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Old Sep 26, 2014 | 06:14 PM
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Default Storing 1970 outside

Hi, I'm new to the forum and have a question here. I inherited a 1970 stingray because my grandfather just passed away. He's had the car ever since I can remember and it was restored fairly recently. So I own a house and the area I live is pretty nice. It's the upscale area that was built in the 50's but it's still real nice. But the problem is that most people including the original owners of this house turned their garages either into part of the house like an extra bedroom or a small apartment. Mine is a large storage area that doesnt have a garage door anymore and its behind the house. So I now have this car and my only option is to park it outside. I was thinking either of buying one of those tent like car ports and a noah car cover or I've seen one of those car port things that are like a garage with 3 sides plus the roof. I live in NM so the weather here is really nice most of the year and doesnt rain much. If a real bad storm is coming I can store the car at a friends, but not more than a few days. And I have no HOA to worry about so that's not an issue. I'd have a metal carport put in but I'm gonna be selling this house next year and this will no longer be a problem. I know in the end this is just a car and it won't melt, I mean there's a 100k Tesla that is a few blocks away and its stored outside 24/7 and they don't have a cover or a car port and I can see it is a daily driver. There's almost no humidity here and it would be covered from the sun whenever its parked at home. So am I worrying needlessly or can I chill out a bit about this? And this car is a coupe not a vert.
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Old Sep 26, 2014 | 06:32 PM
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Originally Posted by mikey9774
Hi, I'm new to the forum and have a question here. I inherited a 1970 stingray because my grandfather just passed away. He's had the car ever since I can remember and it was restored fairly recently. So I own a house and the area I live is pretty nice. It's the upscale area that was built in the 50's but it's still real nice. But the problem is that most people including the original owners of this house turned their garages either into part of the house like an extra bedroom or a small apartment. Mine is a large storage area that doesnt have a garage door anymore and its behind the house. So I now have this car and my only option is to park it outside. I was thinking either of buying one of those tent like car ports and a noah car cover or I've seen one of those car port things that are like a garage with 3 sides plus the roof. I live in NM so the weather here is really nice most of the year and doesnt rain much. If a real bad storm is coming I can store the car at a friends, but not more than a few days. And I have no HOA to worry about so that's not an issue. I'd have a metal carport put in but I'm gonna be selling this house next year and this will no longer be a problem. I know in the end this is just a car and it won't melt, I mean there's a 100k Tesla that is a few blocks away and its stored outside 24/7 and they don't have a cover or a car port and I can see it is a daily driver. There's almost no humidity here and it would be covered from the sun whenever its parked at home. So am I worrying needlessly or can I chill out a bit about this? And this car is a coupe not a vert.
INHO buy the best car cover you can an call it a day. Just make sure the 70 vette is on blacktop or concrete under the cover.

Bill
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Old Sep 26, 2014 | 06:33 PM
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Originally Posted by 1974ta
INHO buy the best car cover you can an call it a day. Just make sure the 70 vette is on blacktop or concrete under the cover.

Bill
It will be on concrete. Think I should bother with the car port?
Any opinions on what the best car cover is?
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Old Sep 26, 2014 | 06:37 PM
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If you don't plan on driving it much, I would rent a storage unit. Can't be more than $40 per month. I wouldn't want to leave it outside with a fresh restoration. JMO
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Old Sep 26, 2014 | 06:41 PM
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I'll actually prob be driving it a lot. I've been waiting to get my hands on this car for a long time.
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Old Sep 26, 2014 | 06:45 PM
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Originally Posted by mikey9774
I'll actually prob be driving it a lot. I've been waiting to get my hands on this car for a long time.
That's great, I would drive the hell out of it too. A Good car cover should do it.
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Old Sep 26, 2014 | 06:49 PM
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The t tops leak a lot, watch out. You may find a bunch of water in the interior after a bad rainstorm...
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Old Sep 26, 2014 | 06:58 PM
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weather here is really nice most of the year and doesnt rain much.
You are lucky. Drive that puppy and SHOW US PICS!
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Old Sep 26, 2014 | 07:03 PM
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I definitely will but I have to get it delivered first. Trying to find a good shipper.
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Old Sep 26, 2014 | 07:08 PM
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Originally Posted by lurch59
The t tops leak a lot, watch out. You may find a bunch of water in the interior after a bad rainstorm...
99.9999999% of C3s will leak under heavy rain. Some will claim theirs won't, but I have yet to see one that does not leak...
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Old Sep 26, 2014 | 07:16 PM
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Originally Posted by chstitans42
99.9999999% of C3s will leak under heavy rain. Some will claim theirs won't, but I have yet to see one that does not leak...
I'll make sure to watch out for that then and I think I'll get the best cover I can find and a car port to block the rain and sun. It really doesn't rain here and when it does it's a real light drizzle for a few mins. Mostly just beautiful sunshine.
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Old Sep 26, 2014 | 07:31 PM
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Originally Posted by mikey9774
I'll make sure to watch out for that then and I think I'll get the best cover I can find and a car port to block the rain and sun. It really doesn't rain here and when it does it's a real light drizzle for a few mins. Mostly just beautiful sunshine.
Mikey, you have to understand the perspective we have. Some of the members store or have stored their C3 Corvettes outside and with the most expensive cover and regular care, it still won't be as good as storing it inside.

I live in the High Desert too, with a similar climate and we also get the wind. And even if it's a wind once in awhile, that is enough to raise the cover and ripple it, drop it, raise it, ripple it, drop it, again and again and any surface dust (read, fine dirt) will be there as the rippling cover pounds it into the paint.

