Winter Driving-Heat & Storage

[1930AADUMP]

I may be getting a bit ahead of myself here since I have yet to bring the '30 AA home. However, looking forward, I have no place to garage the truck. It will have to sit outside. Still plan to make weekly trips to the transfer station and perhaps some other short trips. All this weather permitting. I live in Southern NH so we often get a fair amount of snow. Does anyone here drive their trucks or cars regularly in the Northeast winter or any snowy climate? How about heat? I suspect just dress warm and keep the trip short. How about cab covers for any lengthly time when the truck will be idle? Plan to start and run it even if just in the driveway each week.

[CarlG]

I brokered a deal with my wife before I bought my Pickup. She had taken up most of the garage with her school room storage (she's a teacher). She had to empty out enough space to for me to park the pickup inside. Of course it wasn't until I actually got the PU and emptied out sufficient space that the full impact of just how much space I required sunk in.

The other side of that coin is that she gets the entire "family room" to use for her sewing/quilting projects.

[Tom Wesenberg]

I would never drive my A on the roads when the road salt is on them. I like to even drive my modern cars on the roads only when the roads are dry during the winter. That slush and road salt really love to eat up metal.

[Aok]

Like Tom said I do not drive once the salt has gone down and usually won't drive again until a few warm rains wash the road.
As to outside storage I have a few vehicles that stay outside (not the A ) If you use a cover be sure its a actual car cover one that lets moisture out better no cover then covering it with a tarp all though the tarp type aframe garages are ok just push the snow off. If parking on grass or dirt get a big tarp to drive on moisture coming from the ground is also a problem and more so if trapped on top by a cover that does not breath

[Tiny]

Originally Posted by CarlG

I brokered a deal with my wife before I bought my Pickup. She had taken up most of the garage with her school room storage (she's a teacher). She had to empty out enough space to for me to park the pickup inside. Of course it wasn't until I actually got the PU and emptied out sufficient space that the full impact of just how much space I required sunk in.

The other side of that coin is that she gets the entire "family room" to use for her sewing/quilting projects.

Man Law 101:
Never ever give up the garage!!
I even managed to buy a house with a laundry room in the house not the garage.
They wife has an outbuilding for her stuff.

[1930AADUMP]

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I have a small garage, four children with "stuff" and just enough space for my wife's car. Even if I could get the truck in the garage, an 80 year old truck with leaks, gas smells and so forth would not pass my wife's inspection. In fairness, it is an attached garage. So the truck will sit out side on the paved drive. This is not a restored truck by any stretch. There is still spots where the once painted blue, orange and yellow come through the black. The dump body is pretty rusty and banged up a bit but solid. Do you guys have a winter cab cover you like? I will be careful to select better winter days to drive the truck. I do think it would be better to keep it running weekly since I have no place to store it.

[glenn in camino]

If I had to leave one of my Model As outside, I'd get a weatherproof car cover. Big Sky in Montana makes the best outdoor car covers.

[Jim/GA]

I'm not so sure that running the engine in the driveway for a short time each week is actually that good for it, compared to driving it for a good long drive once a month or so. Idling in the drive in cold weather will really put a lot of condensation in the crankcase. The oil and insides of the block will not get hot enough to drive it out. You can usually find one good sunny day each month to go on a good long run (20 minutes or longer).

My opinion. YMMV.

[Tom Wesenberg]

I agree with Jim. Each year I park my Phaeton as soon as the first salt hits the roads, or the temp stays below 40*, and I don't touch it until a couple good rains have washed away all the salt, which might be 6 months in Minnesota.

[KGBnut]

I agree, salt is murder... But, I love taking my Model A out in fresh snow. With the tall, narrow tires it is surprisingly good in the snow.

When we got the car three years ago, one of the first things Pop did was make up a set of snow chains for it. I haven't had a chance to use them yet, but they live in the trunk.

As for heat, mine came with a manifold heater (and a butcher's work through the firewall). I have plenty of heat by the time I hit second gear.

[1930AADUMP]

Thank you. That is the kind of information I was looking for. I will purchase a decent cab cover and take it out selectively over the winter months.

[Tom Wesenberg]

Ashes to Ashes

Dust to Dust

Road Salt Turns

Our Cars to Rust

Was road salt around in the 50's when Burma Shave was popular?

[1930AADUMP]

Tom,

I wish I had storage space as opposed to leaving it outside. The other option would be to just cover and shut it down. What is the recommended procedure for "shutting down" for 5 months? The cab will be covered but the rest will remain exposed. It will, however, sit on a paved drive. I will of course clean off the snow as it comes.

[Tom Wesenberg]

You could spray fogging oil into the carb as you shut it down for long term storage. And I'd have the gas tank full of the good gas during shutdown and storage. Ethanol has been known to make valves stick over the winter.

[mass A man]

Do I hear another mouse thread starting up??? Those darned critters are always looking for shelter, even in the dead of winter outside. THEY must be the "homeless ones".

[FL&WVMIKE]

SNOW, ICE, ROAD SALT ????????
I remember all that now, from when I lived in West Virginia. I haven't seen that in years ! I do have to put the top up, on certain days, now.
MIKE

[Tom Wesenberg]

Originally Posted by mass A man

Do I hear another mouse thread starting up??? Those darned critters are always looking for shelter, even in the dead of winter outside. THEY must be the "homeless ones".

Perfect timing for a good reminder.
The nights are cooling off now, and the rodents are looking for a warmer winter home.