Do you guys pack your classics away for Winter?

[JimNiki]

I s'pose everyone will do a different thing cause all our circumstances and cars are different.

Is yours a garage queen? trailer queen? Mine's a "cafe' queen".
I go around the corner for an alfesco latte with the Mrs and then take it back home to continue hibernating it for Winter.

If you know you're not gonna drive it for a month, do you jack it up on all 4's.
Don't want square tyres !...I do?

I also put the mandatory car cover on it.
Not because I'm worried about dust but because the mustang is also the cat's bed! It's actually covered with about 3 layers of fabric!

Then I have one of them battery conditioners which is always plugged in to keep the battery healthy...
(sometimes I remember to take it off before I drive out! )

I haven't connected a choke to the Holley 750. So when I do start it, I need to keep the foot on the accelerator and the brake while I'm reversing out of the garage...

So in a nutshell, these old dinosours are old and need to looked after like old people... eg: put a blanket on them, warm them up first before driving, leaking the odd drop of ... ahhhmm... nevermind...

[Streets]

My XD lives in the carport on the side of the house (wish I had a shed like a real man). It used to have a car cover but one day it blew onto the ground and the cat ****ed on it. Have to get another one. Battery gets disconnected when not in use. That's about it I think!

[gcg2503]

Car sits for no longer than two weeks at a time.

Its never jacked up off its tyres but I have thought about it!

No car cover as I dont believe in them, if anything i am very apprehensive about them damaging the paint. My mates Rothmans Blue XA GT needed an hour of love from me with my buffer to get some cover amrks of each of its corners!!!!!!!!

It isnt hooked up to a battery charger although I do think about it at times

I have only driven it in the rain once and try to avoid getting her wet.

[Auturbo6]

I've always been a firm believer that a vehicle needs to be driven. Mine sits in the garage all week. And comes out every weekend no fail. U only live once, no good getting hit by a bus today, and some fool enjoying my pride and joy from that point on. So pull those greatly appreciated vehicles out of their hybanation, and enjoy.........

[JimNiki]

Originally Posted by Auturbo6

So pull those greatly appreciated vehicles out of their hybanation, and enjoy.........

I fear another "latte" coming on! hehehe

[cob115]

intresting topic,i definatly drive my baby,worst thing in my mind is not to use them,things start packing up if there not used,i only avoid driving my coupe in the rain: ( but hell yeah to the shops/kids school/any thing is a great excuse to go for a burn : ) who knows when your going to kick the bucket ???& im not an invester looking to make cash from clasic cars ,so i dont give a rats bum how many km,s i rack up .Right now Im looking out side my office window at my 1972xa fairmont coupe & feel all warm and fuzzy inside knowing she is wainting for me : )

[XMPboy]

Originally Posted by Auturbo6

I've always been a firm believer that a vehicle needs to be driven. Mine sits in the garage all week. And comes out every weekend no fail. U only live once, no good getting hit by a bus today, and some fool enjoying my pride and joy from that point on. So pull those greatly appreciated vehicles out of their hybanation, and enjoy.........

Me too, I have a sexy xp and an xb hardtop. I drive the xp everyday and bring the beast out for the weekends, just drive it, so what if you have to chamois it if it rains and wash it once a month, at least your enjoying the hell out of them.

[Mr Hardware]

Nope, my olden gets driven once a week. I'm not going to turn it into a daily any time soon but nor is it going to be 'hidden not driven'.

[69ISH]

My eliminator goes out nearly every weekend but is garaged at my inlaws as we have 4 vehicles (Normally 5 but the missus had hers written off in a accident a couple of weeks back) and only a 2 car garage.The mustang has no running gear yet so goes nowhere and takes up 1 spot in the garage and is covered in a high quality indoor car cover the daughters car takes up the other spot (Only because the wife is driving it but would also be garaged at the inlaws as she is not quite 17 yet) and the ute is left out in the weather and that is the newest car of them all (less than a year old) but I will only keep it for around 5 years. But I normally disconnect the batteries/fuel pump or remove rotor buttons/coil leads/fuses to make things difficult for any unauthorised user to be able to use the cars when they sit longer than a couple of days.
When storing for long periods of time
I drain or drive the car untill there is very little fuel left in the car if it sits for longer than a period of three weeks I also put the car on car stands with the car stands sitting on drip trays filled with black oil (Keeps mice/rats/vermits from climbing the car stands) I also still cover the car with a car cover and put extra flanelette sheets or blankets on in places where the car may get bumped/rubbed or knocked by foot traffic etc(or careless people throwing there car doors open against it one of my big hates) before the cover goes on.

