Vlog: Prepping (or not) my cars for storage

[@landsnailproject2875]

Really going to miss your regular video posts, and the lovely rides you take us on. Thanks for those Ian.

[@gryfandjane]

The anticipation builds! I must admit to a fair amount of envy. Although I’m retired, family commitments prevent any chance of extended travel, so I depend on folks like you to take me along on THEIR adventures.

[@jasonleedham5678]

TWC sat in a field for 17? years, totally outside and un cared for, sure she can manage 5 months in a unit!

[@charitycharity3316]

Don't forgot teabags for your case first thing you need after landing is a nice cup of tea in your hubnut mug!

[@philiphutchinson4210]

I hope I can enjoy your posts from your forthcoming escapades as much as I have your previous travels. This from someone who has no particular love for 2CVs, but you're bringing me round.

[@peteredwards338]

A good job is a tidy job ,the new HubNut Mantra !

[@golfman9290]

Luv the blue colour of Foxanne, reminds me of my first car a 1975 mk1 golf i had in the mid 80s, great fun times were had with that car.

[@iseeolly9959]

When I worked on a farm we cleared a load of straw from the corner of one barn and found a David Brown tractor....nobody could remember it being there.....shoved a battery on it....chug, chug, chug...away it went.

[@jfv65]

Could be but it probably was a diesel. No ethanol in diesel fuel.

[@richards9407]

I must remember to put some of that stuff in my last cup of tea before I hibernate..

[@dtourstravels4378]

Great vid Ian,from your no.1 Brit fan living in on the island of Cebu in the Philippines.

[@EnidAgnusDei]

All the best and safe journey, looking forward to seeing more of your work, be safe

[@paulmoore6345]

I stored my cavalier for 3 years in my garage. I put the dehumidifier tubs in it, took the battery off and left it in gear with the handbrake on. And errr that was it. I finally moved it a few weeks back. Dehumidifiers full up and no other problems

[@enpeemac]

I think you're maybe worrying too much. I'm just in the process of recommissioning my 1973 VW T2 camper after having sat pretty much untouched for 7 1/2 years in an asbestos roofed council lock-up. Amazingly, with a fresh battery and after spinning the engine over with the coil disconnected to get oil pressure, she fired up on the first turn of the key with a dribble of petrol down the carb. I was expecting her to quickly cut out, thinking the 7+ year old fuel would've completely gone off but she continued to idle like a Swiss watch and seems to be running perfectly still. The only issues I have are a totally seized front caliper (was already prone to sticking before I laid her up), the fuel gauge sender has fallen apart, a few minor spots of mildew and mould on the interior which just brushes off and some of the rust scabs on the bodywork have got very slightly worse. The tyres are now 19 years old so I'll be changing those as a matter of course anyway but 3 out of 4 have held air very well and 'appear' unaffected from the years of standing.

[@bentullett6068]

It's a great idea to stabilise any fuel in anything with a carburettor. We constantly have to clean or replace customers carburettors on Petrol mowers and garden machinery as they always left long periods over the winter with petrol that isn't treated with a stabiliser.

[@TheWacoKid1963]

Don't forget, Leave the handbrakes off in storage

[@notmanynamesleft]

I've forgotten to do this a couple of times in the past, great tip/reminder! 👍

[@HubNut]

I never leave handbrakes on anyway... (Other than short-term parking, rarely overnight)

[@deltavee2]

@@HubNut Handbrake turns only. Bugger the rest....

[@norrisbobbish8902]

Iv bought cars that have been stood 10+ yrs that have fired up and driven with no issues at all, just give them a service, spray underside/Cavities with Bar and Chain Oil before you go and all you'll have to do on your return is brush off the Cobwebs! 👍👍👍

[@cmddelete2169]

The pftchooooow bit at the end used to bother me but seeing it used in a commercial way has validated it somehow. solid 9.5/10.

