How do you maintain a classic/hardly driven, stored car?

[Barni]

Hello again peeps,
I've read a bunch of info on the net in regards to storing a car long term and what is required. Referring to long term garage queen. Some things suggested is to put it on stands so the tyres don't get flat spots, start the car weekly or fortnightly, drive it for a little if possible, block off exhaust pipe and air intake so no rodents get in.
Can't find anything on oil changes and other fluids such as radiator, brake fluids....how often do these need to be changed?
How often or long should you drive the car to keep it in A1 condition?
And other tips? Plastic cocoon or just car cover?
Appreciate the feedback

[happy1]

Hi,
I'm sure there is a lot of information on the internet about how to store a museum/collector car.
First of all I think we need to understand what environment you will park it in? What state are you in, is the garage insulated? Is it far from the sea?
Some of the procedures described on the internet would be to protect from winter climate. In Australia it may be less humid therefore this may be less relevant.
It also depends how often you wish to take your car on the road (Sunday drive).

Having new, clean fluids is generally the first thing to do for storage. New high-quality Coolant with anti-corrosion should prevent any troubles. Clean oil is better than old.

Personally I don't worry so much of jacking up tyres. (too much work). Tyres should be replaced anyway if they are much older than 5 years old. Tyres that has been sitting for some months may be a bit 'bouncy' the first little drive, but should recover within half an hour of use.

The battery needs to be disconnected and fully charged every few weeks if you intend to make it last its maximum possible life. (approx 5 to 7 years before it is dead anyway) A battery is relatively cheap to replace ($150'ish) so if the car is stored for years I would consider not maintaining the battery but get a new one when the car goes back into use.

Starting the car weekly... Oh no, please don't do that; Your spark plugs would very soon be clogged by soot and deposits. Starting it once a year YES, but not every week.

Old petrol; I would suggest to have an almost empty petrol tank, and fill in some litres of new petrol for the yearly start-up / drive. Old petrol will be a problem for you, and it will be difficult to start a car containing old petrol. (less flammable etc.)

Chrome / rust protection; Depending on your climate and your garage humidity, I would consider adding some rust proofing wax or grease to metal parts such as door handles, bumpers etc. If your storage location is as dry as possible this wouldn't be a problem but applying wax or grease could be a good preventative measure.

Measure humidity.. If you are unsure about how dry your storage is, maybe measure it, or visit your car on a cold, rainy day to check there is no condensation / visual humidity.

Brake discs; If I have parked a car outside for some weeks, the brake discs turn rusty.
I have found that this rust does not go away by itself, and will quickly glaze the brake discs. If your garage isn't as dry as ideal then you can either apply oil/ wax on the discs before storage and wash it away with brake-clean before going back on the road, or I have also quite successfully used electric sanding machine with some 80-grit paper to remove the surface rust of the discs BEFORE taking the car back on the road. In my experience if you start driving the car again with rust on the brake discs it will immediately glaze, and it will not remove itself.

My view is that driving a car regularly doesn't help much towards 'A1' condition. I think controlling the humidity is more important. Again if you for example is in dry, sunny WA, then this wouldn't be a problem.
I hope some of the above was useful for you.
Cheers,

[Barni]

Originally Posted by happy1

Hi,
I'm sure there is a lot of information on the internet about how to store a museum/collector car.
First of all I think we need to understand what environment you will park it in? What state are you in, is the garage insulated? Is it far from the sea?
Some of the procedures described on the internet would be to protect from winter climate. In Australia it may be less humid therefore this may be less relevant.
It also depends how often you wish to take your car on the road (Sunday drive).

Having new, clean fluids is generally the first thing to do for storage. New high-quality Coolant with anti-corrosion should prevent any troubles. Clean oil is better than old.

Personally I don't worry so much of jacking up tyres. (too much work). Tyres should be replaced anyway if they are much older than 5 years old. Tyres that has been sitting for some months may be a bit 'bouncy' the first little drive, but should recover within half an hour of use.

The battery needs to be disconnected and fully charged every few weeks if you intend to make it last its maximum possible life. (approx 5 to 7 years before it is dead anyway) A battery is relatively cheap to replace ($150'ish) so if the car is stored for years I would consider not maintaining the battery but get a new one when the car goes back into use.

