Protecting chassis including engine, gearbox etc when left outside

[Stevejames]

Hi. This is my first post having just acquired a mk4 spitfire. I need to remove the body to repair the rust areas and will have to leave the chassis complete with engine etc outside. Can anyone recommend a suitable cover please? Any further suggestions for weatherproofing the car would be gratefully received. Cheers, Steve

[RobPearce]

I would try to avoid leaving it out if at all possible. If you really have no choice, then cloth+plastic+tarpaulin, all supported so that there's an air gap between them and the chassis, and thoroughly tied down. Leave a breather hole (or a three inch gap to ground all round), though, so that you don't get it dripping condensation. Effectively you're building a tent for it.

[standardthread]

As Clive says, and also, don't make the mistake I made by removing portable items from the chassis etc.

In my case the wandering 'metal thieves' (have to be politically correct) made off with the front suspension towers off a Herald, both had new trunnions discs etc., meaning the rest of the car was effectively a write off.

[foshi]

put a cheap car cover over my vitesse tied some weights to it so the air could circulate then made sure i regularly removed it on dry weekends over the winter. over a year was fine paul

[Adrianb]

I agree with chaps above but also consider using a good weather app on your phone so you can make the most of them dry days and start saving for a good garage , nothing worse than spending all day covering and uncovering the project and getting nothing done. Best of luck with your project.

Edited October 23, 2022 by Adrianb

[Stevejames]

Thanks folks for all your helpful replies.