[@sg8539]

Hope that stuff works Ian. Things i usually also do is tyre pressure is at max and cleaned with tyre conditioning foam. Wd40 all locks, hinges electrics in engine bay etc. A couple of cheap disposable scented dehumidifiers in the car's interior. Depending on the car and if it will be started periodically,the battery is either disconected or in a fully charged state. And George on mouse/rat patrol of course. Looking forward to your video's from down under. Thanks Ian,safe journey and pleasant travels.

[@bobmirdiff2043]

If the electrics are Early Generation Lucas or AC Delco leave the WD40 Alone! - AC Delco Ignition Coils go 'APE' when WD40 is used! - Sparks fly around the Coil rather than where are needed! Rats and Mice can be a real problem! - Squirrels too! They are attracted by Cable Insulation and Flexible Brake hoses, in particular!

[@taxus750]

I suppose how you approach an extended period of disuse raises the question: how much preparation am I prepared to put in vs how much hassle am I going to have to deal with when I get back? It's all up to the individual (obviously) and the vehicle(s) you have (ditto) - some older, less-stressed engines don't really give a two ha'penny toss because they were built in an era when the tolerance range had to be much wider than it is now. Conversely, more modern engines that are multi-valve carb-fed ohc designs that run to 12K rpm (mid-90s bikes for example) don't take very well to stale fuel and lack of use (Don't Ask Me How I Know).

[@PaulinesPastimes]

It's quite shocking how big the garage looks now. You must have had an awful lot of stuff in there, all completely useful I am sure! Cheers.

[@CaptHollister]

I store my motorcycles and my wife's "summer" car away for the winter. I use fuel stabilizer (Sta-Bil in my case) and brim the tank on the belief that any air in the tank provides space for condensation and therefore rust. All the batteries remain in situ, but each one is equipped with a quick-detach remote connector to hook it up to a cheap, "smart" trickle charger. I have a small collection of cheap ones from Canadian Tire (think Halfords with household products added in) and they are perfect. One of my bikes once had to spend 14 months parked-up when I was laid-up following surgery. At the end of this period it started instantly, literally as though it had been parked a few minutes before, though I did drain the fuel the replaced it with fresh one +Sta-Bil after about 6-7 months because the fuel stabilizer is only good for about a year and I didn't wait for it to go bad.

[@johnnorth9355]

Can't help worrying that the Tercel will have twice as much rust by the time you get back ? Getting really excited to see your Vlog's on the trip but do get over the jetlag first ! Bon Voyage and enjoy (the most important bit !).

[@d2factotum]

He said the Tercel had already spent several years sitting outside when he got it, so being under cover is an improvement on what it was before!

[@zugbug1986]

The way time goes so quickly I bet we will all be saying I don't know where that times gone when you do your first video on your return.

[@hobgoblin283]

Thanks Ian, I was worried for a moment that you were going to give a huge list of things to do. The only thing I usually do is disconnect the battery and make sure that handbrakes are left off and cars unlocked if possible. Close all windows etc to prevent ingress of wildlife. Thanks for the liquid moly tip too.

[@thepofmeister]

I loved the camera eye pan to where The Matiz Isn’t, any longer! ... A shot of empty space. LOL! 👍🏻 There was something comedically Bill Bailey about that.

[@FryNOR]

The fuel stabilizer is a good idea but it is also important to check the rubber fuel lines after a long period of storage, modern petrol have high percentage of ethanol which deteriorate rubber quite fast and that can easily cause a fire.

[@DalekBuilder]

I've been using a different brand fuel stabiliser in our cars for a while. Modern fuel doesn't keep well at all and I have found things improve massively with starting and running after their layup over winter/summer depending on the car. With older fuels never had any issues even with the car sometimes being left for over but with the modern fuel it doesn't take long at all before it causes starting and running issues. Added bonus is the fuel stabiliser getting as gummed up. Other than that I will give moving parts a spray with duck oil just to ensure they stay free and don't rust solid. The smiths type heater boxes are very good at seizing up unexpectedly. Its amazing how big your garage is without the shelves and associated bits laying about. Enjoy your packing & remember to label the boxes or it turns into a massive lucky dip to find things.