[T3ts50]

There was an article in AMC magazine a few years back on what to do when storing away a classic for months at a time.

They mentioned that you should make sure that the car is dry before putting the car cover on, and also to fill up the petrol tank so it doesn't oxidise.

[Iggypoppin']

I don't own a classic. But if I did, it'd be an XB coupe of some sort. And I'd drive it probably 3 days a week to work and on weekends. I'd walk every other day to work, as it's not far and the excercise is good. I'd own it to drive it. Not dumping on people who garage theirs, I'm an advocate of "it's your car, do what you like with it". But I'm not going to be alive forever, and I want maximum enjoyment before I cark it, and I doubt the car would still be around when I die. So driven constantly, but well cared for, is the way to go!

[TUF_302]

My EL lives in the garage, i will take it out at least once a week if i can, it loves the clear cold air!, i do use it less in winter though, the roads are alot more dangerous in tas over winter

[pottery beige]

Pottery Beige cops it all... not scared of the rain fairies....

[Stefan]

Originally Posted by pottery beige

Pottery Beige cops it all... not scared of the rain fairies....

A car that is painted the same colour as most people roof guttering and down pipes, it would be wrong NOT to take her out into the rain!!

[pottery beige]

Originally Posted by Stefan

A car that is painted the same colour as most people roof guttering and down pipes, it would be wrong NOT to take her out into the rain!!

i think i just weed myself..........

[Elks]

maybe I'm just lazy.

Mine are both garage queens, and get little use in the wet weather. Not because of any mad obsession bit simply at i need to clean them before putting the away.

The T has a cover and both are on trickle chargers for the batteries. Best $60 ever spent. the things always start and can be switched off when you get somewhere.

T

[my67xr]

my xr has sat in the shed for up to 5 years at a time, due to lack of funds etc etc. was a daily driver for the first 12 or so years, i have only done 7000miles in the last 13 years. i have never had problems with dried up fuel etc,it started and ran like it did before it was put into the shed.
i dont cover it much either, was satin black for 12 years. i just used tyre shine on a rag every now and then to clean it up, lol.
car is all painted up now, has been since january, been washed 5 times since. its covered in dust now, i find it gives the paint some protection from fly crap and bird droppings.
tyres have never gone out of round
only had coolant go crystalised after the 5 year sit, had to have radiator flushed and replace the hoses.
i would have it registered all year if i could afford it, but the wife and kids make that hard.

[pottery beige]

More info.... Potty Beige has never been restored, it still has original rust and slightly poor paint from a respray many many years ago (original roof paint from when the vinyl roof was peeled off it though..) it has legendary status within 'our family' over many years. Never trailered to the drags, driven out with bonnet scoop then pipes off, slicks on and race... Drag racer, parts chaser, daily driver, dirt roader, three kids spilling maccas on the back seat... It just adds more to its legendary status..

[Express]

Winter or summer, it makes no difference to me. I wait for the first fine day if necessary and try to get them out at least once a fortnight or more if I can.

Mine are garaged and I use a padded type of cover. It has a very thick, soft and luxurious feel, softer than the doona on my bed. I always make sure the car is squeaky clean before I put it on to be sure there is no grit of any kind that could be pushed around and mark the paint work. Otherwise I leave the cover off until I have time to clean the car which is often the same or following day. I'm a bit overboard about removing brake dust on rims, insect mark off panels, clean out the wheel wells and such.

I try to avoid the rain but if it happens, it’s not the end of the world as I don’t mind cleaning in, out and under. I don’t need a battery conditioner or to lift them as I make it my business to drive them to ensure the seals and moving parts are regularly well lubricated.

It’s all part of the fun of having a weekender.

.

[TICK4D-TAS]

I try and use the car atleast once a month. I dont take it out in the rain, but if i get caught in the rain then its not really a problem.

