Outdoor storage suggestions?

[Werewolf]

Working 12 hours overnight, I've come to the conclusion that I'm not going to be able to start anything on my CST anytime in the near future. I have weekends off, but in order to avoid falling asleep behind the wheel come midnight Monday, I've got to sleep days through the weekend. That leaves me about enough time to do the necessary stuff; mow the yard, haul some wood, etcetera.

Once I have a garage, the CST is getting a spot, and then I can really get going on it. Until then, though, fat chance. So the truck is probably going to have to sit up for a few years.

I've already got a big, thick tarp over the whole thing to keep the elements from doing any more damage than they already have over the past 38 years. The tires are all flat and shot, so I'm not too worried about that.

I guess I'd best get the tarp off and check for mice, do something about that before winter. I've actually got two trucks that need to sit up, and both have *very* nice interiors I don't want eaten.

What can I do about moisture? I know the tarp will likely lock it all in, and I obviously don't want the truck rotting. Anybody have any ideas of something I can slide under the truck to let it breathe or soak up the moisture?

I'm open to suggestions. I really don't want either of these trucks rusting while they sit around. I'm actually thinking about repairing and driving the old farmer's truck just to keep that from happening, but the CST isn't going to be moving for a long time.

Thanks ahead of time!

[Brad]

I would suggest putting plywood under the entire car. Don't worry about the grass dying in that area since it'll die anyway. Seems that it'll give it more breathing room and keep the moisture at bay. I've done this with my Camaro in the past and it's worked for me. Also, I've used a breathable fabric cover with a tarp over that.

[qksilver]

Give it to me.................I will give it a good home. I really don't have any good suggestions except for some of those inexpensive canvas/plastic garages

[cdowns]

you must use a breathable cover// not the blue plastic tarps because they'll trap the moisture in and actually be worse for the truck than not covering it at all/ lots of mothballs iin the interior for mice and other stuff// a real old time trick that is kind of messy is to use a bug sprayer and spray the exterior with diesel fuel to retard rust forming//keep battery disconnected or better to store inside if possible and keep charged// i prefer to store vehicles with full tanks of gas or better yet fill with diesel to prevent rusting in tank

[jhow66]

Also block it up by the frame so that the springs hang with no weight on them. If you are going to use the motor in it like it is, I would loosen all valves so that the springs are not compressed. This way no moisture can get in cylinders.

[Steelawork'n]

There is a product that RV owners use to collect the moisture while storing their rigs. There are different names for it. Basically it comes self contained and actually sucks the moisture out of the air chemically. Someone else here might actually have a name for it. You can usually find products like this at your big box sporting good stores and even Wally World.

[72freak]

if you have the room and $700 have one of those aluminum car port things put up that they sell on every corner and add sides and an extension cord for power!!!

[Werewolf]

Thanks for the suggestions so far. I'll definitely consider them all. Except giving the truck to qksilver. You can have the 4x4 if you want it! Minus engine, trans, axles, transfer case, frame, doors, and random interior stuff.

In other words, take the rusted out cab, front end, and bed floor. :P

Car port's out of the question, I've got a convertible and a '04 Avalanche to slide into one of those sometime this winter. :P

I guess I ought to look for a breathable waterproof (uhm?) car cover to stick over it.

Engine and trans need to come out of the truck before I really put it to bed. I don't want 'em.

[special-K]

I wouldn`t lay plywood under it.It will become saturated with moisture and be no different than the ground.Lay some sheetmetal roofing under it.Keep an eye out for it being removed or an old building that`s going to be torn down.I`ve considered making a frame with schedule 40 plastic pipe over the cab,angled down across the hood and bed.Then,drape a good tarp.The idea being to keep an air gap between the truck and tarp.Lumber could br used,also.I think there are canopies as cheap as a couple hundred buck,too.That may prove cheapest.You can always drape the sides with a cheap tarp.

[arkracing]

I agree with most of the stuff that has been said here.

#1. DO NOT put a tarp over it - this will actually do more harm than leaving it out in the elements. - If you want to spend the $ on a breathable cover that is cool - but it really won't hurt it that much to just leave it out. - make sure that the drain holes in the bed are clean as well as the drip rail on the roof, and the grille over the cowl - I might suggest putting some tape over the cowl so leaves and pine needles don't get down there - as that is why most cowls rot out.
(check to make sure that the bed isn't filling up with water, and the cowl and drip rails are clean every so often)

#2. DO NOT leave the suspension "UNLOADED" like suggested above. If the tires are junk then just leave it sitting as it is supposed to (make sure they are blown up though)

#3. The plywood idea is good - but may actually soakup water as well. - but as long as you keep the grass trimmed real short under and around the truck you should be fine. If you have the $$ - a small pad of "Chrushed stone, or small stone" would work well (just have to trim the grass as well

#4. Lots of moth balls inside are good.

#5. If possible DO NOT leave it under an trees (Wet leaves and pine needles are not good for trucks)

[jhow66]

Originally Posted by arkracing

I agree with most of the stuff that has been said here.

#1. DO NOT put a tarp over it - this will actually do more harm than leaving it out in the elements. - If you want to spend the $ on a breathable cover that is cool - but it really won't hurt it that much to just leave it out. - make sure that the drain holes in the bed are clean as well as the drip rail on the roof, and the grille over the cowl - I might suggest putting some tape over the cowl so leaves and pine needles don't get down there - as that is why most cowls rot out.
(check to make sure that the bed isn't filling up with water, and the cowl and drip rails are clean every so often)

#2. DO NOT leave the suspension "UNLOADED" like suggested above. If the tires are junk then just leave it sitting as it is supposed to (make sure they are blown up though)

#3. The plywood idea is good - but may actually soakup water as well. - but as long as you keep the grass trimmed real short under and around the truck you should be fine. If you have the $$ - a small pad of "Chrushed stone, or small stone" would work well (just have to trim the grass as well

#4. Lots of moth balls inside are good.

