Paint Finishes and Car Covers

[jlmccuan]

Saturday morning I went out and uncovered the '63 and was shocked to find what looked like splotches of white mold on the paint. Some as small as a half dollar, some as large as a basketball !! Feeling the surface, I found it was smooth and the spots appeared to be part of the finish. Long story short since it appeared like a ring on a waxed furniture finish. The only wax I've used is a carnuba. Is this a common occurrence?

The cover was a 4 layer, quality piece. Although the cover is supposed to have a layer similar to Gortex, there was some condensate in places on the car.

The cover had been on for 4 days.

In the end, the spots began to look milky, and after a full day in the sun have disappeared.

So, was it moisture driven into the wax?

Jim

_________1966 Avanti II RQA 0088______________Rabid Snail Racing

[DEEPNHOCK]

Beats me..
My car covers are all lightweight, single layer cloth.
(More like a big grey bedsheet)
If it rains, it get's wet.
I use it mostly 'on the road' at motels to become a bit more boring.
(A big grey blob is less noticeable than a big yellow pos)
At home it keeps about 65% of the dust off..
But for a cover to 'put something into' the paint is wierd...
Jeff[8D]

http://community.webshots.com/user/deepnhock

[r1lark]

quote:Originally posted by DEEPNHOCK
I use it mostly 'on the road' at motels to become a bit more boring.

Gee Jeff.....how much more boring can you get?? [] <BOSEG>

(Ya gotta admit, you left yourself WIDE OPEN for that one......)

Paul
Winston-Salem, NC
Visit The NEW Studebaker Skytop Registry website at: www.studebakerskytop.com

[studegary]

I dislike any covers. I have used dust covers in the garage, but then you can't see the vehicle. I have heard many horror stories from covers. The cars belong in dry garages, unless you are on the road/away from home. But, never while you are travelling on the road, with the car on a truck or trailer. Reminds me of one trip to South Bend. In the middle of Pennsylvania, I came upon a guy trailering a car with a cover on the car. I managed to get him to stop. It was a Lark convertible under the cover. The owner said that the car was just restored and he didn't want the car to get dirty. The cover had already worn through the paint in places (he came from Connecticut). He removed the cover.

Gary L.
Wappinger, NY

SDC member since 1968
Studebaker enthusiast much longer

[Dick Steinkamp]

The ONLY cover I would put (and have put) on a car is a thin, 100% soft cotton cover to keep some of the dust off the car while it is in the garage.

Anything else can't help and can only hurt.

Dick Steinkamp
Bellingham, WA

[jlmccuan]

I have a thin cover I use on my '66, but we got a 4 layer for my wife's car and it is really nice. It would be very tough to scratch or bump any garage rash through it. So when I got the cover for the '63 I went with the heavier piece as it will be on and off much less.

As I write this, the status is the milky look has cleared to a hazy thin fog that you only notice if you know where it is. Tomorrow, I will strip all the wax off the car and clean it back up.

Jim

_________1966 Avanti II RQA 0088______________Rabid Snail Racing

[PlainBrownR2]

Well I should toss this in about covers.....
There's covers and there's covers. On our 63 Avanti we use the contoured cotton critter we got all those years ago. When we go to shows and theres a forcast of rain we throw that over it, and it keeps the water out of the cockpit. It's a pretty effective cover as it's pretty soft and water repellent, as well as we haven't had any paint problems with it. Now we got plastic tarps as well, but those are used quite literally for items that we pulled from the weeds, or if something needs immediate protection. The engine block I bought had one of these over the summer as it was there to keep the water and elements out and not much more. Now I've seen these tossed over cars as well(I can hear the puckering now, lol). Honestly, these are a no no as the buttons and the plastic surface under the tarp will buff, sand, beat, whip, and in general make a mess of the finish underneath.

As for mine, since it's a driver, it braves the elements with the other cars with no tarp. Just wipe it down and its good to go, kinda like the family pooch that shakes itself off after walking in from a rainy day..... [)]


[img=left]http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t102/PlainBrownR2/My%201950%202r5%20Studebaker%20Pickup%20with%20turbocharger/P1000137-1.jpg[/img=left]
[img=right]http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t102/PlainBrownR2/DSC00005.jpg?t=1171153370[/img=right]
[IMG=left]http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t102/PlainBrownR2/Ex%20Studebaker%20Plant%20Locomotive/P1000578-1.jpg[/IMG=left]

[bams50]

I agree with the no-cover camp. My experience is nothing on the car is better than any cover.

