Proper winter storage

[mrmustang]

Originally Posted by Tim7139

Out of curiosity, what do you folks, particularly above the Mason Dixon line, do for winter storage? Any under the radar techniques being used?

Simple solutions I used to use for my concours trailered show car(s):

For garage space prep
1: 10X20 HD plastic tarp
2: 2-4X8 sheets of 1/2" plywood
3: 4 scrap pieces of carpet
4: Decent (soft) car cover

Place tarp on floor to prevent ground moisture from wicking up from the concrete/dirt floor. Place 2 sheets of plywood on top of the tarp, scrap carpet where the tires will be. Do your maintenance on the car (ask if you are not certain), park it on the prepped storage spot, remove or disconnect the battery (a quality trickle charger will do if you do not want to remove the battery from the car). Throw the cover on (after cleaning the car), and forget about it until spring.

Yes, it is that simple.


Bill S.

[motordean]

Originally Posted by mrmustang

Simple solutions I used to use for my concours trailered show car(s):

For garage space prep
1: 10X20 HD plastic tarp
2: 2-4X8 sheets of 1/2" plywood
3: 4 scrap pieces of carpet
4: Decent (soft) car cover

Place tarp on floor to prevent ground moisture from wicking up from the concrete/dirt floor. Place 2 sheets of plywood on top of the tarp, scrap carpet where the tires will be. Do your maintenance on the car (ask if you are not certain), park it on the prepped storage spot, remove or disconnect the battery (a quality trickle charger will do if you do not want to remove the battery from the car). Throw the cover on (after cleaning the car), and forget about it until spring.

Yes, it is that simple.


Bill S.

Perfect suggestion..... OR, just drive it once a week!

[cycleguy55]

Originally Posted by motordean

Perfect suggestion..... OR, just drive it once a week!

Right, because that's a viable option for those in the frozen north. Even if I could fit winter tires, an open cockpit doesn't seem like a good idea when the temperature is -20 deg. C, the snow is falling and the wind is howling.

[motordean]

Originally Posted by cycleguy55

Right, because that's a viable option for those in the frozen north. Even if I could fit winter tires, an open cockpit doesn't seem like a good idea when the temperature is -20 deg. C, the snow is falling and the wind is howling.

Didn't realize how cold you got there....up here for the most part you will catch above freezing temperatures almost every week at some point. With the heat on and the tourneau on it is toasty in mine! Good luck with whatever you decide.

[cycleguy55]

Originally Posted by motordean

Didn't realize how cold you got there....up here for the most part you will catch above freezing temperatures almost every week at some point. With the heat on and the tourneau on it is toasty in mine! Good luck with whatever you decide.

Actually, our winter extremes get much colder than that. I believe last winter we got as low as about -38 deg. C, but I recall winter lows in the range of -42 deg C. With the wind chill it's been down to the -60 deg. C range on occasion. Any time the wind chill gets into the -40 deg. C / -40 deg. F range there are lots of wind chill warnings and, generally, they cancel rural school bus routes and some services like garbage collection (hydraulics don't work well in those temperatures). Most other things carry on, however, as everything would grind to a halt if we shut down every time it got below -20 deg. C. We have even had stretches of two weeks (or so) where the daily high never got above -20 deg. C.

The good news is that it's a dry cold. Yeah, that's it.

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by cycleguy55

We have even had stretches of two weeks (or so) where the daily high never got above -20 deg. C.

The good news is that it's a dry cold. Yeah, that's it.

Wait a minute, Saskatchewan... isn't that where the Abominable Snowman lives?

[cycleguy55]

Originally Posted by patrickt

Wait a minute, Saskatchewan... isn't that where the Abominable Snowman lives?

Nope, it's too damned cold here in winter for him. I think he headed to the left, er, West coast.

[Tim7139]

Originally Posted by mrmustang

Simple solutions I used to use for my concours trailered show car(s):

For garage space prep
1: 10X20 HD plastic tarp
2: 2-4X8 sheets of 1/2" plywood
3: 4 scrap pieces of carpet
4: Decent (soft) car cover

Place tarp on floor to prevent ground moisture from wicking up from the concrete/dirt floor. Place 2 sheets of plywood on top of the tarp, scrap carpet where the tires will be. Do your maintenance on the car (ask if you are not certain), park it on the prepped storage spot, remove or disconnect the battery (a quality trickle charger will do if you do not want to remove the battery from the car). Throw the cover on (after cleaning the car), and forget about it until spring.

Yes, it is that simple.


Bill S.

In you're neck of the woods, I suspect that's just fine. In my neck of the woods, it's insufficient, unfortunately.

[Tim7139]

I guess. Should have asked what the guys in snow country believe the major storage issue tends to be, or the big issues.

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by Tim7139

I guess. Should have asked what the guys in snow country believe the major storage issue tends to be, or the big issues.

Is she going to be inside some sort of garage, barn, or the like? Or is she outside?

[1985 CCX]

FYI

Light on mothballs and heavy on standard scented dryer sheets... Keeps the mice away!

[rodneym]

Pat,
Was the bag a joke or do you really use one?

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by rodneym

Pat,
Was the bag a joke or do you really use one?