#5. If possible DO NOT leave it under an trees (Wet leaves and pine needles are not good for trucks)

Why not on # 2?

[Werewolf]

About #2, I can't remember the reason I learned from another message board about why *not* to do it with a Trans Am for a long period of time, other than it doing something to the struts. It's not good for the shocks for starters, as the shocks will be drawn all the way out past their normal travel range. Course, I need new shocks anyway. Other than that, the springs are designed to operate within a certain load range. Extending them out far past that .. might weaken them.

Well, now, I gotta move the truck, cuz it *is* parked under a bunch of pines. Tarped. Good enough for now. I'm probably going to take a lot of it taken apart before letting it sit, so I'll be able to pay closer attention to the interior, cowl areas, and whatnot. The big rot problem on this truck is actually where water has found it's way into the bottom of the doors and eaten holes through the inside lip, and then through the rocker panels. The floors seem solid, the cab mounts are perfect, and the cab corners are mint.

This truck had a (rare?) undercoat option, and that really did keep it very, very sound. A pity they didn't seem to use any in the doors (or the tailgate, dangit,) or the truck would be rustless. Well, except for the wrong-year front clip.

Question about the mothballing. Do you lay them *in* something, or just toss them around the cab? I haven't looked in a while, but I think my stock carpet's pretty nice yet, and I'd rather not run the risk of messing it up.

[arkracing]

Originally Posted by Werewolf

Question about the mothballing. Do you lay them *in* something, or just toss them around the cab? I haven't looked in a while, but I think my stock carpet's pretty nice yet, and I'd rather not run the risk of messing it up.

Bringing this back up for you.

I recently heard or read someone talking/writing about this. His suggestion was to make a small "Cup" out of Tin Foil and put the moth balls in that - that way you don't ruin the carpet/seats

[BarryB]

Hey werewolf arkracing has some good ideas. I like the idea of the gravel better than plywood. maybe put black plastic down before you put gravel down . But I have heard also to put an open box of baking soda in the interior. It is suppost to absorb the moisture that is created. And mothballs keep all the pesky critters out of there.Might want to put some under the hood also. Critters like wire and rubber hoses.

[arkracing]

Up here in the rust belt I've seen enough rotted out trucks and cars beyond repair - and my suggestions are based on the things that I have seen - ideas that would have helped preserve the truck better.

as far as the moth balls and such -
if it were mine, I would probably take the seat out and the carpet out - and just spread a few around.

The moisture will get into the carpet and rust the floor out it the truck has issues "breathing"

as far as the suspension thing - I have read it in more than one place - but can't remember the exact reasons why. Something about the tires and wheels - the suspension is designed to stay loaded. It may also put abnormal angles on the springs, shocks, and ball joints.

-Edit: open box of baking soda is a good idea

[TP from Cntl PA]

Go to farmtek.com and buy a small hoop building..............No, not a metal one, these are sheds that have a steel frame from tubing with a tarp type covering.

Then maybe add a base of 2B stone.

We have a 30' x 60' from them on a shale base and for the price of it + the shale it was CHEAP compared to what the elements can do to stuff in just short order...........A small one to store just one vehicle are really reasonable and they are tax exempt(another reason we bought ours).

[CPNEJR]

i would put mothballs in the air cleaner as well because critters love areas like that because the can build nests easier

[special-K]

Sheetmetal roofing isthe best thing to lay under a sitting vehicle that can`t beon concrete.It`s the moisturecing up from the ground that kills a setting vehicle.The steel sheds the water,drys fast,and keeps the ground under it dry as can possible.Ceate a way to keep a tarp over it w/o laying on it if you can.That is better than nothing.Water will channel to the same place constantly not only from rain and snow,but from dew or any other build-up of moisture.Then,there`s frozen moisture.Just like concrete,it will lift anything.

[Werewolf]

Fortunately I'm in NC, so freezing isn't much of a concern. I've got a lot of good ideas to think over, and I thank you all for them. Time will tell what I decide, I guess. I'm hoping to get *some* work done on these over the winter. I'd like to get rid of the junk 4x4 and the farmer truck altogether.

[Werewolf]

Well, I went out to Lowe's tonight and started to threw a few ideas together. I figured if tarps hold moisture in, then they should keep moisture from crawling up under the truck if they're staked to the ground, especially seeing as I couldn't even get cheap particle board in the amount I needed for under $50. I've also opted to take my giant tarp covering the CST, and build a makeshift carport out of it using my backyard fence and some PVC pipe. We'll see how it goes.

[wibilly]

i stumbeled on a deal on 2 16x33 army tents not sure if they will make it through our winter but would probably work ok in your climate not so sure about the sun after time but the are just a temp soloution

[LUV2XCLR8]

Around here you can get used shipping containers for less than a grand

[wibilly]

those shipping containers would be ideal storage units. i'll bet there worth more than that for scrap right now. i think i'll check in to them

[Werewolf]

Well, about an hour of work and $60 later, I've got a tarp garage. We'll see how well it holds together over the next few weeks, I'd imagine. Pictures forthcoming. Just cuz.

[watahyahknow]

to prevent mould and stuff you could store the seats and perhabs the carpet inside the home and mount them after youre done with the truck