Storing Your Classic Car the Right Way

A worrying number of people seem to think that the idea of owning a classic car is that you put it in a garage, clean it occasionally, and do not allow anyone to breathe near it much less touch it. This is a perfectly fine way to treat a classic car, of course, as long as you want to let the vehicle sit and atrophy without ever being used for the purpose it was intended for, and want the maintenance of the vehicle to be a lot more difficult. You have spent enough money on it, after all, so do not just leave it sitting there. 

Even if you do not plan to drive it a great deal, it is important to at least store the car correctly and treat it with the correct equipment. Maybe you only want to drive your classic when the sun is out – this is fair enough. But when the sky is cloudy, you might as well keep it in driveable condition. 

The first thing to bear in mind is the detailing on your car. To some people a car is just a lump of metal with a few moving parts, but the actual intricacy of the vehicle would stun these people if they were to look closely enough. Inside and outside, there are so many elements which go into making a classic car unique. Before you put the car into storage make sure that the undercarriage is washed thoroughly, the paintwork waxed, the tyre rubber lubricated and the inside of the car cleaned scrupulously. 

When you have parked and the driving is over for the winter, you should drain the fluids while they are still warm. Sat in their reservoirs over a cold weather period, the fluids can contaminate and in some cases freeze, doing unnecessary damage to the engine. Be careful when doing this, though, as naturally hot fluids can cause scalds and burns. Drain the fuel tank while you are about it, if you intend to store the car for an extended period. Leaving this undone could cause any number of mechanical difficulties. Storing the battery away from the car, having first washed and dried it, will ensure that it is ready to start when you bring it out of storage for a drive. Do not store it on concrete, as the fluctuation in temperature will damage it. 

Then, having removed the tyres, separated them with cardboard and stored them under a tarpaulin, you should jack up the vehicle and place stands under each suspension point, hold the clutch down and lock it in place (a 2x4 should do this admirably) so that the clutch plates do not stick together, you can make the final preparations for storage. Leave the windows down so that air can circulate, place boxes of baking soda (open them first!) around the interior to pick up moisture, and protect the carburetor and tailpipe so as to prevent any contamination or visits from small creatures. A car cover over the top, a fond glance and some words to the effect of “see you in the spring”, and you are done.