they are undoubtedly the best looking-colour. The downside is the amount of work required to keep it looking good is significantly more than other colours. I loved my last MX3 to bits, especially after a good dose of Autoglym, but keeping it that way was always a bit of an albatross. There were places where the paintwork was almost down to the primer - not good!

[RobC]

I must say that it quite beautiful. Well done to you for splashing out!

[mat_fenwick]

In all seriousness, although I do like red as a colour I think white really suits the shape of a BX. I'm puzzled by the fact that apart from the few bits of paintwork it's had, the finish on my BX is remarkably unfaded. I only wash it every few months (although I hose the underneath more regularly) and polish maybe every year or two. Perhaps the lack of frequent sunlight is the key?