With only a few more events left in the season many of us are putting our cars in storage for the winter.

Here are some tips on how to store your car. I have to admit, I don't go through all this but to do it right you should follow these steps.

If you are going to put your car up for six months or longer you should really follow these rules.

Give your classic a good detailing. Wash all road grime and salts from the undercarriage as well as body parts.

Give the entire car a good wax and don't buff off chromed surfaces until you're ready to remove the car from storage. Lubricate all rubber and vacuum and clean the upholstery, you don't want any hidden food crumbs that might entice critters.

Once you have your classic parked for the winter, change or drain fluids. Try to drain the fluids while the car is still warm.

 Oil, in particular, when it is heated and circulating, picks up  chemical contaminants and particles. Just be careful and wear gloves; hot engine oil can cause burns.

Carefully fill the universal joints with fresh grease, if your car have lube fittings. Pack the front wheel bearings and apply clean grease on all of the steering and suspension fittings.  

Drain the fuel tank if you are going to store your car for more than six months.

Once you have drained the tank, start the engine and run the rest of the gas out of the lines. Old gas will clog carburetors and cause valves to hang up. If you are only going to be storing your car for a few months you can add a can of gasoline stabilizer to delay fuel deterioration.

Drain the cooling system completely and leave the petcock open and the radiator cap off so air can circulate. Disconnect the heater hoses and drain the heater too.

With all of the car's fluids drained at this point you should contact your local household and hazardous waste service for proper disposal.

Remove the battery and store it carefully if you want it to survive.

Wash it down with a solution of water and baking soda, then top it off with distilled water. Store it on a shelf in a dry place, not on concrete.

Raise the car and place jack stands under the suspension points.  

Depress the clutch and lock it in position with a 2 x 4 pressed against the clutch and the front of the seat cushion or seat frame. Clutch plates often stick together in storage.

Roll down your windows to allow for circulation, Place opened boxes of baking soda in various places to absorb moisture, Put a plastic bag over the carburetor to keep moisture out and stuff an old rag up the tailpipe to keep critters out.

Now you can cover up your classic car.

The most important consideration when choosing a cover for your car's winter nap is selecting the right kind of fabric for your specific storage application.

Cotton flannel fabrics breathe and allow air to circulate through them as well as being soft and easy on your cars paint and wax. Cotton/polyester fabrics have poor fluid resistance and trap heat and moisture.

Plastic films should never because they don't breathe. This can cause rust and other problems.

Those are just a few tips if you are going to put your car up for six months or longer.

If you know someone you would like to see featured in this article or you are having a function you would like to let everyone know about send the information to me at djron47@yahoo.com.

Until next time "Keep Cruisin."