winter storage

[ionracer24]

Wow, winter storage huh?  It's still pushin 100 degrees here in south texas....

[EccentricMagpies]

As you can see, many of us have different opinions and methods.... I suggest using this advise to decide what's best in your own situation. 

I certainly don't recommend mine, it just was a last second storage. Fortunately it was just cold all winter ( not a lot of thaw and re freeze). 
I drove and topped it with fuel and all was good.  After thinking about it, I did jump the car.  So if you have a trickle charger I'd run one of those periodically throughout the winter as well.

I'd recommend the stabilizer and full tank too

Hope my post didn't sound like a smart xxx but it was exactly what took place. Not planned

[E86/A47]

Is Stabil a good fuel additive? Winter is coming soon but still getting out for a quick drive on nice days. When do you guys in the North East put the car away for winter? After the 1st major snow fall...?

[comet_666]

After they salt the roads the first time.

[Ghoste]

I've used Stabil, it seems to work. 

[HeavyFuel]

1. First thing is give it a good look over / wipe down underneath.   Check for anything that needs attention over the winter.   

2. Clean everything very well. ....no need in letting grasshopper carcasses turn to cement over the winter.

3. I don't get too excited about the volume of fuel in the tank.  My garage averages about 50* in winter, and if the door lets in moist air, it's colder than the car.  I've never seen condensation on anything in my garage, so I'm not really worried about it in my fuel tank.

4. Sea Foam or StaBil in the tank during the last drive of the season to get it into the lines and carb.

5. Change the oil when engine is still warm/hot, run it back up to operating temp and shut it off for the winter.  I don't start it again until spring.

6. Pull the battery and put it on a shelf close by.  No tender needed if not hooked up....there will be plenty of juice left after a few months.

7. Lift the car a bit and support it with jackstands, but not to preserve the tires.  Modern radials really don't develop flat spots over a few months.  I do it to help keep my suspension from fatiguing.

8. I cover mine with a very thin plastic sheet just to keep fallout from collecting in the cracks.  My garage gets used for activities that tend to produce dust.   The plastic gets replaced several times over the winter as it gets dirty, or I work on the car and it gets tossed.

[Dino]

Well, mine is still sitting high on jack stands with the engine and trans out, fuel tank is empty and lines are disconnected...I guess it's ready for winter.   

[HeavyFuel]

Well, mine is still sitting high on jack stands with the engine and trans out, fuel tank is empty and lines are disconnected...I guess it's ready for winter.   

I remember those days.   

We're expecting lots of progress from you this winter......you're in just the right stages.   

[Dino]

It would've been finished already but the budget ran dry.  We've had over $20K in unexpected expenses and we're not done yet.  Add to that another $70K in tuition due by May and the Charger may be on stands for a very long time to come.   

I need to invest roughly a grand in the engine, including a new carb.  The engine bay itself is pretty much done and will only need odds and ends but then I still need another hp manifold and make my old header exhaust pipes work.  We're not even thinking about upgrading the brakes beyond buying new front lines and using the old Wilwood kit that came with the car, or replacing the cruddy hood turn signals.

Tomorrow I'm cleaning up the 2 Edelbrock carbs and the Performer intake so I can put them up for sale.  My last guitar and GNX workstation are not selling so until that's all gone, the car will sit.  If I can get the funds together I hope to still get it back on the road before May.  Once I'm in grad school I won't have time to work on it but I'd love to be able to hop in and drive it from time to time.  If it's not back on the road by May then I'm sunk.

[bill440rt]

Just put my '69 away for the winter last weekend.
I use one of these:
http://www.calcarcover.com/product/76/274/AntiRust_Car_Storage_Bag

I give the car a good wipe, make sure air pressure in the tires is OK, check all fluids, & top off the gas tank. Add Stabil, & let it run for a few minutes to circulate it.
I then drive the car over it, & place desiccant bags throughout the car. They are reusable so they last many years.
http://www.griotsgarage.com/product/three+storage+desiccant+1+lb+bags.do?sortby=ourPicks&refType=&from=Search

Battery gets removed & placed on a Tender for the winter. I use a 4-gang Tender so it charges multiple batteries.
I cover the car with the regular indoor car cover, then zip up the bag. Doesn't get opened until spring. It comes out as clean as it went in. Great investment.
In the spring I do all the oil changes, clean/detailing, etc.

[War wagon]

Is Stabil a good fuel additive? Winter is coming soon but still getting out for a quick drive on nice days. When do you guys in the North East put the car away for winter? After the 1st major snow fall...?

The Kitty has been put away for a couple weeks now and has Stabil in it
Stabil has been in you're gas tank the last 5 seasons works great!!!
Fill the tank and add some Stabil , put a trickle charger on it.. Be sure to drive around for a few miles to circulate thru entire system.
Car was on stands each fall until spring, with a tarp under car to keep moisture away.
Change oil before storage


Great too see the car has found a GOOD home! 

