Hello Fellow FTEs,

I recently purchased a '66 Ford F100. In the long-term, I see the truck being a well maintained seasonal (May - November) daily driver. The truck is showing signs of rust which I anticipate repairing; however, I may not be able to get to it until the end of the summer. So here is my dilemma.

I anticipated having a carport to store the truck over the summer - it didn't work out. So now the truck is parked outside exposed to the Michigan elements (i.e. spring rains and morning dew). I do have a place to store the truck but it is a little over an hour from my home. So do I store the truck in the garage and drive it when I have the opportunity, or do I keep it near home thus exposing it to the elements for the summer?

I guess what I am asking is how quickly or how much damage can moisture do to a truck over the course of a single summer? And is the potential damage worth it?

Any advice or feedback would be appreciated.
ClaraJane66

 

I dont think you have anything to worry about. keep it close and drive it often.

 

Bill W. thank you for the advice.

 

I guess i should ask how bad the weather is where you live! rain and the morning dew over 1 summer should not affect it, IMO.

you could invest in one of those tent like carports! they are around 100 bucks or so... just make sure you tie it down good! I had one, it blew over the house into the back yard

 

Using it is the best thing. Letting them sit is the worst thing to do. I have been guilty of sitting them up and paid the price. When you use them you take care of issues right away. When a part breaks you fix it. It will last quite awhile. If you can, on weekends, cut out the rust and replace panels as time allows. I tell my wife that it has to be ugly before it can be pretty. There is no harm in driving with primer spots.

 

We don't get particularly high amounts of rain, but there does tend to be a lot of moisture in the air (probably inevitable with the abundant lakes and rivers) which I suspect is the cause of the morning dew (almost daily) and the high humidity-levels. My situation is temporary and will only be this summer, perhaps not even the entire summer.

That dry Arizona climate is probably ideal for these classic trucks. Does a dry climate present a different set of environmental challenges? Is sand an issue?

 

Good Advice First Today. Thank you.

 

Sand is not really an issue, but the harsh SUN is! out here there are many old trucks on the road and they are cheap to buy. that's why i have 3 of them.

 

ClaraJane, this issue is not rain, dew condensation or sprinklers - unless the following 2 conditions accompany it:

1. Salt. Road salt stays on the metal, and its electrolytic effect is reactivated with the slightest moisture.

2. Pooling. If water pools on bare metal, or even on painted joints, it will work its way to activating rust.

When I lived in Sterling Heights, I applied the rule to not drive my Slick until 3 heavy rains after the last salt application.

 

I agree withy John (BanjoPicker) hole heartly; Also vehicle parked on grass and bare ground under mositure conditions is rust building conditions as well. If at all possible park on concrete and if not able atleast on gravel.

Mitch

 

Wow. Thank you so much banjopicker and Custom Cab. Very helpful. I certainly appreciate everyones wisdom and expertise.

 

Make sure all the drains are open and clean. Here's a how-to I wrote a year ago: f100rust

 

CJ, Would something like this work for you? Carports Michigan | Steel Buildings in Michigan | Carports




John

 

These are great. Thank you, John