I was trying to think of a way to keep my Pinto until I can get back to working on it. Might be a couple of years or more, or could be less. I am not going to have garage space for it anymore.
Living in Ohio, I have seen what happens if you put a car directly on the ground. Lots of rust really fast.
Short of pouring a slab, which isn't going to happen, is there anything I can put on the ground under the car to keep it from rusting? Thinking of something like paving stones etc. Anything?
The other option given the condition of the car right now is to scrap it. I had decided to do that, but then thought of this.
Thanks,
Russ
russ ,
i would use 2b stone and wood . my garage is a dirt floor and i put osb down with a layer of plastic in between and it has been fine for 4 yrs. and the one corner is always wet (oppisite of car) osb still looks new on top
where i park the wifes car i have galvanized roofing layed down so the water can run off bigest thing is keeping the grass from growing under it.
phil
Hmm, that sounds promising. Do you think the galvanized roofing would be good enough for outside for long term, or should I put something under that like the osb?
Eventually I plan on having a carport installed, and would like the concrete done then, but that won't be for a while, especially if we have to fork out $10K for the house out of pocket.
Oh, I tried to reply to your pm, but the site is giving me fits tonight. We likely won't close by that weekend now, so no problem. If I can be pretty sure I can keep the Pinto, I will let you know what is going on.
Thanks,
Russ.
the roofing i put down was from an old roof(nail hole all over) i put the roughest side down and it has been fine for 2 yrs now i did put 2x4 on the edge and had to rplace one so far. for the winter the pop up is parked on it. you may want some rubber mats between the dirt/grass and the roffing (if i can dig it out i have some )
sometimes i think i have to many toys. pop up, car dolly, 6X12 trailer, 2 "play" cars and the daily drivers, all at home then ther is what i can not fit at my parents.
phil
Have you looked into one of those rented storage locations,like Uncle Bob's?
for the length of time it could be waiting, I would go broke storing it anywhere I had to pay to do so. But yeah, I have thought of it. :-)
Need it to be at home so I don't totally ignore it. Be nice to be able to go out and do something if I have the urge. If I have to drive somewhere I tend to lose the urge quickly. :-)
Thanks,
Russ
Ok, I have been here before on storing cars. The sheet metal idea is a really good one. Keep an eye on Craigslist and many times you can find some posting to get rid of roofing materials for free. You haul it off. Put the sheet metal under the car to keep the grass from growing. Don't worry about the rubber matt. ANYTHING on the ground will keep grass from growing, but wood will rot out form the harsh winters. My sister lives near Cincinatti, OH so I am familiar with what kind of weather is up there. Put the Pinto on blocks and get it OFF the ground. If you do have wheels and tires on it, make sure the rubber is off the ground. They will dry rot over the years and the car will sink and rust. Keep in mind that rust from a car sitting won't be as bad as rust from a car that is driving. The salt used in the solution to thaw the roads is what "eats" up a car. Just snow alone is only water and oxygen. Although it can rust with those two elements alone, it is a mush slower process. You also dont have the car moving causing that water to get thrown into corners and crevises as it would being slung from the tires while driving. After you elevate the car off the ground, and put sheet metal "any kind" to keep the grass from growing under it, now it's time to prep the engine for storage. Pop the hood and completely fill the engine with oil. NO air space. If the car is running then just start it once a month and make sure your antifreeze is good. If it's not running then filler her up with oil. This will keep the inside from rusting as well. Then purchase a high quality car cover to put over the entire car. No cheap tarps here. a plastic tarp will not seal out moisture too well and cause body rust. Make sure you use bunjee cords to hold your cover on tight. Now your car can sit for a while.
Oh, and one more thing. If you can, take your garden hose and spray under the car to try and wash off any existing grit and salt that is still under the car before you store it. It won't get any new salt while being stored, but what is still under the car now can continue to do a number on the metal while it sits. Also don't forget to fill the tranny and rear axel too. I also suggest you put a note on your dash to remind yourself that you did FILL all oils to the top. This will remind you to drain before you try to run it. For heaven's sake don't try to start or drive with the engine totally full and/or transmission/axel totally full either. This is just for storage only to prevent rust.
And for those who may not know, condensation will always get inside an engine allowing a little bit of water inside the crank case. The engines are not as sealed as we all like to think they are. This is a major reason for changing our oil. Not just to change it for dirt, but to remove the tiny bit of water that is breaking down the oil from condensation inside the block. That condensation can seriously rust an engine from the inside causing the engine to totally lock up. If the engine sits too long the pitting can be bad enough where the block must be scrapped. I have seen this on an old Charger my dad had in the back yard when I was a kid. This usually takes years though, not months. I learned about condensation from a helicopter engineer. Good lock storing.
Thanks.
I don't have an engine or trans for the car at the moment, so that is one thing I won't have to worry about going bad. :-)
Russ