Preparing a classic for a winter lay-up

Q

I’m planning to store my Austin A35 over the winter. My shed is a bit damp and dusty and last year it was rather sorry for itself by spring. What’s the best way to store a car in lessthan-ideal conditions? Pete Greenfield, Monmouth

A

Good storage consists largely of taking a number of precautions before parking the car up. If a change of oil or coolant is imminent, do it before storing the car. Change the coolant if it’s over three years old, is dirty or has been heavily watered-down due to leakage. Check the oil levels of the axle, gearbox and, if appropriate, the steering system. Go round with a grease gun, too. The excess grease pushed out of kingpins, etc, will keep rust and dirt away.

Clean the HT leads, distributor cap and rotor arm with a petroldampened rag. Dust and dirt attract moisture, which will lead to spark ‘leakage’ and corrosion. If you have the inclination, a good clean-up of the engine bay might be worthwhile if it’s covered in dry dust. Give it a fine spray with penetrating oil afterwards, especially around spot-welded seams. Leave it alone if it’s covered in oil already.

Wash and polish the body.

The layer of wax left behind will seal the paintwork against penetrating damp and will make it resistant to scratching if dust has to be washed off in spring. Clean the chrome with good quality chrome polish. If it’s spotted with verdigris, apply the polish gently with extrafine grade 0000 steel wool.

After polishing, coat it with petroleum jelly or a semi-setting preservative wax such as Bilt Hamber Dynax UC. If there are any exposed rust spots on the body, treat these with wax, too.

Overinflate the tyres to 3540psi to stop them flat-spotting. Better still, fit a set of old wheels or support the car on axle stands. Deflate the tyres of the removed wheels to 10psi and store them horizontally on a dry surface in the dark.

Try to put the car away good and hot, after a long, fast run. Exhaust silencers can build up quantities of water and this will drive it off. It’s favourable to fill the fuel tank to minimise the risk of condensation and corrosion. Fuel won’t ‘go off’ or gain sinister corrosive qualities over the period of one winter. Ethanol in modern fuel will absorb a certain amount of moisture that would otherwise collect in the bottom of the tank, allowing it to be burned off later.

Put a dust cover on the car. Bedsheets work well, as they breathe and dry quickly if damp. If you use a non-breathable cover, place soft blocks of wood – or similar – under it to hold it off the roof, bonnet and boot. Otherwise, condensation will be trapped and may lift the paint. Breathable covers aren’t always immune to this, either. Leave the windows down half-an-inch – or shut them and place a chemical

dehumidifier in the car. Remove the battery. Clean it, fully-charge it, store it away from frost and recharge it every three months.

Check the fluid levels when you take it out of storage. Fit the battery and check the function of all electrical devices. Inspect all hydraulic parts for leakage and set the tyre pressures. Hold the brake pedal down firmly for 30 seconds and check it doesn’t sink. Take a wire off the coil and crank the engine until the oil light goes out, then reconnect the wire, start it and make sure it comes up to temperature without overheating. Take it on a short run, being alert to anything untoward.

Carry out a further visual inspection afterwards.

Test antifreeze Use a hydrometer to check antifreeze or draw a little off and put it in a freezer to test its freezing point. Or, now’s a good time to replace it. Jog your memory Make a list of any defects that need attention and leave it with the car. You’ll forget about them over the winter.

Maintenance in storage Limit yourself to exercising the brake and (hydraulic) clutch pedal a few times once a month. Don’t start the engine, or the exhaust will be filled with moisture.