Can't wait to get these on next spring...

[74Olds]

I'll be throwing the White Cutlass I have in storage in the coming days. I just won these (EBay Item number: 330171620123), I think I got them for a great price and have to tell you that I'm pretty excited to see what they look like when I throw them on in the spring.

I would also like to ask all that take a look at this post, any winter storage suggestions. I unfortunately will be unable to fire up or drive the car once it goes in until April as this is the storage area that I have has a lock down period. I have purchased axle stands to lift it off the ground a bit so that it won't be resting on the tires so much, and so I don't have to go through the mechanical work required that was discovered when I bought it after it had sit in that garage for 15 + yrs. I will also get some gas line antifreeze, and Sta Bil, and plug up the exhaust and other areas of interest to vermin... But this will be the first time winterizing a car for me, I just don't want to miss anything, and any suggestions would be of course very appreciated...

Thanks all

[damaged442]

I'll be looking at putting my two into storage by Halloween. I am in the same boat as you, once they go away, that's the last I see of them until April. I place old pieces of carpet under the tires, which I don't think hurts. I don't have that many jack stands or I would do that. I fill up the gas tanks after adding stabilizer under the idea that less moisture would be in a full tank. Perhaps I am wrong, but haven't had a problem in 15 years. I disconnect the batteries, just to make sure they'll start in the spring.

Man, I hate this topic. I'm not ready to give up on summer yet. I was just wakeboarding in the Adirondacks at 80 ° this weekend. I don't want to put everything away. :mad: I guess that's what I get for living in NY. You guys that can play all year round, you don't know how good you've got it!

[texxas8902]

Fairly rare wheels you got there. The 15" with bolt on center caps are 74-75 only or just 74 only, I think, but not completely sure. They look nice in the pictures.

[442MUCH]

If you are only storing the car until April you don't need gas stabilizer.

Fill the gas tank and that will stop condensation. Also change the oil and filter.

Don't jack the car up. The suspension was made to handle the weight. The tires won't get flat spots in 6 months. If you don't want the car sitting on the tires for the winter, get some old rims with old tires and put them on the car. If there was a fire at the storage facility and your car is jacked up, you can watch it burn. If it's on the tires, throw it in neutral and push it out.

Take some charcoal bicquettes and place them in a tin or foil pan and place it on the floor in the front of the drivers or passenger seat. This will absorb moister in the air.

Expect leaks from the transmission and the engine. The seals will shrink from non use and some fluid will escape. Once the car in started in the spring this will correct it self.

Take the battery out and place it inside your house. Don't place it on cement as the concrete will drain it. You can use a trickle charger or you can wait until you are ready to get the car and charge the battery one day before pick up. I do this so the battery doesn't freeze. The batteries I have are from Canadian Tire and are guaranteed for as long as I own the car (except if it freezes). The last time I paid for a car battery was 1981.

Open the windows on the car about 1/4" so the weatherstripping is not squeezed for 6 months.

If you can, wash and wax the car and get a good quality car cover and put it over the car. This protects the paint and blocks the sun from fading the interior through the window in the storage facility.

Blocking the exhausts is a good idea. To go one step further, if vermin are a problem (here in Alberta we have no rats only mice) place a pan of mothballs (optional) under the hood. Mice (or rats) will not go there as they hate the smell and their noses are much more sensitive than ours. The smell will not linger after you take the car out and you won't have to do a rewiring job because of some chew-happy rodents.

When you start the car in Spring, remove each spark plug and give a shot of oil to reach cylinder. That way you aren't starting the car "dry". Also change your oil as condensation will have gathered in the engine due to the cold, warm temperature changes.

I've been doing this for the last 22 years and the car runs like a top come spring. Good luck.

[texxas8902]

If you are only storing the car until April you don't need gas stabilizer.

Take the battery out and place it inside your house. Don't place it on cement as the concrete will drain it.

