Winter... Do You Leave Them Untouched?

[jg61hawk]

I'm here in NJ and it's been snowy and cold. I mean cold like the Navesink / Shrewsbury River froze and Ice Boats are out there! So my question is what do you guys /gals do for three months? I have thought about cranking the Hawk but not starting it...then I thought maybe the rubber in the diaphrams are so cold they are brittle....leave them alone I thought. I thought about running the car a few minutes...but we've all heard about building up moisture in the oil and exhaust. I have, and I will, when the salt is gone and the streets are clear, driven the car in the winter but for now it sits. How long do you think they can just sit without any damage?

[Effie]

I crank the Lark about once a month. It's too cold in the garage to do any work.

[BobPalma]

Well, Jim; with 8 collector cars in the middle of Indiana, three of which I've owned over 35 years apiece, I will tell you that my #1 Rule is this:

Never start any of them unless they will be able to run at least a half-hour on fast idle to thoroughly, and I mean thoroughly, get warmed up and downright hot.

That's the only way you are going to avoid moisture and condensation damage to everything.

Otherwise, just leave them in hibernation.

(I am assuming they are indoors with the batteries disconnected, Sta-Bil in the fuel systems, and appropriate anti-rodent measures having been taken.) BP

[bob40]

What I do here in MN. Is put them away and don't touch them until they come out in the Spring. They go into cold storage in November and come out in April and my cold storage can get to -5F during the Winter

[62champ]

I have been in PA since 2005, and this is the longest I have gone without driving a Studebaker. Usually you will get a weather system come through and wash all the salt off the roads and one can take a vehicle out for a good 20 miles drive to give them some exercise. Probably best just to let them sit and wait - not a good idea to simply let them run sitting - will not run long enough to really be good. Being inside and out of the weather is the best thing for them. Good luck and hopefully it won't be too long.

[rockne10]

Cold winters are usually dry air. Mine sit from when parked until spring. There have been a few occasions where the lack of snow has enabled me to move them outside for a bit and, as Mr. Palma recommended, let them run for at least a half hour. Barring that opportunity, I think it's best to leave a bear in it's natural winter habitat.

[rknight89]

Having had a few old cars over the years and living in the northern 1/2 of Illinois...In late October or early November I have always filled the gas tank at the local Phillips 66 with the high octane gas(no stabilizer), which is ethanol free. I then take the car home, put it in the garage, cover it, hook up a GOOD battery tender(not the cheap ones, they burn out by mid winter), then I walk away. Test the antifreeze of course to make sure it's good to -20. Wait 'til late March or early April, change the oil, pump the gas pedal a few times and GO!!! Perhaps I should change the oil before storage to remove all the pollutants but who knows. It's worked well so far. Do the best you can in the climate in which you live. If you still run the bias ply tires you may want to consider putting the car on jack stands to prevent the 'flat spots' from developing.

[Milaca]

What I do here in MN. Is put them away and don't touch them until they come out in the Spring. They go into cold storage in November and come out in April and my cold storage can get to -5F during the Winter

Ditto what Bob said, although my cold storage has reached -25F this winter. I use non-ethanol gas in the Studes and do not add anything to the gasoline for storage. The attached photo is from last March when the weather got up above the freezing mark and I caught a case of spring fever:

[BobPalma]

Chris (Post #7): The rationale for changing oil before storage is that any acid in the old oil is removed so it doesn't sit on and etch the bearings, which is possible when the crankshaft and rods won't move for some time.

That said, I don't change the oil in every one of my cars every fall, either. It's ridiculous when some of my cars are only driven twice in a year, and then just enough to get them hot and operable.

But when I do change the oil, I do it immediately before winter storage, for the reason stated. BP

[stude1964]

I don't drive the Studes in this weather esp. with the road salts used here in PA. We've been picking away little by little on my '64 GT project in 62champ's garage. See previous post. The garage actually got up to 27 degrees by this afternoon! Stay warm! See you in York. Rob in PA.

[mike cenit]

Here in Michigan it was -8 this AM, even the work 150 didn't like it much, anyway I have 2 Studebakers, I let the sit for the winter, covered, I do run the gas down to almost empty and add San-Bil, it's less gas to treat. Every 5 or 6 weeks I trickle charge the battery, I don't think a warm up and cool down is real good for old cars, and there is no way they will see the salt they use here on the roads, and following pot holes.

[rodnutrandy]

I have mine in one side of a 2 car garage in basement . tank is full and stabile added. I am entered in a inside show on Feb. 22,23 ,so barring bad weather ,it will be driven about 30 miles to the show and back home after. It stays 50 degrees or better in basement ,so truck doesn't sweat in the garage. And it does get washed a few times during the winter. I have belting under my fenders ,so don't worry a lot about salt , but try not to take it out unless roads are clear . That being said, it has made a few trips into town this winter to fill my gas cans. A lot less vapors to deal with than using my grand Cherokee . With over 38 inches of snow so far this winter ,it hasn't been out much .

[mike cenit]

We have a Jeep also, a Wrangler, I can't even think about getting around here without one this year.

[58PackardWagon]

I never start them.

[rockne10]

I never start them.

Heck, Joe! You're in Minnesota! for crying out loud! Some of us are surprised you can get them running in the summer!