NA - Car cover advice, please

alfadog

alfadog

Final Approach
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alfadog
Looking for a car cover for my son's '72 GMC Sprint (like El Camino). He is back in CO for the school year and the car will sit until next summer when he comes back to FL.

Would like to stay under $200.

This is Miami so lots of sun and rain! Any suggestions are appreciated.
 
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Wolf makes some good covers.

Best bet, find a cheap storage unit out of town and put he car in a storage unit.
 
Make sure you run it until empty or almost empty, and fill the tank with non-ethanol fuel and stabilizer.

Stabilizer alone is not enough if its sitting that long.
 
'72 may or may not have catalytics, but if it does not, I'd run it down to empty almost then put five or ten gallons of 100LL in it and run it then let it sit. The avgas will not go bad or gum anything up.

Any standard car cover will work, but you need to uncover it and clean it up once in a while.

Car covers are not a 'set it and forget it' solution.....
 
James331 said:
Wolf makes some good covers.

Best bet, find a cheap storage unit out of town and put he car in a storage unit.
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:rofl::rofl::rofl: Such a thing does not exist in South Florida.

I have found that down here, a long term car cover actually causes more problems than it solves because you always end up with multiple insect and spider infestations. Better to just wash and wax it every few months and put reflective window covers in inside.
 
txflyer said:
'72 may or may not have catalytics, but if it does not, I'd run it down to empty almost then put five or ten gallons of 100LL in it and run it then let it sit. The avgas will not go bad or gum anything up.

Any standard car cover will work, but you need to uncover it and clean it up once in a while.

Car covers are not a 'set it and forget it' solution.....
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Catalytic converters did not come onto the market until 1975.
 
Cap'n Jack said:
Google "Miami car storage". I saw many hits.
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$100 a month for cars is not cheap, and that's what it costs to park cars OUTSIDE in storage lots around here. Indoor storage for vehicles is closer to $200+ a month.
 
Henning said:
I have found that down here, a long term car cover actually causes more problems than it solves because you always end up with multiple insect and spider infestations. Better to just wash and wax it every few months and put reflective window covers in inside.
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Make sure you clean all the food out of the car. The ants will find a way in, don't give them a reason to stay!

I parked my jeep (grand cherokee) for a week on figure 8 island and one leaf on a bush was touching it from the side of the driveway. A ton of tiny ants were going off this leaf and found their way inside the car to a mcdonalds bag a passenger left on the backseat floor.
 
Henning said:
$100 a month for cars is not cheap, and that's what it costs to park cars OUTSIDE in storage lots around here. Indoor storage for vehicles is closer to $200+ a month.
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Meh. Let the OP do the search and talk to the companies. Some people here historically have been known to make up their own facts.
 
Cap'n Jack said:
Meh. Let the OP do the search and talk to the companies. Some people here historically have been known to make up their own facts.
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Sure, let him. I regularly store cars and a trailer down here and know what I pay. When was the last time you stored a car in South Florida?
 
Henning said:
Sure, let him. I regularly store cars and a trailer down here and know what I pay. When was the last time you stored a car in South Florida?
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I don't. What's your point? I didn't give bad advice, and I don't claim to do stuff I haven't. You could scan a few bills, with personal info removed, to prove your point.
 
Car cover or not, it's best to run the car (especially with a carburetor) to keep seals wet and rotating parts non-rusty. Especially in Florida where there's humidity, rain and salt air.

I've used NOAH and it's great, but given the strong sun in Miami, I'd recommend a different fabric. Here's California Car Covers offerings... you don't have to buy from them, but at least you can read about the different materials. Perhaps even call them to see what they might recommend. http://www.calcarcover.com/n_carcovermaterials/All
 
rtk11 said:
Car cover or not, it's best to run the car (especially with a carburetor) to keep seals wet and rotating parts non-rusty. Especially in Florida where there's humidity, rain and salt air.

