mine is tucked up in the garage, and wont be venturing out much now, the roads have only been salted once, and its been washed off (well!) since then from the rain, so it may see occasional duty untill the salt returns properly.

the car is squeaky clean, and under a soft cotton sheet.

if the road conditions permit, it might get the occasional crisp frosty sunday morning blast, but in the whole, her work is done for the year.

as much as it kills me to not drive it, i'm very pleased to not have to get it encrusted in salt this year...

 

once again its been a great Camaro year, nothing more than routine maintainance, another four bloody tyres and our first tentative venture in mainland europe (France).

although its done slightly less total milage this year, its seen a lot more long distance use - many trips all over the country, and the fantastic Calais cruise last month.

Next year i'm continuing the trend, i'm taking it down to my friends place in western France, either by Calais or St marlo

if it goes via calais its a 500 mile drive in france, via St Marlo its a 9 hour crossing followed by a 100 mile french drive.

either way its a substantial trip.

the ol girl has just rolled over 130 000 miles, and still drives like a new car.

 

Hi Phil, not quite a hibernation plan as I enjoy driving on beautiful cold sunny mornings and in the evenings in winter as long as it's dry and theres no ice/salt around.

Here are some links to good web-sites for anyone wondering how to prepare their car for the 'hibernation' most of our cars see over winter:-

Preparing your Classic Car for Winter.
http://www.oldclassiccar.co.uk/classic_car_winter.htm

Long Term Storage of Your 35th
http://www.mustang35th.com/news0118.html

How to prepare your car for winter
http://wy.essortment.com/carmaintenance_rayc.htm

928 Body FAQ - Winter Preparation
http://www.rennlist.com/techarticles/928/928bodyfaq.htm

Later!

 

Theres actually an active thread elsewhere on the site about the same issue:-

Winter Storage
https://www.thirdgen.org/techbb2/sho...hlight=storage

Some others:-

Storing car
https://www.thirdgen.org/techbb2/sho...hlight=storage

Preping car for storage
https://www.thirdgen.org/techbb2/sho...hlight=storage

Vader has posted some very good information about it in the past also.

 

Eat your hearts out.....Life is the Beach all the time.

 

*looks out window at dark dank dark dankness*


GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!

 

thanks for the links Gordon.

BTW, i'm with you, just because it wont see wind rain and salt doesn't meen its excempt from a frosty crisp morning blast!

they can be some of the best!

 

Absolutely Phil. When you hear people say things like "you can't enjoy driving in the UK anymore" they need to buy a thirdgen and try some late night/early morning blasts! Or those who denigrate our cars as irrelevant as "you can't do more than 70mph in this country anyway" - isn't it funny how I don't feel like that when I get up to over 140mph on my favorite motorway sliproad and then back down to 70mph before I enter the carriageway!

What's your daily driver now Phil?

 

DJP87Z28:- Looks great! At least we don't get hurricanes though!

 

93 Escort 1.4 LXi

:-/

bah, it works, its even quite tidy...

 

My black 'uns staying outside in all the bad weather, all winter! It'll have to take it's chance with all the rest of the cars. Next few weekends will be spent stripping out all the suspension front and rear and replacing it with urethane everything, wonderbar, bigger anti sway bars etc, etc. Already too low, so can't do anymore of that! So I'll be working out in the rain and the snow and the wind-no matter what. Making it into a "canyon carver".

My red 'un is staying in the garage where it has been for the last 4 years! One day it will emerge victorious........!

Andy.

 

Since you're apparently just wintering your car in the garage like I do every year, the potential problems are fewer, and storage is easier. I have the added advantage of having a heated and ventilated garage, so corrosion and vermin isn't as much a problem. For Andy and the rest of you storing outdoors, forget about covering the vehicle since moisture will accumulate and never evaporate. For seasonal storage here's what I've done:

* For long term storage, remove the battery. For short term, seasonal storage, simply fully charge the battery. There's no reason to remove it if you're only storing for several months, and you'll need it to start the vehicle periodically (more later). As long as it's fully charged, it shouldn't freeze.

