Long term storage
Discussion
I can no longer ignore the itch and I am thinking about selling my daily driver and buying a 911. Now the problem is that she who must be obeyed says I can't have the TVR and a 911 which is fair enough I guess. Also, I really need to garage the 911 to keep the insurance sensible so the TVR has to move out. However, the S isn't really worth that much money compared to the blood, sweat and substantial tears I poured into it so rather than sell it I'm thinking of storing it. That way when I get bored of the 911 in two or three years I can bring the S out of hibernation. I know I could sell the S and buy another one one day but it won't be 'mine'. My current one has been rebuilt from the ground up by me and a different one wouldn't be the same. Plus I know all the good bits and bad.
So, is storing it an option? I assume its possible as there seem to be plenty of rich people storing lambo's etc in special facilities. My father-in-law runs a big farm so dry storing it is no issue. In fact, he stores his classic TR in one of the barns and barely uses it but it still as good as the first time I saw it 15 years ago. If I put the S in the barn under a dust cover on axle stands with the wheels off will it survive 2-3 years in storage? Or do I keep it on its wheels and get someone to drive it up and down the farm yard once a month?
Any advice appreciated.
Ralph
So, is storing it an option? I assume its possible as there seem to be plenty of rich people storing lambo's etc in special facilities. My father-in-law runs a big farm so dry storing it is no issue. In fact, he stores his classic TR in one of the barns and barely uses it but it still as good as the first time I saw it 15 years ago. If I put the S in the barn under a dust cover on axle stands with the wheels off will it survive 2-3 years in storage? Or do I keep it on its wheels and get someone to drive it up and down the farm yard once a month?
Any advice appreciated.
Ralph
Dry Storage under cover with all orifices closed to vermin should not be a problem for a couple of years or so I would think. Make sure all rubber is protected from teeth and sunlight and it should be OK (maybe exclude tyres from that)
there are various lists of pre-storage tasks for draining (fuel) or filling fluids and de-stressing loaded areas about - I'll see if I can dig something out.
at worst you might have to replace fluids and seals in a couple of years time.
K
there are various lists of pre-storage tasks for draining (fuel) or filling fluids and de-stressing loaded areas about - I'll see if I can dig something out.
at worst you might have to replace fluids and seals in a couple of years time.
K
Being left standing won't do the seals any favours but I'd say keeping it dry was the main thing (and keeping it free of mice was the next one). I wouldn't recommend driving it up and down the yard because that's unlikely to get it good and hot and will probably do more harm than good to the transmission and engine, plus the yard is probably not a particularly car-friendly place to drive and you could do without your pride and joy being shaken about and covered in dust.
Do look after the interior (I'd suggest treating the leather before you leave it) and make sure the tank is brim full to avoid condensation. If it's practical, jack it up to take the weight off the tyres and keep it somewhere dark and cool.
Do look after the interior (I'd suggest treating the leather before you leave it) and make sure the tank is brim full to avoid condensation. If it's practical, jack it up to take the weight off the tyres and keep it somewhere dark and cool.
phillpot said:
Nice idea but doesn't Lead Free go off ? so you've not only got to throw 50 quids worth of fuel away (I know, cheaper than a new tank) but also find somewhere safe to throw it ?
Some of the lighter fractions will gradually evaporate over the years, but at the end of the day it's still petrol. I'd much rather than a tank full of stale but probably perfectly usable petrol, rather than a tank full of condensation and rust. Worst case, you're left with a tank of stale petrol that you can drain into jerry cans and then reuse later on diluted with fresh petrol.Hi All,
Thanks for the opinions. I agree that starting it every now and then is probably a bad idea. I think I'll shove it on axle stands and fill the tank as suggested. Then worst case I'll have to get new tyres, and maybe clutch/brake cylinder seals in a few years. I'll get my father in law to press the brake and clutch pedals every month or so to keep everything moving. I'll chuck some fuel preservative and stabiliser into the tank which allegedly provides anti corrosion protection (you never know it might work). My only other fear is that all the main engine, gearbox and diff seals start leaking. However, to be honest they already do a bit so I'll probably have to change them at some point anyway.
As for which 911 I think I'm going to get a 996 3.4 Carrera 2 coupe manual. I need a 2+2 to do the school run and the convertible rear seats look pretty much unusable even for small kids. I looked at the S which I really like but it has a lot or parts from the turbo and some of the parts prices scare me a little. Obviously I'll get it serviced by an Indy to keep the history up but I'll probably do a lot of stuff like brakes etc myself partly to keep costs down but mostly because I love tinkering with cars.
As for Porsche being a rude word on this forum, please note I will continue to be TVRs biggest fan in my area and I will still tell anyone who will listen that TVRs are the greatest sports cars ever built and mine has been utterly reliable (Well, it has now that everything has been replaced). There, that should hopefully stop me being banned from the forum.
Ralph
Thanks for the opinions. I agree that starting it every now and then is probably a bad idea. I think I'll shove it on axle stands and fill the tank as suggested. Then worst case I'll have to get new tyres, and maybe clutch/brake cylinder seals in a few years. I'll get my father in law to press the brake and clutch pedals every month or so to keep everything moving. I'll chuck some fuel preservative and stabiliser into the tank which allegedly provides anti corrosion protection (you never know it might work). My only other fear is that all the main engine, gearbox and diff seals start leaking. However, to be honest they already do a bit so I'll probably have to change them at some point anyway.
As for which 911 I think I'm going to get a 996 3.4 Carrera 2 coupe manual. I need a 2+2 to do the school run and the convertible rear seats look pretty much unusable even for small kids. I looked at the S which I really like but it has a lot or parts from the turbo and some of the parts prices scare me a little. Obviously I'll get it serviced by an Indy to keep the history up but I'll probably do a lot of stuff like brakes etc myself partly to keep costs down but mostly because I love tinkering with cars.
As for Porsche being a rude word on this forum, please note I will continue to be TVRs biggest fan in my area and I will still tell anyone who will listen that TVRs are the greatest sports cars ever built and mine has been utterly reliable (Well, it has now that everything has been replaced). There, that should hopefully stop me being banned from the forum.
Ralph
If you need a 2+2 have you thought about a cerb.Its a much nicer car than the porche in my opinion.Ive got a cerb and use it daily with nothing but the odd blown fuse to worry about.As for storing the S I would keep it insured and use it once a month if possible, the last car I stored cost me a fortune to recommission and MOT.
Gassing Station | S Series | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff