What's The best long term rust prevention?

[Edward.21]

Pretty much what the title says but with a please and thank you

[taupe]

Stainless steel?

[bmcecosse]

Keep the car dry - never let it get wet - and lather the underside and the chassis legs with Waxoyl!

[MColes]

A good coat of wax will help the water to run off the car as well

[beero]

Get the hose up under the wings and floor and remove any mud and salt. Also get some waxoyl pumped into the hidden box sections.

[mike.perry]

A steady oil leak from the engine helps keep the underside rust free.

[ian.mcdougall]

Does waxoyl prevent rust in box sections from getting worse or is there anything else more suitable for this important job as that is where serious damage is happening unseen until holes apppear

[taupe]

Yes

In my experience waxoyle works well especially if applied warmed up thoroughly but will need retreating occasionally.

Its important to keep the box section drain holes clear after application as otherwise water etc can sit in there causing further damage

[MarkyB]

Well worth getting anything loose out of box sections with a wire brush and vacuum cleaner before treating with anything.

[chickenjohn]

Inside box sections you are better off using a cavity was such as Dynax or Dinitrol 3125.

Other than that, I agree with the advice above, you need to keep water and oxygen from the steel of the car, so repair any visible rust, keep stone chips touched in etc, wax the car on top and underbody wax underneath and cavity wax in the cavities, plus keep the car clean, wash off road salt and mud from the topside and underside.

This is an ongoing rust prevention strategy, there is no best long term one-off solution.

[Peetee]

Cavity wax is the stuff to use but must only be applied to a dry vehicle. It will not eiminate existing damp. I would personally avoid underseal. It hides slight corrosion problems till they become major issues.

[Alex'n'Ane]

Just wondering as to why no-one has mentioned the acid dipping, e-coating zinc process thing?? Expensive but surely the best???

[ignatzcatz]

Move to Arizona

[chickenjohn]

Just wondering as to why no-one has mentioned the acid dipping, e-coating zinc process thing?? Expensive but surely the best???

E-coating is not a zinc coating, that is know as galvanising, (unless of course the E-coating process being used deposits a zinc based paint such as zinc phosphate).

http://www.clearclad.com/clearclad_resources/ecoat.htm

I know some restorers advocate dipping and e-coating, but I have heard horror stories, such as the Porsche 911 that came out of the acid dip and e-coat process so distorted that the doors could no longer be fitted into the door gap. The poor owner had to get the car jigged and pulled by a Porsche accident repair specialist just to get it straight again.

Personally, I'd rather get a body shell blasted (carefully so as not to warp anything) than dip it.

[ashb]

Engine oil seems to work well on already rusted areas. The boot floor was full of water and quite rusty on my car when bought 25 years ago so as a temporary fix I tipped a cup full of used oil in it. It has occasionally had a top up and all these years later still fills with water when it rains but is solid!

[mike.perry]

Drill holes in the corners of the boot floor to drain the water

[ashb]

There are drain holes that i drilled ,but they rapidly fill with black goo

[Neil MG]

There are drain holes that i drilled ,but they rapidly fill with black goo

Old engine oil perhaps!

[ashb]

Mixed with mud off my walking boots, dissolved supermarket reciepts etc