* DO NOT wash the car right before you store it. The latent moisture will have fun with your car while you're away. You should plan to wash and wax the car a week or so before sealing it up, then refrain from driving it. The extra time will allow it to dry out thoroughly, and the fresh seal should provide some protection from the elements. If you haven't done the annual body lubrication and applied silicone to all the weatherstrips, now would be a good time to do so.

* If you have a fixed antenna, spin it off and put it in the cargo well. Also, manually park the windshield wipers up on their shipping blocks to keep the wiper blades off the glass. Mine are on the blocks all the time, since I never use them.

* Drain and change the engine and transmission fluids just before storage. Normal acid formation in oils will also wreak havoc in an idle assembly. Make sure all other fluid levels are at their safe maximum.

* The consensus of those surveyed is to fill the fuel tank. For long-term storage, I would recommend draining the tank to about 1/8th full, but for seasonal storage it isn't a factor as long as you use a fuel stabilizer like Sta-Bil or a similar product at your last fuel fill. Follow the directions included with the product. And since even with a fuel stabilizer and a sealed fuel system, gasoline will lose some volatility after a few months. Because of this, I've usually burned about half the available fuel after the spring turnout, and refilled with low octane gasoline for the first refueling.

* Since all my vehicles are injected, and I've had some problems with injector tip fouling and deposit accumulation after storage, I've devised another means to protect the injectors themselves. I've been adding a quart of two-cycle oil to the tank before the last fill of the year before storage. Two-cycle oil is completely soluble in gasoline, and causes little ash when burned. It also has an affinity for porous metals, and high adhesion (cling) properties. My hypothesis is that the oil coats the injectors and their tips, as well as the valves, cylinder walls, chambers, and other internal parts exposed to fuel. I've done this for four storage cycles so far, and on three vehicles. That is the longest I've gone without having to clean injectors on at least one vehicle. I also have not lost any oxygen sensors nor catalytic converters from the excess oil on startup. You may have different experiences, so use that idea at your own risk. To my way of thinking, it's really no more oil than a two cycle engine would get (for ALL of its lubrication needs) and no worse than leaking valve stem seals.

* Replace the coolant or fortify it with corrosion inhibitors. Use a 50/50 mix for best corrosion protection. Remember in spring that the cooling properties may not be satisfactory because of the high coolant concentration, so you may have to drain and adjust it then.

* Seal all the air intakes and vents you can find. Plastic and duct tape body vents, cowl vents, exhaust pipes, throttle body, etc. The adhesive from duct tape is a chore to remove from the finish, but it's a lot easier than cleaning up mouse dung. Plain mineral sprits (naptha) will remove the adhesive and wax, but will not remove cured paints. A little fresh wax after spring cleaning and all is well. Some masking tapes that remove easily and cleanly may be preferable, but they tend to adhere as much as duct tape if left on for more than a few weeks.

* Storing the vehicle on jack stands is a good idea if the car is going to be stored for a period of years instead of months. Suspend the vehicle on jack stands from the box channels on the body instead of letting it rest on the suspension. For seasonal storage (only 3-6 months), simply inflate the tires to their safe maximum pressure to help prevent flat spotting the belts. Nylon belted tires (like most 'Z' rated ones) will tend to take a "set" from sitting all winter, but if you warm the tires slowly by driving easily when the first nice spring day arrives, you can eliminate any permanent effects. It helps to fully inflate the tires before storage to minimize the effect. I take mine to 44 PSI if they are going to sit on the tires. I've done several of my cars, and letting them sit on the tires isn't a big problem.

* Put a drip tray (a 9x11 cake pan works well) on the front passenger floor to catch the coolant drips from the heater core if it rots through. If the core fails while in storage, you'll be annoyed when you discover that you have work to do in spring, but less annoyed since the carpet will not be coolant soaked.

* Remove the floor mats to allow the carpets to breathe and dry out in case there is any moisture trapped in or beneath them in the silencer padding. If the floor mats aren't clean, wash and dry them. It they are clean, place them lying flat in the cargo well.

* Place fly paper and/or insect traps on some flat interior surfaces. Even a rodent trap or two might be a good idea if your area is prone to vermin.