Its always garaged and i also have one of those padded car covers for it. As others have said it only gets put on after the car has been freshly washed and chammyed. So far i havent had the need for a trickle charger and the car has been left for up to 6 weeks at a time with out starts and 'touch wood' i havent had an issue yet.

[JimNiki]

Originally Posted by pottery beige

More info.... Potty Beige has never been restored, it still has original rust and slightly poor paint from a respray many many years ago (original roof paint from when the vinyl roof was peeled off it though..) it has legendary status within 'our family' over many years. Never trailered to the drags, driven out with bonnet scoop then pipes off, slicks on and race... Drag racer, parts chaser, daily driver, dirt roader, three kids spilling maccas on the back seat... It just adds more to its legendary status..

Jeez that reminds of a car I got offered by a member of the family. Hear me out...
It was the wife's first cousin. He bought this car in 1970 and the old man cracked it on him for buying it then. Had it the whole time, had a family, it was the daily driver right up until the kids were teenagers. He was way over it by then. As you can imagine the car was a mess, ripped seats front and back, green paint all faded and full of crows feet, original motor ran but a bit tired.
It was time to get rid of it and I got first offer. ($9,500.00). My heart started racing!
We told him (Gary) that we'll get back to him in a week.
We said no because we just moved into our first home with a big mortgage and we both knew that the car needed some money spent on it. Money we didn't have. I still regret it to this day... you probably have guessed what it was by now... PH1 XW HO. He sold it a couple of weeks later for 11,500.00.
This was in the mid nineties...anyway, I'm stuck with my second favourite.

[OzJavelin]

Both Javelins live in a shed, but I'll take them out as long as its not raining when I leave - this includes driving them to work and leaving them parked in sidestreets, carparks, etc.

The rain is annoying in the '69 'cos it leaks and I never bothered fixing it .. and the '74 is in undercoat, so best not to leave it in the rain.

I'd be more worried about leaving a car for a long time without driving it than actually driving it in the rain, etc. But then again, my cars aren't worth big money like others ..

[66FAIRLANE]

My 66 stays out of reg over the winter period (about 3 months). I do try and start it at least every 2-3 weeks and just back it in and out of the shed to keep the trans, diff, brakes etc covered in fluid. Battery stays connected and if I am in the shed doing stuff I will just rolll it a bit to move the tyre contact patch. Not sure the square tyre thing is a big issue if you keep them pumped up. I try not to drive it in the rain as traction is marginal and I cant be stuffed cleaning it again. Definately couldn't drive it everyday as fuel bill would slay me. And yes cold weather with no choke or heat riser means long warm up times and much misbehavior until it does.

The 67 I bought recently sat in a shed for almost two years with very little air in quite new tyres and they are stuffed. Will not come good and need replacing.

[Tucool]

It's not a classic yet but I do shy away from driving it in the rain because I hate seeing all the road crap down the sides from the spray...I have to admit to being a little obsessive to keeping her spotless

[TZENU]

The Y comes out whenever I feel up for a drive... The car wont melt in the rain and plus it adds to the fun

I really should put the shaker back on, but i just cant be bothered!

[BlueKoop]

The XB gets a run every weekend or every second weekend at the moment.... I will admit rainy days are out of the question.

[InTrail]

Move north.... no winter in FNQ.

[FTE217]

Since I parked my "modern classic" haha 2+yrs ago she may get out 6odd times a yr since.
I will start her up some weekends to warm her up.
Got a car cover but I hate the fine threads she leaves all over the car so never on since.
She hasn't seen rain for those 2+yrs and I'll keep avoiding so as she's pretty spotless so why give myself more work....got enough to do with 2other cars 3kids and the house lol.

[gtxb67]

i am lucky to get mine out once a month. the battery is always flat, so i need to charge it before a planned road trip
when out, it goes for anything between a 20 minute local drive to an all day cruise
rain does not bother me - but it will never see the night air if possible. probably only 6 times in the last 10 years has it had condensation on it. if it gets wet, it must be driven within the next 2 days to dry it off though

[Double Se7en]

Zh all day everyday. Whats the worst that could happen? Its a ford, and one made during the 70's too. A combined missle strike could be easy buffed out.