MG-Cars.info

Welcome to our Site for MG, Triumph and Austin-Healey Car Information.

Parts

TR parts and Triumph parts, TR bits, Triumph Car Spares and accessories are available for TR2, TR3, TR3A, TR4, TR4A, TR5, TR6, TR7, TR8, Spitfire and Stag and other TR models are available from British car spares and parts company LBCarCo.

Triumph TR6 - Car storage and moisture


It's getting to be that time of year when we start thinking about storing our 6's.

Last winter I stored my car in an unheated storage unit with a concrete floor. A few times moisture accumulated underneath the car. This happened usually with temperature swings from cold to relatively warm.

I think a sheet of plastic should keep that from happening. Anybody use a plastic sheet with success? I have some of those large blue nylon tarps that might work or help anyway.

Thanks

Henry
HP Henry Patterson

Technically I'm not certain on the merits of this practise but back in the day when I was into vintage American cars we used to put straw under the cars to absorb the moisture from concrete floors. A bit messy but we believe it helped. You may want to confirm with others.

Ken
Ken Shaddock

Henry- Just add heat
DON KELLY


Don,

You're solutions are always dead on. Unfortunately many of them require large investments of cash. How about you adopt me!? I may even finish your wiring project for you.
HP Henry Patterson

That is a tempting offer. I will be having work done on my elboe to repair a tear and will be sidelined for about 6 weeks +. No gripping of any kind during that time, then I will have all kinds of time for a couple of months until I can get back to work.
DON KELLY

Hi Henry,
I heat my garage only when working out there otherwise I have a heavy duty vinyl tarp slightly bigger than the car area...never had any moisture problems
Charlie
Charlie B.

Henry:
I use the same thing - big blue tarp but I was fortunate to scrounge a load of half and quarter sheets of plywood from a construction job. I laid out the tarp and then laid out the plywood on top & parked the TR on it. The added insulation of the wood last winter seemed to be an improvement over the previous year.In any event the tarp alone will shield the car from the moisture in the concrete floor. It was also not too uncomfortable on the "warmer" winter days when I did a little work under the car.

Cheers,
Bob
1976 - TR6
Bob Evans

Bring your TR6 to the Sunny South! We will ride through most of November and December, many days with the hood down. January and February can be a little brisk. Can you cover the car with a breathable cover and run a few incadescent light bulbs under the cover? once she was up to temperature and stayed there you sould not have any condensate.

Good luck with you solution.
B Selby

I like Bob Selby's idea... follow the sun. What do you folks do the rest of the year to protect your cars other than waxing, driving on dry days, parking in the garage, etc? We protect our trucks and cars with rustproofing (one with Krown oil type spray and the other with another aftermarket product) but I'd hate to Krown / Rustcheck the 6. It would not rust but it would get mighty dirty underneath. Ken
Ken Shaddock

An friend of mine gave me some non-breathable plastic sheeting that was designed for reducing humidity in wine closets. I have placed this on the concrete garage floor and covered it with a carpet of similar size. This, coupled with running a electrical fan perodically under the TR (to circulate air) seems to reduce the undesirable condensation, vapors, etc. I have also used a humidifier periodically as well.

Shawn
Shawn Daley

Ken
We do not drive in the rain. The top can not go up ...so we do not drive in the rain.
Therefore we do not worry about rust.
Come next fall after you bring your 6 back from out west we will have to tell you that you can not drive your 6 in the winter and that you will have to park it for several months every year. I know this is going to be hard to face Ken but we all survive this ordeal by posting more to this BBS.
Some have even admitted to going out and sitting in their cars and actually saying vroom...vroom.

Henry agreed...the blue Polly tarps do the trick.

Rick
Rick Crawford

Hate to state the obvious, but I sealed my concrete workshop with an industrial sealer used in warehouses. No moisture problems like untreated floor.
PeterK


Thanks for all of the comments. since I have the blue tarps I'll use one of those. The plywood or carpet idea is something I will consider. I do crawl around under there once and a while in the winter while "visiting" the TR.

Ken, I wouldn't even know where to begin to look for straw. Not too rural here. I like it... The straw would even absorb all the oil these cars leak.

Bob, I like the idea of coming south. What kind of jobs are available down there? I prefer little work with high pay.

