4-layer non-woven construction cover for Petersen's car museum
September 07, 2012 - United States Of America
The world-reknowned Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles can display only a portion of their vast collection at any given time. Hundreds of fabulous classic cars are kept in storage when not on display, and managing vehicle storage is a never-ending job.
Museum Collection Manager Tom Kenney says, “In our outer perimeter storage areas, where the environment is less than pristine, we use covers to keep dust, greasy air, and particulate matter (from exhausts and general environmental fallout) from settling on the finishes. In the past, we’ve relied on the softness of a flannel-type cover, but found that very fine dust particles pass through that fabric and onto the car. After several weeks, the car gets dirty under the cover so, when you remove it, you’re actually pulling a very fine, abrasive layer of dust across the car’s surface.”
“Some of our cars sit for months, so the accumulated dirt becomes a serious issue. Also, it’s not just the paint that gets soiled, but the chrome and other plated parts begin to “bloom” because of the contaminants in the environment. We also use car covers at car shows/concours, as more show organizers are requesting that participating vehicles be placed on the show field the day before the show. Again, contaminants from the air, trees, birds, etc., can affect our car, and overnight moisture from the ground causes other issues with the car’s cosmetics. A good cover minimizes the risk of damage.”
Covercraft suggested DUSTOP for this task, as its 4-layer non-woven construction is specifically designed to assure that any car it covers will be as clean when it is uncovered as it was when rotated into storage. DUSTOP’s outer layer is tough, yet still relatively soft, and underneath it are breathable layers of material designed to keep out dust, dirt, and airborne chemical fallout. The inner-most layer is super-soft high-loft spunbond, to pamper and protect the car’s paint and plated surfaces. DUSTOP’s four layers combine to create a bit of a cushion, helping resist minor dings and dents as museum staff and equipment circulate around the covered cars.
Covercraft currently has over 80,000 patterns in their library, but some of Petersen’s exotic vehicles, like the one-off Jonckheere-bodied 1925 Rolls-Royce Phantom I Aerodynamic Coupe, required special pattern measuring, an easy task using Covercraft’s dimension sheet which specifies all the required measurements.