Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[Brewster]

Hi,

Just joined the forum having bought a Mk 2 Humber Sceptre at a local classic car auction. It's a nice drive but the paintwork isn't great. I know there's a bit of filler hiding here and there and there is some paint blistering and other issues. Repainting isn't an option so I'm hoping to maintain the paintwork as it is just now.

I'm thinking of just rubbing boiled linseed oil into the paint which, I'm hoping, might stop rust forming in the blisters. I'll lanoguard much of the underside as well. Are there any other approaches short of repainting? I was going to upload a pic to show what the body is like but couldn't see how.

Bruce

[Ray White]

Sorry, but paint has a lifespan and when it has reached the end of it's life it needs to be done again. You can improve the appearance with an oily rag but the underlying problems will remain.

[Brewster]

[Brewster]

Just spotted the forum advice on posting pics...

[Rick]

Welcome to the forum, proper wax from a tub might work but I suspect occasional applications of the boiled linseed oil would offer more protection, although where the vehicle is stored when not in use will probably have more of an influence on how quickly the finish deteriorates overall.

RJ
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[Ray White]

Rick is right. I have noticed how the condition of "barn finds" vary depending on the "barn".

Kept in a dry, well ventilated wooden building, a car will do quite well.

A cold damp concrete garage is probably worse than being left on the drive under a canvas tarp.!

What I would do to keep the tin worm at bay is pressure wash the underside to remove any salt. This will do more good than sealing it in with underseal.

Our salty roads have done more harm than anything to shorten the life of old cars...and with the greatest respect..Rootes products are more prone to rust than most!

[Brewster]

Thanks for the replies. I think I'll go with the linseed oil, a draughty-but-dry wooden garage and take it off the road over the winter. It should have a fighting chance then.

[bjacko]

If you are just wanting to get the shine back use a light cutting compound followed by a good wax polish. Then regular waxing to protect it.
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1938 Morris 8 Ser II Coupe Utility (Pickup)
1985 Rover SD1 VDP

[Rich5ltr]

Firstly good luck with your new car, looks like a Scepter MkII which was made in the mid ‘60s so that’s 55-60 years old. Personally I would make sure that all the hidden areas under the wheel arches, the floor pans, the cills etc. are well cleaned and inspected because as Ray says cars from that era rust for fun, not just Rootes one either, I remember having to spray up the rust on my Dad’s Cortina when it was only 7 or 8 years old!

As for the bodywork, I really can’t see how boiled linseed oil is going to do anything other than make a mess. I know that’s what they do to ‘rat rods’ but they have in fact had time and effort lavished on them to get that ‘just-so’ appearance of aged rust. If you leave a Ford Pop in the English rain you don’t get that look at all, you just get a pile of iron oxide!

If the blistering you are talking about is what is apparent on the front wing, over the wheel arch there’s not much you can do other than live with it and polish it or…re-spray it which you don’t want to do.

[Ray White]

I think the worst rusting cars were the Ford Anglia 105E and the FA series Vauxhall Victor. My Dad bought a new Victor (well, demonstrator, so it was cheap) but it only lasted 3 years.!

I remember when my Brother and I were young we were in slow moving traffic while visiting the Farnborough airshow. We were in the back of the Victor and distracted Dad. We rolled into the back of an Austin A50. The front wing crumpled and the headlamp literally fell out in a pile of rust...but the Austin was undamaged.