Starting the car weekly... Oh no, please don't do that; Your spark plugs would very soon be clogged by soot and deposits. Starting it once a year YES, but not every week.

Old petrol; I would suggest to have an almost empty petrol tank, and fill in some litres of new petrol for the yearly start-up / drive. Old petrol will be a problem for you, and it will be difficult to start a car containing old petrol. (less flammable etc.)

Chrome / rust protection; Depending on your climate and your garage humidity, I would consider adding some rust proofing wax or grease to metal parts such as door handles, bumpers etc. If your storage location is as dry as possible this wouldn't be a problem but applying wax or grease could be a good preventative measure.

Measure humidity.. If you are unsure about how dry your storage is, maybe measure it, or visit your car on a cold, rainy day to check there is no condensation / visual humidity.

Brake discs; If I have parked a car outside for some weeks, the brake discs turn rusty.
I have found that this rust does not go away by itself, and will quickly glaze the brake discs. If your garage isn't as dry as ideal then you can either apply oil/ wax on the discs before storage and wash it away with brake-clean before going back on the road, or I have also quite successfully used electric sanding machine with some 80-grit paper to remove the surface rust of the discs BEFORE taking the car back on the road. In my experience if you start driving the car again with rust on the brake discs it will immediately glaze, and it will not remove itself.

My view is that driving a car regularly doesn't help much towards 'A1' condition. I think controlling the humidity is more important. Again if you for example is in dry, sunny WA, then this wouldn't be a problem.
I hope some of the above was useful for you.
Cheers,

Cheers for the reply,
There seems to be some mixed info online, it suggested to have the tank full to help prevent water condensation. And also suggest to start the car regularly if possible. And the main question I can't find an answer too...is how often do you change fluids? Once a year, once every 2-3 years? I think I need to call a mechanic to get a better understanding. Thank you for the info

[ESPJG32]

Hi Barni,

I have a number of cars in storage.

For me, I would say you can't go past a carcoon style bubble storage system the cars come out as clean as they went in even if it a year, the best thing is it keeps mice out of the engine bay etc....they have a habit of chewing wiring etc - the bubble keeps them out - very important. It also helps to control the humidity so it is much friendlier to the bits on the car.
A dry stable temp and humidity is what you are looking for..and away from the ocean.

Petrol - this is a problem - it seems that current unleaded fuel doesn't last very long - maybe only 3 months - Avgas seems to last much better if you can get hold of it - in either case having the tank filled to the brim covers off the condensation issue....in fact for cars that I am using rarely I use the POR fuel tank coating stuff...I usually do it when I am doing the resto as the tank has to come out of the car to do it, but it puts a coating on the inside of the tank and totally prevents the rust caused by condensation - if we are talking about long term storage suck all the fuel out of the tank and replace it before trying to start the car.

Cooling system - take the car off the standard coolant entirely, change it over to the Evans coolant replacement...it is not water based, if the engine is a fresh re build use this stuff straight up - it is a bit easier - otherwise you need to use their flushing stuff first - unfortunately the flushing stuff is lost in the process but the coolant replacement stuff lasts and lasts so if you ever have to drop it from the cooling system catch it, strain it and use it again....no more cooling system corrosion ....brilliant stuff.

Brake fluid - normal brake fluid is Hydroscopic so it absorbs moisture - put new stuff in before storage and replace it again before using the car - I don't drive my race car without fully replacing it before a race meeting - same should apply to a car that is stored.

Brake rotors - if you get the car into a bubble you should not have serious corrosion issues - any wax or oily coating you put on them would have to be carefully cleaned off before use otherwise the stuff will coat the surface of the pads and poor brake performance or an inability to stop could occur.

Engine oil - Again I put new oil in with a new filter before storage and replace it again before use - I usually run the engine monthly and bring it up to temp....this helps to evaporate any moisture that is in the block, but also and most importantly it replaces the film of oil that should exist on all the bearing surfaces....if you let it sit for a year then the initial start up is a dry start and you run the risk of bearing damage.....it's easy to replace sooty spark plugs, very hard to replace damaged main bearings and big end bearings.

