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The Big Sleep

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prb51

prb51

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Guys, I have to go overseas for a year soon so need your experience. I've never stored a vehicle (1956 TR3). Will be in my garage with low Arizona humidity. From soup to nuts what do you guys recommend.
 
Send it to me - I'll take good care of it! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/jester.gif

Be sure and fill the tank with fresh gas and add the appropriate amount of Sta-Bil. After adding the Sta-Bil, drive it a bit to make sure you've got fresh mixture in the carbs. Top up all fluids and she should sleep well.

If there's someone you trust who can take it out on occasion, that might not be a bad idea.

Mickey
 
Some swear by those inflatable cocoons, but I'd just use a nice soft indoor cover to keep the dust off. Getting someone to work the clutch and brakes every so ofter - to keep the seals soft surely couldn't hurt.
 
Don't forget to put out bar bait, Decon, or some such to control rodents. Nothing worse than finding that packrats, or mice have had a field day with your interior and wiring. sealing a building does no good. Mice can get into an area no bigger than a pencil.
 
Shooting two stroke oil into the carbs and in the cylinders keeps everything nice and free.
 
I wouldn't worry to much....we've had some cars that sat 10+ years and fired right up...if stored properly of corse, really a year is no big deal...definatly add sta-bil, if you have nice tires then block it up or put on an extra set of rims/tires bait the garage with mice food. Not sure if a TR-3 has seats that are easily removable but with the MGA we usually pull out the seat bottoms.

Zack
 
I've been storing cars over the winter (average 5 months storage) for 25 years. Never used Sta-bil (or anything like it) and never had a problem. They fire right up in the spring. As others have said, put some oil down the bores to keep the rings from seizing to the bores. Don't leave the handbrake on! Put some extra air in the tires to compensate for slow leaks. In a convertible, I've often removed the seats to protect against small critters making their homes there. That's about it.
 
In addition to items already mentioned... I would remove the battery. It will probably not be to great after a year in AZ heat and having it out will eliminate any danger of leakage.

I have had the TR3 sit for a year and restart with only minor problems -- frozen clutch one time, frozen wheel cylinder the other.

The good news is that your part of Arizona is about the perfect place for storing a car (or old planes in the case of the USAF). I wouldn't be tempted to have someone drive it once in awhile as that seems more likely to cause a problem than prevent one.
 
Stored brother's car for two years while he was overseas. We changed oil, squirted some oil down plug holes, drained fuel and ran carbs dry. Put car up on cement blocks, papered over the windows (inside)and put on a good heavy coat of paste wax (unbuffed). Worked just fine in New Orleans humidity.
 
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