Get your classic ready for the spring and summer

Classic car maintenance is something every enthusiast should be familiar with, and it plays a crucial role in how quickly you can recommission your car for the spring and summer months.

With the start of the new classic car season around the corner, we have collated some tips for storing your classic car over the winter months, and the checks to perform to get your classic safely back on the road this spring and summer.

Winter storage tips: Car covers

The way in which you store your car in the winter months is significant. Winter storage is entirely dependent on budget; cars like to be used and keeping them outdoors without moving them will put the bodywork, paintwork, brakes, tyres and exhaust at risk, eventually hastening their demise.

A car cover is a definite must for outdoor storage, whatever the weather – though debate rages as to how good such items are for the car’s paintwork. A moving cover can scratch the paint, trap moisture and allow the surface to bloom or crack. The better covers will be breathable to a degree, fitting the car’s shape so that it can’t easily break loose.

Putting a car indoors won’t make it immune to damages, but deterioration is slowed down when stored inside. A car cover is more useful indoors as, without the impact of the weather, it will stop dust and debris clogging the pores of the paint - provided the garage is well-ventilated.

The shock of leaving the car in direct sunlight (in the UK) can cause interior trim to wear out faster than you’d like after a long period in storage, so a sunshade for the glass and a dashboard protector is also a worthy investment; store it with the car when it’s out of action.

Winter storage tips: Surface-level damages

Any known rust spots will of course be open to the elements – places like wheel arches won’t have water or stones flung into them, but pre-sealing any breaks in the paint or scuffs with a rust blocker will leave you with less rectification work in the spring and summer. If you’re not looking to repair bubbles or slowly emerging rust spots, you’ll have to periodically check the treatment (and re-apply it if necessary).

Waste oil, grease or rust blocker can all help protect vulnerable surfaces, particularly if the car remains outside after you’ve begun driving it again.

Winter storage tips: Fuel and battery savers

A trickle charger is useful all year round as it keeps the battery maintained. Electrical connections tend to fail in older vehicles, especially in the boot area as they’re normally exposed to whatever you’ve placed in the boot, particularly if you’re storing things in there.

The fuel tank is also important. Before storing for the winter, consider filling your tank to the brim. The consensus on fuel is that it’s good for around 6-9 months before you get problems, but you can get products like fuel stabiliser which will extend the life of the fuel without it varnishing.

Checks ahead of the new season: Tyres

Tyre pressures need to be checked; ideally, you’ll have placed the car on axle stands off the ground to take the weight off the tyres, which, if not over inflated, may have flat spotted.

While you’re there, check the tread depth and the sidewalls for cracks; tyre experts say that tyres, even if kept in dark storage, should be replaced every five years, with a decade being the upper limit.

If you’re prudent enough to run winter tyres on your classic, now’s the time to change them for summer equivalents, as winter tyres aren’t designed for warmer temperatures. That’s because winter tyres are a softer compound, offering more grip, and summer tyres are usually a firmer compound. Softer compound winter tyres can be used in summer but will usually wear quickly.

Checks ahead of the new season: Engine levels

Check the levels in the engine bay before you move the car – brake fluid, clutch fluid and engine oil. Washer fluid isn’t a bad idea, either. It’s a good idea to replace (or at least gap) spark plugs before you fire the car up again for the first time.

If you didn’t top up your fuel before storing, replace any fuel filters in the system and (depending on the amount of time the car was left for) consider flushing and draining the tank to prevent any issues with rough running.

It's also wise to see if any animals have taken up residence in the engine bay – mice and birds can nibble on wiring, eat sections of rubber hoses or make nests, and store nuts inside empty spaces. If you forget to check for things like this, you could easily damage other components, start leaks, or even end up with a fire.

Checks ahead of the new season: Oil changes

Oil has a limited lifespan as well as one based on mileage; if a car sits for more than six months, its useful life will have been reduced.

An oil change is probably wise after a period of sitting around; check what sort of oil (mineral, synthetic, part synthetic, fully synthetic) and the viscosity recommended by the manufacturer; handbooks and workshop manuals can help with this.

Checks ahead of the new season: Brakes

Brakes can also suffer if left, particularly if a handbrake is left on (better to leave the car in gear or chock the wheels instead). Inspect the brake pads and consider changing them if they have worn or separated and leave the car in gear next time you store your car over winter.

Checks ahead of the new season: Documentation

Tax exempt historic vehicles may not require a MoT, but they have to be roadworthy at all times. Before you commit to any kind of trip, no matter how small, it’s worth taking your car to a classic-friendly garage to have a professional check it over to see if anything has deteriorated.

Once a classic is more than 40 years old, the MoT can either be voluntary (you can submit the car for a test) or you can ask for the car to be tested to MoT standard without a formal test taking place (your garage may still charge a fee).

Some people may choose to take out a Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN) on their car to declare it ‘off road’, meaning they won’t pay for insurance or tax. If you have done this, remember to take your car off SORN and make the relevant payments before driving again.  

After all that, exercising the car regularly when recommissioned is a must – after checking your lights and wipers work correctly.

With your car back up and running, it’s time to scour the event listings for shows to attend – remember that the national event for classics, Drive It Day, coincides with the start of the new season; no matter where you are in the country, it’s a chance for your car to take to road!