The only really correct cover is a garage- or maybe an enclosed trailer. Mine stay in the garage with a plain bedsheet to keep dust off.



Robert (Bob) Andrews Owner- Studebakeracres- on the IoMT (Island of Misfit Toys!)
Parish, central NY 13131

"Some people live for the rules, I live for exceptions"- 311

"Do they all not, by mere virtue of having survived as relics of a bygone era, amass a level of respect perhaps not accorded to them when they were new?"

[barnlark]

I have a friend whom stores cars in a heated, dehumidified building for a living and he only uses the lightest possible plastic drop cloths over the vehicles for dust while there. I use very soft cotton packing quilts and a lightweight water repellent cover over those in my garage. Those quilts have saved the dings and scratches that can happen by accident in my garage from multiple sources. As long as my paint doesn't have dirt or dust on it when the covers go on, it's been safer than nothing. I'm pretty careful taking off and putting it on.

Gary, I cringed the other day watching two nice cars being transported on the interstate with two huge blue tarps whipping the living heck out of the paint on both on the trailer. They were going the other way...I wanted to stop them, too. [V]

[Chucks Stude]

Clouding like that usually indicate trapped moisture under the finish. My first inclination would be to wonder if this is a base coat/ clear coat system? Is the top coat urethane or is this a lacquer finish? Lacquer would be more susceptible to this kind of moisture. Ventila

[Chucks Stude]

Clouding like that usually indicates trapped moisture under the finish. My first inclination would be to wonder if this is a base coat/ clear coat system or a single type of finish? Is the top coat urethane or is this a lacquer finish? Lacquer would be more susceptible to this kind of moisture. Ventilate, ventilate, ventilate.

[redcreeper]

I agree its moisture trapped under the cover that created the fog in the finish. My PT cruiser had a bra covering the nose and was on 24-7 no big deal because by the time it caused any damage it was in ownershp of my EX.
I like carnuba but it wont fix the condition, If I remember right it was the orange bottle of NU Finish that worked best. And yes I did work on her car after we split. The method of payment was VERY acceptible.
Goo Gone to remove the wax, its citrus base. Then wash several times with dawn dish soap. hand buff with scratch remover I think it was a wix product little yellow bottle. Then use the Nu finish on the Paint/clear coat changing to a clean rag often. wax the car again when you are happy with the look.
Mine was under the wax in the clear yours may just be in the wax.


My 1955 Commander
AKA Burnie

[53k]

Plastic in any form should not be used to cover decent cars. Many years ago when I was even dumber than I am now, I had my '54 Willys Aero Ace painted. I brought it home with the fresh paint on it- no garage so I put a plastic tarp over it. There was a little wind during the night. Anywhere the tarp touched a flat surface the paint was badly scuffed. Granted, it was fresh paint, but try rubbing your hand over the surface of a plastic tarp...
BTW- the Willys was a two-door sedan with the Kaiser 226 engine and four-speed Hydramatic- probably rarer than most Studebakers (the wife sold it while I was in Vietnam[V]).

Paul Johnson, Wild and Wonderful West Virginia
'53 Commander Starliner (since 1966)
'64 Daytona Wagonaire (original owner)
'64 Daytona Convertible (2006)
Museum R-4 engine
1962 Gravely Model L (Studebaker-Packard serial plate)
1972 Gravely Model 430 (Studebaker name plate, Studebaker Onan engine)

[barnlark]

[quote]Originally posted by 53k
"Plastic in any form should not be used to cover decent cars..."

Paul, I have seen tarps melt right into the finish of a '68 Corvette when left outside in the heat and wouldn't recommend a heavy item like that, you're right. However, inside, with a consistently controlled 50-65 degree, dehumidified, zero wind environment storage, a simple large & cheap, lightweight plastic drop cloth is just the thing for dust, or drips.

Jim, did you get the light fog area out yet? This one has me wondering..[?]

[Metman]

Hi All- Been using car covers indoors for probably 20-25 years with no problem. Not sure what issues there would be indoors with the right cover. Recently(last four years or so) I stepped up to Evolution 4 covers on my three vehicles. Great abrasion resistance. I also like how they keep the dust off the car so a quick spin in a clean car is just a moment or two away from taking the cover off.

This might be of interest:

http://www.properautocare.com/selectingcover.html

Best Regards- Matt [8D]

1963 GT Hawk
1960 Metropolitan Convertible
1972 AMC Javelin/ AMX
1958 Cushman Eagle