Convertible left outside

[francisslang]

Hello everyone, I’m looking at getting a minor but don’t own a garage or drive. There is a nice convertible for sale near me, which looks pretty solid with only some small bubbles of rust underneath the paint in a couple of areas.

I was wondering, if I planned to daily driver the minor but unfortunately leave it outside to the elements. Would the weather disintegrate the thing? Thanks

[Mick Lynch]

looking at getting a minor but don’t own a garage or drive.

You’ll have much more fun if you learn to drive!

Sorry being facetious.
Many convertibles over the years have been kept outside and many have survived so I don’t think it will dissolve. I had an MGB roadster for five or so years and that had a new hood and was kept on the street, however it depended whether the rain came from the West or the North determined if I’d have to bail out the footwells in the morning. It was also frigid in winter and noisy at the best of times. BUT still great fun though - that’s why it lasted 5 years.

Be aware that a soft top on the street is a tad vulnerable to those that may wish to get in, so leave nothing valuable in the car.

If I was you, I’d go for it! There are pros and cons to everything.

[myoldjalopy]

Offering a different perspective, I'd be a bit worried about leaving a convertible outside in all elements, especially with the sort of rain we seem to be increasingly experiencing. A Minor with a wet interior is most dispiriting - carpets going mouldy and smelly. That's not so say it will leak, but convertibles are prone to it. And those small bubbles of rust will only get bigger. If you really want to keep a Minor outside, I would suggest a saloon, but even they can leak, depending on their condition.....

[les]

It’s possible the ‘drive’ bit is referring to a driveway, ie to enable to erect some sort of cover ?

[francisslang]

Unfortunately I’m not able to erect a portable cover, as I don’t have a driveway.
Thanks, everyone else for the input. There’s definitely a tough choice to be made! The hood on this minor looks in good condition and that it goes over all the windows and the windscreen well, but I guess that’s not always a sign that’s it going to be waterproof. If anyone owns a convertible, how do they fare in the rain??
Thanks

[Myrtles Man]

If you do decide to bite the bullet you may wish to try your luck with something like this:-

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/394605570544 ... BMxKq97vJi

[svenedin]

My convertible leaks a bit but the double duck hood is over 30 years old. It always has leaked a bit though even when it was new. Personally, I would never leave my car outside. Even when I was a student over 30 years ago I rented a garage for the car. This is not just about the weather but the fact that people sometimes slash the roof to get into the car.

The other thing to consider is that folding the hood down properly and putting it back up is not particularly easy so by having a garage I can leave the hood down and pretty much only take the car out out when the weather is dry. I will still go out top down in sub-zero temperatures in the Winter!

In the Winter driving a convertible even with the hood up is a decidedly chilly affair due to drafts and the fact that the roof is just fabric. I fully stripped and overhauled my heater and this is really essential if you don't want to be cold and miserable.

Nowadays I have a modern car as well but for many years the convertible was my only car. This was not just in the South of England but in Scotland for 6 years. Mind you, I was in my teens and early twenties then and rather tougher than I am now. The car fared well in Snow but I had to dress for driving as if I was outside.

If you can see some rust bubbling on the bodywork then it's really important that you properly inspect underneath and all of the vulnerable areas. There are many cars that are cosmetically very good but they are basically falling apart. Remember that the convertible is much more vulnerable to chassis flexing than a saloon as there is no roof to add rigidity. It has been known for convertibles with rotten sills to literally snap in two when jacked up. You do not say if this is a factory genuine convertible or a fake. Regardless, you must ensure that the various structural strengthening arches and panels are in place and in good order. Quite a good test is to jack the car up at the front and see if the doors try to burst open or will not open and close properly. If this happens there is something very wrong. Fortunately my car is the opposite of what is usually seen. It is cosmetically pretty awful but structurally very sound.

Good luck. I have always really loved my convertible and I have never wanted to any other classic. I learned to drive on it at 17........

Stephen

[ManyMinors]

Any car will deteriorate over time and old cars like these generally deteriorate faster than modern cars which are rather better protected during manufacture. Having said that, my own convertible has lived outside all year round for many years and been used daily for much of that time.
The hood has seldom allowed any water into the car. I check regularly and have replaced any rubbers around the car as and when I've needed to. I keep the bodywork clean and have applied waxoyl (or similar) around the underside every couple of years or so. The car has never required any welding repairs in recent times and it is 30 odd years since it underwent some restoration. So, although there are some downsides to keeping any old car outside, I have found that a convertible is no worse than any other model. In fact it is MUCH better than the Traveller we previously owned which seemed to let rainwater in around almost every panel and window!
No doubt a garage would be better but if you had to rent a garage, would the costs be less than the cost of repairs required because the car lived outdoors? I personally wouldn't put anybody off keeping a convertible outside if there is no practical alternative and you really want one. Depending on where you live, I'd perhaps be more concerned about security than the weather but there are many good security devices available of course

[francisslang]

If you do decide to bite the bullet you may wish to try your luck with something like this:-

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/394605570544 ... BMxKq97vJi

I was wondering if something like this existed, thanks for posting it

[francisslang]

Any car will deteriorate over time and old cars like these generally deteriorate faster than modern cars which are rather better protected during manufacture. Having said that, my own convertible has lived outside all year round for many years and been used daily for much of that time.
The hood has seldom allowed any water into the car. I check regularly and have replaced any rubbers around the car as and when I've needed to. I keep the bodywork clean and have applied waxoyl (or similar) around the underside every couple of years or so. The car has never required any welding repairs in recent times and it is 30 odd years since it underwent some restoration. So, although there are some downsides to keeping any old car outside, I have found that a convertible is no worse than any other model. In fact it is MUCH better than the Traveller we previously owned which seemed to let rainwater in around almost every panel and window!
No doubt a garage would be better but if you had to rent a garage, would the costs be less than the cost of repairs required because the car lived outdoors? I personally wouldn't put anybody off keeping a convertible outside if there is no practical alternative and you really want one. Depending on where you live, I'd perhaps be more concerned about security than the weather but there are many good security devices available of course

Thank you for a positive response! Maybe the type of response I was looking to hear!! In terms of care for the hood, do you do anything special to maintain it?

