[LHULL]

My 70 has to be stored outside for the winter up here in the northeast. It is going to have to be in the backyard on the lawn. I guess I'll get a car cover. What should I put underneath to keep the moisture out? How do I keep mice out?

 

[fastss396man]

LHULL,
Man this is a really tough one. A couple of things I know... Put moth balls in small tins throughout the vehicle, ie engine comp. on top of intake, Interior under the seats, (front and back), under the dash and in the trunk. Don't be bashful with these mothballs. When you get a carcover is has to be a very high quality breathable cover that lets moisture out but not back in. Do not just cover with a platic tarp! This will trap and hold so much moisture that mildew will set in very quickely.
Contact: www.calcarcover.com
Check out their "Superweave" or "Stormweave" car covers. Don't be cheap. Think of this car cover as a inexpensive garage.
I would lay down a big plastic tarp to park on. Make sure you chose a place where the ground drains well or water runs away from.
I would also find a way to plug tailpipes and the air snorkel. Those little guys will fill your air cleaner full of acorns if you don't.
I'm not sure if you should leave the windows cracked open a little or not I think it would help if they were open a little.???

Hope this helps.

FastSS396man

------------------
69' SS396 Chevelle
L78 396/375hp
M-21 Close Ratio
10 year Resto
It's brand new again!

 

[fastss396man]

LHULL,
Man this is a really tough one. A couple of things I know... Put moth balls in small tins throughout the vehicle, ie engine comp. on top of intake, Interior under the seats, (front and back), under the dash and in the trunk. Don't be bashful with these mothballs. When you get a carcover is has to be a very high quality breathable cover that lets moisture out but not back in. Do not just cover with a platic tarp! This will trap and hold so much moisture that mildew will set in very quickely.
Contact: www.calcarcover.com
Check out their "Superweave" or "Stormweave" car covers. Don't be cheap. Think of this car cover as a inexpensive garage.
I would lay down a big plastic tarp to park on. Make sure you chose a place where the ground drains well or water runs away from.
I would also find a way to plug tailpipes and the air snorkel. Those little guys will fill your air cleaner full of acorns if you don't.
I'm not sure if you should leave the windows cracked open a little or not I think it would help if they were open a little.???

Hope this helps.

FastSS396man

------------------
69' SS396 Chevelle
L78 396/375hp
M-21 Close Ratio
10 year Resto
It's brand new again!

 

[Randy Mosier]

That's easy! In my garage!!

 

[Terry krook]

Look around your area and see if there is someone who does not drive any more and see if you can rent their garage. A friend of mine just rented a garage of an elderly couple with no car for $50.00 a month. They won't let him work on it there but he just wanted storage anyway.

 

[fastss396man]

Why didn't I think of that?

That's a great idea! I would still go with the moth balls even in a garage depending how nice the garage is.
If you store it off your own property be sure to check with your ins co. to be sure it will be covered for at least fire and theft while in someone elses garage.
By the time you pay for a good car cover you could pay for several mo.s of garage rent!

FastSS396man

------------------
69' SS396 Chevelle
L78 396/375hp
M-21 Close Ratio
10 year Resto
It's brand new again!

 

[68-bb]

Instead of a car cover which from my own experience wont't work well up here,how about
one of those portable garages?They are like a big tent but do hold up well.They have a guy that sells them with a display at the auto flea market in Amherst NH Sunday morning.I think Harbor freight has them also.I thought they were about $300-500.

good luck
Tony

 

[elcamino]

I don't know about your area but I can rent a secure space in self storage building for $55/month.

I would go to a Lowes or Home Depot and buy some of the HD plastic moisture barrier they use indoors with insulation. Cover the ground or concrete floor with that and park the car over it. It will prevent moisture from coming thru the ground, the worst enemy of a stored vehicle. Also never start the car while in storage, unless you plan on driving it for a hour or so you will only cause moisture to form in the engine and exhaust and that will be worse than a deab battery ever can be. Park it and forget it. Also some of those car covers can be worse than the elements themselves, the plastic vapor barrier would be better than most. Remember the really good covers cost upwards of $200.

I saw an ad in Hemmings Motor News for a clear plastic bag you can drive the car into, take a shop vac and suck out the air. Seal it up and forget it. Can't remember the cost but it may be cheaper than renting for 6 months?

[This message has been edited by elcamino (edited 10-28-2001).]

 

[Tom Hendricks]

I think the guys here all gave you some good tips. I think I would look for a place to keep it. Renting a garage isn't always that expensive. If you do let it sit outside and the weather and rodents do 250.00 worth of damage and deterioration, that's equal to 50.00 a month for 5 months inside storage. If you just have to let it sit outside all winter just make sure fluids are full, tires are aired up hard and you put something in the car to discourage varmits ! I would also recommend driving the car at least once a week if the weather permits just to keep things working. Inactivity is one of a cars worst enemies. (I should talk, I never drive mine)

Good luck and try to find shelter !!

 

[New68SS]

Go to Lowes and get a carton of "Damp-Rid". It's a granule product that absorbs moisture out of the air. I leave one in my vette and it collects about an 1/2" in the container every couple of weeks.


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my 69 vette & 68SS page
"You will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you"

 

[Nate]

I like the idea about the moth balls. I cranked up my 71 the other day and it blew a mouse nest out of the exhaust (2.5" w/ Flowmasters) I have since covered both tail pipes.

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The more cubes the better!!!
70 SS 396
71 SS 454 clone 8.8 1/8 on pump gas and 8" slicks
Team Chevelle # 1143

 

[Bob70]

I live up in this neck of the woods too and I store my Velle outside, Here is what I do. Buy the best car cover you can find - I bought a Technalon3 cover about 2 years ago and it is still holding up well, cost me about $175.00. If you can, store it in the driveway, storing it on the grass in the yard is going to cause a lot of moisture and rodents no matter what you do. Fill up your gas tank and add fuel stabilizer to the fuel and run the engine for a while to let the stabilizer run through the carb. Put the car up on jack stands or put an old set of tires/rims on it. New England winters will kill good rims quickly. Remove the battery and store it inside. Wrap her up for the winter and leave it, don't start it again until the good weather arrives. If you must store it out in the yard, one of those tent garages work well, but you need to have a foundation of some sort.


[This message has been edited by Bob70 (edited 10-29-2001).]