YOU know how some people are preparing for the huge calamity that is allegedly just around the corner by digging huge bunkers in their backyards and stocking up on food, water, guns and ammunition?
Well, what’s a classic car lover to do when faced with the threat of being unable to drive our beloved cars due to a biblical-scale calamity?
The first thing we have to do is become preppers. We have to prep our cars for long-term storage.
The fact is, as a classic car fan who may have more than two old cars annoying the old bag, keeping cars under wraps for an extended period is a smart way of enjoying them. So, even if Armageddon is still a way away, you can still use your car prepper skills to good use.
In fact, if you do have two classic cars, it is actually absolutely fantastic to put one car under the tarpaulin for six months to a year, while enjoying the other one.
That way, we get to focus on one car and fully appreciate all the reasons why we decided to keep it.
If you do decide to follow this cockamamie advice, it’s not a good idea to just park the other car and hope for the best. There are a few simple steps that we can take to preserve the resting beast and help it wake up refreshed, rather than ruined.
The first thing that one should do is change the engine oil. Used oil can be acidic because during the course of use, it may have absorbed some of the combustion by-products and also absorbed moisture.
Drain the usual muck that we pour in and find something that is more suitable for long-term storage. This usually means looking for oil that has better “cling” factor and can maintain a protective coat on all engine parts despite gravity’s best efforts to persuade it to party in the sump.
There are those who suggest the use of heavy duty diesel or marine engine oils, which can be found in various heavy configuration, some of which are 50 times more viscous than water.
It is best, if you change all the transmission and brake fluids, to prevent any moisture from damaging the components.
Some people suggest that you fill the fuel tank to the brim to prevent rust forming inside. It sounds like a good idea, but then, some other people say that a large stationary tank of petrol is an explosion hazard. Whether you plan to leave the tank fully- or partially-filled, get some fuel stabilisers and drop it into the tank to prevent the fuel from deteriorating. If for nothing else, it would help you start it up again.
Drain the radiators and fill it up with coolant, not water. Not even a bit of water.
Once you have done all this, crank her up and drive her around the block and then complete the storage preparation.
It is best to lift the car onto jack stands to relief pressure from all the suspension parts and bearings. You don’t want to wake her up in a year to find all your wheel bearings slightly flattened due to constant pressure on one point.
If you are a cheapskate and wouldn’t spend a dime on jack stands, then at least overfill those tyres to reduce the development of flat spots. It will happen no matter how much air you put in. But then again, you are a cheapskate and deserve to replace your tyres when you want to use them in a year or so.
If you are storing them for more than a year, then you will probably have to replace the tyres anyway, but at least the bearings will still be in good shape.
Once you are in the storage area, there are a few more steps that you can take to further help her sleep well. You should take out the spark plugs and pour some of that thick oil into the cylinders, just as an added precaution. Put the plugs back in.
Loosen all the drive belts by adjusting tensioners, but don’t forget to tighten them up before you wake her up. Then, check and make sure all switches are in the off position and disconnect the battery.
Take the battery out and keep it separately from the car because batteries can and do leak and sometimes, explode. You don’t want battery acid all over the nice and clean engine bay.
“Should you wash and wax the car first?”, I hear you ask.
Well, if you hadn’t thought it sacrilegious to park your car unwashed, let alone a car that is going into long-term storage, then I suggest you hand over the keys to someone with a little more common sense.
Crack open a window, just enough for moisture leave, but not large enough to allow small animals to turn it into a family condominium.
If you sent the car for a nice interior wash as well, just leave the doors open for a few hours in the heat to allow everything to dry out. When you finally put her under the breathable cover, kiss her goodnight will you?
What if you put her under heavy plastic in our humid climate and leave her for a few years? You might as well send out party invitations to tin worms for a very expensive rustapalooza.
And, as always, don’t let the wiper blades sit on the glass.
P.S. If it’s a historically important motorcar like a Bugatti Type 41 Royale Kellner Coupe or a Mercedes-Benz 500K, build a climate controlled storage facility and hire mechanics to look after them while they sleep. You know it makes sense.