Ugh, the dreaded day is close. That would be the day I have to put the Cutlass up for a long winter nap.

Okay, got the basics. Fuel stablizer, anti-freeze, battery tender, fresh oil and occasional start-up.

Here's the thing, what about those new tires? Should I put her up on jack stands or leave her down to drive a little? I could fire her up and back in and out of the driveway between blizzards. I really don't want to buy junk wheels and tires just to winter her. I'm thinking sitting on concrete for months is a bad idea for nice tires. So, do you raise it off the suspension and let her sit or what?

What do you guys do with these garage eaters when storing?

 

If you're going to get the car out once every week or two on a dry day and drive it around, I wouldn't worry about the tires. But if it will be parked for several months without moving, I would put a jack stand under the axle on all four corners.

I had a friend with several old cars parked in a large barn over the winter, and he did this with all of them. Raised them up just enough to take the pressure off the suspension and to let the tires just barely contact the ground.

 

If your planning on jacking it up, place the jack stands under each control arm and the rear differential. You don't want the suspension hanging at full end stops.

If your going to store it tires down air them up to the max rated tire pressure.

 

I don't think I would be starting it occasionally during the winter. It can survive the dreaded cold season quite easily without that. Besides you'd need to run it for a long time to avoid rotting out the exhaust.

re: tires. If the car is being stored inside it's perfectly ok to let them stay on the car. In addition to the other comments, what would happen if you needed to move it in an emergency? If letting them stay on concrete bothers you (and it shouldn't) run them up onto a couple of 2X8's.

You should also check your coolant to make sure it's good for cold weather and won't freeze up on you.

My garage eater 'eats' my garage all year round so it really doesn't bother me in the slightest. I do put a good car cover over it while it's in storage though.

 

I'm rethinking this reading some of your suggestions. I've read, tires stored under full weight may create "flat spots" where the tread rolls or forms out of shape. That doesn't sound good! That was the option to drive it a little to prevent damage.

I like the shut it off and let her sit approach. Cold, cold starts are nasty to metal. I'll partially unload the suspension and call it good 'till spring.

 

In the old days of bias ply tires it was common to get flat spots like you suggested. If you have radials that do that, they are cheap no good tires. Put some extra air like Eric suggested and just let her sit over the winter. Take a look at car lots that have vehicles sitting for months on end over the winter. You don't see them taking the wheels off and storing them, and they sit in some dang cold weather on concrete or asphalt.

When you're ready to start her in the spring, disconnect your coil and crank the engine for 2 bursts of 10 seconds to get the oil flowing. Then re-connect the coil and do a proper cold engine start as per owners manual. I found that on my 72, even after the winter and I did this it started really well and kicked into high idle right away. It was like I only left it for a week or so.

 

I really dont understand why you would want to immobilize your car by putting it up on jack stands. God forbid your house or storage area catches fire and you cant push your cars out because they are jacked up in the air.

 

Hmmm, now I'm clearly wishy-washy! Good points.

The old tire lore makes sense. And having a "Mad Max" car ready for a quick escape is not a bad idea. You never know when the big one may hit? I'm thinking the Cutlass would be an obvious choice for Zombie whackin'. Better keep her handy.

 

Speaking of the never-happening apocalyptic-size events, I discussed with my father yesterday whether or not the EMP charge of a nuke would immobilize a 70s car or not. That WOULD make it the perfect survival vehicle in that case. :P Talk about going to extremes...

 

This is where an old points distributor is your friend. LOL.

 

Whoa!, put the jackstands at the ends of the axle where it is designed to bear the weight of the car. It should be fine to jack the car up under the diff housing but don't use it to support the car for any length of time.

I wouldn't start the car unless you are going to drive it at least 25 miles or so, cold starting is where most engine wear occurs.
Keep a 50% antifreeze mix in the cooling system year round even if you live in Phoenix. This is to prevent corrosion rather than just stop the block freezing.

Roger.

 

Sorry to disagree with the old tire lore, but it is true. I have countless cars that sit on the lot and get flat spots. Sometimes they go away after a good drive, and sometimes they don't.

Roger, I did mean to use two jack stands on the rear as you describe. Sorry for the confusion.

 

That's really interesting. Is it with any brand of tire and what kind of wear do they have? I've never had flat spot radials and I've owned quite a few. How long do the cars sit on your lot? I can't imagine a sales guy like you having an inventory that didn't turn over fairly quick

 

Heck I get flat spots overnight with my bias plys it goes away after driving it mile or so. Coolent yes keep it 50/50 I also put some scented dryer sheets in the trunk and inside helps keep the mice out.

 

Most cars are on the lot for no more than 3mos. Texas has extremes in temp also, the summers can go up to 100++ . In fall through spring, we can start at freezing and go to 70-80F.

Tony, I remember the early radials, when they were cold they'd go wop-wop-wop till they warmed. They also had the radial waddle, at slow speeds the car would move side to side. Don't remember a lot of issues with bias plys though.

