Most of us with classic vehicles don’t drive them over the winter. We carefully store them wherever we have room until spring, then after a quick tune-up, we are ready for the road. Here’s some quick tips on protecting your vintage vehicle over the winter.
1. Tip one is before storage, perform your general car maintenance routine, like changing the oil and filter, greasing fittings and spraying the hood latch and door hinges with a rust preventing lubricator. Of course, you’ll want to give your car a good cleaning, inside and out, so it’s fresh to drive when spring arrives.
2. Store your vehicle under cover in a dry environment. The ultimate storage unit will have climate control, but if that’s not possible, the important thing is to keep the vehicle dry to prevent corrosion and rust. If you’re storing outside, cover the car with a heavy duty breathable water-resistant cover. If the cover is not breathable, it can trap moisture and create the perfect environment for rust. Inside your garage, cover the vehicle with protective fabric and cover the concrete floor with a thick plastic sheet to prevent moisture from reaching the underside.
3. Seal openings to keep out mice and other critters. It is amazing how a few small mice can rip a car seat apart in a month or two. Although a great environment for them, it’s not so fun for you when it comes time to pay the reupholstery bill.
4. Protect the battery. Removing the battery or keep it charged with a battery maintainer. If the battery loses its charge over the winter, it can freeze. Not good. Once the liquid inside the battery freezes, it will break electrical connections inside and bend the plates, rendering it useless.
5. Raising the vehicle on jack stands and lowering the air pressure in your tires will save your tires from flat-spotting, but as this can be a safety hazard, we don’t always recommend it.
Vehicle Inspections for Vintage Vehicles – Our inspection service is available any time of the year and includes a full report written by one of our red seal technicians so you can store your classic car with confidence. We offer full tune-ups, tire rotation and balancing along with a full list of service options when you are ready to put your car on the road again this spring. Contact Advance Auto Service for vintage vehicle repairs and car parts at a fair price in Kamloops.
From the team at Advance Auto Service in Kamloops