I've used NOAH and it's great, but given the strong sun in Miami, I'd recommend a different fabric. Here's California Car Covers offerings... you don't have to buy from them, but at least you can read about the different materials. Perhaps even call them to see what they might recommend. http://www.calcarcover.com/n_carcovermaterials/All
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The thing with any cover down down here is that it provides shelter for every pest there is from the rain.
 
Not looking to pay for indoor storage and I have plenty of outdoor storage in my yard. I do have a carport thingy from Northern Tool that I have not put up yet and I may use that.

What I am looking for here is folks that have something to contribute regarding the pros and cons of different covers and/or of covers in general and I see plenty of that so far so thanks.
 
alfadog said:
Not looking to pay for indoor storage and I have plenty of outdoor storage in my yard. I do have a carport thingy from Northern Tool that I have not put up yet and I may use that.

What I am looking for here is folks that have something to contribute regarding the pros and cons of different covers and/or of covers in general and I see plenty of that so far so thanks.
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Like I said, my experience down here using covers is bad and I no longer do. Last time I did and got back I called the junk yard to haul the car off.
 
Henning said:
:rofl::rofl::rofl: Such a thing does not exist in South Florida.

I have found that down here, a long term car cover actually causes more problems than it solves because you always end up with multiple insect and spider infestations. Better to just wash and wax it every few months and put reflective window covers in inside.
Click to expand...

Not only that, but the heat and humidity will cause a serious mold problem.
 
Henning said:
Like I said, my experience down here using covers is bad and I no longer do. Last time I did and got back I called the junk yard to haul the car off.[/QUOTE]
Hehe, My neighbor a few doors down did the same thing. He was a snowbird that spent the summers in Canada. When he returned to his car he literally screamed when he pulled the cover off after a summer sitting in the rain and sun. I ran outside and down the street to find out what was wrong. The whole car was a bug infested, stinking mess.
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JOhnH said:
Not only that, but the heat and humidity will cause a serious mold problem.
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JOhnH said:
Henning said:
Like I said, my experience down here using covers is bad and I no longer do. Last time I did and got back I called the junk yard to haul the car off.[/QUOTE]
Hehe, My neighbor a few doors down did the same thing. He was a snowbird that spent the summers in Canada. When he returned to his car he literally screamed when he pulled the cover off after a summer sitting in the rain and sun. I ran outside and down the street to find out what was wrong. The whole car was a bug infested, stinking mess.
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Yep, mold or bugs individually I might have handled and taken care of, but holy hell that car looked like something out of a horror movie.:lol: I just stepped back and said "**** this". There is a reason why my max purchase price for vehicles is $1000.:lol: Now a days when I ship out for >6 months, I just give the car to someone who needs a car and is too broke to buy one.
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Look for a boat storage building and park it there. You will probably have lots of room to store other stuff also. I pay $60 a month for a brand new 35x12 boat stall and electric is included.
I agree, drain all the gas and put in some 100LL.
Car covers usually hold moisture and make it bad on the vehicle.
 
pigpenracing said:
Look for a boat storage building and park it there. You will probably have lots of room to store other stuff also. I pay $60 a month for a brand new 35x12 boat stall and electric is included.
I agree, drain all the gas and put in some 100LL.
Car covers usually hold moisture and make it bad on the vehicle.
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Boat storage places here are expensive, plus we have so many boats down here, the indoor ones are all multi tiered rack storage facilities with no way to store a car in them. With all the snowbirds we have, storage is a premium commodity; basically it's a license to print money.
 
JOhnH said:
I think you proved Henning's point. A 4x5 foot storage unit for ~$80 isn't cheap, and it will be tough to put a car in it.
Sorry, if you don't like Henning, you need to find a legitimate reason to argue with him.
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I'm not arguing with Henning, I merely posted some resources for the OP. Henning sometimes posts incorrect information and I merely suggested places to look to get a real price.

Depending on who the OP knows, and if they are using the space, maybe park it in a parking garage someplace. I wonder if a mall parking garage would tow him, even if he parked out of the way?
 
alfadog said:
Looking for a car cover for my son's '72 GMC Sprint (like El Camino). He is back in CO for the school year and the car will sit until next summer when he comes back to FL.