[RIDELIKEHELL]

I do all that Warwagon but no jack stands...I also never start until spring

[E86/A47]

Great too see the car has found a GOOD home!  2thumbs cheers

Me too! Thanks Chris. Don't think I will do jack stands but will do everything else and she'll stay clean and dry in the Showcase.

[RIDELIKEHELL]

Great too see the car has found a GOOD home!  2thumbs cheers

Me too! Thanks Chris. Don't think I will do jack stands but will do everything else and she'll stay clean and dry in the Showcase.

Glad to see it found a good home

[myk]

A car in a bubble!   

[stripedelete]

Just put my '69 away for the winter last weekend.
I use one of these:
http://www.calcarcover.com/product/76/274/AntiRust_Car_Storage_Bag

I give the car a good wipe, make sure air pressure in the tires is OK, check all fluids, & top off the gas tank. Add Stabil, & let it run for a few minutes to circulate it.
I then drive the car over it, & place desiccant bags throughout the car. They are reusable so they last many years.
http://www.griotsgarage.com/product/three+storage+desiccant+1+lb+bags.do?sortby=ourPicks&refType=&from=Search

Battery gets removed & placed on a Tender for the winter. I use a 4-gang Tender so it charges multiple batteries.
I cover the car with the regular indoor car cover, then zip up the bag. Doesn't get opened until spring. It comes out as clean as it went in. Great investment.
In the spring I do all the oil changes, clean/detailing, etc.

is your garage heated?

[billssuperbird]

Disconnect the battery and covered up

[maxwellwedge]

Not a fan of car bubbles

[stripedelete]

Not a fan of car bubbles

please expand on that

[Aero426]

If I plan to drive the car in spring, I may not bother to use any fuel stabilizer at all.   Four of five months really is not enough to worry about.   This year, I do have some non-ethanol fuel in just about everything.    So I am good to go.  

I have a single battery tender that I rotate from car to car every couple weeks.

[67440chrg]

I use a tender and a full tank with stabil. I may put plastic under it this year to stop moisture. My garage is more of a barn with no insulation or heat. I have 6 mice traps around it and use dryer sheets and put moth balls in it too.

[lloyd3]

Gorgeous weather here for the last few days, but they are calling for rain mixed w/snow here tonight. I drove the car a lot this past week (Autumn and muscle-cars go hand-in hand!), but have shut off the drip systems and sprinklers for the yard and added some Stabil to the car. I might give it a wipedown and cover it today if time allows.  You must roll with the seasons. I've got an elk hunt planned for next week and bad weather for the car means good weather for filling my freezer.

[bill440rt]

Just put my '69 away for the winter last weekend.
I use one of these:
http://www.calcarcover.com/product/76/274/AntiRust_Car_Storage_Bag

I give the car a good wipe, make sure air pressure in the tires is OK, check all fluids, & top off the gas tank. Add Stabil, & let it run for a few minutes to circulate it.
I then drive the car over it, & place desiccant bags throughout the car. They are reusable so they last many years.
http://www.griotsgarage.com/product/three+storage+desiccant+1+lb+bags.do?sortby=ourPicks&refType=&from=Search

Battery gets removed & placed on a Tender for the winter. I use a 4-gang Tender so it charges multiple batteries.
I cover the car with the regular indoor car cover, then zip up the bag. Doesn't get opened until spring. It comes out as clean as it went in. Great investment.
In the spring I do all the oil changes, clean/detailing, etc.

is your garage heated?

No.

[RollinThunder]

My garage is not heated, and my wife is in and out of it every day with her daily driver.  Condensation can be a problem.  What I do, is fill tank and add stabil to gas.  I then drive the front wheels up onto a set of plastic car ramps.  Plastic is good as I believe cold concrete is bad for the tires.  I then put jack stands under the rear axle to somewhat level the car out.  This gets the car off the ground and allows more air to circulate under the car, reducing the condensation problem.  This keeps the vehicle weight on the front wheels. Which I believe is better than letting the front wheels hang.  I prefer to keep the front suspension bushings at the designed ride height so as to not stress them out.  Letting the front wheels hang would stress the bushings.  Some years I put plastic on top of the concrete, but have not in the last two years.  Just some pieces of cardboard to absorb the few drips of oil and ATF.   If I notice any moisture on frame, then I'll plug in an electric heater and let it circulate under there.  Sheets and cheap car cover over body.  Somewhat fresh BraddPenn.  I disconnect the neg terminal of the battery.  That's it.  And i don't believe in starting it until Spring when I can take it out on the road a really warm it up. 
In the spring, before the 1st start up, I check all rubber lines, and pay particular attention to brake (dot5) and fuel lines.

[keith88]

Covered on rollers, stable added and battery removed and set sideways in my garage in the back so i can still use the garage during the winter.I may start it on a warmer day after xmas..if there is one.