Long term Hot-Rod storage
Thread Starter
1st Gear
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 1
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Long term Hot-Rod storage
I am looking for some good advice on storing my 69 Convertible and 55 Bel-Air. I am currently active duty Air Force and am getting stationed in Germany. Unfortunately taking my Hot-Rods is not an option (although I would love to run the Stingray on the Nurburgring).
Both cars will be stored in a garage for 3-4 years. Because they will be stored in a rural location in New-England, my main concerns will be rust and rodents. I had people tell me to use lots of mothballs and rodent traps. I also had a mechanic tell me to fill the engine up completely with oil, so everything will sit in an oil bath; mainly to save the valve seals and prevent moisture from getting into the cylinders.
Should I store the Vette with the soft top up, or with the soft top down and the hard top on the car? Any advice is greatly appreciated? Thanks in advance!
Both cars will be stored in a garage for 3-4 years. Because they will be stored in a rural location in New-England, my main concerns will be rust and rodents. I had people tell me to use lots of mothballs and rodent traps. I also had a mechanic tell me to fill the engine up completely with oil, so everything will sit in an oil bath; mainly to save the valve seals and prevent moisture from getting into the cylinders.
Should I store the Vette with the soft top up, or with the soft top down and the hard top on the car? Any advice is greatly appreciated? Thanks in advance!
Pro
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 582
Likes: 1
From: Madison Wisconsin
If you have nice cars and want to keep them that way you need to consider a climate controlled storage not a barn out in the country. Keep them someplace where animals don't have access and where the humidity will be kept below 40 or 30% and then you wont have to worry about corrosion. I have seen rusty coating settle on an entire car in less then 3 months where the humidity was high.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 955
Likes: 50
From: Jersey Shore
If you are looking to be cost effective, the cost of one of those car bubbles would probably be less than paying for 3-4 years of climate controlled storage. Store the vette with the soft top up- with it down for that long, the canvas might wrinkle permanently.
Nice car combo by the way
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Nice car combo by the way
...
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 23,419
Likes: 22
From: In limbo
St. Jude Donor '13-'15, '17 thru '22
Definitely store long-term with the soft top up, nothing bad will happen to the hard top from being off the car.
Pickeling the engine: I have winter stored for as much as 6 months, and never thought it was necessary. If I was storing for a decade, I would definitely do it. I'm not sure where the break point is in there, but if there was a chance that my 3-4 years would turn into 5-7, I think I would go for it.
Putting rat and mouse traps around the car will not keep rodents out of it for 4 years. Is there anyone you could get to stop by your storage every 6 months or so and check on the cars?
Pickeling the engine: I have winter stored for as much as 6 months, and never thought it was necessary. If I was storing for a decade, I would definitely do it. I'm not sure where the break point is in there, but if there was a chance that my 3-4 years would turn into 5-7, I think I would go for it.
Putting rat and mouse traps around the car will not keep rodents out of it for 4 years. Is there anyone you could get to stop by your storage every 6 months or so and check on the cars?
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 857
Likes: 1
From: Morrisonville Illinios
You might want to roll plastic out under the cars to keep some of the moister from passing up to the underside and will allow for more air movement. If you use the moth ***** don't put them in the car but arond them hell whats wrong with taking a box and cutting the side out. I would think about a cover for them to keep some debris and help with the dust. I agree with having some one check them and keep lots of Stabil in the tank and maybe some Marvel Mystery Oil also. It would be nice if you could put them on stands to keep the suspension and tire from going flat if you can't get some one to watch them or start them. How about taking the batterys out if you not starting them.
Good luck and a BIG THANKS for YOUR SERVICE to OUR COUNTRY
Proud parent of one in the ARMY wro87
Good luck and a BIG THANKS for YOUR SERVICE to OUR COUNTRY
Proud parent of one in the ARMY
wro87
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 1,086
Likes: 1
From: Michigan
Put the top up but not latched to keep the tension off it. If it's a manual I have heard that it's a good idea to store the car with the clutch pedal depressed. Fog the engine and put a little Marvel Mystery Oil in the carb, get the tires off the ground or on a soft pad, lube the rubber seals, remove the battery, fill the gas tank to reduce the possibility of condensation forming in the tank, and put in some Stabil in the gas. I would put a full car cover over it to keep dirt, pollutants and UV off the car but some think it's better not to. Change the oil. Old oil contains acids that can pit critical engine part like the crank, cam, etc.
Two to three years isn't like it will be decades so I wouldn't bother filling the engine with oil BUT the best thing you can do after doing the above is to store it in a climate controlled environment. Forget the cold, wet, varmit infested, bug filled barn.
One other thing just occured to me. The WD in WD-40 stands for "water displacement". When I put my boat away for the winter I always spray some WD-40 on a rag and wipe down my engines and other things to prevent rust. You may want to consider wiping down some things like engine paint, bumpers, exhaust manifolds, air cleaner, wheels, mirrors or anything you might think could rust over the years.
Two to three years isn't like it will be decades so I wouldn't bother filling the engine with oil BUT the best thing you can do after doing the above is to store it in a climate controlled environment. Forget the cold, wet, varmit infested, bug filled barn.
One other thing just occured to me. The WD in WD-40 stands for "water displacement". When I put my boat away for the winter I always spray some WD-40 on a rag and wipe down my engines and other things to prevent rust. You may want to consider wiping down some things like engine paint, bumpers, exhaust manifolds, air cleaner, wheels, mirrors or anything you might think could rust over the years.
Last edited by 08vycpe; Oct 16, 2009 at 11:40 AM. Reason: Added WD-40 comment
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 6,001
Likes: 113
From: Saginaw Michigan
This is a very easy trick that makes a lot of sense.
With a V8 engine there is always one cylinder where the intake and exhaust valves are both open. This can allow a free exchange of air up the exhaust pipe into that one cylinder and out the carb (or vise versa). This is why when people talk about a "locked up" engine after long storage, it is always just one cylinder inside the engine that is rusted to the cylinder wall.
I always duct taped plastic baggies over both exhaust pipes and also place a plastic bag over the carburator (or the entire air cleaner).
Fogging the cylinders is still a good practice.
I also used a "Car Jacket" that zipped closed with bags of desicant placed under and inside the car. (I would think that you will need someone to replenish the bags of desicant if you are to be away for 4 years.)
BTW, thank you for serving our country.
Jim
With a V8 engine there is always one cylinder where the intake and exhaust valves are both open. This can allow a free exchange of air up the exhaust pipe into that one cylinder and out the carb (or vise versa). This is why when people talk about a "locked up" engine after long storage, it is always just one cylinder inside the engine that is rusted to the cylinder wall.
I always duct taped plastic baggies over both exhaust pipes and also place a plastic bag over the carburator (or the entire air cleaner).
Fogging the cylinders is still a good practice.
I also used a "Car Jacket" that zipped closed with bags of desicant placed under and inside the car. (I would think that you will need someone to replenish the bags of desicant if you are to be away for 4 years.)
BTW, thank you for serving our country.
Jim
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 8,897
Likes: 1,357
From: Santa Ana CA
How about maybe putting them in a display/museum? There are some active car displays/museums where they will pamper your car while on display and drive it occasionally to keep things running. (Yeah, they carry insurance.)
If your cars are nice and of quality build, you may be able to find such a thing in your area.
If your cars are nice and of quality build, you may be able to find such a thing in your area.
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