Hello fellow Buick owners, I have a question for those more experienced in cold winter climates. I have a '67 Skylark that I purchased in the spring. This will be the first time I have to store it in the winter. I have a large heated 2 car garage that the car will stay in throughout the winter. My concern is humidity. I have to use this garage periodically for maintenance and parking of the daily drivers, this introduces moisture from snow and ice melting off the vehicles. Despite my best efforts of removing the snow beforehand, last winter I noticed the garage would still become very humid and wet whenever I brought my truck or another car in. Is this something I should be concerned with? Could that moisture lead to accelerated corrosion of my Buick while it is stored in the garage for the winter? Appreciate any advice or tips from you more experienced classic car owners. Thanks!
Usually winter air in MN is much dryer than the recent humid summer days. I also have a heated garage and park my snow filled cars in there as well. Get yourself a good neoprene squeegee to push the puddles outside. Open the doors to release the humidity whenever it is drier outside. I use a infrared heater that heats the objects not the air.. so opening the doors for a little while is no big deal. The infrared heater might act as is a drier as well because I find that puddles do not last very long. I also keep a piece of dry carpet under my Skylark to keep the concrete from sweating in the spring.
It's a good idea to put a tarp down under your car for winter storage, carpet is not a good layer as it holds moisture, you want something under it that is going to stop any moisture coming up through the cement. I have always had a small fan sitting on the floor next to my cars that circulates air, have never had an issue with storage.
If you've got the room .. and the pockets http://www.carcoonusa.com/ http://carcapsule.com/ http://www.carbag.com/products/carjacket
It's a good idea to put a tarp down under your car for winter storage, carpet is not a good layer as it holds moisture, you want something under it that is going to stop any moisture coming up through the cement. I have always had a small fan sitting on the floor next to my cars that circulates air, have never had an issue with storage.
I always use Oil of Peppermint - soak cosmetic pads or similar and place in car and trunk - i always stuff a cloth in the air cleaner horn as well. I put the oil of peppermint soaked pads in candle votive cups so as not to worry about it getting on anything in the car. Lived in the country around farms for 30 years and never had a mouse in any of the cars. Plus it smells good.
What Alan said. I have used the carjacket now for years. I keep my GS outside in a 10 X 20 Hoop GArage from Rhino Shelter (formerly Shelter King). We get incredibly high winds here on coast of Maine in winter so I anchored to full blown railroad ties (the real ones) with 10 inch lag bolts drilled right through the base bars into the ties. I laid down thick plastic sheating on the ground and plywood over the plastic. I put steel wool in the exhaust and 3 or 4 large damp rid tubs, put the regular car cover on the car, then zip the car up in the jacket for the next 6 months. If you are in an indoor garage with a slab and closed garage doors and you don't plan on moving the car, I'd get the carjacket and be done with it. Otherwise, install a dehumidifier?
All great responses, appreciate the feedback. I think I might be going with tarp on the floor and a dehumidifier. As nice as the capsule or jacket seem, I will have to move the car out from against the wall from time to time when I want to work on it. Also going to try the peppermint oil, not worried about mice in the car but always seem to find they've been in my holiday trailer. Thanks!
An added benefit of a dehumidifier other than pulling moisture out of the air is they throw off a good bit of warmer air as well.
Hi , you can put some fleecy / bounce sheets (fabric softener sheets) under each seats and trunk for mice and others small animals,and it smell better than moth balls !!!
If you do a little online research the dryer sheet idea has proven to be false, it does however help keep the car smelling good when closed up for storage.
Anyone know if the glue traps stay sticky below freezing? I have enclosed the walls and ceiling in my garage to keep the mice from getting into the attic but now they will be looking for new homes Snap traps and glue traps in large numbers around the Buick this year. I found a mouse nest in the attic and when I looked closely at the paper it used I saw "Buick Motor Division" writing........They got into my NOS door edge guard package and took the instructions for a nest...... I also found a dead mouse not far away so I hope it choked on the paper....
Glued it all back together and its a Fremont build sheet in a Flint car... Them meeces sure get around don't they??? ws