 

Okay, we're talking brand new BFG, T/A's -radial. I'm looking at somewhere around 4 months hibernation. The advise is split with some raising the car and others, not so much.

I think I'll give Jay Leno a call and see how he stores his collection? He manages 30 cars and I'm struggling with one!

I see guys around here using jack stands or junk tires to winter their toys. There must be something to leaving tires sitting on hard surfaces too long? Perhaps a myth but I would really hate wop-wop-wopping next spring!

Up she goes and thanks about the rear axle stand clarification. I was going to place the stands on frame corners. Is that okay?

 

I think the issue of flat spots is much less important than it was in an earlier era. During the process of a recent relocation, I parked one of my cars in storage, which had on it a set of brand-new radials, for four months without jacking it up, overinflating the tires or anything. When I came to move it, the tires had flat spots that disappeared after about a mile of driving.

The point about not leaving your cars immobilized which would prevent you from moving them in a hurry if your storage space ever caught fire is well taken. However, the friend I mentioned had his cars parked in a remote location (a storage barn about 30 miles from his home). If there were ever a fire, there would be no way he could get there in time to move his cars, anyway. If you live right next to where you store your cars, I could see not wanting to make them difficult to move. But for people whose storage is not very close to where they live, this is pretty much a moot point. If there ever is a fire, your cars are likely gone. So jacking them up doesn't matter in this regard. Assume there won't be, and jack it up if you prefer.

 

Yeah, Jay lives for calls like this.

Far as jack stands since you've made up your mind on that? Jacking locations would be the same as where a service shop would lift using hydraulic lift. Basically just in from all 4 corners like you plan. And FWIW, I would still only lift it far enough so the tires were still touching the floor with some but not all weight on them. I think ?? that's where you're going with this?

My 72 Cutlass sits with all 4 tires on cold concrete pretty much all year (except when I'm working on it for a couple months at a time. But when I do that, I always take the wheels off so the suspension doesn't have dead weight hanging on any control arms. I don't get issues with flat spots on my radials (Kelly Charger) and they are 26 years old! Just my 2¢.

 

Thanks for all these good comments! Looks like there's no approved method and both have risk.

And about those fires? My garage is unattached and quite a few paces from the house. If it flames on, it probably started beneath the car's gas tank as I dash in to save her! Hellooo - Blam.

Insurance is our friend.

 

What are the chances that your garage is going to catch on fire? You have a better chance hitting the lottery.

 

The bigger issue you have is 26 year old tires. I wouldnt drive my car out of the garage on 26 year old tires.

 

Garage-Fire-3316-Verdugo-3_1.jpg






Google garage fires, seems like a lot of people are hitting the lottery....

 

I agree it's time to look for replacements. 26 yr old tires with about 1200 miles on them. Still look like new and have always been stored out of the elements. A couple local tire stores looked at them and said if they didn't look at the date code, they would have sworn they were only a few months old. Lots of guys have said the same thing as you; and I understand the comments related to rubber deterioration over time.

 

26 year old tires Allan, seriously?

 

Yup! You want pics?

 

Omg!!

 

Yeah, but if there was a garage fire right now I'd be screwed because I still don't have the rear suspension in the car. Supposed to warm up on the weekend, so watch for some posts on that. I'll post the tire pics there too.

 

Wait, I'm inspired by 26 year old rubber not deforming with storage. I'm leaving her down as now convinced it'll be fine.

Tire experts say don't exceed 6 years from your tire's date code or...

Your tires will self-ignite causing horrific garage fires.

 

The interesting thing is I went back and checked the purchase date on these tires and compared it to the manufacture date. They were in storage for 2 years before I bought them. So much for tire suppliers keeping a current inventory. If they were that concerned about safety I'd hope they would ensure tires were fresh within at least 7-10 months? The rubber on these is prolly starting to get a little on the hard side but there is 0 cracking on the sidewalls or in the tread sipes.

I think you'll have no trouble storing the car on those tires.

Decided to show you what they look like after 26 years. They're dusty because I've had them stacked the last 2 months working on the car. Used my trouble light to get these

 

I had a bfg ta on my other car with great tread left that blew out at 40 mph belt broke the scary thing was I was doing over 100 just before that, it had been on the car for 20 years or so, right front tire opened my eyes tires break down over time no matter what you do to them. So I say burn em off before they get old!

 

Okay, I'm thinking they may be closer to being a little on the petrified side. That being frozen in time and space where bonded molecules defy quantum physics.

They may never wear, ever. Perma-Tires!

 

Tires, like the rubber brake hoses deteriorate on the inside, even if the outside looks new. I wouldn't risk my life and the lives of passengers and others on the road. I replaced 3 eight year old BFG T/As that looked brand new...after the 4th one blew on a busy 2 lane road. Fortunately I missed the oncoming car as my Cutlass crossed the center line.