[@stevenjones19-m8i]

Hi Ian,great video,blimey that garage is looking quite empty now,If you can,leave your handbrakes off your cars so they don't lock up but you probably know that 😂,a nice collection of cars you have got now.

[@johnsmith-se8sf]

Dont send postcards to your cars as they cant read ,you will be back home before they arrive anyway. So i would just like to wish you all the best on your adventure and look forward to more videos in the future

[@annkeville8355]

Thanks hub looking forward towards your vlog s Richard ann coventry

[@stephenfleming7056]

Doing a similar procedure with two bikes over the winter, I drain the tanks and carbs with these though, but that's easier I guess. I would park the cars with the handbrake off.

[@paulg8730]

I can feel the excitement building..... and i'm not even going! Bugger.

[@obelic71]

Yes Alcohol in modern fuels makes your petrol go stale and cause alot of problems. People who have a classic car /moped on their holiday adres or at home that is not driven for months have the same problems. You have 4 options to prevent this 1 Drain the entire fuel system 2 Add a fuelstabilizer to the petrol (importent: run the engine with the fuel stabilizer mix !) 3 Use only alkylate fuel like aspen. 4 swap the petrol for a diesel/ electric engine 😉 Personaly i use the stabilzer Fuel fit from Brigs and Stratton. Farmers also use it and almost every garden/farm equipment store localy has it on the shelf The liquimoly, Wynns, Motorex stabilzer is way more difficult to buy here. They all do their work so use the one you can obtain the most easily.

[@windowfinn4420]

I keep my old minis in a shipping container, it acts like a bit of an oven all year round and drives the moisture out.

[@deltavee2]

Like winter motorcycle prep in Canada. Just run it long enough that the anti-gel gets into all the bits you don't want to tear down to clean out gummed gasoline, carbs, fuel injectors, fuel lines and most of all, the fuel pump, especially if they are fitted inside the tank. Add copius quantities, run for 10 minutes. Shut her down. If it's all through the fuel system, you're good.+ Cheers from Canada.

[@WhosAGoodDogue]

Deleted my comment after writing what you then explained a few mins later. I really must watch the whole video first, and _then_ stick me oar in afterwards.

[@redsorgum]

Digger Dawg You’re not the only one who has done the same thing..........just speaking on behalf of a friend....😬

[@CaptHollister]

@@redsorgum We have the same friend

[@jon-paulgrainger1303]

Please remember while in NZ to hold the camera the other way for us Brits Ian :)!

[@terryjones7778]

Cheers for the tip mate . My clio has been parked up for 3 months now . And many more i bet . Ill order some fuel stabilisers

[@markwhitehead1658]

I feel excited and I'm not even going lol. All the best to you Ian. I hope the storage is safe it would be terrible if anything happens to TWC while you are away. 👍

[@WarriorRazor]

I hope you have someone looking after them whilst you're away (or checking on them at least) - Hopefully everything is nice and secure whilst you're away, can't wait to see what you get up to in New Zealand!

[@edwardmullan2724]

I heard a few bales of hay will absorb any excess moisture in the air and help prevent condensation on the cars. Maybe an old wives tale though.

[@georgekaritzis2374]

" This stuff came before i planned " Well your buggered then !!

[@kickstart_1.3]

You never know, Kenneth Williams might pop round asking for some tent pegs so he can carry on camping.

[@VanWinger]

To me Liquid Molly sounds like a great party drink.

[@derek-press]

she was my X

[@VanWinger]

@@derek-press That's nothing to rave about

[@Perkelenaattori]

It's with 1 L. But at the risk of sounding like an ad, it's a good brand. My motorcycle visor cleaner for example is made by them.

