Spray can oil coating for temporary rust protection

[AffableCurmudgeon]

Two part question:

Issue: I need to pick up a 60s Beetle from Indianapolis this week. It is about 200 miles from me. Indy had 6 inches of snow this week. It will not be snowing later in the week but there will be residual snow and salt on the roads. Highways should be clean.

I will be using a UHaul auto transport (not a dolly) to move the car. The car will not on the ground. The car is rust free and I want to keep it that way.

With that:

1. Should I spray the underside of the Beetle with some oil based product to protect against salt and slush splatter during the trip? Am I overly worried?

2. If I should spray it, what would you recommend? I don't have time left to order online. Something that may be available at a physical auto part chain store would be ideal.

Thanks.

 

[77thor]

Fluid Film. It's in a spray can. Available at Home Depot, Lowes, etc.

 

[Kevin54]

Tarp it. Drive up on a large plastic tarp, close the edges into the doors and tie the front and back down to the bumpers. Then if you want, put a large tarp over the top. Plastic tarps aren't very expensive. Check TSC. Of you could just spray the **** out of WD40 on the bottom. Last resort.....put it in a box trailer.

 

[Jazz1]

Just wash car off when you get home. I’ve hauled home a few project cars in winter. I spray TONY (available at Napa) this on my daily driver vehicles but they driven during the salty season. TONY is a fraction of the price of Fluid Film

 

[ArcticGabe]

I think this depends on how close to perfect it is and how close you want to keep it that way. Fully enclosed transport is the only perfect solution.

Aside from that, why coat the whole undercarage with any spray? If you want it kept perfectly as it is, you'll have to get rid of that mess then. Besides, there's no way you'll be able to spray and protect it 100%. Before doing that, I'd just tow it home then stop at a quarter car wash close to your house and get rid of anything that got on it. Probably the same result as trying to spray it with WD-40.

 

[homelessdespot]

Depends on what your end goal is with the underside. If you're not going to paint or coat it, then spraying fluid film like others have said would be ok. If you intent to paint or coat it, you would be adding a layer that's a hassle to remove before painting. Especially if oil based.

 

[bob15]

Either rent an enclosed car trailer or just wash the car off when you get home.

The road salt or calcium chloride isn't going to eat the metal or make it rust in the time it takes you to trailer it home.

 

[Stuart in MN]

A tarp will harm the paint, and salt spray is going to come up from underneath anyway. I'm in the camp of just giving it a good wash when you get home.

 

[AffableCurmudgeon]

OK Thanks. I will just wash it when I get home.
Thanks all.

 

[ford33]

OP is from the Chicago area and Indy is only a 3.5 hours drive. Put it on a trailer and get it home. Stop at your local self service car wash and rinse it off before pulling into your driveway.

 

[Bretny]

Tarp it. Drive up on a large plastic tarp, close the edges into the doors and tie the front and back down to the bumpers. Then if you want, put a large tarp over the top. Plastic tarps aren't very expensive. Check TSC. Of you could just spray the **** out of WD40 on the bottom. Last resort.....put it in a box trailer.

That's a good way to wear half the paint off by the time you get home.

 

[DC73]

We don't have to worry much about salted roads around here but I've been seeing a lot of ads on car shows for NH Oil Undercoating. They have a dealer network that can spray a car for you. Don't know much about them otherwise. Here's a link: https://nhoilundercoating.com/

DC

 

[Randy in Maine]

Don't do anything to it. Get it home and see what it needs.

 

[Kevin54]

A tarp will harm the paint, and salt spray is going to come up from underneath anyway. I'm in the camp of just giving it a good wash when you get home.

That's not what I said.