5 winter storage projects for every car

Those of us unfortunate enough to have a storage season often opt to store the car and either tackle a big project or leave the car more or less alone until it’s time to drive again . The storage period does not have to be a complete “time out” for your beloved vintage car. Instead, use it to catch up on all the things that often get forgotten, ignored, or otherwise postponed until the winter because the weather was too nice and there was a lot of driving.

Now you don’t have to drive anymore. It’s exactly the time we’ve been waiting for, but somehow motivation can still wane. Let this be your subtle nudge to get out there and wait at least a little so that you and your car are ready to drive again after the season. Here are five points that can apply to almost any classic car.

Check and adjust your lighting

Headlights and taillights have gotten better over the years, and nothing is as impressive as driving a vintage car with sealed headlights right behind a modern car equipped with LED bulbs in modern housings. Sealed beams can be fine, however, and adjusting to get the light pattern on the road correct is relatively easy. Take advantage of the early sunsets this winter and not only check that all your lights are working, but also that they are set correctly.

Make sure your windshield wipers are wiping

While many classic cars and trucks stay indoors when the clouds threaten rain, sometimes we’re just caught off guard and that’s not the time to learn that your wipers are working as they should. Windshield wiper motors can get stuck, and the rubber wipers themselves age surprisingly quickly. Replacing windshield wipers can be a hassle, but the best time to do it is before you actually need them – meaning the best time is right now.

Let these seals be sealed

Door seals and weather strips are parts of cars that often die very slowly. This slow deterioration often means that the increase in noise levels in the car while driving goes unnoticed for a long time. The foam rubber that makes up most door seals and weather strips can be treated with a variety of products to keep it soft and pliable for a long time. I recently used Rubber Care to partially revive the weatherstripping on my 1985 Corvette and it made a surprising difference. A quick wipe goes a long way, requires no tools and only takes a second.

If you need to replace the weatherstripping, now is also the time, as it is often best to glue new foam rubber in place and leave the door or window closed for a day or two to keep everything in place position remains. It’s not like you have to drive anyway.

Tire inspection

A quick visual inspection should be commonplace during driving season, but now that you have time, take a close look at where the rubber meets the road. Removing the wheels and tires to clean the inside of the barrel and inspect the interior sidewall is a simple and worthwhile task, considering that many classic cars’ tires begin to age long before they are worn down to the point where they need to be replaced. Brush up on what your tires say and take a moment to make sure your tires are as good as you think they are. If not, you have all season to replace them, but don’t wait too long.

Interior care

There’s no better time to properly clean leather seats than storage time, when you don’t have to worry about making a mess after letting the leather conditioner sit for a while. Taking out doormats for a thorough cleaning is also a good idea. Put the change you find under and between the seats in the cup holder for the first ice skate of the spring.