chevydrvr

iTrader: (1)

I'm taking my camaro off the road and making it a long term project. Trying to get it the best I can on a budget. My plan was to keep it in my grand parent's back yard ( only real place I can keep it). I know it's not a good idea to keep it on grass, so what if I build a big rectangular box and fill it with gravel and park it on there. Will that be alright? I would go shovel around it when it snows and keep it covered with moth ***** and all of that. I just don't want it to get worse before I fix it. Any other ideas?

majobis

iTrader: (3)

In regards to the 'pest control', I would spread a whole box of mothballs under it and also on the outside edges to make a perimeter. Dryer sheets should be placed into plastic grocery type bags, along with course steel wool, and then stuff that into the tailpipes.

A common place of entry is from under the engine compartment which you can't do much about, so the best precaution to take is to place dryer sheets any places near openings in the firewall. Telltale signs of an underhood visit are usually nut shells left behind.

Inside the car, dryer sheets should be placed near the footwells and ductwork, as this is where they could enter from the engine compartment. The dryer sheets, come spring, will leave your car smelling fresh. Don't use mothballs inside or you'll have the opposite effect! Good luck!

toomany

Gravel, dirt, grass and sand are all just as bad. They will allow moisture to come up through them and get to the bottom of the car. To make your gravel box idea better, when you dig down...place a moisture barrier on the ground before making the box and dumping the gravel in. Plastic sheeting is ideal for this. Head to your local home improvement store and tell them what you are doing, they should be able to point you in the right direction.

chevydrvr

iTrader: (1)

That's a good idea I will try something lile that. It's better than my original plan of parking on a tarp. Haha thanks!

stealtht/a

iTrader: (1)

All that's a waste of time once you have snow. Can't matter how much moisture is coming from the ground once its frozen and piles of frozen water are all around it.
There really isn't any way to protect your car from ambient humidity outside. If its well painted, won't make much difference. If you have a little rust, it will get a little worse over the winter, nothing you can do about that. The important thing is you aren't driving it in the salt. If it makes you feel better, once things are frozen, the relative humidity is pretty low, so not to big a rust promoter.
Here's what you can do if you are storing outside:
Make sure the undercarriage is super clean. No old salt deposits. Get all the dirt and leaves out of the usual spots in fenders and rails. You don't want anything that will trap moisture against the metal or promote corrosion.
Make sure there are no leaks above in roof hatch, etc. if there are, you need some sort of tarp or tent shelter. Don't use a cover that touches the car or prevents air circulating around and under car. Don't let snow pile up around it preventing air circulation.
Use mouse poison. You will never keep them from getting in the car, don't bother with trying to block openings. The poison makes them bleed internally and then they go outside to die, it works!
A vigilant cat is always nice, but make sure dogs can't get to the poison.
Fuel stabilizer in the tank, full, run some treated fuel through the engine. If you can get it, try and use non ethanol, still a few places in ne that sell it.
I like to start the car and run it on warmer days it the winter. If you have enough room, moving it back and forth a few feet will lube up bearings and stuff, assuming the car runs. Check the air filter for mouse nests before starting.
I have stored all kinds of vehicles outside in NE, learned the hard way what works and doesn't. Forget the ground type, just make sure air can circulate. The mice are the biggest problem in NE.

chevydrvr

iTrader: (1)

So basically keep the underside clean and clear, and open for circulation.

stealtht/a

iTrader: (1)

Yup, and KILL THE MICE!
Can't emphasize that one enough. I was surprised that the cars I stripped from mass we're even more mouse infested than the ones from Vt. Maybe we have more cats?
Get the poison in the car as soon as possible, even before you store it. This is the time of year they are looking for a new home.

chevydrvr

iTrader: (1)

Thanks...ill have to get on that.

toomany

Be careful with that. If you don't let everything come up to temp you could be doing more harm than good. Not running it long enough will allow moisture to build up in the motor, trans and exhaust. Ever see inside an engine that spends most of it's life making short trips? You need to run it long enough to burn off the moisture. I'm a firm believer in storing them properly and leaving them until I'm ready to get it out again.

thedoctorisin

i have also stored cars in in the dirt before but it seems that no matter what the critters still get in.

i put metal flashing over the intake and exhaust ports, moth ***** around the engine wire harness too. you want to keep them from chewing on the wires and vacuum lines.

One thing I was thinking about doing next time i have to store a car for a long time.

get a big tarp and lay it on the ground and park the car on top on that. then pull the ends up and over the top of the car. then cover the car from the top with another big tarp and a car cover.

have yet to try it but in my mind it seems like it would cut down on anything getting into the car by 99%

another thing i saw a freind do with his restored 70' road runner but it was on a concrete pad but jacked the car up as high as he could get it and put it on jack stands all the way around. between the stands and the frame he put 5 gallon bucket lids to create a slippery surface the mice couldnt climb on. seems to work well, he could run the car and driveline with it off the ground and it kept the riff raff out.

stealtht/a

iTrader: (1)

I agree . I should have said I run the car a few times during winter on the warmer days, around here maybe once every 6 weeks, for long enough to get to full operating temp. Then move it a little. I rev it a little to get everything up to temp.
I personally feel this is better for the cylinders than sitting all winter unless you fog them properly.

stealtht/a

iTrader: (1)

As we BOTH said , you can't keep them out no matter what you do!
Just kill them as fast as possible when they get in!