Word to the wise about putting a car cover on your car sitting outside

[Michael J.]

I saw some talk recently of using a car cover to cover your car while parked outside in Palm Springs at the National, where we are expecting high day time temperatures and lots of sun. I wanted to share my experience from Las Vegas a couple of years ago in similar circumstances. The cars were staged for Ops in an open outside lot the day before, I chose to cover my '64 black single stage lacquer coupe with a California Car Cover "Noah" cover, which is advertised as:".. breathable fabric....has 4 layers consisting of a strong outer layer and soft inner layers. This construction allows there to be a tough barrier against moisture, heat dust and other pollutants without damaging the car’s paint."

That was a mistake, as when the cover was removed the next morning, after sitting outside in the sun for about 8 hours, the pattern of the cover was etched into the paint. Thanks to John Ballard and some friends, we were able to get some of it out before judging, but it took a long time and several rounds of cutting and buffing over the next month to get it all out, and I was lucky the paint was very thick and so we could get down below the etching. Here is a picture of what it looked like, and the rags as they looked when we tried to get the etching out inside the ballroom. My caution is to make sure you know your paint will not be damaged by a cover as it sits for a long time in the strong sun, if not sure, I would advise to not cover it, I will not be covering mine in Palm Springs.Paint.jpgRags.jpg

[Don H.]

Re: Word to the wise about putting a car cover on your car sitting outside

Wow is this ever good information! I hope someone clues in many of our owners (who don't look at the DB) when they stage their cars in two weeks. Sounds like towels for the dash, or inside sunshade for the windshield would be a good idea. Thanks Mike!

[Domenic T.]

Re: Word to the wise about putting a car cover on your car sitting outside

Guys,
I live here and the wind and heat will take their tole on things. I saw car covers have the wind move them enough to damage the finish by constant movement.
This is real, you can cook a egg on a black car, or dark car. Cant sit on dark seats without a towel or touch a steering wheel till they cool off. Then, overheating.
Didn't mean to paint a picture like that, just trying to get some info out that might help.

Dom

[Thomas N.]

Re: Word to the wise about putting a car cover on your car sitting outside

A long time ago, I did a 73 Corvette in lacquer (Corvette Blue Poly is the color), and put the t-tops in their bags. I pulled them out and they had the inside of the bag "printed" on the t tops. I was totally bummed. I put the t-tops on the car, and the paint flowed out, and the print through went away.
I've seen people put bras and car covers on their cars, and moisture gets in the paint and turns it cloudy. After letting it set, and putting a heat gun on low to drive out the moisture, it is possible to remove the cloudiness to the paint.

[Mark E.]

Re: Word to the wise about putting a car cover on your car sitting outside

Michael, that's awful.

How old was the paint when this happened? Lacquer will outgas for weeks, even months. During this time, its surface is especially vulnerable. So it's best to not cover lacquer for several months.

In the 80s when I lived in Tucson, I painted my SS El Camino (when's the last time you saw one of those?) in lacquer. It sat under a cover every workday in the hot sun for years while I was at work. No issues, but I waited a year before covering it.

[Vinnie P.]

Re: Word to the wise about putting a car cover on your car sitting outside

There was also damage observed from fender covers as you describe Michael...I think it was the 2008 convention in St. Charles, MO...If I recall correctly, Tim Mickey noticed it and I published a short blurb in The Restorer...

Vinnie

[Michael J.]

Re: Word to the wise about putting a car cover on your car sitting outside

That is one reason I thought I would be OK, it was painted in 2008, 10 years before the meet. Others have told me lacquer never fully dries, and can be reactive to things placed on it for long period in the right circumstances.

[Michael J.]

Re: Word to the wise about putting a car cover on your car sitting outside

Yes thanks Vinnie, I saw that and have tried not to use covers like that for any long periods.

[Patrick H.]

Re: Word to the wise about putting a car cover on your car sitting outside

There was also damage observed from fender covers as you describe Michael...I think it was the 2008 convention in St. Charles, MO...If I recall correctly, Tim Mickey noticed it and I published a short blurb in The Restorer...

Vinnie

That car was next to mine at the NCRS Display at Carlisle that year. You could still see the marks from the fender covers.

[Richard M.]

Re: Word to the wise about putting a car cover on your car sitting outside

Wow Michael that's amazing. Good warning info.

A friends black 67 with 20 year old lacquer had a single pine needle land on the hood. It was in the shade. He got a phone call and later the sun was beating on the car. Hours later he went to move the car and went to flick the pine needle off.

It was embedded and left a deep line in the paint.

It took much time to fill and sand and buff that impression left in the paint. A combination of pine pitch and the baking sun turned into a nasty little task.

Rich

[Michael J.]

Re: Word to the wise about putting a car cover on your car sitting outside

My wife, who is a quilter, has a theory of why the cover reacted with the paint in the hot sun. The cover was dirty, so I washed it a few weeks before I used it in 'Vegas, I used a detergent that had a built in fabric softener, my wife says she would never use that in her fabrics, as the residue from the softener never really completely washes out and coats the fibers. That could also explain it.

[Daniel S.]

Re: Word to the wise about putting a car cover on your car sitting outside

As a teenager I thought I was doing my original paint '70 Camaro a favor by covering in a storm with a cover and tarp. The moisture got trapped under the cover and burned the paint. Even after a mild wet sand it was still visible. This was very frustrating. Be very careful with covers and weather!

[Domenic T.]

Re: Word to the wise about putting a car cover on your car sitting outside

This is similar to using covers. A painter friend of mine said they painted a car and the owner asked the shop for a suggestion as to what he should do when he picked the car up. It was one of those 29.95 any color places.
They said to put it in his garage till the paint was fully cured. He didn't have a garage, so he went to the hardware store and bought a plastic floor cover that house painters use and covered his new paint job.
The plastic melted in the new paint. The solvents used to thin the paint and the ones that are in the paint take a few days to really dry even though you can touch the finish.
Another guy couldn't wait and waxed his new paint and that caused the paint to seperate and bubble.

Dom

[Michael J.]

Re: Word to the wise about putting a car cover on your car sitting outside

By the way Dom, I do hope you will honor us with your presence in Palm Springs, I would love to meet you in person after all these years and A/C compressors......my '66 will be sporting one of yours.

[Thomas H.]

Re: Word to the wise about putting a car cover on your car sitting outside

I had one of those Noah covers - once - didn't like it from the git go.

I had some car storage issues one year requiring me to keep one of the cars outside. I heard that the Noah cover was one of the best for outdoor use, well...... After 1 year it started to disintegrate leaving a powdery residue on the car. The manufacturer begrudgingly replaced it with another that proceeded to do the same thing. They claimed it was the inner layer breaking down and that I must be misusing it - wouldn't warrant the second cover - I thought it was supposed to be a durable "outside use" cover!

Switched to using a light weight Weather Shield HP cover and it works perfectly both outside and inside. Easy to pack up and take along just in case and works as a nice dust cover in the garage, although I typically don't have the cars covered in the garage....

Tom