I should say, I used to own an mx5 which was less than waterproof, as the hood had shrunk and no longer covered the doors. And I did survive many winters in that. Although I would prefer to not have icicles dangling over my head in the mornings again!

[francisslang]

My convertible leaks a bit but the double duck hood is over 30 years old. It always has leaked a bit though even when it was new. Personally, I would never leave my car outside. Even when I was a student over 30 years ago I rented a garage for the car. This is not just about the weather but the fact that people sometimes slash the roof to get into the car.

The other thing to consider is that folding the hood down properly and putting it back up is not particularly easy so by having a garage I can leave the hood down and pretty much only take the car out out when the weather is dry. I will still go out top down in sub-zero temperatures in the Winter!

In the Winter driving a convertible even with the hood up is a decidedly chilly affair due to drafts and the fact that the roof is just fabric. I fully stripped and overhauled my heater and this is really essential if you don't want to be cold and miserable.

Nowadays I have a modern car as well but for many years the convertible was my only car. This was not just in the South of England but in Scotland for 6 years. Mind you, I was in my teens and early twenties then and rather tougher than I am now. The car fared well in Snow but I had to dress for driving as if I was outside.

If you can see some rust bubbling on the bodywork then it's really important that you properly inspect underneath and all of the vulnerable areas. There are many cars that are cosmetically very good but they are basically falling apart. Remember that the convertible is much more vulnerable to chassis flexing than a saloon as there is no roof to add rigidity. It has been known for convertibles with rotten sills to literally snap in two when jacked up. You do not say if this is a factory genuine convertible or a fake. Regardless, you must ensure that the various structural strengthening arches and panels are in place and in good order. Quite a good test is to jack the car up at the front and see if the doors try to burst open or will not open and close properly. If this happens there is something very wrong. Fortunately my car is the opposite of what is usually seen. It is cosmetically pretty awful but structurally very sound.

Good luck. I have always really loved my convertible and I have never wanted to any other classic. I learned to drive on it at 17........

Stephen

Thank you for the advice! If I go back I will be sure to check the jack tip. I did have a look at the underside and it looked good to my eyes, but I guess it’s hard to tell.

[stuffedpike20]

I had a convertible outside for some years. Keep the drain holes in the bottom of the doors clear.
Yes, sometimes you get a bit of water inside, but put the top down on a nice day and go for a drive and it will soon dry out.

Of all of the Minor models...convertibles give you the most 'smiles per mile'.

BUY IT!


Just to add, my convertible had an Everflex hood, fitted by a complete no- hope amateur (me). It never leaked.

[francisslang]

I had a convertible outside for some years. Keep the drain holes in the bottom of the doors clear.
Yes, sometimes you get a bit of water inside, but put the top down on a nice day and go for a drive and it will soon dry out.

Of all of the Minor models...convertibles give you the most 'smiles per mile'.

BUY IT!


Just to add, my convertible had an Everflex hood, fitted by a complete no- hope amateur (me). It never leaked.

Hey mate, thanks for the reply, do you have a link to that hood incase I have to replace one at some point. I’m trying to work out how much it would cost to keep the car if I needed to do stuff like that.

[myoldjalopy]

I do wonder whether Stephen's convertible would still be here if it had been left outside for the last 30 years, rather than garaged....

[svenedin]

I do wonder whether Stephen's convertible would still be here if it had been left outside for the last 30 years, rather than garaged....

I am sure it would not still be here because I would never have been able to afford the increased maintenance caused by it living outside and I don't have the skills, the time, the equipment or the space to have been welding it and painting it myself. I would probably have one day given up and sold it for next to nothing and it might have been restored or written off for scrap. Instead it's a survivor still with original paint. I'm not trying to put the OP off but it's not really ideal for a convertible to live outside or a Traveller for that matter although I know many do! When I had a new hood for the car made over 30 years ago it was a lot of money for me back then and I was rather precious about it especially because one of my friends who was a bit older and had a flash BMW convertible had his roof slashed.

Stephen

[stuffedpike20]

I had a convertible outside for some years. Keep the drain holes in the bottom of the doors clear.
Yes, sometimes you get a bit of water inside, but put the top down on a nice day and go for a drive and it will soon dry out.

Of all of the Minor models...convertibles give you the most 'smiles per mile'.

BUY IT!


Just to add, my convertible had an Everflex hood, fitted by a complete no- hope amateur (me). It never leaked.

Hey mate, thanks for the reply, do you have a link to that hood incase I have to replace one at some point. I’m trying to work out how much it would cost to keep the car if I needed to do stuff like that.

It came from ESM many years ago. They were having a sale at the time. Can't remember what I paid, but I remember it was a bargain.

[Myrtles Man]

https://www.morrisminorspares.com/body- ... ed-p828117