Storage?

[Driven76]

I'm preparing to store my TR6 for the first time this winter.

It will be the first time I have ever stored a car, and even though it should only be for a few months (3-4), I'm hoping not to have any surprises in the spring

I will be keeping it up on some ramps that have a radius at the end of them to hopefully keep from any flat spots developing on the tires; along with inflating the tire pressures about 10 lbs. over recommended. Feel free to tell me if this isn't a good idea.

Of course I will be filling the tank and adding some stabilizer as well. Along with pulling the battery, bringing it inside and putting a "float" charger on it.

I live in the Chicago suburbs and we can get well below zero over the course of the winter.

I'm wrestling with the storage location, and was hoping to get some insight.

My garage at home is attached, does not have heat, and only insulated on the wall that attaches to the house. I plan on insulating and finishing it off soon, but it may not happen until the spring.

The biggest question I have is how bad does it affect the car keeping it in an unheated garage?

I do have an option on a heated spot for the winter, but it's an expense I wasn't planning on. Also, it will probably just be kept above freezing at this location.

Will keeping it in the heated spot versus my garage make that big of a difference?

Also, if kept at home. I was planning on starting it up on regular intervals, and possibly taking it out weather permitting. But wasn't sure if it's best to do this, or just leave it until I start driving it regularly again next spring.

Any insight will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Roger

 

[TR6oldtimer]

I drove a TR4 through a winter in up state NY once where the temps dropped well below 0 and down to -40 for a week. I was young and had no other choice, but the car ran and handled just fine.

Anyway, there are only a couple of real winter agents of harm for LBC's and they are salt, water, and moisture. The cold is not bad as the colder it is the less moisture there is in the air. I would winterize the car as you would any other car and then just drive it into the garage and drive it when you can. If you cover the car in the garage, be sure it is a dust cover that breaths.

If you do not plan on driving the care, I would winterize it and follow your plan to stabilize the gas and remove the battery until spring arrives. While some periodically start their cars during the winter months, from my experience it is not really needed nor in my opinion the best policy.

 

[AltaKnight]

I live in Western Canada where we get cold temperatures (as low as minus 30C) and lots of snow although it's generally quite dry.
I've stored my TR6 outside with the convertible top up and under a car cover for the last 3 winters with no problems.
The only thing I do for winter is stabilize the fuel and put a trickle charger on the battery in-situ.
Every so often I push the snow off the car cover to stop the weight collapsing the top.
Never had a problem; I leave it alone all winter and don't start it; but it starts like a champ every spring; don't overcomplicate the storage thing for 3 or 4 months.

 

[Guest]

I plan on driving mt TR6 on nice weather days all winter. We didn't get hardly any lasting snow last year.

 

[Geo Hahn]

I've had no winter problems even though we have some nights here in Arizona when it dips into the 40s. Brrrrr.

Seriously, from my days in the Midwest I do not think cold harms the car if it has antifreeze and just sits. I would not start it unless you are going to drive it enough for it to get properly hot.

I don't think flat-spotting is much of a problem with radial tires (like it used to be with bias-ply) though the extra 10# is a good idea.

My TR3A once sat unexpectedly for 16 months when a 4-week paint job ran long. No prep at all yet it started right up at the other end of the sit.

 

[Tomster]

Greatest fear should be "VARMINTS" after doing all of the above
Have heard that moth balls around the complete perimeter of the vehicle might work but really do not know.
I do know that a mouse can tunnel pretty much throughout the driver's side seat bottom in short order. Anyone have a spare or old one available from their upgrade?

 

[Driven76]

Thanks guys... all of your input has been a big help.

Tomster, I never thought about mice.

Maybe a few moth balls kept in a container under the seats might do the trick as well, but I'm not sure about the smell come spring.

I would be interested if anyone else has some thoughts on the "Varmints" subject.

I wished I could help you with the driver's seat. But unfortunately I have only owned my car a short time, and my spare parts bin is pretty bare.

 

[Twosheds]

I would be interested if anyone else has some thoughts on the "Varmints" subject.

I have found that opening the bonnet, boot, and glovebox keeps mice from nesting in those areas. They are looking for hiding places, so I don't give them any place to hide. Obviously, I don't use a car cover.

Irish Spring soap doesn't repel mice. It has the opposite effect; it attracts mice! I have experimented with this!

I'm sure they are nesting in the gas tank space, though. There is a mouse hole in the upholstery piece that covers the front side of the gas tank. Maybe some other areas where I can't see. I am going to try dryer sheets this winter.