* Close the windows and doors tight. Keep the car out of light as much as possible. If you decide to cover it, make sure the first layer is a lightweight breathable material. If you are storing indoors and you want to keep the paint as clean as possible, lay out some cotton bath towels over the flat surfaces of the hood and roof (over the lightweight cover), then cover it with a plastic tarp or dust cover.

It would be best if you could get back to it at least once a month and run it to full operating temperature, operate all the accessories, move the steering and brakes, then store it again. There is usually at least one decent day every month during the winter weekends to enable you to do this. If you don't have that opportunity, you may have some work to do when you do pull it out of storage.

Starting periodically has several benefits. The oils get warmed enough to keep water from condensing in the sumps. The entire engine gets a heat/cool cycle to dry out and distribute oil everywhere. The transmission can be shifted through the ranges to allow fluid flow through most of the valve body and cause movement of parts that might otherwise stick. All the 'O' rings and seals get warmed and wet with oil. The battery gets a load and then fully charged to exercise it. The exhaust system gets purged of moisture. The cooling system gets full coolant flow to prevent debris from settling in pockets in the heads, case, and heater core. the air conditioner can be cycled to keep all the seals wet with refrigerant oil. If the weather is really decent, you can even move the car to exercise the steering and suspension.

I've had good success storing my cars indoors with these steps. Outdoors presents some other possibilities. You might not want to have a vapor-proof cover on the car outdoors, since the normal changes in temperature will tend to create condensation under the cover that won't dry up easily. You also may not want to do the towel trick to keep the cover off the paint, since the towels will hold moisture as well.

If the car won't be indoors, it would be best is it were at least sheltered under a canopy or carport, in which case a breathable cover would be good. Lacking that, you might actually want to keep it uncovered and just seal up the top, cowl vent intakes, and glass to protect from snow melt and debris.

Keep in mind that every little creature is going to seek shelter in, around, and under your car at the first sign of frost. I can imagine that a chipmunk or squirrel would think an IROC or TA would be a cool place to hang out all winter. I'm probably buzzing from caffeine, but I can envision a gray squirrel hanging onto the wheel, pretending he's blowing away his buddies in their Toyotas all winter long. If you hear a squeaky, high-pitched "Vroom! Vroom!" as you walk past the car for a load of firewood or chunk of coal this winter, you should be concerned...

 

no hibernation plans as mine's a daily driver rain,sun or snow.

 

I always used to make sure I took the car out for a quick blast around the block on salt free days (used to wait for a day after the rain before they re-grit) Nothing worse than leaving a car to sit too long. My dad always used to leave a small heater on in the garage as well just to take the edge off the cold.

 

I try to give my car a run once a week but it's getting difficult to do that now as it rains most days and I don't like to take it out in the rain. I thought about storing it but felt it was better to try and keep it moving. I keep it in a garage beside the house. I have read the links on this post about storing a car and have a question. Some say the car should be started regularly which I agree with and some say not to start it at all as the most engine wear occurs in the first 30 seconds after start up. I wondered about this engine wear and heard of a product called slick 50. You add it to the oil and it is supposed to coat the inside of the engine so there is less wear at start up. I was going to get a can of it (it's expensive by the way) but then read an article says not to waist your money as there is no proof it does anything and if it does reduce engine wear why don't oil manufacturers add a similar product to their oil. If this product coats the cylinders what's to stop it coating parts of the engine it shouldn't. I was wondering if anyone has used it or a similar product or have any technics to reduce the engine wear?

 

I have used slick 50, and to be honest, there was no noticable difference.

I use Castrol magnatec oil now, and i'm convinced the engine spinns over a little quicker cold than it did with other oils of the same weight..

even at 130 000 miles, there is negligable oil consumption, and the engie is silent hot or cold.

in fact, its one of the quietest thirdgens around, at any milage.

as for engine wear, its done 40 000 miles in 3 years of my ownership, and there has been no change in the engines state, so it cant be bad, i really rate it, its a reasonable price, too!

Magnatec for older engines (15W - 40 i think) comes highly recomended

 

Vader,

Very comprehensive, good job. The quote about NEVER using your wipers made me laugh though. That doesn't work here, even in the summer!

 

yeah, this year its been more like never NOT using the wipers....

 

Mine is going in for repairs (upgrades, but I can't tell wifey that) as soon as my Talon is ready. Once that is ready, I'll be hunting for Subarus and other Mitsus.

