Tips for Seasonal and Long-Term Classic Car Storage
Imagine this scenario: you finally bought the classic car of your dreams and spent a lot of your hard-earned money to have it expertly restored. After enjoying it for a time, you put it away for the winter. A few months later, you come back to it only to realize the seats have cracked, the paint has faded, and the metal has gotten all rusty.
Sounds like a nightmare, right? Unfortunately, that's exactly what can happen if you don't store your classic car properly. This begs the question: how do you store a vintage car? Do you have to keep a car in an indoor storage, or can you also store a classic car outside? Are there other vintage car storage options?
We'll address some of these common classic car storage concerns in the following article. Read on to learn more.
How do I correctly store a classic car in Orange County?
The last thing you want to do after a long winter is spend money, effort, and time to make your muscle car driveable again. And while dependable classic car storage isn't free or effortless, it's much better than dealing with tire problems, rodent infestations, dead batteries, and other costly issues.
While the following tips are designed for classic and vintage cars, they can also benefit you if you have a tractor, motorcycle, or a similar gas-powered vehicle.
Classic car storage checklist:
Wash and thoroughly clean your car. Polish everything and apply a fresh wax coat. Wash the tires and treat them with a quality tire dressing. If your car is a convertible, clean the fabric and don't lower it when you store the car.
Clean the interior as well. Thoroughly vacuum everything to remove bits of food or other matter that might attract vermin. Polish the vinyl and the leather.
Change the oil and top off all fluids. If your brake fluid is more than a couple years old, you should change that as well.
Remove the battery and attach it to a quality battery tender. It's crucial that you use a battery tender that has an automatic shut off that prevents overcharging. If you live in the colder parts of Orange County (near the Saddleback Mountain, for example), consider keeping the battery inside your home during winter.
Treat the gas with a fuel-stabilization product and top off the tank. This will protect both the gas and the fuel system. After you've added the stabilization product, drive the car for a quarter of an hour or so to spread the chemical-rich gas through the fuel system.
Put the car on jacks. This will prevent undue strain on its suspension, wheels, and tires. We advise you to invest in a good set of jacks rather than use homemade solutions like cinder blocks, as they've proven unreliable.
Use a top-notch car cover that has soft inside surfaces. If you're storing your car outside, make sure to use a waterproof cover. If you’re storing the car inside, buy a cover that protects it from rot, mildew, and dust.
What's the best way to safely keep a car in an indoor storage?
Not everyone owns a garage or a large driveway necessary to store a classic car for months on end. Buying a great car cover and leaving the vehicle on a parking lot may keep the moisture away, but it won't stop vandals and car thieves.
That's where Chimera Motors comes in. We specialize in providing the finest classic car restoration, maintenance, painting, and storage services in Orange County. Taking advantage of our outdoor and indoor storage facilities is an excellent way to ensure the safety of your beloved oldtimer. Call us today.
