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Winter storage for your car
How many of us store are "babies" during the winter months? Nothing is more disheartening then to find your pride and joy, musty or inoperative after that long winter. Here are a few trips that might help in preserving that car during those "bad" months.
The Preparation.
A good rule of thumb about preparing your car, is to prepare it as if you were going to a concours show. Wash and wax it thoroughly. Make sure to remove all that excess wax and polish compound. What is soft today will be hard tomorrow. Wash the undercarriage and detail the engine compartment. You want to be able to serve the royal family from the engine bay. A clean engine compartment will definitely help you find any leaks that may spring over the winter. Vacuum the interior and remove all loose objects. Yes, the floor mats too. If there is any dirt ground into the carpet, wash that section of the carpeting.
Change the oil, and antifreeze. Most Antifreeze will corrode the radiator and leave nice little desposits of "gunk" elsewhere. Do a complete lube job to all of the appropriate areas. I also like to grease up the steel half shafts and drive shafts on older vettes. This prevents these areas from developing a nice coat of rust; but if they are painted this is not necessary. Make sure all of the vital fluids are full and contaminent free. Fill the gas tank to the top,then add a fuel stabilizer(stabil) and top off the tank.
Check the specific gravity of the Antifreeze. Change the battery. Keep an older battery in the car over the winter. Keep the original on a trickle charger over the winter. A battery in the car comes in handy if an emergency forces you to move it. (If you do not show your car, leave in your original battery)
The Garage
The ideal garage is heated, but how many of us have one of those. A good second choice is one with a wooden floor and no windows around the vehicle, having the vehicle near a garage door is helpful. Wood works real well when you want to control moisture and minimalize the flat spots on the tires. (yes wood really helps, trust me). The concrete floored garage is a good third place, as with the second choice, try to avoid storing near a window.
After selecting your ideal garage and its ideal spot, you will need to prepare the parking area for your car. Place a tarp equal to the dimensions of your car on the concrete. Slightly elevate the tarp by placing rolls of paper or wood under it. (if you use paper treat it with rat poison) This permits some of the condensation to collect on the underside of the tarp, paper with further absorb some of that condensation. On top of the tarp elevate pieces of cardboard (to further absorb moisture). You are now ready to drive the car onto you storage area.
The Storage
Drive the car onto your storage area. Allow car to run for at least 1/2 hour before shutting off. Prior to shutting off the engine spray an oil mist into the intake. This should be enough to coat the intake with oil. If you want further protection remove the spark plugs and spray oil into each one. Re-install the spark plugs when finished.
Interior
Place silicon absorbant packets inside the Car. Make sure that you place these packets onto plastic lids because the gel may stain the carpeting. Place mothballs on the lids with the silicon packets. The moth balls will deter rodents. Finally place a "pine tree" deodorizor inside the car. (gotta overcome that smell of mothballs) Close up the car, leaving the doors unlocked and the windows cracked at least 1 inch (this permits the interior to breath). Make sure that you pop the hood.
The Engine Compartment
After the engine cools, add a few silicon packs on lids, and some moth balls. Close the hood, but do not permit it to latch. Circulation is also important here to prevent condensation. Cover the exhaust ports with spray can caps. Rodents and other vermin think tis is a cool place to live. These caps fit perfectly, just remember to take them off when you start the car.
The Exterior
Leave the car resting on its tires, Or a full set of spares. If an emergency happens it is easier to move a car on tires then on blocks. Emergencies do happen. Also the suspension was design to be the part of the car that holds the car off of the ground, not the frame. Cover the car with a car cover, preferably a 3 layer type like Wolf. If you just have one of those polyester types, place a blanket between it and the car. Your Car is now stored, just leave the keys in a convenient area, incase someone needs to drive the car out in an emergency.
