They say prevention's better than cure. This is a case in point.
I thought Dad was a little pedantic/eccentric when he covered our 1957 FE wherever he went, citing the sun and rain were the worst enemies of any car.
It's now 2020, and the FE has the same 1957 rubbers all round, which is unheard of. Yes, they are tired, but still seal.
Body and paint were attended to by Dad and I, with new "Enamel" in 1970, just before Dad passed away. Paint is still like the day we painted it in 1970 !
IMHO................
Pre 1990 cars (never rust-proofed) cannot tolerate rain like modern cars which are hi-tech rust-proofed.
No pre 1990 car ever made can tolerate the sun. Modern cars are better, but not sun-proof
I'm quite happy to be called eccentric/pedantic knowing my cars are being cared for. 5 minutes covering a car has to be better than fading, rust and deterioration, and un-necessary super-expensive remediation.
Thanks Dad. RIP
Mass production meant original seals HAD to be right since hundreds of thousands were made for each model.
Little wonder "repro" seals don't fit as well (not at all sometimes) since such small runs are made by lesser professionals than those who made ORIGINALS