basic storage question

[Duke W.]

Re: basic storage question

Hi Duke:

I was referring to the old bias nylon tires (I heard they would take a permanent set!) in terms of getting them in the air.
Bill

Any nylon cord construction will tend to "take a set" when cold. This is a common problem on aircraft tires, but the "set" is rarely permanent unless conditions are extreme or the tire is underinflated or allowed to go flat, which can cause unseen internal damage.

Once warmed up nylon construction usually goes back "in round", but a nylon bias ply might take a little longer to go back in round than a radial with nylon cap belts.

After taking a car out of storage you should always warm everything up slow at low to moderate speed. Don't jump on the freeway a mile down the road. When I first start the process of taking a car out of storage I hand roll it half a tire turn to unload the flat spot area. By the time I do all the checks, get the prep done on the car going into storage, get the battery in, start the car, and go for a slow ride and hour later, there are no noticeable flat spots.

Duke

[Patrick H.]

Re: basic storage question

WERNER-
My 74 is stored in my heated garage here in Northern IL. so not to much of a concern for me. My buddy up in Lake Geneva, WI. stores his 73 in an concrete floor / unheated out building and what we do with his is pull the distributor every spring and prime the engine by spinning the oil pump with a 1/2 drill. He doesn't start his at all during the winter months and usually checks for critter's (so far over the few years, not an issue) evey week or so. I feel the pain Werner, some snow flurries here this afternoon.

Marty

I hope that he puts plastic underneath it to prevent condensation underneath. It's cheap, and it works!

[Patrick H.]

Re: basic storage question

I'm in Michigan. My '65 sat from fall to spring in an unheated, attached garage. I pulled the oil plug on the 396 one spring and got a lot of water out of the oil pan. I pulled the intake manifold, and found rivers of rust in the intake ports. I now heat my garage until Dec. 15 and after Mar. 15 to avoid fall and spring condensation. I let the garage go to ambient from Dec. 15 to Mar. 15.

Bill,

The occasional January days when it bumps up in temperature will cause just as many issues as pre-Dec 15 and post-Mar 15th ones. I had a lot of rust develop on newly restored parts in mid January when the warm air hit the cold garage floor.

We heat year round, but keep the thermostat at its lowest setting during the winter. In addition, the cars are all in Car Jackets.

Patrick

[Martin N.]

Re: basic storage question

PATRICK-
No need for plastic, the garage is heated via Radiant floor heat using a boiler our basement with circulating pumps for various (zones) floors in our house, garage, shop and exterior sidewalks. The heat in the garage (around 60 degrees) rises evenly thru out and does an excellant job of eliminating cold spots. It's also great when you're lying on your back underneath the car, nice and warm. We use a very slow rotating ceiling fan when it's below zero just to circulate the air faster and keep the vette uncovered during winter storage, seems there's always something that needs to be worked on or cleaned or waxed.

Marty

[Patrick H.]

Re: basic storage question

PATRICK-
No need for plastic, the garage is heated via Radiant floor heat using a boiler our basement with circulating pumps for various (zones) floors in our house, garage, shop and exterior sidewalks. The heat in the garage (around 60 degrees) rises evenly thru out and does an excellant job of eliminating cold spots. It's also great when you're lying on your back underneath the car, nice and warm. We use a very slow rotating ceiling fan when it's below zero just to circulate the air faster and keep the vette uncovered during winter storage, seems there's always something that needs to be worked on or cleaned or waxed.

Marty

I'm envious re the floor heat - that's what I plan if there's ever a "next" garage.

I meant your friend with the 73 in the unheated garage with cement floors - he needs a barrier.

Patrick

[Bill M.]

Re: basic storage question

Bill,

The occasional January days when it bumps up in temperature will cause just as many issues as pre-Dec 15 and post-Mar 15th ones. I had a lot of rust develop on newly restored parts in mid January when the warm air hit the cold garage floor.

We heat year round, but keep the thermostat at its lowest setting during the winter. In addition, the cars are all in Car Jackets.

Patrick

Hi Patrick:

It may have been an unusual winter season when I got all the water out of the oil pan, but I always change the oil in the spring before I start the 396, and I've never seen water in the oil (with the garage heated spring and fall) like I saw that spring of 1978 or 1979. I do get minor corrosion on the raw steel parts in the winter, but I'm too cheap to run the furnace all winter and too lazy to use car jackets! I might go to the trouble and expense if I had an all original perfect C3...

Bill

[Bill M.]

Re: basic storage question

Bill M. with the GSC's on my 96 LT4 I leave the car in neutral and just roll it forward for a couple days and then roll it back a few days later to change the contact area. Seems to work better than just letting it sit for weeks when I do get it out of the garage and having tires that need to round out. It sure rolls a lot easier than my 68 and 70.

Hi Jim:

Thanks for the tip!

Bill

[Jim H.]

Re: basic storage question

I am very new to the midwest area! Previously, I was from California where rust really was not a major concern.

What should I do if the garage has a gas furnace? Run it at lowest setting until sometime in december? Should I put something down on the concrete to insulate it?

What should I avoid to do during the spring and fall time? How should I prevent condensation? Should I avoid opening the garage door?

Also, I plan on storing the body in an enclosed trailer until the chassis is complete. The enclosed trailer seals really well. Anything I should do for the body to prevent the metal supports from rusting?

[Werner R.]

Re: basic storage question

thanks for all of the excellent replies. {it snowed a little here yesterday-yikes!!!!}

[Patrick H.]

Re: basic storage question

I am very new to the midwest area! Previously, I was from California where rust really was not a major concern.

What should I do if the garage has a gas furnace? Run it at lowest setting until sometime in december? Should I put something down on the concrete to insulate it?

What should I avoid to do during the spring and fall time? How should I prevent condensation? Should I avoid opening the garage door?

Also, I plan on storing the body in an enclosed trailer until the chassis is complete. The enclosed trailer seals really well. Anything I should do for the body to prevent the metal supports from rusting?

In my garage as well as our insulated Corvette storage barn I generally keep the gas furnace as low as it can go, aiming for 45-50 degrees of temperature.

I always put plastic under the cars to avoid condensation issues, and often throw cardboard on top of that to hold down the plastic and catch drips.

I can't avoid moving the garage door during the winter, but we don't open them on the storage barn, especially if its a humid day. And yes, I've run the dehumidifier in the garage in the winter on occasion.

I would not worry about the body in the trailer.

Patrick