 

Winter's BACK! We had a fair dusting of snow overnight, and storage is on my mind.

As for the "wiper" comment, it's not that it seldom rains here. We get 20+ inches annually, not counting snow. I just liberally apply silicone treatment to the glass, so the water blows off the windshield (windscreen?) as soon as it falls. The wipers only tend to complicate things and mess up the silicone.

 

Thats coz we all watch Boyd Coddington removing all the wipers off everything he builds.

Its going cold here tho, not any frost as yet [tho its coming] i live in whats supposed to be the UKs rain capital, windscreen wipers are probably the number one seller up here.

 

We've had frost a couple of times up here so far. I wish it was spring already.

As for storage, I try to get my car out once a week or so provided the weather is acceptable.

 

I just put mine away for the winter yesterday. I always use Stabil in the gas tank and have never had a problem come spring starting and running the car. As for tire inflation, I have the tires inflated to about 48lbs and my car sits on carpet in my garage. I put about 10 of those 1lb packets of moisture absorbent in the interior. I pull the battery and sit it on a wooden shelf and won't touch it until spring when I will put a charge on it before dropping it in. I put a cover on the car first then follow that with a dozen old blankets and flannel sheets that drop clear to the floor of the garage. It's literally put to bed, I've done this for more than 10 years now without any issues whatsoever. I don't bother it until spring when I uncover it, change oils, coolants, etc, to get ready for another season of fun. This springs projects include new 17" wheels and tires along with a C-5 Corvette fornt disc brake conversion, but has to wait til spring. I already have the wheels and the tires are next followed by the brake kit in about February. Those new brakes along with rebuilding the rears will put the fun back into the car for the coming summer after doing thiose high speed blasts..

 

Well you certainly take care of it, you couldnt do much more.
Mine has to sit outside, the motorbikes need the garage more, that and half the rubbish in there.
I use it in winter, but not if the gritter has been out, or theres any ice or snow. Its like the bike, its no fun if you cant drive it.

 

What's a garage?
Morticia will have to spend the winter outside (My shed's only big enough for my TDM 850).

There aren't any lock-ups for rent near me either...

 

this is taking over daily driver and winter duty!



dunno what you think, but the wheels on the camaro dont look too salt friendly!

 

I doubt i would take those wheels out in a British summer.

 

it doesn't seem like a good idea, in winter, does it!!!

the astro will do just fine untill the roads are done doing their impression of a bag of walkers finest ready salted!

 

buh?

 

Rain=corrosion.

 

ahhh!!

its a dry weather car now, so its gone from 22,000 miles per annum to 7,000 miles per annum!

 

Ahh i see too, it looked like i said i would'nt be seen out with a set of wheels like that.
Not the case at all.

 

hehe! thanks.

the astro works well for winter, the high driving position makes you feel more secure around the slithering morons!

 

Phil,

Regarding that feeling of security, if you were to walk through some of the salvage yards here, you could see the different models in all their post-crash conditions. If you were to see 99% of the Astros that have been "T-Boned", rear-ended, side-swiped, head-on crunched, and even rolled, you could easily see why Mrs. Vader is on her second example.

Her first one went 186K miles before we traded it, with nothing more than regular maintenance and a power steering pump failure. Her second one has already been in a front-ender with a Cadillac DeVille. The Astro suffered a lot of plastic damage, radiator and condenser damage, a curled RF fender, and cracked windshield. The Cadillac was split open at the 'B' pillar and was taken away in two barely connected pieces on a flatbed. My wife drove the Astro to the body shop for an estimate. It didn't even deploy the air bags.

I saw one Astro in a salvage yard that appeared to have taken on either a tree or utility pole. The round impression of that obstacle was very apparent from the bumper all the way in to the cowl. The windshiled was cracked, engine was crushed backward, but the passenger compartment was completely intact, even in teh footwells. For a medium sized vehicle, it's pretty stout. I'd call that a good choice.

FWIW, that first one she had (1988) was a conventional RWD, and I used it to tow snowmobiles 350 miles into the Northwoods almost every year with only the normal caution. The newer one is AWD, and I have trouble getting it to slide or fishtail on snow and ice even when I'm trying. It's just no fun any more. With a little judicious effort on the pedals and wheel, it should get you through marginal traction with no problems.

