Long term storage - best practices?

[Tim Brillon]

I have recently purchased a 356B S90 and this is my first real "old" car so I have zero experience with carburators, drum brakes, other old school technology, etc.

The car was just fully restored by the prior owner and had zero rust to begin with. Everything was rebuilt or replaced within the past couple of years. Total miles on the car are 44,000 with about 1,000 miles put on since the restoration.

The 356 will be driven about 15-30 miles at a time, every weekend / every other weekend from April thru Dec and then sit unused from Jan thru Mar. I won't be driving the car in the rain and wash it with a spray on car cleaner (Griots Spray On Wash) The car is stored in a unheated garage at a waterfront (salt water) vacation home on San Juan Island, WA. The humidity ranges from 65% to 75% during the year.

I have a dehumidifier running full time in the garage that keeps the humidity at 45% (I could set this lower). Car is covered and on a battery tender full time as well, with mice traps by the tires (every once in a while a mouse sneaks in if we leave the garage doors open). I also leave the passenger widows open a couple inches, and place large mesh bags of desiccant beads in the passenger compartment and trunk. I always turn the fuel off as well and use ethanol free fuel.

My plan is to change the oil in December right before storing over the winter. Is there anything else I should be doing or something I am missing?

I assume it will take a while to start come April but I have read to just turn the starter over to build oil pressure and then pump the gas pedal 12 times or so and it should start up. I am not interested in modifying the fuel system.

Thank you, I appreciate any and all advice!

Tim

[Mike Wilson]

Tim: I think if you Google the topic, there are a few threads on long term storage.

Mike

[Sean M Rooks]

First, welcome to the Registry and to the forum! Congrats on your purchase. Is your car the one in your avatar? If so, I watched that Bring-A-Trailer auction with interest - you bought a beautiful S90 in a great color combo.

I find it amusing to consider Jan-Mar "long term" storage! Sounds like you have a pretty solid plan.

One thing I do Dec-Mar is drive the car for a short trip on clear days with no snow, when I can be sure that rain has washed some of the salt off the roadways. I try to do this at least every few weeks.

Do they use road salt in WA? Will you have access to the car during the storage period?

[Doug McDonnell]

Welcome to Registry. Living in Michigan,the home of salt on roads. I store mine November to April usually. No winter driving. Tires inflated to 35 lbs and full tank of fresh gas. Battery removed. Otherwise as you have described. Here is a nice Canadian Porsche link for winter storage: https://pcaucr.org/tech-session-putting ... he-winter/

[Tim Brillon]

Sean, yes the avatar is my car and it is the one from BAT. No salt on the roads here. I do have access to the car while stored in the winter but it is stored at a vacation home that we do not visit in the winter as other activities keep us busy Jan-Mar, so I will not be checking in on it during this time.

[Dick Weiss]

Oil priming (w/the starter & a charged battery) to get the green light to flicker is the best thing to do and NOT instant start w/a dry engine.
Of course, the petcock was closed (during the winter-sitting) and should be turned on to fill the carbs while oil priming, and the throttle should
be just cracked open so the engine can 'breath' for easy rotation; DON't over-stab the throttle pedal which may flood the plugs; They won't fire when wet. Lightly prime the carbs w/2 to 4 pedal strokes which should get a pop or more which will eventually get the engine to start w/some light strokes. The carbs have good injections? Let the engine to settle down for several minutes before driving--especially w/Solex 40 PIIs. All the above is assuming the ignition and fuel pump were A-OK before storing?