I really do. It absolutely eliminates any rusting over the winter -- the rotors are as shiny coming out as they were going in. It also eliminates the "ding danger" of, say, dropping a broom or snow shovel on it accidentally.

EDIT -- I put 'er in around Thanksgiving, and take 'er out around Easter. Every few years there's one or two days in between that would have been nice to drive, but usually the roads are covered in that snow melt stuff that the transportation department puts down anyway.

[Tim7139]

Originally Posted by patrickt

Is she going to be inside some sort of garage, barn, or the like? Or is she outside?

Outside??? WTF? Seriously, what bag are you using, out of curiosity. The weather looks pretty crummy up here most of the time from here on out so, actually, I bagged it last night and plugged everything in.
I've had several before and they've worked great, now the 14' car capsule is about perfect.

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by Tim7139

Outside??? WTF?

I mean like an outside garage that will go down to below zero. Really, the only things you absolutely have to guard against are the temperatures dropping below your antifreeze level, vermin, gooing up your gas, and surface rust from the temperatures going up and down around your condensation points. Even on a "kind of heated" inside garage, this is what I use: CarBag - Protective Jackets for Storing Your Car or Motorcycle. Made in the USA. I'm actually on my second one. One year I had a brake fluid leak that dumped a sizable amount of brake fluid in to the bottom of the bag, so, obviously, it couldn't even be reused. Yep, that was a pissssser.... Antifreeze, Stabil, and a Car Bag with desiccant and your car will come out exactly the way she went in.

[Tim7139]

I got you, I'm sure those provide protection but probably not enough up around here.
IMHO you've got to have something with an air exchange system. The issue is that in mid/ late winter when you get major temp change drops at night, you get lots of condensation on metal, particularly metal in closed systems.....like inside engines, etc. the exchange systems, with fans purge moist air....keep air moving...pretty much crush corrosion on bare metal, fasteners, etc.
One of the principle reasons I started this was to see if anybody subscribes to the engine bump, valve spring relief thoughts, anybody ever have issues?

[mrmustang]

Originally Posted by Tim7139

In you're neck of the woods, I suspect that's just fine. In my neck of the woods, it's insufficient, unfortunately.

This worked in the northeast (various unheated garages in NJ/PA for 25+ years without an issue). I got the idea from a few people in VT,Maine, CT, Illinois, Utah and a host of other areas of the country, seems to work for them as well, long and short term.

Where exactly are you located that it will not work for you?


Bill S.

[mikeylikesit]

but thank God I don't live in Buffalo!!

Although its not as cold here as cycle guy 55, (he has it just about as bad as it gets where he is), except it is a little drier there then where I am.
I am storing my SPF in unheated garage with concrete floor, and here is my routine:
I am flushing and changing out my coolant because its not up to enough freeze protection....and it needs doing anyways.
Changing oil and filter
Filling tank and adding stabilizer.
6 mil vapor barrier on garage floor.
Remove battery and charge and bring indoors
Tires up to max pressure
I purchased a car bag after talking to many folks who use them in my neck of the woods. As long as you have enough and good quality dessicant, their will be zero moisture accumulation in the bag, and car, (as Mr Mustang says, will come out looking as you put it away). BTW you need a soft car cover to be placed before you close her up in the bag...
Spread the dessicant throught the interior, trunk etc.
Stuff cloth rag in headers and then wrap ends with plastic and rubber band.
Leave doors, trunk lid and engine hood slightly open so as not to have seals compressed while she sits all winter.
Do not start the engine or open the bag all winter....if you have to open her up, you will need to add additional dessicant.
I am changing my tires next spring so I am not concerned about flatspotting,
however next winter I will purchase some of the storage discs for tires that support them all the way around instead of then sitting.
I am feeling very comfortable that she will winter just fine.

Regards
Mike

[Tim7139]

Originally Posted by cycleguy55

Nope, it's too damned cold here in winter for him. I think he headed to the left, er, West coast.

Originally Posted by mrmustang

This worked in the northeast (various unheated garages in NJ/PA for 25+ years without an issue). I got the idea from a few people in VT,Maine, CT, Illinois, Utah and a host of other areas of the country, seems to work for them as well, long and short term.

Where exactly are you located that it will not work for you?


Bill S.

Syracuse....I guarantee you it will not work, I've got 30 plus years storing this stuff.
Over time fasteners will go. Over time you will get that nice powdery aluminum corrosion that is virtually impossible to remove.
What many do not appreciate is that parts and pieces begin to deteriorate and after several seasons.....bingo.....where did all this come from. This is not my opinion, it's proven science, surpassed only by dry heated storage.

[mrmustang]

Originally Posted by Tim7139

Syracuse....I guarantee you it will not work, I've got 30 plus years storing this stuff.
Over time fasteners will go. Over time you will get that nice powdery aluminum corrosion that is virtually impossible to remove.
What many do not appreciate is that parts and pieces begin to deteriorate and after several seasons.....bingo.....where did all this come from. This is not my opinion, it's proven science, surpassed only by dry heated storage.

Syracuse, GO BIG ORANGE!!!!!


You would be surprised to know that it works well there (and Ithaca, and even 1 mile off the southern end of Seneca Lake in the WGI area). If you follow the plastic tarp on the floor, and the plywood over it, it will work for you as well.

Bill S.