I need some help on the best methods of keeping my Corvette in top condition during the winter months (i.e., products to use in engine, how often to drive, etc.)

I live in Portland, OR and need to keep my Corvette at my mom's house outside in the driveway so my mom can park in the garage. I have already purchased a cover from Mid America Designs and use that currently. I need to know what other treatments will keep my car safe and ready for Spring.

Are there any reccomendations for how to keep the moisture factor at a minimum? We get more rain than any city would ever need and I am worry that upon evaporation it will attack the metal underbody.

What about keeping the engine from being damaged? What type of engine treatments work well? And what about the battery losing its charge? I am getting a twist-off connector for it that cuts the juice. Is that enough?

How often should I drive her? Will keeping a cover on it eventually damage the paint?

I know I am asking a lot, but I never have had a car that I care about as much as I do for this one, nor have I ever had to store one for months on end.

Dave

 

Dave, I had my show car camaro outside for 2 years. You need to get a xtrabond 100% waterproof car cover. It has vents and will keep the car moister free. They last exactly 1 year. Autobarn.com sells them. I have tried other more expensive one's that the water seeps through after a month. Also put a bungee cord under the car in front of the front tire and in back of the back tire. This will prevent it from fling off at high winds and a cable with a lock in the middle. Also buy wheel covers. I got mine from harbor freight. They will prevent the wheels from getting rusty and the tires from drying out in the sun. If you have any chrome under the hood i would put a light coat of grease or otherwise it will bubble. Take the battery out and put it on a trickle charger in the garage. Eric

 

Thanks for the tips. About how much will the cover cost? I invested $100 in the one I have now, but I'll do whatever I have to in order to keep my car safe. What about engine treatment? Any ideas? The cover I have now seems to completely keep the car dry. I am really worried about the ground getting wet and the moisture attacking the underboby.


[Modified by 19vette79, 1:50 PM 12/23/2003]

 

Dave. On autobarn.com i think they are 45 or 50 dollars. This cover has 3 vents so it will not hold mositure. The vents will not allow rain in either. It is a very good design. I never added any engine treatment for storage but slick 50 i know is pretty good for cold starts.

 

I also put tarps underneath the car since i was parking on gravel.

 

So I am parking on a downhill slope which will make it difficult to put a tarp down and then drive over it and park. Will I be able to lay tarps or something else under the car once it's parked that will keep the chassis from absorbing the water and rusting?

 

I was told just to change the oil and put a gas treatment in I think the stuff I used was called stabil. I parked mine over a large tarp to reduce moisture from the ground. I also put little jars of moth ***** around the engine to keep varments out, those moisture bags(little bean bag things that absorb moisture) in the interior and dryer sheets are away of keeping out mice w/o the moth ball smell. I was told starting the car will introduce moisture to the engine and it was better to not start it till spring. It was also recommended to put the car up on jack stands to relive stress on the bearings ( although that may not work for you on a hill). This is my 1st year of storage luckily I have it in a garage but it's not heated and buried in snow in the NW hills of CT...hope this helps

 

If you are parking on cement or blacktop I would not worry about tarps. If you are parking in gravel or grass you can put tent steaks to hold the tarps down.

Eric

 

I suppose with parking on a slope this won't help, but only having one garage space and now two cars to store (67 Camaro and a 75 Vette), I choose to put up one of those temp garages (glorified tent) along with a car cover and tarps on the ground to store the Camaro in. That and moth ***** under the hood, in the trunk and inside too to keep the critters away. I actually wrapped the tarps up around the car with straps over the top of the car cover to keep any moisture on the ground from running/sitting under the car.

Of course change the oil and filter, fill the gas tank, add some stabil to the gas and run it long enough to get the treated gas up into the carb. I also add about 10 extra lbs of air in the tires to help prevent any flat spots. Don't know if this helps, but it couldn't hurt! :yesnod:

Hope this helps. Happy Holidays!

:seeya

 

I parked my car outside over the winter for 3 seasons (lost garage space). Besides a good cover, my suggestion is varmit protection. I ended up with mice living in the frame, and they stripped out a good amount of insulation from the transmission tunnel. This was almost 10 years ago, and there is still a foul stench when I turn on the ventilation system. I even pulled the dash and cleaned inside the ventilation system as best I could.
:U

 

Thanks for all your suggestions. It's been sitting for about a month so far with no treatments other than the cover, so I'm guessing that nothing has happened yet, but I'll be sure to take care of it ASAP. I had no idea that rodents could even be a problem, so I'm glad I asked. I have not seen many mice in my area other than those that my cat brings home to show off, so they are not rampant but still there. Thanks to you all for the ideas. I can't wait for spring.

 

I have never priced a public indoor storage facility, but that would be my 1st choice.

 

Don't forget to fog your engine and then do not start it again till spring also use cut up bars of irish spring soap in your car to keep the mice out.I place the soap on paper plates. I would also stuff rags into your tail pipes to stop the mice from using your mufflers as a home. I also put soap in the engine compartment you could also use moth ***** under the hood but not in the inside of your car to strong of a smell and it takes forever to get rid of the stink stick to the soap in there.


[Modified by Rick68, 6:08 PM 12/26/2003]