Henry
HP Henry Patterson

Rick... you are on to me. I already have a lawn chair out there with a golf club beside me as my shifter. Vroom, oops missed a shift... there that's better. Should switch to a mashie from the driver.

Henry: These cars drip oil! I have a beautiful stone driveway!
Ken Shaddock


Ken,

I carry a piece of cardboard in my trunk to put under my car if I park in a friends nice brick or concrete driveway. If it's an asphalt driveway I don't bother.

I rebuilt my engine a couple of winters ago. I ended up with a small drip at the back of the engine. It's not bad enough to try and fix. I'll save that project for another time. I'm not sure you can get them totally leak free though. maybe someone else has.

Henry
HP Henry Patterson

Will do the same re cardboard. If it wants to drip on my place... heck, for the love of the car I'll deal with it. ;)
Ken Shaddock

Henry, you work for Ford. I thought that was your job discription???
DON KELLY

There's a thing called a 'moisture barrier' that's used under houses, in the crawl space around the world. It's merely a piece of visquine plastic that keeps the moisture in the soil from moving up to the underside of the structure.

Works for cars too. <G> The plastic/plywood deal would have to work the nuts.

Covering the car with a plastic tarp is a BAD idea. The plastic won't let the moisture that DOES show up find it's way out.

Oh, those of you who start your cars periodically during the winter should let it warm ALL the way up. Starting a car for a short period of time does not allow the moisture that has collected in the engine to evaporate completely.

Just some thoughts.

Honk

Jim Deatsch


Don,

Maybe not much longer. I might have to come to Washington to loaf around like everybody else there.
HP Henry Patterson

Henry:

Your TR6 leaks oil????? Geez! -- who needs Krown or Ziebart when the TR's lubricate themselves. It's a British innovation - automatic rust proofing! :>)

Cheers,
Bob
1976 - TR6
Bob Evans

Henry - Who said we work down here? I like the idea of great pay with little work - Government job?

We do not have the extreme winter moisture problems as you Notherner's do. Our TR6 lives in the basement 25 feet away from the insulated garage doors. Temperature always stays way above outside temperature. During the summer I run a dehumidifier that dumps a bunch of water down the drain. So, we do have "opposite season" moisture concerns.

I think the cardboard oil pan is a great idea. I will have to find a fold up design to cover the engine/transmission/diff area. Great dust control.

The wet concrete floor may be a result of the warmer moisture laden (vapor) air contacting the cold concrete and moisture condensing from the air. Think of a glass of iced beverage in the summer. If this is the case, your barrier over the concrete floor serves to insulate the air above the floor from making contact. But, if the car has been cold and is exposed to warmer air then condensate may also take place on the metal.

The amount of moisture in the air is always relative to the temperature as warmer air can hold much more water than colder air. Hence, the term "relative humidity" in the weather forcast. Air circulation is a great help but should be combined with keeping the car warmer than the surrounding air in a ideal condition. As Jim Deatsch commented, one should use a breathable cover to let the water vapor escape. Plastic will retain the vapor that will eventually condense out.
B Selby


Thanks Bob.

I use a breathable cover so that should help. The plasic barrier on the floor should help as well compared to the bare concrete of last year.

Every Easter we head to Pensacola Beach (like many other snow birds)for a week. We take I65 through Alabama and usually stay the first night in Cullman to split the drive. I see it's not far from Hoover. Maybe I can stop by and have a quick look at your TR... If my family will let me stop that is.


Henry
HP Henry Patterson

Henry, That's a great time to visit the beach. We were there briefly this summer and the roads and some houses were still damaged from recent hurricanes. We would welcome your visit - just give me a call or send an e-mail. 205-425-6520
B Selby

Bob,

We stay on the island every spring. Last spring was still pretty messy from the hurricane damage. There were still big chunks of the road in the water which is about 500 feet from the road.

I have your number filed. I'll give you a call

Thanks
Henry
HP Henry Patterson

Henry, Bob:
Qoute: "I have your number filed. I'll give you a call"

Yep, so do the rest of us!! Florida, here we come!!!!!!!

uninvitedly, Chris
c.a.e. emenhiser

This thread was discussed between 06/10/2006 and 10/10/2006

Triumph TR6 index