[@twocvbloke]

It's the blummin' ethanol they put into fuel these days that makes it go sour so fast, it's not to be green, it's because it makes for a cheaper octane booster for cheap crappy quality fuel, and of course ethanol being hygroscopic results in it sucking up moisture from the air forming beads of water inside of tanks, lines and carbs, resulting in their damage through corrosion!! Thank goodness fuel stabilisers exist though, I've used both Lucas and Briggs & Stratton ones and they have kept petrol fresh for well over a year for use in my mower & generators... :)

[@MGBetts1]

Good luck with all that - is your new addition in storage yet? (Toyota Tercel) - Look forward to your continuing adventures down under! 👍🏼

[@micheltebraake7915]

Thanks for the update. Pump the tires to a minimum of 3 bar, more likely they will stay around.

[@MrScotttraynor]

ya, when dad takes the house boat out, adds stal-bil(spelling) to the 200 gal tank which you really want full, also the amount of antifreeze that goes into the twin 454's is like 10-12 galloons i think (some goes into drinking water).. fun fun fun.. and as "marine" gas is like 3x the price, and need non-ethnol gas, i get shanhai'd into helping getting 5 galloon containers of good gas from gas station -> boat (5 5 galloon jugs will fit into the trunk, repeat till full).

[@sameyers2670]

Enjoy your trip to New Zealand Ian.

[@Zadster]

Those cheap dehumidifiers are surprisingly good at keeping car interiors dry over winter.

[@scaleop4]

best of luck on your trip ian.

[@TheRetroRides]

Hope you have a good time in New Zealand, so much good stuff out there to see :) At least when you get back you can just jump in and drive any of them.

[@radionutio81ij79]

5 months no problem just disconnect the batteries and make sure your anti freeze is up to strength on the water cooled vehicles, or your gona return to blown core plugs and water over the garage floor or possibly a cracked engine block. O and leave the hand brakes off. Enjoy your walk about down under ian and keep us posted on your boomerang exploits. ✌ peace

[@simonrawle7885]

the Stabiliser dose work and works very well

[@MatthewJohnCrittenden]

What will arrive Down Under first, HubNut or my newly ordered NubNut t-shirt? Good luck with the travel prep. Still got some of that Lead replacement stuff somewhere, sadly the 1971 MGB has recently moved on.

[@icba4907]

You don't need to do much for five months, disconnect battery, jack up to avoid flat spots on tyres, squirt in some fogging oil down spark plug holes.

[@janhanchenmichelsen2627]

Winter prep for marine engines should always include an oil change. I would have done the same with the cars, just to get rid of moist and aggressive acid compounds.

[@geddy1972]

other fuel stabilisers include fuel doctor, fuel set, redex or any other fuel additive.

[@bobmirdiff2043]

Ian, I have done the same in the past (storing cars as I move to another country) And, in some instances they must be drained for shipping. Best advice is to run the Fuel Tank down over a period of time and then drain what Petrol (Retardistanis call a liquid 'Gas' for some reason) remains completely. 'Petrol Ingredients' vary around the world, and some have a Shelf-Life as low as 3 Months! - The car will not start until it gets some decent fuel in it! - Even if a Full Tank is added to what minimal content remains. My son has had many problems during restorations (awaiting parts) when a vehicle does not move for several months. Making the decision to 'Drain and Store' appears to be the best option. You will also be away during the Winter too, so make sure that the correct 'Coolant' is in the car (and circulated) before you leave (Water Cooled Engines). Leave the Handbrake OFF and the gearbox in NEUTRAL! (Chock the wheels if necessary). Remove the Batteries and keep them in the house - An occasional Charge might be a good idea also. Batteries do not like extremes of temperature! - Or being 'Excited' back in to activity. I once spent 2 weeks away from the Middle East during the Summer. When I got back, I decided to start the car which had been parked outside, unused. The Battery Exploded, on the first turn!

[@xyz2121]

Gas is short for Gasoline. Not hard to figure out. And not all fuel tanks have a drain plug.

