Starting the car in the cold is probably the worst thing you can do to it. Fill the tank, clean it up good (detracts mice), put it on jacks if you want, but over-inflating the tires by about 5 pounds will do nearly as much to prevent flat spots. Pull the battery out and store it inside for the winter. Your car will be just fine, and won't have all the moisture related problems from starting it.

My 75 is parked outside, in her Noah cover, with the battery disconnected, as she has been every winter for the past three years. Some SeaFoam and occasionally Marvel Mystery Oil stabilize the fuel and give some lube adhesion to the cylinder walls. Running synthetic oil, too ... with no leaks. When weather permits (i.e. dry and temp mid 20's or above) we go road-trippin ---- never less than 25 miles. All that engine heat that we hate in the summer is "climate control" in the winter. Oh yeah, on the advice of a body shop supply guy, a few strategically place Downy dryer sheets discourage the critters who'd love to bed down in that nice warm engine house.

Current airtemp in the neighborhood: A balmy 16 degrees, the warmest it's been in five + days.

I agree with BigFish, cold starts are murder on the motor. I usually wait as long as possible before putting my Vettes "up" for the winter, usually the end of November. They go up on jackstands, batterys removed and stored in the basement. I also sprung for Car Capsules, these things are great. Constant airflow through the "bubble" keeps any condensation from forming on anything inside. No need for the drypacks. And they stay totally dustfree. I also drain the oil, but I refill only the oil filter at this time. The rest of the oil gets poured in when ready for startup come April. Half through one valve cover and the rest through the other side. It would just sit in the bottom of the pan, anyway. This way I feel it actually lubricates something at startup. My 79 I pull the plugs and squirt a little motor oil in the holes. Only the 79 because it's so easy with the headers and I've been doing it for 20 years now. The others are a pain so I don't. They always start right up, sometimes quicker than I want! Mike PS. Anyone in the Chicago area, I'm 20 miles south, I have storage available if anyone in need.

Cool - I'm glad I asked this question as I feel I've been enlightened from the responses here. My 76 is parked and covered in an indoor garage that's about 30min from where I live so not having to make that trip in the frigid weather here will be nice. I'll just go pull the battery and wait until spring.

Thanks for all the great input!

As for "flat-spotting" of the tires, just how long in one position does it take for tires to flat-spot? I don't have the ability to raise it off the tires. I may have to go with the extra 5lbs of air suggestion. Just wondering though - 1 month? 5 months? (an approximation would be helpful).

Flat spotting is not near the problem with radials as it was with bias tires. Most, not all, radials will recover from flat spots after driving. Steel belted and nylon are the worse offenders. They may be annoying at first, then strighten out. For the ones that won't, how long depends on the tire construction and brand. Some bias nylon tires will flat spot in a couple of weeks. My car sat 5 years on the tires and rolled fine when I picked it up. I need to replace them due to dry rot, but they roll okay. The extra air does help.

Ken Styer

This is our second year storing Ian and he sits in our unheated garage on plastic and a rug, battery unhooked and full tank of gas with stablizer in it. Last spring he started right up no problem and we''ll see about this spring too. I have stored my bike for many more years, tried taking out the battery and leaving it in. It drained more out of it. Also have tried both draining the gas and leaving a full tank with stablizer it has started both ways the same , no problems, Only time the battery completely drained was when it was in my basement. go figure.

The 'off-site' storage facility that "The Toy" is in is not heated, but ventiliated and rodent free. It is covered and also on a sheet of plastic.

I pump the tires up to 50 psi and haven't had any problems with flat spotting of the tires. It usually goes into the facility in mid to late November and comes out early in April.

_________________________________

Jim O.
Save the Wave...!!!

I fog the motor and remove the battery. Then I put it on tire dollies, spread plastic under it, push it to the back of the garage, cover it, and pout every time I have to open the garage door and see it just sitting there.

Redwingvette said: I fog the motor ...

Please explain? I'm not familiar with this term.

I normally wait for a day when the temp is above freezing, and there isn't any snow on the street. I keep her in a garage with the battery disconnected, and plastic under her. On those days that are okay, I will open the door, start her up and let her warm up for 30 min. then I will take her for a short drive up and down my street. Of course after that I clean her really good to get any salt or other crap off, and put her away. I always make sure that she is warmed up enough to burn off any bad stuff.
Glenn