We are excited to share that we have another amazing car restoration project to show you!
This time the vehicle belongs to Toby Lee – a 19 year old Blues Rock artist from Cornwall who has performed in the West End, and shared the stage with a host of stars including Billy Gibbons (ZZ Top), Slash (Guns N’ Roses), McFly, Joe Bonamassa and is currently touring (at the time of writing) alongside Jools Holland and His Rhythm & Blues Orchestra!
About the vehicle

The car is a 1957 Chrysler Saratoga equipped with a 5.8L ‘Spitfire’ V8. When Toby came across the vehicle that he has since named ‘Dion’, he said she had, “patina to die for and a price I couldn’t refuse!”
We completely agree! The patina is beautiful and gives her such character. However, at almost 20ft in length, Toby needed a lot of oil to get Dion protected from any further degradation from the elements. That’s where Owatrol Oil came to mind.
Gallery
Why choose Owatrol Oil?
Owatrol Oil is our versatile, highly-saturating, rust-inhibiting oil and oil-based coatings conditioner.
When used as a rust inhibitor, Owatrol Oil penetrates deep into the treated surface and drives out excess moisture and air. This stops rust dead in its tracks and provides a tough yet flexible finish. This allows for the surface to then be overcoated as paints can firmly adhere to it, or equally, can be left as a clear protective coat.
Available in a wide variety of sizes, from 125ml to 20 litres and suitable for both internal and external uses, Owatrol Oil is a versatile product that everyone should have in their toolkit.
Testimonial
Here’s what Toby had to say about using Owatrol Oil for this project:
Why did you decide to use Owatrol Oil for this project?
I decided to use Owatrol for this project as I’m intending to use the car in all weathers. I live down by the sea in Cornwall and the salt air really does affect cars very quickly if they are not protected in the right way.
Previously, I had an old 1960’s VW Bus that had previously been taken down to bare metal and left to rust to give it a heavy patina look. However, it just looked very dry and raw and I knew that if I clear-coated straight over the rust, it would end up breaking back through the clearcoat as it carries on rusting underneath.
After some research, it turns out that Owatrol was offering everything that I was looking for!
Where did you first hear about Owatrol Oil?
I’d actually heard about it through it being used on old tractors to protect the original patina and paint. A lot of farmers would just do the oily rag trick to temporarily protect it but it wasn’t long-term.
Whereas Owatrol offered the same kind of effect but with a longer lasting and durable finish. It was so great that it works as a rust inhibitor too!
How much did you need for this project?
For my 1957 Chrysler Saratoga V8, I only needed to use a quarter of a 1L can which I was amazed with as a little bit really did go a long way.
As the car has spent most of its life scorching in the Texas sun it was very dry, so I’m intending to keep adding coats until it’s completely absorbed into the whole car. I like the fact that the finish of the vehicle can be altered due to how much Owatrol Oil you use i.e the more coats, the heavier and glossier the finish etc.
How did you apply it?
I actually applied it in a few ways. Mostly by using a sponge as I wanted to have something that would absorb as much Oil as possible so that I could cover a bigger surface area. I also used a microfibre cloth and a small brush to get into the hard to reach areas.
Anything else you would like to add?
I highly recommend this product to anyone that wants to protect their car. Now I can be driving out on the road for years to come, without worrying about it deteriorating in the British climate. It’s a very user friendly product that anyone can use and it’s a very satisfying process too.
It gives old tired paint its richness back and a nice sheen to match! I’ll be sure to carry on using this on my future and current projects.
Also if there is anything that you are unsure of, the team are so friendly and happy to help with any questions. Super helpful if you haven’t used this product before!
A huge thank you to Toby for the trust in using Owatrol Oil for this amazing project. We’re so happy that you love the final result! You can learn more about Toby Lee on his website, or follow his car projects, including this 1957 Chrysler Saratoga V8, on his car related Instagram page. All images credited to Toby Lee.
If you have a project that you have finished with Owatrol Oil or any other Owatrol product, please get in touch – we would love to feature you! Simply send a few images our way via email or one of our social media channels listed below and we will be in contact.
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