Storing outside under plastic - will it preserve the car?

Gonzales

I've had my 92 Civic SiR in storage in a shed for the last 6 years & I intend to hold onto this car & get it back on the road some day in the future under classic status. Unfortunately I need to move it out of it current home. Currently the only option I have is outside in a disused farm yard.

I was intending to put down a tarpaulin as a groundsheet & raise the car onto blocks & then cover over the top with another tarpaulin & try to seal it to the ground sheet.

Has anyone stored their car in this way or are there better ways to store the car out side longterm?

I'm really not sure if sealing it up is a good idea or should I allow air to circulate?

This was my first ever car & I really can't face giving it up :rolleyes:. It in immaculate mechanical & cosmetic condition & is quite rare in Ireland.

Advice from you Classic boffins on appropriate storage would be most appreciated.

Thank.
G.

overdriver

Shipping container?
Can be got cheap enough too.
Keep air circulating with a solar powered fan.

corktina

any sheet you use will abrade the paint if it can move even a fraction....air circulation is a good thing as condensation is a bigger killer than the rain.... watch out for mice etc......

really theres no substitute for a proper roof but a sheet would be better than standing in the rain.

MercMad

A Tarpaulin will hold, if not attract, moisture.

If you have to leave it outside and cant get a container then a proper outdoor breathable car cover would be best, but even that is not ideal for long term. If there are trees/hedges/grass around that will increase the moisture.Best spot is somewhere breezy so when it rains and the paintwork gets wet (and it WILL get wet) then the breeze will dry it faster.

Gonzales

Gents,
thanks for the responses, I like the container idea with solar fan. I know of 40' & 20' containers, is that the smallest available?

What kind of money are we talking here for purchase & delivery?

I just need permission from the owner for the footprint increase.

Up on blocks or not?:o

THanks again.
G.

alastair

You might consider an outdoor carcoon: http://www.carcoon.co.uk/carcoon.htm#outdoorcarcoon

MercMad

You should get a decent insulated container for about €1200 in good condition.

I would also expect that there are plenty of unused containers out there possibly taking up space and in the current climate its a good time to shop around, though they'll probably try to sell you the dross or else make a few quid from you.

Good luck.

mountain

shipping containers are relatively cheap, be sure and get a price on delivery as well, as a crane/hoist on back of truck is needed to deliver.

One draw back is that they are only 8ft wide, check that you can open the door of your car with in this size.

They do tend to sweat a bit,so a dehumidifer would be useful as well.

bugsntinas

i once saw a car that had been stored for several years outdoors and what the owner done was to coat the whole car in waxoyle and when it was used again all that was done was to remove the waxoyle again with a plastic scrapper and a wash.worked a treat.

MercMad

I suppose they do coat new cars with protective wax and then send them acroos on the outer feyry decks !

My first job was de-waxing cars at a main dealer in the mid 80's.

junkyard

What about an outdoor Carcoon, www.carcoon.co.uk I have a few of them and they work really well.

carchaeologist

A laid up car will take some maintenance if you want to keep it sweet for the future,if you have to keep it outside keep tarp off the paint as has been said it will wear in the corners of the roof,and it will hold in moisture,which can cause the paint to bubble(this happened to a capri i had to keep outside before).If you can get it in any shed,even an open ended one would be the best thing.Air circulation is far better than sealed in plastic.

Iv seen people use the rear end cut off a bus to store cars before,but i know this isnt really an option for you.Just an idea.

Also you will find things start to seize up during a lay up,especially if the car gets damp,and the interior will start to grow mould a bit particularly on the steering wheel,also if the car has been smoked in alot before it will grow fantastic white and black mould everywhere,including on the headlining,horrible stuff..

A friend of mine had a MK2 Escort that grew huge mushrooms all by itself on the footwell carpet,no idea what they were feeding on!

As for running the engine,some say not to do it,some say run it up to operating tempeture once a week or once a month.

I would drive it at least once a month to keep the brakes working and stuff like that.

corktina

What usually kills cars outside is leaky windowdoor/boot/seals....the water gets into the cavities and rots from the inside out.... on mk 3/4/5 cortinas it gets in therough the air vent in front of the screen and finds its way inside the car that way. My home made remedy for this was to tape off this grille when the car was sat out for a while...seemed to work too..

manta mad

GARAGE IT !!!

i know not everybody can build or have access to a garage , but if you can ,
thats the only thing for it !

i had a car under covers ( an expensive one ) & the fecking thing still got damp & wet ,plus the paint work came out in little tiny bubbles

so the only way to look after it properly is in a garage if you can !

Gonzales

Gent's,
lots of great input there, thanks a lot. I was considering the shipping container but now i reckon I could stretch for a few more quid & build a shed / garage.

starting it regularly is a non runner as I'm living abroad, unless...no, no never mind.

I think the land owner may go with the idea of building a carport / shed. He could have the use of it after I leave.

I might also search around a bit & find an empty shed like I currently have the use of. There are bounfd to be lolts of empty sheds around the place.

G.

corktina

not any old garage will do either...must be dry and airy. I have heard it said that the worst thing you can do is put a wet car away in garage. My Taunus lives permanently under my carport ...it doesnt get wet and if it goes away wet the air blowing through seems to dry it very well. The other two cars live in the garage which is purpose built job with damp proof course and floor etc.... never get damp and have found no need for a dehumidifier or extra ventilation.

Its the only way to go really....you cant even rely on a good summer to keep a car outdoors nowadays.

BrianD3

If you are leaving it outside, where it is parked will make a big difference. South facing and in a breezy (but not a sea breeze!) area and away from vegetation. Cars parked at the front of our house dry about 4 times quicker than cars parked at the side. And a car parked at the back would take longer again.

As already stated, leaking seals are a cause of rust. As are blocked drain holes. I'd say if you had good seals, unblocked drain holes and a good coat of wax on the car, body and paint would survive pretty well outside. Also the underside should be left spotless.

COB MGV8

Try looking at a Permabag : its a cover that zips around the car with a silicone canister inside to absorb moisture

www.permabag.com

kqcregg

If you are looking at the garage option:

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055583875&highlight=precast

oflynno

i toyed with the idea of a polythene tunnel for car storage

they can be bought cheap 2nd hand
the down side is they are not entirely secure but drier than leaving them outside

you can open doors or fit mesh doors to leave air through

Gonzales

So on the day I went to move the car, the transporter guy was delayed, I got to talking with the landowner & he insisted that it was no hassle to continue to store it in his place - fair dues.

We had already pulled off all the covers & cleaned out the car - it was dry as a bone insde if a little fusty. We jumped the battery & guess what she started first time - no problem - no BS but then ran out of petrol.

So got new covers & rolled it back into the shed - ready for a few more years :):):):):):):).

Happy days.

guano_jim

ive seen these advertised in the UK but just cant find the link anyplace. IIRC the price was less than the carcoon which is probably not suitable for an un-supervised location. http://www.sheltersofamerica.com/