Well its almost time.... very cold this morning on the way in. I'll be storing my 77 in a garage about 2 hours from my house. I check the tech tips and did a search but didn't find answers to the usual questions that pop up this time of year. Maybe you can piont me to the answers!

Battery tender vs disconnect
Fuel stabilizer, yes or no?
Where to place the blocks to get the tires up?
Cinder blocks vs jack stands?
Can I sit the car on blocks on the frame all winter every year?
Does covering the car trap moisture?

When my family stored a boat we used to run the motor at light throttle and spray this carb fog into the carb until the motor stalled. It was supposed to line the intake and carb and prevent moisture build up I guess. It always started in the spring and burped blue smoke for 5 minutes.

Any other tips or tricks?

Thanks

 

During the winter go say hello to her lets say every 2 months and run the engine 1/2 hours - and if automatic put on drive for sometime also.

 

What if you cannot visit it?
What is the proper storage technique?

 

Here's my opinion...

Battery tender vs disconnect - I like the battery tenders. Disconnecting your battery is OK, but it's not good to let it drain down.

Fuel stabilizer, yes or no? - If you talk to petroleum engineers, they say that gasoline from most refineries is fine for about a year. It doesn't hurt to put in stabilizer if you are concerned.

Where to place the blocks to get the tires up? Just behind front wheels and just ahead of rear wheels.

Cinder blocks vs jack stands? - Whichever is more stylish in your part of the world...

Can I sit the car on blocks on the frame all winter every year? - Sure!

Does covering the car trap moisture? - I think this depends on the type of car cover and the environment. I use a car cover that is fabric (i.e. porous to moisture) which won't trap moisture. I also don't cover it all the way - only to about the bottom of the body. The benefit of fabric is that it keeps dust off the paint and inside. There are people who put their cars in plastic bags with dessicant inside (moisture absorbant material). This is probably extreme, but it seems you are in a humid place. Here, the humidity is about 5% average in the winter. I also try to start my car every two weeks.

 

If you don't store the car in a bag.........make sure you put a sheet of plastic underneath the car to keep the moisture off the frame of the car. I store my car in a bag and remove the battery due to the gas vapors. I also leave the hood, doors and t-tops unlatched so the rubber seals are not compressed. I also rub the rubber seals with silicone prior to storage. I fill the gas tank so there is no condensation in the tank. Everything is cleaned of all mud and dirt.... just to name a few. Of course, if I lived in florida I'd store the car in plywood... just kidding.......Good luck with Hurricane Jeanne to all of you Florida Corvette owners.....

 

Silly question. Is it better to have the car on jack stands than sit on the tires?

 

Ship it to me in louisiana and next spring i will ship it back and you will not have to worry about cold weather.will be in the 90's again next week

 

Do NOT put your car up on blocks. This twists the suspension bushings to an unnatural position.

I have no idea where the old myth of putting cars on blocks came from (possibly falt spotting of tires) but there is no benefit in doing so.

Do NOT run the engine just for the fun of it. We all know that most engine wear comes from starting and running cold engines, so why do it? Each start also will just run the engine through a heat cycle that will induce more condensation.

Leave it sit without starting until you're in a position to take it out for a good long drive.

My toys get put away in November and I don't touch them until April. Never had a problem in 30+ years of doing this.

 

I would use a small battery tender charger thing. I killed my battery last time. It was a crappy interstate that the previous owner put in it. I put stabilizer in after 6 months because I sort of forgot. It runs still on that gas after about two years. Gas will, just matters on how well. I don't see the point in starting the car every once in a while. Why bother with those hard cold starts? It is just causing excess wear. Maybe squirt some MMO in the cylinders if you're really worried about rust in there. But I still don't see the point.

 

I live on Vancouver Island canad lost of rain in the winter.For storage my vete is in my garage. I start my car up every saturday morning bring it up yo running temp move it back and forth a little then shut it off I have done this process for years and I have never had any problems with it and it is always ready to go when spring arrives.I enjoy my saturday mornings with my vette it is the one day in the week I dont have to thing about work or any other problems of the world.Just me my vette and a coffee Thats what I do for 6 months of the year.

 

Mike,
The blocks thing goes back to the 1950s when cars had nylon belts. That is really long gone. The tires did develop flat spots. I was in Whitehorse, Yukon at that time and there was a rumpity-rump drive after a very cold night (-45F). But with modern tire technology that is old school.

I store my 1967 in a large commercial garage for about $100/month, October through April. The temp is about 60F constant owing to the size of the building (huge) and moderate heating. The vehicle is covered and fired up once each month to operating temp by the professional personnel. That has been my routine for well over a decade and it works fine for me. I say good-bye in late October and Hello in April. I have visitation but no repair rights. The car just basically sleeps as I do not visit.

The subject is timely. I received a call yesterday from the garage to confirm my 2004-2005 reservation. Damn, the summers are so short! That prompted me to burn off about $20.00 of Sunoco 240 today. Loved it!

 

Thought I'd mention that I have storage space available in the Chicago area. I have a 3200 sq. ft. insulated building on concrete,with electric, water and heat(usually don't use it). Rural/residential area. Paved roads. Very quiet area about 20 miles south of Chicago. I only charge $30 month. I don't do this for the money, but to help out fellow car guys. Have a hoist available for that final oil change or undercarriage cleanup. Have space for about 6 more cars. This is where my own 3 Vettes spend the entire year.
As a side note, my Vettes spend the winter up on jacks inside carcapsules. Don't start them until the spring. Been doing this with my 79 for 20 years now, altho not in the capsule till 2 years ago. I also change the oil, but I just refill the filter at this time. I put the rest of the oil in just before startup.
Mike

 

Fuel stabilizer? No, not if you're only storing it over winter. Fill the tank with gas.
Blocks? Don't raise the car. If you are worried about flat spots (not likely over winter) put rims with old tires on the car. The reason I don't like raising the car is that if there was ever a fire you can grab the popcorn and watch your car burn. You can't move it. On tires you can push it out if need be. besides, the suspension was made to carry the weight of the car.
Car cover? Sure. Use a quality one. One that "breathes". Make sure you clean the car like you're going to a show. If your area is humid, put charcoal bricketts in a pie plate and place one in the front and one in the storage area. Bricketts absorb moisture.

Battery? I yank mine and keep it in the house. Will give it a charge about once a month. However I bought three Canadian Tire batteries that are guaranteed for as long as I own the car (442). I bought the first battery in 1981. When they die, canadian tire gives me new ones for $0.00. Hope this helps BTW, I start the car in April.

 

what's the address? I'd like to store my vette there

 

You're responding to an offer from almost 20 years ago....

 

You are actually responding to a post from 17 years ago. Im going to assume this is no longer an option. If Im wrong, OP, please start a new thread.