Battery - well if you want to go down the no battery in the car path - easiest option - but difficult if you want to start it monthly - go and buy a good quality trickle style charger or better still one which cycles the battery thru a charge and discharge mode - the best style batter for this type of life is a sealed Odyssey or Optima battery - expensive but the best option.

Tyres - I store race tyres off the car in a cool dry dark storage - old freezers that don't work any more are good for this.

[dead_man00124]

Great little subject with lots of info. will come in handy once the family essex gets back from resto ;)

[Pedro]

Originally Posted by dead_man00124

Great little subject with lots of info. will come in handy once the family essex gets back from resto ;)

Essex ... struth, how old is that? My family had one back in the 40's.

[dead_man00124]

This ones a 1928. Bought brand new by my great grandfather

[Itsme]

Originally Posted by happy1

Hi,
I'm sure there is a lot of information on the internet about how to store a museum/collector car.
First of all I think we need to understand what environment you will park it in? What state are you in, is the garage insulated? Is it far from the sea?
Some of the procedures described on the internet would be to protect from winter climate. In Australia it may be less humid therefore this may be less relevant.
It also depends how often you wish to take your car on the road (Sunday drive).

Having new, clean fluids is generally the first thing to do for storage. New high-quality Coolant with anti-corrosion should prevent any troubles. Clean oil is better than old.

Personally I don't worry so much of jacking up tyres. (too much work). Tyres should be replaced anyway if they are much older than 5 years old. Tyres that has been sitting for some months may be a bit 'bouncy' the first little drive, but should recover within half an hour of use.

The battery needs to be disconnected and fully charged every few weeks if you intend to make it last its maximum possible life. (approx 5 to 7 years before it is dead anyway) A battery is relatively cheap to replace ($150'ish) so if the car is stored for years I would consider not maintaining the battery but get a new one when the car goes back into use.

Starting the car weekly... Oh no, please don't do that; Your spark plugs would very soon be clogged by soot and deposits. Starting it once a year YES, but not every week.

Old petrol; I would suggest to have an almost empty petrol tank, and fill in some litres of new petrol for the yearly start-up / drive. Old petrol will be a problem for you, and it will be difficult to start a car containing old petrol. (less flammable etc.)

Chrome / rust protection; Depending on your climate and your garage humidity, I would consider adding some rust proofing wax or grease to metal parts such as door handles, bumpers etc. If your storage location is as dry as possible this wouldn't be a problem but applying wax or grease could be a good preventative measure.

Measure humidity.. If you are unsure about how dry your storage is, maybe measure it, or visit your car on a cold, rainy day to check there is no condensation / visual humidity.

Brake discs; If I have parked a car outside for some weeks, the brake discs turn rusty.
I have found that this rust does not go away by itself, and will quickly glaze the brake discs. If your garage isn't as dry as ideal then you can either apply oil/ wax on the discs before storage and wash it away with brake-clean before going back on the road, or I have also quite successfully used electric sanding machine with some 80-grit paper to remove the surface rust of the discs BEFORE taking the car back on the road. In my experience if you start driving the car again with rust on the brake discs it will immediately glaze, and it will not remove itself.

My view is that driving a car regularly doesn't help much towards 'A1' condition. I think controlling the humidity is more important. Again if you for example is in dry, sunny WA, then this wouldn't be a problem.
I hope some of the above was useful for you.
Cheers,

Firm believer in starting the engine & run up to temperature at regular intervals, I've seen many times engines not used for extended periods where the the oil seals harden up & fail requiring new gaskets & seals to be fitted.
No harm jacking car up to keep wheels off ground as this does preserve tyres.

If car is be covered then a reputable car cover that breaths is recommended to avoid moisture build up.

