How to Protect Your Classic Car Upholstery from the Sun
For many Americans, vintage car restoration and ownership is both a lifelong passion and a hobby. The hobby part of it comes not just in the form of taking joy rides along the beautiful Orange County coastline, but also in frequent (and loving) maintenance these vehicles require in order to stay in tip-top shape.
An especially important part of every vintage car (and every car in general) is its interior upholstery. In addition to looking gorgeous, high-quality upholstery also keeps you comfy and safe during your outing. However, there's more to it than just investing in a top-notch Orange County classic car upholstery restoration; you must also properly maintain it.
In previous articles, we explained how to take good care of your classic car and how upholstery restoration is done. Now we'll give you additional upholstery maintenance tips that will help keep your oldtimer's interior in great shape for many years to come. Read on!
How to protect car interior from sun?
Cars in general are vulnerable to heat, but older cars in particular can turn into veritable furnaces when left out in the sun for too long. A car's exterior can reach almost 200 degrees Fahrenheit! Aside from ruining its finish, this kind of heat can severely damage the vehicle's interior as well.
Protect your classic car's interior from the sun by:
Using a garage
The single best way to keep the heat away is to park your cherished oldtimer in a temperature and humidity-controlled garage. If you don't have a garage of your own, consider renting one or using a professional classic car storage facility.
Parking in the shade
While this is a great way to avoid direct sunlight, it won't stop your classic car from reaching high internal temperatures. Always go out of your way to ensure the shade is deep enough and that it won't move during the day and expose your vehicle to harmful UV rays.
Using a windshield sun protector
This is a cheap and effective way to shield your upholstery against direct sunlight. Always remember to use these when, for example, going to the Angel Stadium with your family and leaving your classic car parked outside for a few hours.
Keeping the upholstery squeaky clean
You need to frequently wash, vacuum, and brush your leather upholstery, and then treat the leather with dependable cleaning products that give it lasting protection.
Investing in car seat covers
Using seat covers may seem like it's defeating the purpose of having high-end classic car upholstery, but it's a good way to protect your seats during longer trips. Having the seat covers readily available can also be useful if you can't find any shade and have to leave your car in direct sunlight for a prolonged period of time.
Leaving the windows open
If your vintage car is not at risk of being stolen or having animals get inside it, consider leaving the windows open a notch. This will give the interior of your car some much-needed airflow that will keep the temperatures inside it low.
Who offers top-notch Orange County classic car upholstery restoration?
Whether you've just bought your first muscle car, or you're an experienced vintage vehicle owner, you know the importance of having good upholstery. It looks wonderful, it makes the ride infinitely more comfortable, and it cushions you in case of a collision.
Here at Chimera Motors, we're classic car aficionados just like you. We fully understand how much time, effort, and money you invested in your lovely vintage car. That's why we made it our mission to ensure your oldtimer's upholstery always looks its best.
Visit our shop today, and have your classic car upholstery restored and maintained by the top mechanics in Orange County.
