Classic Car Covers

Buying a cover for your classic car is an important step in keeping your collector car safe when you are not driving it. Not all car covers are the same, and the environment of where the car will be stored will determine the type of cover you will need. Having the wrong type of cover can actually damage your car in storage, so you must be careful in choosing the right one.

The most important aspect of a cover is that it needs to be sturdy enough to protect the car from the elements, yet it still needs to "breathe" properly to allow the moisture from being trapped underneath. Moisture is a cars worst enemy, causing corrosion, mildew, rotting rubber, and ruining paint jobs when water rests on the surface for months at a time. The worst scenario is a cheap, moist cover resting on the surface of a vehicle during storage, wreaking havoc on the paint job.

Too many classic car owners buy the cheapest universal car cover they can find at their local retail store, thinking that a car cover is a car cover. The 3 main issues with cheap universal car covers are:


1) A universal cover will not fit your vehicle like a cocoon


2) It is likely made out of a material that does not allow moisture to escape


3) It's likely too flimsy for real protection in harsher elements or from dings

NEVER Buy a Cheap Universal Car Cover

You are buying a cover to preserve your pride and joy, so please do not store your car with a cheap universal cover found at your local retail outlet store. Buying the cheapest classic car cover you can find online that properly fits your car and ventilates properly will not be much more than the universal one.

If your car will be stored in an enclosed environment such as a garage (which it always should be if possible), you should be safe in buying the cheaper car cover available that properly fits your model. Since you will only be protecting your car from dust, dirt, and possible dings from work and tools in the area and not the outdoor elements, a lighter cover should be fine. A thicker cover is suggested if you will be working in the storage area where the vehicle is, to prevent dings and scratches.

Outdoor Storage

If you must store your collector car outdoors, there are different types of covers you will need to decide on depending on the environment. If there will be heavy snow or rain, you need to look at a classic car cover that is highly waterproof. Even the best car covers will absorb some moisture, so it's best to get the maximum waterproof cover you can, especially if the car will be stored where it snows. Snow will not affect the cover when it falls, but when it melts the water can pool in areas and soak it in spots. This water may refreeze at times, so an extra thick cover is essential. Another concern is acid rain, especially if you live in a larger city area. Even if it does not rain much, going all out to get the maximum car cover will protect your paint job from the corrosive acid rain that can plague some cities.

The other harsh environmental factor can be the sun, especially if you live in Florida, California, or Arizona. The blazing sun can quickly heat up your paint job, not to mention the interior of the car and destroy the dash board and cracking leather. Fortunately there are car covers that block 99% of the UV from the sun and keep it cool underneath the cover. Having the wrong car cover where the sun is an issue can wreak havoc on your car. It can actually heat up underneath and trap the heat. Make sure the cover is a DuPont Tyvek to block up to 99.8 % of the sun's UV rays for maximum protection.

Where to Buy Classic Car Covers Before I get to how you should properly put a cover on your car for long term storage, I want to explain the difference between some of the better covers, and the best places to buy them online. Classic Car Cover Sellers Our Review/Opinions Our Rating Autoanything.com Auto Anything has one of the largest inventories of car covers we have ever seen. They carry the industry leading brands Covercraft and Coverking, which many of their covers are custom manufactured and made to order Auto Parts Warehouse Auto Parts Warehouse is our favorite website to order car parts, so if you need to order parts and a custom car cover we suggest you compare to Autoanything.com . EmpireCovers.com Empire Covers has become one of my favorite car cover companies, as they are high quality and easy on the pocket book compared to some of the high end covers. If your auto will be stored out of the elements such as severe cold, direct sunlight and heat, or rain and snow, you can't go wrong with getting an Empire cover. AutoAnything.com Auto Anything has one of the largest inventories of car covers we have ever seen. They carry the industry leading brands Covercraft and Coverking (many of their covers are custom manufactured and made to order) , and I have found models covered all the way back to the 1913 Ford Model T. Another great feature of their website is the detail of questions pertaining to your model to find the exact fit you need. I have seen submodels and types of exterior mirrors asked to find the exact fit needed. VERY DETAILED. You will find every car cover size to fit any model back to the 1913 Ford Model T Click Here To Shop Car Covers at Auto Anything. AutoPartsWarehouse.com Auto Parts Warehouse also sells Covercraft and Coverking brands, so if you are in the market for one of those brands you should compare prices between Auto Parts Warehouse and AutoAnything. Auto Parts Warehouse also offers a few other brands not found on AutoAnything. Prices comparable and sometimes better than Auto Anything Click Here To Get It EmpireCovers.com Great quality at the best prices, you can't go wrong with Empire Covers. They even have covers for your classic truck going back to the 1940's. Great selection of covers going back to the 1940's and 50's. Best prices in the industry Inventory line covers over 70+ years of cars and trucks Click Here To Visit EmpireCovers.com Purchasing A Classic Car Cover To properly protect your collector car, the cover needs to fit your car precisely to wrap your car like a cocoon. The proper fitting car cover will prevent dust, dirt, and moisture from getting under the cover, yet will still "breathe", allowing evaporation if needed. Whether your car is being stored outside or it is being stored in the garage, a classic car cover is a wise and cheap investment. Even if your classic car is being stored in the garage, a car cover can protect it from dings and dents from tools and other nearby hazards. Top Car Cover Brands When you want the best classic car cover money can buy, two options are Covercraft and Coverking, both made in America. Covercraft Covercraft is considered by most auto enthusiasts as the leader in car covers. Their covers fit cars like a glove, and are built in America using high quality materials. Coverking Coverking car covers are also built in America, and are very comparable to Covercraft. Coverking claims they use larger pieces of fabric than other car cover manufacturers, meaning less seams are created which are the main entry points for unwanted dirt and moisture.

How to Put a Car Cover On

Before I get to how to put a car cover on properly, I want to point out that if you will be putting your vehicle in long term storage, you should read my article at Preparing Your Collector Car for Long Term Storage. Putting your vehicle in long term storage without giving proper attention to some details could ultimately destroy parts of your vehicle.

Before you put the car cover on, there are 2 main points you should remember.

1) MAKE SURE you wash the car beforehand, and that it is completely dry. Dragging a heavy fabric over your car when it is dirty will cause the dirt particles to be dragged over your car as well, which can act as a severe abrasive to your paint job. You also don’t want to trap dirt under the cover where it will sit on your car for months.

2) Close all windows and vents, making the interior of the car air tight as possible. Moisture is your cars worst enemy when in storage, especially in the interior where mold and mildew can grow.

Even if you have a piece of junk being stored somewhere and you some day want to restore it to its former glory, a small invest made now in a cover will go a long way towards the future. Many higher end car covers have up to 10 year warranties, meaning your car will be sheltered from further rust and other long term damages can be kept to a minimum. My uncle had a late 1960’s Mustang fastback that was only the frame, but it was covered by an ill fighting tarp and was basically rusted out within a few years.