Nice: autumn light and autumn colors. And we take our beloved classics to safe places for an undisturbed hibernation. The ones that just have to keep working for all sorts of highly justifiable reasons.
Fall and winter. The quiet time
Everything has already been mentioned a few hundred times about preparing gardens and classics for winter. So Google yourself after reading this text. The only sensible additions in that area are:
* Contrary to what everyone used to say, put the classic away with an empty tank and empty float chamber (s). Be careful with the much-praised 'chainsaw petrol'. “There are no aromatics in Aspen. Sounds good. Until you discover that aromatics in gasoline cause your seals to swell. With Aspen they shrink again and you get leakage. Aspen is fine if you only use Aspen from new or overhaul. If you change with petrol, Ecomaxx is better. It does contain aromatics. I do not have any shares in it, Aspen and Ecomaxx are both products of Gebroeders van Gelder (GVG Olie) in Nijmegen. So they don't care which one you throw in. ” (quote from Peter AANorgh, automotive journalist. Peter has recently written a nice book: Motorbike technology: Constructions and developments.)
Nature destroys more than you would like. Despite the Amazon forests being cut down and polar bears walking with overheated radiators, nature remains rebellious. In fact, more and more nature is entering our living environment.
* Martens
The protected pine marten has already evolved into a city dweller, wall marten or garage marten. And instead of trees, they have found their pleasure under hoods. A quick overnight snack has become the rule rather than the exception. But classics, dormant in their garage, are very easy prey. The story that the pine martens only gnaw on the cabling of Korean cars is a real story. The production of modern wiring insulation releases dust identical to the pheromones of passionate female martens. The broken wiring is therefore not vandalism, but the result of passion.
* Squirrels, mice and other small stuff
There are a lot of animals who have thought that it is better to hibernate in the covering of a classic than under a wood embankment or in a hole in the ground or in a tree. A mouse only needs 1cm2 to enter. Besides the fact that mice are rodents, they are also extremely incontinent. Mice also often want to take up residence in air filters. Air filters are also seen as an ideal nesting place or storage place for nuts because of all that furry small items.
* Batteries: a disposable item
It still happens a lot. After the last autumn ride, the classic car is stored while the battery is supposed to go into wintering mode. And a deeply discharged battery is very difficult to resuscitate. In the meantime, every company involved in classics experiences a top turnover in batteries every spring.
* Take your time
Let's take a moment to put away our classics. That is a nice end to the season. And we can look forward to the start of next season with a smile. Because then you only need to refuel and start. Oh yes: also check the tire pressure.
Also read:
- Prepare for the winter
- Convertible caps in the winter
- You buy Chevrolet Corvette C3 - convertibles in the fall
- Starting problems, battery and trickle chargers. Winter time; battery time
Make a frame of battens that fits just under the car and cover it with chicken wire.
No marten comes under it.
Yes, I have had toilet blocks in the engine compartments for years and not in the toilet bowl.
All year round, by the way.
Apart from new toilet blocks (replaced last week) and always leaving the cars on the battery dripper, I do little else for winter preparation.
The oldies do come out of their nest on nice days in winter to stretch their legs a bit.
Oh yes, I fill up with RON98, but I am not sure whether that gasoline has a longer shelf life than RON95.
Tapping (or gnawing off), but so far no problems with rodent monkeys.
what also helps is to put the car in winter storage in the morning so that the engine has cooled down in the evening (when the martens go out).
Good tip. Thanks!
Those martens are apparently a protected species…. Don't know why, but do know that the car companies in my region (Arnhem) are allowed to handle a case of 'eaten' every week.
By coincidence I saw a young Mondeo (not really classic) last work where the insulation of the hood was completely eaten by these cute critters.
The car turned out to be traded in and the company wanted to get rid of it. Fear that it will now be for sale with many flaws in the region.
I'm just saying… hang a toilet block in your engine compartment. They say the bugs don't like it smelling.
Mondeo buyers in the region have been warned. And I think those toilet blocks also smell bad