Keeping your classic car safe
Thinking of storing your pride and joy away from the elements this winter? Ryan Hirons reveals how best to go about it
As the winter months get going, it’s often a good idea to shield a classic car away from the elements. Gritters, increased rainfall and less-thanpristine road surfaces can all play havoc with a classic, ruining fragile parts and damaging bodywork. It’s why most classic car drivers put their pride and joy into hibernation over winter. However, what do you need to do beforehand - and during to ensure that your car is left without damage during its deep sleep, and awakes in the spring as right as rain?
GIVE YOUR MOTOR A GOOD WASH
Giving your car a thorough clean will ensure that any contaminants on the bodywork or in the cabin will be removed, and therefore won’t be left to fester after the car is put away. Even when a car is stored, any dampness left behind can eat into bodywork and components - so make sure that it’s thoroughly dried off before you put it away.
FIND A PROPER PLACE TO STORE IT
Again, a pretty obvious step. You’ve got to make sure that you have a proper place to store your car over the winter, be that a garage, lock-up, large shed or anything in between. The most important factors are that it is watertight, dustfree (as much as possible) and void of damp too. You can also find inflatable car storage ‘bubbles’ which circulate treated air inside, effectively isolating the car from any outside fluctuations in humidity or temperature. Whether storing the car inside or out, it’s always worth putting a car cover over it. This will keep the bodywork away from the elements working to prevent damage to the paintwork and aid in protecting from corrosion.
DISCONNECT THE BATTERY AND EQUIP A TRICKLE CHARGER
If you don’t disconnect the battery, it’ll eventually run out of charge and the car won’t start. Sure, you can just ‘jump it’ to get it started, but if the battery is left too long without charge it’s bad for its health. By disconnecting the battery from the car and connecting a trickle charger, you can ensure that some charge is constantly put into the battery and slowly discharged, keeping the elements within it healthy.
That means when it comes to starting your car up in the warmer months, not only will it start the first time, the battery will be in good health.
PUMP UP THE TYRES, OR JACK THE CAR UP
Keeping your tyres in good condition is really important for any car but even more so if it isn’t going to be used for a long period. Not only are they the only point of contact with the road and therefore the first point of concern for safety, but flat spots can also create a really annoying rattle as you drive along. And that’s exactly what you’ll get if you leave your car in the garage for months and don’t take care of its rubber boots. Leave the car standing and the weight of the car on the ground will flatten the contact point. To avoid this, either put the car up on jacks or pump the tyres up to a higher pressure.
CHECK FLUIDS
It’s probable the fluid levels in your classic need a check over to ensure they’re all optimal and ready for next year.
Check the car’s oil to see if it’s in a healthy condition and there’s a good amount - too little or too much can result in components seizing. Have a look to see if brake fluids and coolants are at good levels too, while it’s also worth topping up the windscreen washer reservoir.