Technical Bringing home a classic on salty roads

I live in SE Iowa and being the dead of winter I know it isn't the best time to buy a classic car and get it home, however I don't have a choice if I want it. The guy selling the car wants me to get it if I want it, and I don't want to miss out on the deal. I found a 51 Mercury I plan on getting I will be bringing it home on a car trailer. HOWEVER it has been snowing here the last couple of days and the road salt is on thick. The roads are also wet which I know will create a salty mist behind the truck that I am not excited about. When I get home tonight it will be dark and probably around 9pm. I still think I have to wash it off ASAP but being below freezing not sure how I'm going to get that done. I was told to neutralized the salt put a little backing soda in the water I use but I wasn't sure if that'd be abrasive on the paint? Any one else been stuck with this problem? What did you do?

 

A lot of oil beforehand??
Run as many back roads as practical.

Ben

 

Snow foam the top and an underbody wash. It will soon flush the salt out.

Its survived 70 years so should be fine

 

Get a box trailer.

Chris

 

• Find someone locally (private party racer, rod shop, etc) that has an enclosed car trailer that you could hire to haul the car.
• If you use an open trailer, I'd wrap the car once you get it on the trailer and strapped down. Tyvek style vapor barrier comes in rolls up to 10' wide. I'd unroll it side to side under the car, then pull each side up tight against the rockers, bringing it up to overlap on the roof. Then unroll a length of 5' wide under the car, front to back and pull those up over the hood & trunk to overlap on the roof.
• Then I'd start walking around the car with a 3' roll of clear pallet wrap, starting at the trailer deck, wrapping the tires, sides of the car and working my way up to the roof. That stuff is cheap and clingy like Saran Wrap. Maybe a couple of cheap rolls of duct tape for good measure.

Probably 30 minutes of work, but this should essentially seal the car in a cocoon pretty well even at road speed pretty good.

 

My feelings are exactly the opposite. One day of salt wash is really bad! It will get up in nooks and cranneys and you will try to get it all out at the carwash and you won't. 70 years of age as a pampered classic car is, no comparison to 12 hrs in a salt bath. Any way you could get a inclosed trailer?

 

Road salt becomes corrosive at 38deg and rising. Have you got a warm spot for it? If so do as suggested above, wash it on the trailer. In fact, back the car down ½ way, block it for safety, then take 1 or both ramps off so you can get under and spray wash the living daylights out of it. DO NOT transport the car wrapped up. The flapping cover will beat the shit out of the finish. Even a soft cover does that. All of our stuff are thoroughbred race horses, not a field horse content with a shed and weedy field. Behave accordingly. And news flash, you're still subjected to road salt (in the dust) well thru May. In fact some of the road abrasion year 'round is even more corrosive than salt. And yes, enclosed is best. You're not the only car guy you know.

 

I’d drive it home in the snow if it runs.

I’d have a blast doing doughnuts in parking lots and such.

with a big ole grin.

 

Finished show car or something field fresh?

 

No one mentioned that driving on icy roads could result in a accident, Consider Cob's advice to offer the seller some good faith money to hold the car until the roads are clear. HRP

 

consider this the ramblings of the semi-insane...

If it's really a concern, could you rent an enclosed storage space for a month, maybe two in the seller's locale until you have a better transport situation lined up? I realize it will add some cost, but if you get temp storage, it may ease your mind.

 

Just woke up.
But I was fortunately born with a natural chemical imbalance saving myself untold amounts of cash from not needing drugs.

 

Been there,,,, done that,,,,, got the T'shirt.

 

No offense intended, @anthony myrick. Ahhh, me! Southerners and winter. Since I've moved here, I've always been amazed at the reactions of Southerners and the possibility of snow. "OMG, it may snow tomorrow. Close the schools and businesses and everybody run to the store for milk and bread". Then there's "OMG, it snowed a whole half an inch. Quick, let's run to Walmart to get milk and bread. While we're there, we can do doughnuts in the parking lot". Another thing I've noticed in these situations is that no one ever mentions getting toilet paper.

As for the matter of getting the OP's car home, I'm in the enclosed trailer camp.

 

Refer to Cob's post #3.
Baking soda is used to neutralize acid not salt.

 

Excuse me for the hi-jack buuut.
Come from SE Pa. First trip to Wisc. ( trailer trk'g )
Plowed Snow, banked next to the roads 4 ft high.
At least a half hr 'til dawn, I near my drop address, there on the corner, there's a crowd.
It's the kids waitin' at the school bus stop.
Btw Drag'n a trl in ice and snow, can require a lot more than a wash job to repair...

 

If you really want the car and fully intend to buy it pay the guy in full, do the paperwork with the stipulation you will pick the car up when the weather is better and dry. That doesn’t mean weeks or months but the first time weather permits. Can’t imagine someone would give up a sale for a reasonable request of a few days or week especially if the person is a car guy. If it’s a project car just go get it. If it’s a show car hire someone with an enclosed trailer. If the guy is insistent on it being gone as of change of money I might question why that is so important. I haven’t bought a tremendous amount of cars but never met a seller who wasn’t willing to work with me on pick up or assisting when my arranged transportation arrived.

 

I’m the southern idiot that loves snow.
I usually drive a couple hours to find some when we unfortunately are “spared” when snow comes our way.

but going after cars are fun adventures. Waiting for things to be perfect kinda takes out the danger. The most fun I ever had behind the wheel was an old ford ton truck I bought. Took 4 tires, a fuel pump, coil, carb, gas, oil and tools. We got the front brakes to bleed. Replaced the fuel pump, rigged up a gas tank in what’s was left of the bed. No key so we wired up a household light switch. Dumped some motor oil in the rear that had a blown seal.
Drove it around 225 miles home. No exhaust and no side or back glass.

fun times

 

What kind of car are we talking about here? A complete project car in well prepped bare steel? A finished show car with immaculate paint? An honest driver? A completely rotted pile of shit? The answers to these questions will be what determine the best course of action is, from "go rent an enclosed box" to "F it, just go get it"

 

Absolutely. I have held stuff for months after being paid; and usually the buyer compensated me- without asking.

 

Have seen this scenario played out here in Minnesota.
Always found it ironic that the worriers would fret over the vehicle and salt but thought nothing about taking their $30-80,000 truck and $5-8,000 trailer out in the salt to go get the vehicle

 

What’s the difference between Bonneville salt and yankee road salt?

everyone seems to highly prefer the Bonneville salt and are fine with old cars covered in it.
Just wondering

 

Car is definitely not a POS. It is a quality driver. I have looked around for an closed trailer with no success. I do not have a heated shop, just a normal garage for the car to be in when home. It is 38 degrees here today with no snow currently on the road. It snowed yesterday and they bladed and spread salt. The roads are still damp in spots and I'm just afraid the car will be misted on the way home with road salt. The car was a Texas car and I don't think its ever seen salt and it is the most I have ever paid for a old car and I don't want it ruined. The guy has to move the car from where it is located and he doesn't want to pay storage, also I think he needs the money or he wouldn't be selling it. I was thinking of just bringing it home and power washing it in my driveway tomorrow afternoon. It is supposed to be about 40 and then I'd put it back in the garage till may or so.