How should I store my car?

[John]

I have a pristine 1972 N600 which I will store far more than drive. The question is how?
The car is all original, rust-free and unrestored and has just 7,950 original miles on it. The
original factory plastic still covers the door panels and the original tires still have a few
of the "whiskers" on them. It spent about 25 years of its life in a Honda dealer's showroom
in Bethany, Oklahoma, before being sold in 2002. I bought the car two weeks ago. Because
of its condition, I plan on driving very little � perhaps only in local parades � which
would put less than 50 miles annually on the car.
I don't have climate controlled storage, though it will be housed in an insulated space
inside a new uninsulated garage. Do I need to do anything else, like put it up on blocks?
Any other ideas on keeping the car in the best possible shape for future generations?
Eventually, I'll spend money on a 600 I can drive around lots more. Thanks for your help.

[dealadayray]

Hi John;
This is an article from Hemmings Motor News about a car put in storage
(far north) It might give some hints as what not to do. Additionally I
would suggest you change the brakes over to DOT 5 brake fluid, use WD40 on
all exposed metal parts (WD stands for Water Dispersent) top off all fluids
depending on the length of storage, I would even go as far as filling the
engine with oil. But last, write down everything you did, moth balls (not
the little ones), pull the battery from the car, place a sheet of paper
between the windshield wipers and the windshield, use STP son of a gun on
the rubber seals, polish everything and clean off the polish (some one a
long time ago said leave it there on the chrome so all you have to do is
wipe it off, wrong!), plug the tail pipe, and once again write everything
down and leave it on the front seat before closing the car. Then when you
come back to start it up, undo all that you did, that needs undoing.
Every thing living is looking for a home, your car is a nice place out
of the weather. The bag idea is great, but look at the ones you can
purchase, some have blowers to keep the air moving. The worst enemy is
time. Your hands left a small deposit of hand soil on that part and if
left there will do what it can to make it's mark. In the article Richard
had a problem with rust, WD40 will keep that from happening if applied on
metal surfaces and not wiped off. Fill your tires and place the car on
stands so that the shocks will be in the same position as they would be if
the car was on the ground. Use rags to cushion the stands to the metal
frame or what ever you place the stands on. If your not going to bag the
car, place a sheet of plastic between the garage floor and the car and then
use a good car cover. Cement is made with compounds that will effect your
metal, and unless you sealed the floor, it breaths moisture into the under
side of the car.
Bill
Automania: Long-term Effects
By Richard Lentinello
A few months ago I took my 1968 Triumph Spitfire MK III out of mothballs in
order to get it ready for the 2005 driving season and was shocked to
discover how badly it had deteriorated. During the last two winters it has
sat inside a large zippered storage bag in my unheated and non-insulated
garage here in Vermont; although I did take it out of the bag when the
weather started getting warm so its paint could breathe. Prior to that it
sat protected by a cotton car cover under a loose-fitting plastic tarp in
my backyard for a year, which was the only time it was somewhat exposed to
the elements since December 1975, the month I began its body-off
restoration.
Since its restoration began, lots of life�s curve balls have been thrown my
way that have delayed its completion for some 29 years. I began its
restoration while attending college, so I never had any money to buy all
the parts and supplies to finish restoring it in a timely manner. Then a
house move, marriage, move to a city apartment, one kid, two kids, another
house move, then a major move to Vermont to work here at Hemmings kept
delaying its completion.
All through the Eighties and Nineties it was stored in my parents' garage
in Oyster Bay, Long Island, then in my brother�s garage in nearby
Huntington. During that time, little did I realize that Long Island�s damp
climate was playing havoc on my little British roadster.
When I left my Triumph in my parents' garage, its restoration was about 90%
complete. Everything was done right; the body was removed and stripped down
to bare metal inside and out, as was the chassis. After lots of careful
preparation, several coats of quality primers and sealers were applied
followed by three coats of DuPont�s durable synthetic enamel. Every
suspension component, bracket and bit of hardware that was originally
painted by Standard Triumph was stripped and coated in urethane enamel for
maximum long-term protection. Besides the new paint, every mechanical
component was either new or rebuilt. All that was really left was the
installation of the interior and a few minor exterior body parts. Then the
realities of life took over.
Last September, after I finished building my own four-car garage, I took
the cover off my Spitfire and gave it a close inspection to see what I
needed to do to it during the winter months ahead before I can get it back
on the road next summer. Much to my surprise, everything that I did to the
car during its restoration has to be done again.
Fortunately, my fastidious bare-metal cleaning, preparation and refinishing
of the body really paid off. Twenty-five years after it was applied, the
paint is still perfect with not a spec of bubbling, cracking or lifting.
But the state of the mechanical parts is a whole other story.
The new disc brake rotors that I installed back in 1979 are now all rusted,
and the calipers that I rebuilt are both frozen. So too are the rear
brakes; their rebuilt wheel cylinders have rusted solid, and the once
freshly cut drums are now totally rusted. The master and slave cylinders
are also frozen and the radiator is clogged up. The new wheel bearings have
to be replaced again as the car no longer rolls easily, and the rubber
boots on the new tie rods have cracked. All the new brake and gas lines
that I made have to be replaced due to interior rust and both SU
carburetors have to be rebuilt as all their gaskets have dried out.
I disassembled the engine that I rebuilt to take a look-see inside and all
appears well; no doubt thanks to the synthetic oil that kept everything
well coated.
If you�re in the process of restoring an old car don�t make it sit unused
for the length of time that I made my Triumph sit. Inactivity is far worst
than excessive use. Now, instead of waiting to drive my Spitfire until its
restoration is 100% completed, I will begin to drive it just as soon as all
the mechanical systems are rebuilt, which is what I should have done all
those years ago. If you can, enjoy your car as its restoration progresses
instead of waiting until it�s perfect. Or you may have to rebuild it all
over again.

> [Original Message]
> From: John To: Date: 3/12/2006 6:06:55 PM
> Subject: [anzhonda600owners] How should I store my car?
> I have a pristine 1972 N600 which I will store far more than drive. The question is how?
> The car is all original, rust-free and unrestored and has just 7,950

original miles on it. The

> original factory plastic still covers the door panels and the original

tires still have a few

> of the "whiskers" on them. It spent about 25 years of its life in a Honda dealer's showroom
> in Bethany, Oklahoma, before being sold in 2002. I bought the car two weeks ago. Because
> of its condition, I plan on driving very little � perhaps only in local parades � which
> would put less than 50 miles annually on the car.
> I don't have climate controlled storage, though it will be housed in an insulated space
> inside a new uninsulated garage. Do I need to do anything else, like put it up on blocks?
> Any other ideas on keeping the car in the best possible shape for future generations?
> Eventually, I'll spend money on a 600 I can drive around lots more.

Thanks for your help.

[Amtech]

Bill,
Very helpful comments. Thanks. I appreciate the response.
John

[JOHN BURKHIMER]

great summary bill
Thanks
john B
richboro, pa