Don't let this happen to you: MOLD

[Dwight FitzSimons]

1963 Avanti 63R2125 is for sale on ebay currently. Note the pictures of the interior. Those spots are mold. Mold is not just cosmetic; it will damage (discolor) the vinyl permanently if left on long enough. DON'T ALLOW THAT TO HAPPEN TO ANY CAR!

Another thing of interest. It appears to be a good marketing technique to leave the car unwashed and the interior as dirty as possible: note the relatively high bid it has already garnered ($5601). (Note: This last point is an attempt at humor, not knocking anyone or his car.)
-Dwight

[Hawklover]

Dwight next to mice, mold is killer for a car. One must ponder as to exactly this car was kept and how such mold damage occurred? As they say...nothing like a cheap Avanti.

[Ron Dame]

My Avanti looked this bad when I bought it. The real glass seal was cracked and shrunk,and the spare tire well was full of water. The floor boards did not have water, which surprised me, but it may have been the tow that sloshed it all out. I bought a hospital grade mold remover and after removing what was f]left of the carpet and taking the seats out for a thorough scrubbing, scrubbed inside everything down. It was still stained, but safe to sit in and drive.
Along with sealing the rear window ( it needed paint badly too, so I did not want to waste a new gasket on the glass) I also drilled a couple of drain holes in the spare tire well to drain anything else that might get in there

[Dwight FitzSimons]

A moist environment fosters mold's growth, so I also wonder about all the metal parts of the car, and there are a lot of them. Not only the frame and hog troughs, but also the A pillars, engine cylinders, et al are subject to rust. I once bought a '64 Avanti that was always stored inside (concrete floor) in South Carolina. The frame had surface rust all over it, but no rust holes. It turned out to be too weakened from rust to be usable. Also, one cylinder was so rusty that it needed sleeving. That's why I run 3 dehumidifiers in my walk-out basement (where my cars are). I also take an occasional look at my cars that are stationary. Evidently, the seller of this '63 Avanti didn't.
-Dwight

[Hawklover]

This past Thursday when I had to replace a portion of gas line at my buds shop, I finally discovered where those drain holes are located on the hogs, and with a bit of trepidation (always expecting the worst) I tapped with a hammer the entire length of the hogs, and whew, no rot or rust. The history of the car is:.....original owner from 1964-1966, car was in a garage the first and second year. My purchase in 1966.......first year car kept on outside driveway. .......then transported to Miami, Florida where it lived on driveway outside my apartment. After four years, car returned up north to be housed in a garage. Car now in private storage 2021...........so I am most fortunate that my hogs are still without any issues.

[Hawklover]

PS........since new the car has spent only two winters outside in the snow.

[Noxnabaker]

I reckon ventilation might have been needed...

[rockne10]

Note the pictures of the interior. Those spots are mold. Mold is not just cosmetic; it will damage (discolor) the vinyl permanently if left on long enough.

Might also want to note, mold is a fungal infection; and its appearance is only the exposed bloom of the mycelium, the vegetative part of the fungus. That mycelium is rooted well in to whatever totally compromised material is its host.

Any cosmetic treatment of the mold is temporary at best.

[Dwight FitzSimons]

A couple tubs of DampRid might help keep the humidity level down in the cabin of a stationary car. I found DampRid in the RV section at WalMart. I have two tubs of it inside my Olds Aurora.

-Dwight

[Videoranger]

looks like it was in a flood

[jts359]

Get Damp rid , Its works , Ed

[nels]

Might also want to note, mold is a fungal infection; and its appearance is only the exposed bloom of the mycelium, the vegetative part of the fungus. That mycelium is rooted well in to whatever totally compromised material is its host.

Any cosmetic treatment of the mold is temporary at best.

I agree. The mold is surviving on some food element of the vinyl. Usually the vinyl will become very oily which, I believe, the vinyl is returning to its petroleum base. It’s degrading.
Maybe a good drowning in Clorox and soap might kill the fungus but I would think the entire skin may need to be soaked??

[Harryhawk]

Use 1/2 Teaspoon of Oil of Cloves in a litre of water spraying it over the mould and leaving for 24-36 hours then brush or wipe off , kills mould ''DEAD''. Cheers Harryhawk

[Dwight FitzSimons]

Use 1/2 Teaspoon of Oil of Cloves in a litre of water spraying it over the mould and leaving for 24-36 hours then brush or wipe off , kills mould ''DEAD''. Cheers Harryhawk

Yeah, but you have a different vegetable down under. You have mould, we have mold.
-Dwight

[Hallabutt]

No matter where someone lives mold can be a problem under certain circumstances. Even in the desert it can grow under certain rare circumstance. Dry climate will generally speed up the deterioration of rubber and vinyl, so we have a catch twenty two. Monitoring for proper termp. and humidity levels is a pain so most of us just abdicate the job. I have found that good air flow is critical in the mitigation of the formation of mold. Indoors I leave my car windows open or at least partially open. A fan or dehumidifier can do the job of circulating the air. A desiccant can be an aid in areas where airflow is limited. Outside storage has it's own limitations, but I try to keep the car windows cracked open a bit regardless of season and hope for nature to circulate the air. I'm no expert just trying slog through some common sense real world, ideas, but I stop short of calling anything a solution.

[Harryhawk]

G'day Dwight, we are very attached to our U's down under, the alphabetical ones not the Sheep ones. Cheers Harrryhawk