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Matt Tomkins on the, err, ‘joys’ of chilly tinkering…
Summoning the motivation for winter tinkering can be somewhat challenging. Seasonal affective disorder, or SAD, affects many of us, and saps energy and enjoyment in many aspects of life. Even without this, the littlest job can become a chore when your fingers stick to a frozen spanner. But our classics never truly sleep, as even those that hibernate over the winter months will benefit from a battery trickle charge, a check of the antifreeze concentration and an airing on a bright, crisp day to banish the condensation.
Then there are the cars that we use through all weathers. Things tend to go wrong as the weather turns, right when motivation is at its lowest ebb. In the space of a week, I’ve had trouble with both of my current users, the Landy’s battery giving up as temperatures plummeted, plus a seized front brake caliper on the Focus that has refused to be mended with a simple, yet frostbite-inducing clean, lube and exercise. New one ordered. And then there are the classics in lockups I haven’t seen for months, whose batteries are inevitably ailing, turning them from on-the-button funsters to chores to move.
I’ve given myself a slap, called myself a fool and set about doing something about it. Some of the most joyous drives are those spontaneous ones when crisp winter sun tickles your chin, so let’s not miss out on those for the want of some classic car husbandry. Make that your motivation to get back out there. I’ve set about an assault on batteries as a first fix. Everything’s received a full charge, hibernating classics included, so they’re ready to go at the slightest whim when I need to top up my classic mojo.
‘It’s no fun being frozen to a spanner’