[@bobmirdiff2043]

@@xyz2121 I never mentioned Drain Plugs! Ordinarily it would be siphoned out. Better still use 'Gravity' by releasing the filler cap, and disconnecting the outlet hose - Not hard to figure out!

[@jamie7056]

I know it’s a long way off but I’m worried about where you are going to live when you return.Hope you have a cunning plan,private or otherwise.Can’t wait for the 505 Estate test👍

[@Bucharestguidedtours]

Good evening, 5 months sitting, handbrake off should be ok, I think, always interesting on the first start though, that will be a video in its self.. ( is it still called videos?) I liked your review on the AX last night, a late year to have a manual choke, 93 K? Must be one of the last carbureted cars sold in the UK ? Best wishes for the Big trip.

[@icba4907]

You could wedge the clutch pedals down to avoid sticking

[@danr1920]

All i've done for over 30 years for my Corvair for it's winter hibernation is disconnect the battery, fuel stabalizer and change the oil. No problems.

[@heartland96a]

Given if one has a number of gas engines ,lawn mowers , cars if They spend long periods idle/not being used, a fuel stabilizer should be used in their fuel all year round ,as it does not do any harm and the brand in the USA is good for two years

[@Hairnicks]

Ian, where on earth did you find a 505 Estate?!! So rare these days, I had two and thought they were fantastic, so looking forward to that video.

[@simonredfern2584]

Have a good hibernation gang, see you when the sun comes back.

[@TinaMackenzie]

great video hubnut storage sounds good

[@jameswallace7709]

When we lay boats up we use fogging oil which protects the bores. But i suspect when you get back you’ll put wd40 in each bore to loosen things up.

[@HubNut]

I suspect I'll just start them all up to be honest...

[@millomweb]

Never really considered petrol had a sell by date. Fair enough if it's 30 year old petrol. But either disconnected batteries or more likely put on a trickle charger is all I'd do. Tyres only an issue if they go flat. If you don't need to blow them up every now and then they should be absolutely fine too. Don't forget to leave plenty of food down for George ;)

[@delukxy]

Inflating tyres, if you have an odd one or two that tend to lose a few pounds over time best to chock those wheels up if you can, Having said that they do tend to go from, say 30psi to 15psi and then stop but you'll know what yours do I think. If your new unit is likely to get below freezing I'd remove the batteries and store them off the floor and somewhere they will have a chance to stay as warm as possible. No I won't say in Rachels warm shed but if they are also fully charged when stored it would help. Top up all of the anti freeze if needed. Is a cold winter forecast in Wales? I don't know either. Bon Voyage!

[@niceperson709]

Make sure that t you store your cars with the handbrake off otherwise you may find the car can't be moved when you get back to them, I found out the hard way that this can be a problem

[@Vincent-bs5mf]

A Peugeot 505 Estate video would by lovely.👍

[@HubNut]

Next week!

[@ASH.......................1976]

Make it easy for yourself,just bin all the rubbish that is useless and start a fresh when you get back 😊

[@neilthomas9244]

Almost there eh? Are you going to post any vid clips of your journey? The "rodent" message below is quite important. I had a mouse/ mice got into a capri seats and headlining, made a hell of a mess.Might also be an idea to use some sort of dehumidifier. Don't watch the film "Airplane" before you go either.Apart from that, have a great time.

[@bobmirdiff2043]

Watching Airplane before flying, is rather like a TV Channel screening Marathon Man the night before your are due to visit the dentist! - IS IT SAFE?

[@stephenr6427]

505 estate mmmm cheers hubnut

[@linseyyoung1772]

Prepping for storage? Does that mean buying another car in Hubnut speak? Looking at you, Tercel! Not that I have room to talk - I've also just spent £300 on an addition to my fleet. Mine has absolutely no rust though and 6 weeks MOT :-D

[@jjmac3561]

Stick an extra 15-20psi in the tyres. Don't throw those 'spare' nuts and bolt in the bin, i bet you will be searching for at least one of them when you least expect it ;-)

[@grahamtanner559]

Didn't know that the garage was that big !

