I’m supposed to post overseas in January (assuming all the associated admin lines up) for a min 3-year tour. I will be putting the Cutlass (and K30) in “storage” in a friend’s barn in Ohio. It will be covered from sun/precip, but not climate/pest controlled. Realistically, I may be back once a year to fiddle with it, but it’s possible that I may go the entire time without. Here’s what I’m planning:

edit: updated list

- plastic sheet under vehicle (porous concrete floor) extending beyond vehicle
- all weather car cover
- tires inflated to 40 psi (weight still on suspension)
- battery out
- fresh motor/trans oil
- full fuel tank with treated fuel (Stabil)
- antifreeze 66% concentration
- carb off and bagged
- engine thoroughly fogged
- back off rockers
- exhaust plugged with steel wool
- Box mousetraps (needs to be emptied and rebaited) cinnamon oil
- Lube locks, latch
- windows shut, desiccant in bay, interior, and trunk (needs to be swapped when full)
- parts treated with LPS3 or Fluid Film), bagged

I plan on one last cruise to transport the Cutlass from MD to OH for storage over Halloween. Any suggestions/tips are appreciated. Thanks - Mark

edit: my car is a driver so I’m not overly worried about maintaining any show quality aspects- just don’t want anything to be ruined for when I return and get it back on the road.

 

Lubricate your door/trunk locks and hood latch.

Plug up the tail pipes so critters don't get in though that way.

If you are going to bag the carb, might as well back off the rocker arms on cylinders that have an open valve. I'm unsure on windows up or cracked open. I'm curious to see what others might say.

You have a good plan. Be safe.

 

Add to the list outing some oil into each cylinder, rotate the engine a few turns. Spray a bunch of W-40 or snowmobile fogging oil into the engine while it’s running, spray enough that it kills the engine. The idea is to throughly cost the intake and exhaust system with the fogging oil. Then back off all the rocker arms, closing the valves.

I have heard conflicting suggestions as for fuel system. Some say fill it completely, others say drain it. Unless someone has better suggestion, my vote would be to fill it and run the engine long enough to fill the fuel system completely with treated fuel. If the tank is full, it’s not going to corrode from condensation. The treated fuel hopefully protects the carburetor and fuel pump.

My vote is closing the windows, and filling the trunk, glove box, under the seats,etc with something to discourage mice from deciding your car is a good place to nest. Definitely stuff the tailpipes with steel wool.

 

^^^THIS. Fog the cylinders then back off the rocker arms. Use lots of dessicant. Storage in a barn is a potential problem if that means dirt floors. Concrete is preferred, or at least plastic over the dirt first.

 

Desiccant in the interior and trunk. Dryer sheets under the seats

 

Thanks for the replies, guys. Here’s the updated list:

plastic sheet under vehicle (porous concrete floor)
all weather car cover
on jack stands
battery out
fresh motor/trans oil
full fuel tank with treated fuel
carb off and bagged
engine thoroughly fogged
back off rockers
exhaust plugged with steel wool
mothballs and mousetraps
Lube locks, latch
windows shut

second question: I’ve got a few engine blocks, cranks and pairs of heads that will probably be stored in the same spot. I’ve read different things about long-term storage for parts. Seems that rust from condensation is the biggest worry, and that bagging the parts isn’t necessarily the answer. Any recommendations/links for storage is appreciated.

 

Absolutely !!! A moisture barrier is a must. Even though the dirt is under cover it sucks moisture from the air. Be sure to expand the cover beyond the foot print of the car, if you can.

Said in jest...but...throw a few double handfuls of tacks over that plastic cover and that should keep some of the critters away. If on concrete, you could still lay a plastic cover down, laden it with tacks and just pull the cover out before you lower the car back down.

