Clear Coat questions

[jasonhinders]

Hi all, I have a '73 1/2 911t that I unfortunately have to store outside. The clear coat has started to crack / spider web. I now keep it covered with a pretty nice cover. My questions are: is there anything I can do to try to prevent any more cracking? Is there something I am doing wrong? Is a cover actually bad?

Any help in this would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Jason

[mac73s]

While I would recommend always using a cover over no cover, the best for outdoor storage is a waterproof - yet breathable (not sure how they do that) fabric - that is sold under several names, i.e. weathershield, storm guard, etc. There are many companies that sell covers, but most - if not all of them - are manufactured in Oklahoma and sold/distributed by various outlets, i.e. California Car Cover, Covercraft, Griots Garage, Auto Anything, etc., etc. The fabric used for the weathershield/stormguard covers is a very slippery and thin material, where the indoor covers or outside 'sun' covers are typically a heavier fabric - again - sold under different names and are NOT for regular outside use where it will be subject to rain, snow and ice. Even with regular use of a cover designed for outdoor use, I I would still remove it after rain or snow to ensure that things underneath are dry and then put it on again.

[jasonhinders]

Are there soaps / waxes that are bad for the clear coat? Or should i be waxing as much as possible. I have always just used Turtle wax.

[POS]

You can't do anything to stop the cracking. It could be from temperature changes down deep in the paint or simply just the breakdown of the chemicals used in the paint process. All you can hope for is to slow it down - best thing is to bring it inside, but if you can't do that you might as well cover it.

Waxes just fill the crevasses and cover the paint. I use carnubas on the old cars and 3M on the new ones. You should wax it - it won't hurt. If the cracks are very shallow, you might be able to wetsand them away.

[RSTarga]

If this is the original 73 factory metallic 2 stage paint, there is no fix other than taking it down to the metal and starting over. The original metallics were a failure.
I really dislike car covers, except for the ones that cover glass areas only to protect from the sun.
They tend to rub the paint and slow moisture evaporation. Dust covers when inside are fine, but outside let the car breathe.
I know this is contrary to common thought, and I used covers until I saw the results on my cars.