One year they stored walnuts in the tailpipe. Made lots of smoke at the first start-up of spring when they caught fire. Nice smell, though.

 

[Geo Hahn]

Back when I 'stored' I always put a 'tin' can over the exhaust tip. Kept the critters out but would push free if I forgot to remove it at start-up.

 

[heliguy]

I have used "bounce" sheets inside of plastic sandwhich bags through out the car when storing it for the winter. I think it helps, and smells ALOT nicer than moth balls!

 

[14dna]

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I've stored cars for about 30 years in Canada, and have had much success with bounce sheets. Smell much better than mothballs.
Other than that, I don't even touch the car for 4-5 months and it always works well in the Spring.
Maybe I'm lucky?

Dave

 

[Guest]

Put a couple of stuffed cats on the seats or a real cat and 4 months of dry food. I think the later might be illegal, but sure to work.

 

[NutmegCT]

mothball report:

I stored my previous LBC for two winters in an unheated closed shed (off the ground). Kept boot and bonnet open, as well as doors. Sprinkled good ol-fashioned mothballs around the car (on the shed floor), as well as in the footwells and boot, and put the half-empty box between the valve cover and carbs.

No mothball odor remained after once removing the mothballs and airing the shed in the spring.

Never had a critter problem in the car - but should have done the same thing in the house. Nibbling, scratching and scrambling noises at 2am - Oy.

Tom

 

[kodanja]

I wish this cold would just go away so I dont have to store my car. Dales got the right idea, move to and island and drive all year round!!!!

 

[glemon]

I Have stored my cars for winter in the midwest, Nebraska, for many years, back in the day used to drive them. Winters are similar to Chicago.

I have never used a gasoline stabilizer and never had any issues with gas, maybe needed for longer than winter storage. I guess if it makes you feel better use it.

Haven't had a problem with flat spot on the tires either, but the extra 10 lbs sounds like a good idea, easy to do and can't hurt.

Other than that disconnect the battery at the least or put it on a float charger.

Haven't had a problem with critters in the various residential garages, but did find a new ansa exhaust for an Alfa that had been a a garage for many years, it was full of acorns. Aluminum foil or a can over the exhaust and some bounce sheets seem like easy insurance as well.

I do start my car and either run it long enough for everything to warm up, or better yet drive it, don't know if it is necessary, but it is fun, we usually get a day here and there where it is sunny and in the 40s.

One thing a freind and I talked about the other day was oil changes, we both drive our cars maybe a couple thousand miles a year, we both agreed and try to change the oil once a year in the fall before storage--on the theory that if you drive the car it can get contaminated with gas or other blow by byproducts and so an oil change before storage would be best.

 

[Moseso]

I would be interested if anyone else has some thoughts on the "Varmints" subject.

Shotgun!

 

[NutmegCT]

Leonard - don't you know that shotguns aren't good for huntin' down little varmints? Unless them Minnesota critters are very very big - and widely scattered ...

Yah sure.

Tom

I would be interested if anyone else has some thoughts on the "Varmints" subject.

Shotgun!

 

[kodanja]

I would be interested if anyone else has some thoughts on the "Varmints" subject.

\
Mothballs around the exterior foundation of the garage seem to help deture the Varments in my neck of the woods. Just dont put them too close to any plants you may want to survive.

 

[AweMan]

I store my M.H. at the campsite on the mountain, it gets well below zero up there. Once it starts snowing there is NO going up there. I dissconnect the batts. Make sure the antifreeze is good for below 50 degrees. And YES there IS a VARMIT problem, and NO mothballs don`t deture them! {field mice} Decon does! They eat it, get thirsty, go outside in search of water, drink and DIE! I have NO electricity to trickle the batts with, I have never had a problem with starting the coach up in the spring {usualy late spring at that}. I put one box of decon on top of each tire {they have to climb up one of the tires to find entry to the coach, hopefully the critters will eat it, get thirsty drink and die before they find an entry point into the coach.}
One caution about decon use is if you have pets that may discover a dead critter {varmit} and decide to consume it, you may want to consider another alternative of which I have NO clue as to what that might be. I can only say that mothballs DIDN`t work for me! And believe me when I say I spread them about in the coach very liberaly. Sence I have been using decon, I have as of yet not found a dead critter inside of the coach. My day may be coming tho and I`m sure it will.
Kerry

 

[angelfj1]

Has anyone tried one of those whole car bags?