 

I use damp rid in my car w the windows up. I also use it in the trunk. It comes in various forms i use the hang bag, by spring depending on conditions its sometimes close to full.

definetly plastic under the car

instead of jack stands i like 4x4s under the tires keep the tires off the ground and the suspension in its normal state also air up to tires to 40+psi.

rodents imo are going to be your biggest issue. I actively keep baited traps from sept till may thats works but you wont be there. Dryer sheets essential oils etc may be effective for the short term, but after several months they lose their effectivness. I dont like poisons because the rodents can get ingested by other wildlife. Barn cats work if you have any!

 

interesting, I thought the idea was to not have the weight on the tires. I was planning to have the jack stands under the shock perch on the lower A arm in front and on the axle tube in back. Or is on the frame preferred? Also, what’s the point of increasing the psi?

being a cat guy, I would prefer that method of rodent control - but it’s not my barn. I’ve heard that cinnamon oil (?) keeps mice away???

 

Give a try to Vanilla scented x-mas tree air fresheners. There was one in my H/O for ten years as it basically sat outside, and not a sign of mice inside.

 

Hi,

I store mstores in a barn, dirt floor, not as long as your planning, but if your car or truck has a hood latch lube it nothing worse than going to pop the hood and either the cable breaks or simply stuck, ask me how I know...

Dryer sheets in the interior, heard rodents don't like lavender so go with that variety, don't put on seats or console as they will stain as had happen in my 65.

Gas I usually keep full and put in stabil, haven't had a issue but maybe in your yearly, come home run them to use some of the fuel and top off maybe with non-ethanal might help, around me we only have 89 octane.

Good luck, best regards,
Jim

 

Thanks again for all the replies. Can anybody recommend a brand of car cover?

 

I have purchased (5) covers for various vehicles from "Car Covers". Very happy with the covers. They have three levels of protective covers...I believe.
Good luck...and thanks for being on the line for us.

https://www.carcovers.com/

 

In my travel trailer we used spearmint and peppermint oil soaked cotton *****, dyer sheets a full box of the smelliest ones, and glue traps, and peanutbutter baited snap traps.

we never got any mice in the camper, but where there was outside ports like at the fridge n heater pilot i found mouse turds even tho there was a dryer sheets stuffed in that port.

the theory w airing up the tires is to prevent flat spots, i havent had and issues w flat spots and i always air them up. Maybe it would be no different w low pressure but i never tried.

i think if you follow most or all of the suggestions you will be in good shape.

 

No mousetraps IN the car. No mothballs. The car will always stink afterwards, or you will think it will. The car is not designed to hang, it's designed to sit. Maybe block it up a little.

Desiccant inside is OK IF someone will get it out occasionally. What happens when that thing overflows? Get the tin cat mousetraps, the ones like a box. They take multiple mice. Pay your buddy to service the traps. (empty dead mice, reload with peanut butter).

For door seals, sometimes first click closed is good. Might want to put a rubber lube on the mating edge. Trunk can be left ajar and pulled almost closed with a bungie.

How good are the tires? If old, and gone for three years, let it sit on them, then put new tires on. Might want to fill it up with good, non-ethanol gas with stabil, then siphon it out in three years and replace with new gas.

I've heard of the 4 gallons of oil in the engine trick, but I am not sure I would recommend it.

Chuck a couple desiccant bricks UNDER the car. Who cares if they oversaturate?

Wax the chrome heavy. Maybe even leave it on.

New antifreeze. Go heavy like 33% water to 66% antifreeze, you're looking for rust inhibition and freeze protection, not cooling now.

 

Mark
try fluid film for the bare blocks head & crank, lanolin based, not sure if rodents are attracted to the lanolin
easy clean up when your ready

 

When I was still working we had to maintain lifting equipment such as cranes Man lifts and any other piece of equipment that had wire rope. What we use was LPS-3, its heavy and held up in weather. Spray your blacks down and if you can bag them in contractor bags and tie them shut and you will be good to go. Good Luck and be Safe.
LPS make three levels 1. 2, or 3 use "3"