So I bought an old abandon lake house that is getting 100% of my time now and for at least the next year, probably longer. Anyway I have a 53 Bellair that is all original I got from the original owner. My plan is to build a gassed out of it someday but no time soon. The lower 6” of the car is rusty but the rest is solid. Floors and trunk are beyond saving. Doors have some rust but easily repaired. It has been sitting on my driveway for about 3 years and doesn’t appear to have rusted any worse. So my question is, what should I do if anything to prep it for long term storage. It will be in my garage but I live in Florida so we have the humidity to contend with. My garage is not climate controlled. Should I drown it in some kind of rust inhibitor or will it be ok as is. Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
For the cars at the Museum, when we 'put them away' we drain all of the coolant. (leave cap off, petcocks open) we drain all of the gas from the tank. we run the engine until it uses up all of the gas in the fuel bowl, filters ect. Sometimes we drain/empty the master cylinders (on cars with non synthetic fluid) disconnect and remove the battery.
I run it out of gas each time I run it. Always just ran it on a auxiliary tank because the gas tank looks like it has been patched in the past. My big question is will the rust continue once inside or will it continue to grow. I want to stop the rust issue. Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
If it sat in your driveway for 3 years and didn’t get much worse wouldn’t sitting in your garage be a upgrade for the old girl? You could treat the rust with something but it may just be making you feel better? My thinking is if you plan an storing it inside and have plans on getting after it in a year or two - once rust has that kind of a foot hold you might as well wait until you start chopping the rust out next year and just leave the rust alone.....But it does look pretty cool sitting in the driveway!