[Silver Ghia]

Originally Posted by Barni

Hello again peeps,
I've read a bunch of info on the net in regards to storing a car long term and what is required. Referring to long term garage queen. Some things suggested is to put it on stands so the tyres don't get flat spots, start the car weekly or fortnightly, drive it for a little if possible, block off exhaust pipe and air intake so no rodents get in.
Can't find anything on oil changes and other fluids such as radiator, brake fluids....how often do these need to be changed?
How often or long should you drive the car to keep it in A1 condition?
And other tips? Plastic cocoon or just car cover?
Appreciate the feedback

What I do is drive the car at 4 to 6 week intervals approx going for an hour or so run each time to warm everything up thoroughly, enjoying the car in the process. Keeps everything oiled up and in running condition. Have done this on all my hobby cars I've had (MGB, MGTD, VK Brocky) for over 20 years with no problems whatsoever from the periodic use.

Battery is charged up weekly with a floating type charger (I use a CTEK MXS 5.0). Always sitting on the tyres, so to encourage driving the car.

[Express]

If the vehicle is registered I’d drive it every few weeks, if it’s not I’d at least warm up the donk.

[FPV+fteT3]

Run the a/c and heater when you start it or the seals will dry out and give issues. I even run the a/c in winter occasionally just to run the gas around the system.
I don't drive the lotus maybe take it out once every 2-3 weeks when I do I go for a cruise run it through all the gears etc have fun, I stress have fun, clean put the 2 covers on it and leave it sitting in shed till next time. Any longer than 3 weeks requires a trickle charger to be fitted.
Just because you don't drive a car it does not stop things from ageing, rubbers seals etc... still age when parked up. Starting a car in the shed and not roading it can lead to suspension, gearbox and diff seals failing prematurely. Cars are meant to be driven maybe not daily but regularly.

[Franco Cozzo]

If it has AC, what I do with my cars is run it 24/7 and adjust temp inside car by using the heater even in winter.

Saves problems later on down the track.

[FairmontGS]

My XB GT hasn't seen the road for nearly a year but it sits in a well-ventilated sunny garage. Good quality cloth cover, started every month and let sit to idle for 30 minutes. I chock the wheels, leave the handbrake on and then set it into Drive for 5 minutes. All coolants dropped yearly. That's it.

ps. - lots of mice and rat baits from Bunning in the garage which get changed every few months. I know the little buggers are there as the boxes get nibbled!

[Barni]

Thanks everyone really good tips which I will use, never thought about running the aircon and heater till this was mentioned. Cars will not be registered so mainly sitting, and driven on the property to make sure they get a little bit of a run in from time to time.
Espjg32 which carcoon cover would you recommend? My garage is a shed on a concrete slab so the cold or heat is similar to the conditions outside.

[ford71V8]

Just to add, when you are doing these start ups in the shed and not taking it for a drive make sure your shed is as well ventilated as possible.
I didn't do this last time and felt sick for 2 days from the fumes, not nice!

[Barni]

Originally Posted by ford71V8

Just to add, when you are doing these start ups in the shed and not taking it for a drive make sure your shed is as well ventilated as possible.
I didn't do this last time and felt sick for 2 days from the fumes, not nice!

Lol I thought that would have been obvious.

[CyberWasp]

Lend all unused cars to me.
I will drive them each weekend for you so you don't have to worry about all these problems.

[happy1]

Hi,
Thanks everyone, some of you have better advise than me
Running it with 4 to 6 weeks interval sounds more practical than weekly.
It would soon become a chore to have this weekly task. Personally I think leaving it for a year with clean oil in it shouldn't be a problem for drying out engine bearings. At start-up you could crank it some extra seconds until oil pressure is built up, (with Ignition off).

The Car cocoon would have a sheet under the car also, and a system to keep moisture under control. I'm not familiar how they operate, is it a fan replacing the air, or is it a small heater element keeping moisture away on humid days?
Getting one of these is probably a good investment if you are in a tin shed with concrete slab.

If you were able to store it in a house garage (brick walls and sealed door) or in a wooden barn, then using only a cover would be sufficient I think, as the humidity would be less there.

Good point about the newer types of petrol not handling ageing so well. (Deposits etc.)
I agree that a full tank removes any surfaces where moisture could form. However that leaves you with more old petrol to dispose of. If it is a plastic tank I would leave it almost empty or empty. I've been told that bio fuels like the Husquarna pre-mix petrol from the chainsaw/mower shop is much better for storage of motorbikes. (It is preventing deposits in the carburettors). There should be a benefit of using this in your car also.