 

excelent to hear that vader, thanks!

i've already noticed it seems extremely sure footed on poor surfaces, helped by nice chunky tyres..

 

Someone told me to spray a little WD40 into the back of the alternator while the car is running to prevent the springs from rusting. Anyone ever heard of/do this?

 

Ive heard of it, just never ever needed to do it. Yet.
Btw Phil, are your wheels American Racing?
Ive bought some recently that are very similar, except mine need re-doing at some point.

 

I think they are American Racing wheels, and I think I had a filthy set of those on my old 85 Camaro. I shall have to look a picture out and see.

I'll give the WD40 thing a try as my car isn't being used so much at the moment.

 

These are mine, but look better than they really are.
7" front and 8" rear, AR "Gambler".
Look very much like Jeep Cherokee wheels, but , and i quote:

Greetings!

Yes, we did make those wheels. It was our series 52 Gambler wheel, but they have been discontinued for quite a few years.

I hope this information helps! Thank you for your interest in American Racing!


I wonder how long ago they were made.

 

Within the original context of this thread, start counting, boys and girls. Fifty days. By then we should have had a few good rains to wash the seasoning and grit off the pavement, and the fun can begin anew.

If you've been dragging your feet on any of those winter projects, now is the time for assessment and a newly developed schedule. I think that's just about enough time for me to complete a little rework of the heads, roller conversion, and new cam for the old '86. I know I said I was going to wait until it had accumulated 50K miles, but I'm getting impatient.

What's in your plans?

 

Rebuild the rear end with new posi, gears and axles.

Purchase and install a mini starter.

Finish off my 13 inch brakes.

Make car more powerful.

Should keep me going till next winter at the rate I'm currently going.

Vader,

Ever heard of the WD40 in the back of the alternator to keep the springs from rusting up?

 

Not until you mentioned it. I've never had a spring rust issue that I can recall.

 

all im gonna do is some minor touching uo on my newly aquired 85 iroc. new plugs,wires and some interior and electrical workto accomidate my new sound system.

 

I'm sticking with the old original radio atm, till i can find out how to hide a cd player.

 

you could get a changer that goes in a trunk and put it in the back behind the back seats.

 

The last owner did that, i just need something well hidden, i repair enough smashed in windows, jemmied door locks, and refitting of cd\radio\casette players during my working week.
You cant afford it in these due to the lack of replacement parts.

 

Chin up there. We're down to about 28 more days. That's less than a month. That's about two paychecks from opening season. Here's your post-hibernation checklist:

1. Find your keys - You know you put them SOMEWHERE;
2. Freshen up the battery charge. Do it now, before it's too late;
3. Reinflate your tires (tyres?) to full pressure;
4. Check all the fluid levels, not overlooking the brake, clutch, and steering pump reservoirs;
5. While the charger is doing it's work, test all the lamps, wipers, horn;
6. If the car is in an appropriate location, start the engine and run it to full temperature. Monitor for unusual noises and leaks;
7. Check automatic transmission level once it is warm and run through the gear ranges of your automatics;
8. Turn the heater on full hot and monitor the interior for that telltale aroma of coolant, and watch the floor on the heater case side;
9. Allow the heat to run with the windows slightly ajar to help dry out any accumulated interior moisture;
10. Chase out your rodent "guests" and clean up after them;
11. Make a list of everything you've found out of order, and plan to address those items. This is exclusive of any of those off-season projects you intended to do (which should have been well underway by now);
12. Mark your calendar.

You've got about four weeks until the fog lamps will be put to task again. Be prepared.

 

A pretty good checklist imo.
And at 17mpg, dont forget to put some petrol in it.

 

well, another winter sleep over with, and back in service fighing fit as ever!

i swear this car aint never gonna die!



the Astro has done strling service over winter, we are now an all chevy family - i have my camaro and astro, and dad drives a tahoe!

between the three, they always seem to ge the job done!

 

yes, they are american racing outlaw II's

i bought them from USAutomotive late las summer, and so far they still look like new..

there is something so wonderfull about lifting the fresh new wheels out of the box!