The gas that you get around here smells funky and starts going bad after 60 days. I think ethanol has alot to do with it. I had to drain 45 gallons of funky gas out of my bay boat this past spring. It burned in my 96 Chevy truck but would NOT start the Mercruiser. It sat from mid November to mid March. Sta-bil is cheap insurance.
As far as the battery draining on the concrete, I read in Cars and Parts magazine, Click and Clack, and saw on 2 Gays er uh Guys Garage, that's an old wives tale. I store all 3 of my boat batteries on the garage floor with NO ill effects. I used to put them on 2x4s and they needed to be charged 30 to 45 minutes in the spring to top off the charge. They need the same 30 to 45 after sitting on the garage floor. I have seen no difference. Modern batteries won't discharge on concrete. They will discharge if the top of the battery is dirty with acid.
Not trying to slam your advice but somethings change. Batteries in the house could be a big NO NO because of fumes that may be emitted.

[442MUCH]

texxas8902;4555]The gas that you get around here smells funky and starts going bad after 60 days. I think ethanol has alot to do with it. I had to drain 45 gallons of funky gas out of my bay boat this past spring. It burned in my 96 Chevy truck but would NOT start the Mercruiser. It sat from mid November to mid March. Sta-bil is cheap insurance.

I've never had a problem. The gas in the lawn mower and the car never smelled and always started up fine in the Spring

As far as the battery draining on the concrete, I read in Cars and Parts magazine, Click and Clack, and saw on 2 Gays er uh Guys Garage, that's an old wives tale. I store all 3 of my boat batteries on the garage floor with NO ill effects. I used to put them on 2x4s and they needed to be charged 30 to 45 minutes in the spring to top off the charge. They need the same 30 to 45 after sitting on the garage floor. I have seen no difference. Modern batteries won't discharge on concrete. They will discharge if the top of the battery is dirty with acid.


That I didn't know. I never tried it so I assumed it was true. Good to know, thanks.

Not trying to slam your advice but somethings change. Batteries in the house could be a big NO NO because of fumes that may be emitted.

I keep them in the laundry room. Can you smell these fumes, because I've never smelled anything. Something to consider however.

[ragz442]

I store my batteries [usually 2] in the basement, I put them on 2x4's. I've wondered about fumes, keep them as far away from the furnace as possible, havn't had any problems yet. Up here, the idea is keeping them from freezing. I guess one of those battery tenders would do the trick, or better yet, a heated garage. I do put the sta-bil in the tank, let em run for a while to get it up in the carb, may be overkill but havn't had any fuel problems so far. Everyone has their own way of storing their cars, whatever works for you I guess.

[73CS]

Watched a show on gas pipelines one time, and it basically said if Mobile put 10,000 gallons of 82 octane in the system in Alabama then they were allowed to get 10,000 gallons out in Michigan, and not necessarily the same gas. And that the differences were largely the additives each company placed in the gas at its destination. I know that is not always the case. But it kind of sounds like one of those “Life is like a box of chocolates” things. I would probably go with the sta-bil if I had a vehicle down for the winter. For what it’s worth, I have worked for Auto-Zone before and there are batteries that sit on floor tile and cement floors and the hold charge just fine. Usually a good battery will not vent unless being charged. Also the most common battery on the bad battery stack, the Never-Start from Wal-mart. Batteries tend to be one of the items you really get what you pay for. Just my $.02

Blane

[bayouh/o]

Gosh, and to think we are just getting our cars out of summer hibernation here! Now that love bug season is over, and the humdiddity is starting to go away, maybe I can finally remove the t-tops!

[texxas8902]

Gosh, and to think we are just getting our cars out of summer hibernation here! Now that love bug season is over, and the humdiddity is starting to go away, maybe I can finally remove the t-tops!

I helped a friend move from Dallas, Tx. to Houma, La. a few years back. I drove a yellow Ryder truck and the front of the box was solid black and wiggling around when I got there. Completely covered with love bugs and about half of them still doing it with the dead bug they were attached to. Those bugs are a terrible mess, I'm glad we don't have them in Dallas.