Would like to stay under $200.



This is Miami so lots of sun and rain! Any suggestions are appreciated.
Click to expand...


What you want is a Carcoon https://www.carcoon.com/carcoon-double-skin-outdoor or similar product.

I had a version for my Vette. The outdoor version has a UV shield on it. The indoor version is clear.

Car covers can trap moisture from the bottom (even the breathable ones). The bubble has a fan that draws air in and through the bubble not allowing condensation. If your vehicle was a little smaller I would offer to sell you mine. Sold the Vette :(


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
Marauder said:
What you want is a Carcoon https://www.carcoon.com/carcoon-double-skin-outdoor or similar product.

I had a version for my Vette. The outdoor version has a UV shield on it. The indoor version is clear.

Car covers can trap moisture from the bottom (even the breathable ones). The bubble has a fan that draws air in and through the bubble not allowing condensation. If your vehicle was a little smaller I would offer to sell you mine. Sold the Vette :(
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Interesting, so you drive into it wheels and all and the car ends up in a tube? The big one is kinda pricy at ~$1000, but if it's a complete container, that would be worth it for a good car.
 
Henning said:
Interesting, so you drive into it wheels and all and the car ends up in a tube? The big one is kinda pricy at ~$1000, but if it's a complete container, that would be worth it for a good car.
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Yep, drive on it, zip it up and turn on the blower. The version I have has carbon filters on the intake fans and also a built in battery maintainer. If you lose electrical, it will keep the bubble inflated with the car battery. I used mine for 10 years to store the Vette for the winter.

A side benefit was that if the kids threw a ball at it, it would protect the car that way as well. They are pricey, but if you don't have indoor storage, they are a great option.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
Marauder said:
Yep, drive on it, zip it up and turn on the blower. The version I have has carbon filters on the intake fans and also a built in battery maintainer. If you lose electrical, it will keep the bubble inflated with the car battery. I used mine for 10 years to store the Vette for the winter.

A side benefit was that if the kids threw a ball at it, it would protect the car that way as well. They are pricey, but if you don't have indoor storage, they are a great option.
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Yeah, I like it. Do you plug it in or does it use batter/solar to run the fan?
 
Henning said:
Yeah, I like it. Do you plug it in or does it use batter/solar to run the fan?
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Mine was AC powered but I think I saw solar units somewhere.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
Marauder said:
What you want is a Carcoon https://www.carcoon.com/carcoon-double-skin-outdoor or similar product.

I had a version for my Vette. The outdoor version has a UV shield on it. The indoor version is clear.

...
Click to expand...

Yes, I saw that on one of the sites I visited. The U.S. price for a large outdoor unit was under $700.

This is a project car, the interior is very nice and it is fine mechanically (drove it home to Miami from NC) but the exterior needs work. Sounds like my best bet would be to skip the cover and protect the interior from the sun.
 
Henning said:
:rofl::rofl::rofl: Such a thing does not exist in South Florida.

I have found that down here, a long term car cover actually causes more problems than it solves because you always end up with multiple insect and spider infestations. Better to just wash and wax it every few months and put reflective window covers in inside.
Click to expand...



I'm going to second this for the deep South because I just pulled a car cover off an old Jag we've kept inside our hangar and it had thousands of dead crickets piled up underneath it. I have no earthly idea why they all decided to crawl up under there and die.

What a stinking mess and I had to blow off the car and wash it.

I thought keeping a cover on the car while it's in our hangar would keep the dust off and keep it cleaner but I was dead wrong about that. It's better to leave the car un-covered and just clean it up yearly. I need to get rid of the POS honestly. :lol:
 
I need to add that the cover I had was too big and draped onto the floor. DON'T DO THAT!

Make sure whatever cover you put on a car fits snug with elastic bands to help keep bugs from crawling up and underneath it.
 
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