[@paultaylor9652]

Lovely Jubbly, I just got some mouse traps, they never came back.

[@steveball1909]

Mice never return your property, bet you won't make that mistake again! 😉

[@geddy1972]

first time its used you should double dose it. you can never add too much.

[@davidfarmer2049]

3:06 My hubnut get those walls painted ....:-o

[@gerl9869]

Ian, do you have a minute to explain us, foreign viewers, the number combinations on Britsh number plates? Thanks!

[@shaunbastin599]

Are going to stay Wales I think Devon would be a great place to come to

[@maxgreece1]

OK Hubnut. Why are you reading this comment? You're supposed to be packing. Never mind the liking and replying nonsense. Get ready for New Zealand!!

[@Mercmad]

All he will need is some hubnut t shirts, a pair of shorts and jandals.

[@vinces7001]

Winters coming any tips because I wish I could myself into storage!!!

[@robertedwards1811]

good luck buddy if i was closer id give you a hand

[@Perkelenaattori]

A Peugeot 505 Estate! The original Lestapösö as we call them here because it was a very popular car among Laestadians which are a religious cult here. They aren't allowed the use of prophylactics so they all had like 14 kids so they needed big cars.

[@MattBrownbill]

"Exciting times ahead!" Predictive text wrote that for me, but how did it know? 🤔

[@sardav160479]

Would love to see you review a Lada samara my first car was a samara

[@zugbug1986]

The posh Lada.

[@frglee]

:o) Re: the mess...'Is there a link to this, I wonder?' Big Monty Python-style finger appears onscreen pointing at you...

[@simonjarvis9130]

How about a test of a Peugeot 304 estate??

[@piperdoug428]

Any chance you might visit the Kauri forest give one a hug for me (its on my bucket list) someone might or might not have already stolen a cutting off The Party Tree in Hobbiton and brought it to me but mums the word......right mum?

[@RoyCousins]

It's crossply tyres that need to be overinflated by a few pounds to avoid flat spots. Radials aren't too bad.

[@jfv65]

Radials can also have these problems. Germans even have a name for it: platfusse. (flat feet) I had a Boxster with low profile Yokohama's and each springtime it took at least 50km to drive those flatspots out of the tires. Really annoying.

[@terabyte1695]

Havent had a chance to watch all your videos, Ian its kinda sad your leaving your house and clearing up all that junk, i have a question.... how tall are you when you do the head room test ?.. Any way a new start in NZ and i think a lot of people would like to go with you. So bon voyage not long to go take care,farewell and we will see you in a future video psssst.

[@PaulSGraham69]

thanks for the vid...have a great NZ adventure, best wishes..mind keep the hair short, the new zealand girls will love you..lol lol

[@CaptHollister]

I just noticed: 49.4K subscribers ! word is getting out. You might have to plan something special for when you hit 50K while in Kiwiland.

[@HubNut]

50k video already recorded...

[@JamesAllmond]

Besides agreeing about the miserable rodents...use Stabil (same thing as the Moly Benzine Stabilzer) in our emergency generator and my old bikes (along with alcohol free gasoline). Appears to work well, so far.

[@Peakwanderer]

One of my ornamental cars (an invisible Micra K11) still runs up and down the drive on 5 year old petrol !

[@simonredfern2584]

That's good going, I'd have thought you could to slice the fuel by now!

[@cardude5323]

I had a K11 Micra and it was absolutely fine on 2 year old petrol, and it even passed its MOT emmisions test on the stuff. Not fussy apparently.

[@AaronSmart.online]

I suspect carburettors are likely to be less forgiving, as the old petrol can turn into a gum-like substance

[@pagegreer5081]

Your getting close

[@jimmybob3756]

Drain the fuel...if you care....if you reallly care just put a little oil in there.....screw buying stuff that kids buy. Wise up Fartnight.