I'd say the vast majority of us, keep them indoors and covered. Even my patina'd looking C3, stays inside. A freshly restored 1970 Corvette will not fare well outside. Maybe a patina'd daily driver, but you'll be knocking off a lot of value as it sits out there. Just saying. Drive it often. Before I got my C3, I had (and still have) my C4 Corvette, a 1995 with a beautiful Torch Red, original Factory paint and when I left my abusive woman, the first thing I did, was find storage for that Corvette. No way is it sitting in 90 degree, 100 degree heat, even under a car cover.

Now I've got the shop and my C4, is 19 years old and the factory paint, still looks brand new.


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Old Sep 26, 2014 | 07:41 PM
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Originally Posted by F22
Mikey, you have to understand the perspective we have. Some of the members store or have stored their C3 Corvettes outside and with the most expensive cover and regular care, it still won't be as good as storing it inside.

I live in the High Desert too, with a similar climate and we also get the wind. And even if it's a wind once in awhile, that is enough to raise the cover and ripple it, drop it, raise it, ripple it, drop it, again and again and any surface dust (read, fine dirt) will be there as the rippling cover pounds it into the paint.

I'd say the vast majority of us, keep them indoors and covered. Even my patina'd looking C3, stays inside. A freshly restored 1970 Corvette will not fare well outside. Maybe a patina'd daily driver, but you'll be knocking off a lot of value as it sits out there. Just saying. Drive it often. Before I got my C3, I had (and still have) my C4 Corvette, a 1995 with a beautiful Torch Red, original Factory paint and when I left my abusive woman, the first thing I did, was find storage for that Corvette. No way is it sitting in 90 degree, 100 degree heat, even under a car cover.

Now I've got the shop and my C4, is 19 years old and the factory paint, still looks brand new.


Ya, and that's what I'm afraid of. The wind really whips here at times and I won't have a garage until next year sometime. I have to have shipping set up within the next week. The rest of my grandfather's estate is being sold off and I was lucky enough to get the car but I only have a limited time to take it. So now I'm looking for my best realistic option. I was thinking something like this would be the best I could do keeping the car at my house until I move.
http://www.acecanopy.com/carport-aut...nt-garage.html
Thats the next best thing to an actual garage and after rigging a cover for the front it would be out of the elements. Which the sand blasting that goes on around here is my biggest concern.
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Old Sep 26, 2014 | 07:54 PM
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I would never keep a C-3 outside. They leak, the humidity will rust all of the metal. Rent a storage unit and drive there to drive your Vette. What state do you live in? Lou.
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Old Sep 26, 2014 | 08:00 PM
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Originally Posted by loup68
I would never keep a C-3 outside. They leak, the humidity will rust all of the metal. Rent a storage unit and drive there to drive your Vette. What state do you live in? Lou.
I live in New Mexico with very low humidity fortunately. And the weather I am worried about like the wind and the sun could possible be blocked out by that tarp type garage. I'll do the storage unit if it doesn't seem that even that will be sufficient.
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Old Sep 26, 2014 | 08:13 PM
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I would worry about the wind blowing dirt and fine sand around. Lou.
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Old Sep 26, 2014 | 08:33 PM
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Originally Posted by mikey9774
. I was thinking something like this would be the best I could do keeping the car at my house until I move.
http://www.acecanopy.com/carport-aut...nt-garage.html
Thats the next best thing to an actual garage and after rigging a cover for the front it would be out of the elements. Which the sand blasting that goes on around here is my biggest concern.
That will do fine where you live. Of course we all want to keep our cars inside but that isnt always an option. As long as you keep it covered it should stay in nice shape.
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Old Sep 26, 2014 | 08:34 PM
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Originally Posted by loup68
I would never keep a C-3 outside. They leak, the humidity will rust all of the metal. Rent a storage unit and drive there to drive your Vette.

It may be a pain to drive back and forth to get your car, but a freshly restored car will show the adverse effects of a year exposed to the elements.
I'd suck it up for the year to preserve the car.
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Old Sep 26, 2014 | 09:05 PM
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I was paying a $100 a month to store my C4 in a storage unit. Thank God, it didn't sit all day long in the elements. It made it a special treat, to go and break the Corvette free, usually by myself or I'd get dropped off. If it's worth it for my C4, what's your C3 worth? That kind of money is kind of a pittance, compared to what you put into keeping them and maintaining them. You'll put far more into that, repairing what happens to it, when the elements shake and bake your car.

It made it a special treat, to go and break the Corvette free, usually by myself or I'd get dropped off.

Now that it's your car, you should be aware, these guys like TLC and lots of care. Expect to spend money on it, sometimes at irregular times, sometimes in bunches. That's part of the ownership experience, believe it or not. Also, you should have either some pretty good mechanical skills, or be willing to learn or have a trustworthy mechanic that you're close with.

If you didn't inherit the FSM, get that and the AIM too. A battery tender is worth having, as well. This forum is another very good resource for everything C3. Congrats on your new C3 and good luck!
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Old Sep 26, 2014 | 11:19 PM
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In 09 I bought my mild custom 69 it had been in an Ohio garage for the last 20 plus years, it was winter when delivered to me here in Orlando, not that out winters are really "winter"
Well, I parked it on the driveway bought a top end cover and just the time it was out of the cover and the fl heat turned a near show car finish into a horror in about 2 years,
and the best covers last only a few years here then turn into paper towels, I would never want a pristine restored car but if I had one given to me I really would spring for both a cover and a carport, do what I could to keep it nice in the respectful memory of gpa...
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