How to Store a Classic Car for Winter
A few hours of prep in the fall is what makes the first spring drive in a classic a pleasure instead of a project. Older cars bring a few extra things to think about, like carburetors and metal fuel tanks, so a little care before the layup goes a long way.
How much you need to do depends on how long the car will sit. Hagerty's Rob Siegel puts it simply: for a layup of two or three months, disconnecting the battery and covering the car goes a long way, while a longer storage calls for more care. Here's the full list.
Start With a Clean Car
Wash the car by hand, polish the chrome and put a coat of wax on the paint before it goes under a cover. Get rid of any tree sap, and clear trash and food wrappers out of the cabin so there's nothing to attract visitors over the winter.
Fill the Tank and Think About Stabilizer
Most gas sold today contains 10 percent ethanol, which absorbs moisture from the air. Storing the car with a full tank leaves less room for moist air, and that matters most on older cars with metal fuel tanks, where water can collect at the bottom.
A Hagerty parts specialist told Cars.com that most ethanol-blended fuel has a shelf life of only about three months, so fuel stabilizer is cheap insurance for a longer layup. Add it to a nearly full tank, then take one last drive so the treated fuel works through the whole system.
If you already know the car will sit for a year or more, Hagerty suggests draining the tank and emptying the carburetor float bowls instead, since the varnish old gas leaves behind can cause trouble later.
Change the Oil and Check the Fluids
Fresh oil and a new filter before storage, plus topped-off fluids, mean the car sits all winter with clean oil inside. If you live somewhere cold, make sure the antifreeze is up to the job.
Keep the Battery Healthy
Cold weather and a slow electrical drain will likely kill a battery before spring. If there's an outlet nearby, use a battery maintainer with a float mode or automatic shutoff. Hagerty points out the difference: a maintainer is designed to stay connected, while a basic trickle charger can overcharge the battery if it's left on.
No power in the garage? Disconnecting the negative terminal works well. You can also remove the battery and keep it somewhere warm, since cold batteries can freeze and crack.
Protect the Tires
A car that sits for months can flat-spot its tires, and long sits in cold weather can make that permanent. Hagerty's best prevention is storing the car on four jack stands with the wheels off the ground. If you go that route, do it on a flat concrete floor, and if you're not sure how to raise your car safely, ask someone who does. Short of that, moving the car a little now and then helps.
Adding some air before storage helps too, since tires lose pressure over time. Stay under the maximum pressure on the sidewall, and set them back to spec before the first drive. Leave the parking brake off so it doesn't stick, and use wheel chocks instead.
Keep the Critters Out
Rodents can do a surprising amount of damage in a single winter. Some owners swear by dryer sheets or peppermint oil in and around the car, and a sock in the exhaust tip keeps small animals from moving in. Keep any traps outside the car, never inside it. Whatever you block or stuff, leave yourself a note on the steering wheel so it comes out before the car starts.
Cover It Up
Even in a climate-controlled garage, a cover keeps dust, critters and sunlight off the paint. Outdoors, you'll want a cover that's waterproof, breathable and secured so wind can't lift it. Never use a plastic tarp, which can scratch the paint badly.
Our car cover collection includes custom-fit indoor and outdoor covers for cars like the 1955–1957 Bel Air and C1 and C3 Corvettes, along with covers for many other makes.
Should You Start It During the Winter?
If the car is stored properly, you don't need to. If you do, take the cover off completely, pull anything you put in the exhaust, open the garage door, and let the engine reach full operating temperature so condensation burns off. Then put everything back the way it was.
Waking It Up in the Spring
Remove the cover and anything blocking the exhaust, reconnect the battery, set the tire pressures and check under the car for leaks or nesting material. Then go enjoy that first drive of the season.
Sources
- Hagerty, "5 essentials that allow your classic to sleep peacefully when the snow falls" (Rob Siegel): hagerty.com
- Cars.com, "Storing Your Car For Winter": cars.com