Rust, tin worm, iron oxide poisoning, the dreaded rot, whatever name you give it, rust will always be rust. And if you own a classic car, preventing it becomes a sort of life mission, a slightly obsessive one at times. Even the tiniest patch of rust can spoil the look of an otherwise lovely car, and worse still, it spreads faster than you'd like to admit. When it comes to rust, prevention really is better than cure, because once it has taken hold it can be incredibly stubborn to remove fully.

Now, there are lots of rust converters and rust neutralisers out there, but their success depends on how well you can reach every bit of the rusty area, and on many classics, rust loves to form in the most awkward, dark, hard to see places. Some cars seem to have been designed with built in rust traps, which is quite rude really.

The best approach is always rust prevention, although that does rely on your car being rust free to begin with, or at least mostly so. If you are restoring a car, prevention should be on your mind from day one. A good coat of paint in those hidden little corners gives a surprising amount of extra protection, and sealing weld seams properly helps stop rust creeping in at the edges of new metal. Whenever you have bare steel, use a proper zinc rich primer, it wraps the metal in a protective jacket, and it keeps your classic healthy for many years, assuming you keep the rest of the car in check too.

Products

There is a huge range of products for preventing rust and for treating it. Let’s start with the neutralisers, because let’s be honest, most of us have rust somewhere, and if you truly think your car does not, you are probably just not looking hard enough, or the rust is plotting behind your back.

Neutralisers and Converters

These products work by converting the surface layer of rust into a more stable, protective compound that stops oxygen and water reaching the metal underneath. The problem, though, is that if the area is not totally dry or if you miss even the smallest rusty pit, the remaining rust keeps spreading quietly underneath your lovely black coating. It is surprising how easy it is to miss tiny areas, especially on pitted or flaky metal, and sadly, missing just one small spot means the whole job ends up pointless. Rust is unkind like that.

Prevention

Prevention is always the way to go, fortunately we have plenty of choices. Oils, waxes, thick coatings, clear fluids, messy sprays, the list is long and every enthusiast has their personal favourite. I tend to lean toward Dinitrol, because it's easy to use, effective, and doesn’t cost the earth, although I’m open to bribery from any other manufacturer who wants to sway my very flexible loyalties, just saying.

Here are the main areas that deserve your attention if you want your classic to stay solid for as long as possible, preferably forever.

Underbody, wheel arches, sills, inside the doors, leading edge of the bonnet, any hidden cavities, and pretty much anywhere moisture can sneak its nose in.

Keep checking for the first signs of rust, because catching it early is always easier, cheaper, and far less heartbreaking than dealing with it once it’s had time to settle in and start a family.