Storing your Corvette for the Winter
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: Sep 2018
Posts: 12
Likes: 4
From: Florida
Storing your Corvette for the Winter
Hello all!
I thought it would be nice to get a list of tips and suggestions for storing your C3 for the Winter if you are not lucky enough to live in a warm climate.
For example, if you have a convertible, do you store your car with the top up or the top down?
Excited to see what you all have to say!
I thought it would be nice to get a list of tips and suggestions for storing your C3 for the Winter if you are not lucky enough to live in a warm climate.
For example, if you have a convertible, do you store your car with the top up or the top down?
Excited to see what you all have to say!
Racer
Joined: Aug 2018
Posts: 380
Likes: 170
From: Erath County Texas
This will be my first winter with a Vette ... but I will approach it like I do my RV. Keep it running. it may not move out of the shop, but it'll run no less frequently than once/two weeks.
This is what I did with my 61 Impala before I sent her to the resto shop.
This is what I did with my 61 Impala before I sent her to the resto shop.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 2,666
Likes: 289
From: Spring Park MN
I store with the top up on my Vert. I fill the fuel tank with gas and one bottle of Stabil and one bottle of Seafoam. I drain the float bowls. I run an unvented gas cap and have the tank vent closed off so the tank is sealed. I actually have a solenoid on my tank vent that opens when the ignition is on and closed whenever it is off. It's also a good idea to change the oil and then drive the car long enough to get the engine and exhaust up to full temp to get any moisture out of the engine and exhaust system. I usually drive it for at least an hour and then stop at a station to dump in the Stabil and Seafoam and then fill the tank full.
Mike
Mike
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 19,294
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From: Charlotte NC
I now live in North Carolina and are winters here are not as bad as up there but I can say that ignoring your car is just asking for trouble....regardless of what stuff you do or put in the different systems to keep them in good condition.
But people will do as they wish.
IF the convertible top is DOWN when it gets cold it will stay DOWN...if it is up it stays UP but I might release it from the rear. When I go to secure the top in the UP position when it gets warms..i make sure the vinyl is heated up before I go and try to move it or you can have problems.
DUB
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Racer
Joined: Sep 2017
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Might also want to put some drops of Peppermint Oil on a cotton ball and place around the floor of the car. It does dry out and have to be reapplied every so often though. Like Irish Spring soap and dryer sheets it smells strong and hopefully will be unpleasant for those damn mice and encourage them to not get in or leave before they can do damage.
Administrator
Joined: Jul 2000
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 3,225
Likes: 667
From: Northeast
I placed Irish Spring in the car one year based on recommendations here and on other forums. Returned to find a critter ate part of the Irish Spring chunks that were spread around. In a google search apparently it works for some and not others. I returned to putting dryer sheets in the car, engine compartment, and so far have been lucky. Parked the car in storage yesterday morning, full tank of gas and disconnected the battery just in time because we got 4 inches of snow in the afternoon. 
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2016
Posts: 954
Likes: 442
From: Dutchess county New York
I read that on this forum a while ago and was skeptical but tried it down in the storage shed. Tired of poop all over everything. Works well and smells nice!
Used a cheese grater and a couple of bars and put the stuff in little plastic cups.
People like to use mothballs but gawd, who can stand that smell? There's a guy at local shows that packs his cars with them and I can tell he's there long before I see him.
Used a cheese grater and a couple of bars and put the stuff in little plastic cups.
People like to use mothballs but gawd, who can stand that smell? There's a guy at local shows that packs his cars with them and I can tell he's there long before I see him.
Last edited by pigfarmer; Nov 16, 2018 at 12:47 PM.
Administrator
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From: About 1100 miles from where I call home.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2006
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From: Piedmont Va
St. Jude Donor '11-'12-'13,'19-'20
Fill up the gas, add dry-gas, change oil, attach battery tender, put the cover on, let it sit! Never had a mouse problem. My garage is pretty well sealed up and we have two tabby's. We never get through a winter without a handful of 50* sunny days. On a few of these the cover comes off and out for a spin we go. I dont start em to just let em run. More bad than good there imo!
Last edited by CheezMoe; Nov 16, 2018 at 11:58 PM.
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 1,765
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From: Catlett VA
Small ultrasonic plug-in pest repellers have been on the market for a couple years. I had a mouse problem in a storage area for years until I put one of the ultrasonic devices there. Range appears to be about 20-30 feet. My dog does not seem to hear anything, but the frequency must be high enough mice do not like the sound and stay away. I'm going to order another one to put in my garage to keep the critters away. I tried the irish spring soap method and mice still came around.
Administrator
Joined: Jul 2000
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From: About 1100 miles from where I call home.
I got in the habit of the Bounce sheets and spring traps (that work real well) after an oddly busy mouse winter. I live near woods but never had a mouse problem before.
Turned out my wife had left bird/squirrel food bags unsealed in the garage and the mice came a running. After I’d cleaned up and caught a few in traps, we removed the food entirely from the area and the mice essentially vanished, so the best action vs mice is no food of any kind to attract them.
Turned out my wife had left bird/squirrel food bags unsealed in the garage and the mice came a running. After I’d cleaned up and caught a few in traps, we removed the food entirely from the area and the mice essentially vanished, so the best action vs mice is no food of any kind to attract them.