Rodents would have many entries, via rubber grommets, cabin air intake etc. (I wouldn't imagine the exhaust pipe being one of them..) Lots of poison bate from Bunnings sounds like best advise.
Cheers

[ford71V8]

Originally Posted by Barni

Lol I thought that would have been obvious.

Maybe.

I only lifted the one roller door the time I refer to.
Now I open both + the side door, and run a fan afterwards.

[ESPJG32]

Hi Happy 1,

with regard to the carcoon style bubbles, they have a heavy ground sheet which you drive the car onto, it has a zip all around the bottom which you zip the top of the bubble to so it is completely sealed, it has a small fan or two which pressurise the bubble - they use no more power than a computer fan and they keep it up - no need for a heater.

The less you use the car the more you need one of these things as the rodents take up residence when the car is under a normal car cover, I have a fully room finished garage with seals etc and they still get in - especially when it turns cold, yes use baits etc but sometimes they take a liking to your wiring instead of the baits.
I have 6 of these bubbles, 4 of which are genuine Carcoons but they are so expensive so I have recently bought 2 which are of Chinese manufacture, they are fine and about half the price.

Also for cars that are sitting around, I don't wash them, I use Maguires quik detailer, it allows you to take the dirt off without the need of water but you need to change the cloth often as you are doing it - a much better option than washing IMO
If you want to know where to get a bubble cheap send me a message.

[HIPO]

+1 for the cocoon type covers...... I have Car-o-port brand one, but it has a steel frame to support itself, so there's no need to run the pressure side of things if not required.

I run or drive my cars about every 3 weeks and that seems to work ok.
I very the revs once up to temp & cycle through the trans with the auto one. Also like to move them "manoeuvre" a little too, if not going for a spin.

There are fuel additives available to prolong the fuels life etc., a lot of boaties use them..... Stabil , I think is one brand name.

[bathurst-racer]

I live in a rural area and have more than the occasional rodent running around the workshop. Rather than use baits I use this method to control them.
I 3/4 fill a bucket with water then put some sunflower seeds on top of the water. The bucket is placed next to a rail of the shed wall, rodent walks along the rail to get to the seeds, jumps into the bucket and can't get out. I empty the bucket every few days and generally tip out a couple of drowned pests. This way there are no poisoned rats/mice for dogs to eat which is usually fatal for the dog.
The ultrasonic pest deterrent's are a good backup too.
My cars in the workshop are parked on carpet as well. Its surprising how cold a concrete floor can get and how much that cold affects batteries, engine and transmission oils.

[irish2]

Originally Posted by Barni

Hello again peeps,
I've read a bunch of info on the net in regards to storing a car long term and what is required. Referring to long term garage queen. Some things suggested is to put it on stands so the tyres don't get flat spots, start the car weekly or fortnightly, drive it for a little if possible, block off exhaust pipe and air intake so no rodents get in.
Can't find anything on oil changes and other fluids such as radiator, brake fluids....how often do these need to be changed?
How often or long should you drive the car to keep it in A1 condition?
And other tips? Plastic cocoon or just car cover?
Appreciate the feedback

I always hate when mice chew my exhaust valves.

[THE SLUG]

My dad and I have multiple cars in storage, what I tend to do is just start them up every month or two, let them have a good run so I know they're up to temperature and they have oil circulating around the engine, keeping everything lubricated for the next start up, then if possible take them for a drive so the gearbox and diff have oil moving around them so nothing can seize up and so any seals don't wear prematurely. If the car has a/c I sometimes give that a blast to keep it working. Basically just use all the features of the car so that they don't just sit there and age and die.

[Parfrey]

Biggest issue these days would be fuel IMO. It just doesn't last like it used to!
I've come across heaps of cases of fuel turning to crap from old age... it basically kills the whole fuel system, gummed up tanks/pumps/lines and injectors/carbys. Its a massive pain to fix too.


I remember getting an old postie bike from a farm when I was about 12... the thing had been sitting for easily 10 years and it still fired up with the Super fuel it had in the tank! Try that with unleaded lol.