How to protect your Corvette from the weather

[Twan B.]

Following the news regarding the forrest fires in California, or floods some where else. First thing in my mind is, what is happening with the Corvettes over there, I'am living in The Netherlands and the nature is verry kind to us regarding what i see in The USA. There must be a lot of Corvettes in California . I never read that anyone's Corvette was lost. What are some of you do to protect your Corvette?

Twan

[Paul J.]

Re: How to protect your Corvette from the weather

Twan:

The news never picks up that sort of thing. I guess we're the only ones interested in things like that. However, I recall last year a house fire in a nearby community caught a field on fire which migrated to a shed full of vintage parts (and possibly cars) and the local news interviewed the owner of the shed. This fire also got a 65 Mustang and some late 60's Mopars that were sitting outside in surrounding yards. A terrible tragedy but no one's fault. I don't believe that anyone was hurt.

Paul

[Terry D.]

Re: How to protect your Corvette from the weather

Twan
As with anything else that is valuable or cherished, when danger presents itself you move it to a safe place. I'm sure some were caught unaware and lost everything, doubt the media has time or space to tell everything that's lost. Also, if you lost a multi million dollar home, a Corvette is the least of your worries.
Terry

[Twan B.]

Re: How to protect your Corvette from the weather

Terry, of course you are right about the loss of life/family and home, that will be the first to worry about.
Twan

[Jim T.]

Re: How to protect your Corvette from the weather

Two tornadoes have passed about a mile south of my garage within the past five years. FEB 5, 2008 was the worst and had the same the same track as the previous one. Two four post lifts and four Corvettes in a two car garage, I hope the tornadoes stay away. The parking under city hall building downtown is about the safest for a car, however an earlier tornado did a lot of damage downtown about 6 years ago.
Although a creek is the perimeter of my rear property line, in 18 years I have never seen it higher than half of the depth of creek with steady downpours. The creek has actually become about 4 feet deeper in all these years.

[Mike B.]

Re: How to protect your Corvette from the weather

Twan,

When I lived in Oklahoma, there was a huge cotton mill fire in my hometown of Altus. Burned the southeast corner of the town down to the ground. Nobody was seriously injured, but my '66 sustained smoke damage. At that time, she was being disassembled anyway so it really didn't upset me. But later when I took the instrument cluster apart, I noticed just how much light gray soot had gotten inside the unit. Smoke alone is a BIG problem. Later, after I moved to Maryland I saw a '65 that had been in a garage fire. There's nothing more gut wretching than seeing one of my favorite's fiberglass body strands blowing in the wind like witch's hair. Truly sad.

Mike '65, '66

[Bill M.]

Re: How to protect your Corvette from the weather

I remember seeing a picture of a '58 that was caught in Katrina (Twan: hurricane that hit New Orleans in 2005)...sad sight.

[Terry M.]

Re: How to protect your Corvette from the weather

One of the clips I saw of the California fires had a C4 on a trailer being moved, and another shot showed a burned hulk of a Corvair. From conversations with the Louisiana NCRS guys I know a group of them moved their cars to the upper floors of a parking structure during one of the hurricanes down there.

I'm sure in all these kinds of disasters some make it and some don't. As was earlier said, compared to human life and home -- cars probably come in next.

[Sandra H.]

Re: How to protect your Corvette from the weather

Hi Twan,
Everyone has their method of dealing with disasters.......for me, when caught in an area that got 4 feet of fast moving floodwater, I secured my art studio first, moved the Corvette to higher ground, caught and moved animals to safe areas, then moved all the trucks and trailers.

Sadly, I ran out of time and my vintage Chrysler 5th Avenue and vintage Jaguar were completely submerged.

When the windstorms came up.....we lived in a heavily wooded area....... I just moved everything to a bare field, while the big old trees crashed around us.

With the earthquake.....no time to do anything.......and when the woods caught on fire....well, I just freaked.

So, I think you just set your priorities and act on them when the time comes. Plan an escape route for yourself and whatever you hold dear.
Sometimes it works......sometimes it doesn't.

Cheers, Sandy

[Michael H.]

Re: How to protect your Corvette from the weather

I remember seeing a picture of a '58 that was caught in Katrina (Twan: hurricane that hit New Orleans in 2005)...sad sight.

Here's the C1 that was in the Katrina storm surge.

I have the same problem here on the west coast of Florida. I'm VERY close to the water and if a hurricane/storm surge comes here, I'm screwed. When hurricane Charlie was supposed to hit here (but hit Port Charlott instead) 18 foot storm surge was predicted. My house is about 3' above sea level. Add 6-8' wave height to that and it's a pretty ugly picture.
Every year, there are a few less old Corvettes on the planet because of weather related issues.

[Paul J.]

Re: How to protect your Corvette from the weather

Every year, there are a few less old Corvettes on the planet because of weather related issues.

Considering the hulks that I run across, I think almost all of the damaged Corvettes are recycled. Sure some only survive to being parts doners, but the better ones are either restored or set aside to be restored later.

Paul