We Australians are huge fans of our cars. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, there were 18 million registered vehicles circling their way around the nation's highways and byways at the last count, and that's a number that's only set to rise. It's not just modern motors that get our engines racing, however – there is a large classic car following in Oz, with these chariots of the yesteryear often spotted taking a leisurely cruise along a beach road.
Due to their age, though, these machines require a little more TLC than your average set of wheels, and many of them are put up in storage for months at a time, especially during the winter months. A custom-designed shed or garage can make a superb home for your classic car to rest up, so read on to find out how to put this idea into practice.
A custom-designed shed or garage can make a superb home for your classic car to rest up.
Clean your machine
Once you've opened up the Shed Boss app and designed the perfect space to lay up your car, give your machine a good clean, inside and out. Let it dry out, and if you have a chance, a nice waxing wouldn't go amiss, either. Be sure to pay attention to the underside, getting rid of any mud and dirt build-up. Should there be any leather trim inside your car – seats, steering wheel – treat them with hide food. This will help to preserve the leather in the face of any lingering dampness.
Curtain-raiser (and drawer)
With your car nice and sparkling clean, the time has come to park it up in your custom-designed garage. If you're using this space solely for this purpose, ideally, you won't have included any windows on the design. Why? Well, sunlight (even that that appears in winter) has the power to fade seats, paintwork and other exposed parts of your car. Additionally, the sun can even cause parts of the trim to dry and crack, which will severely shorten their lives. If you insist on having a window or two, purchase several large, thin cotton sheets and throw them over your car.
This serves several purposes. Firstly, they'll protect your pride and joy from sunlight, and limit the amount of dust that falls on the body. As an added bonus, covering your car will hide it from the prying eyes of would-be thieves looking to make a dishonest buck.
Jack it up
If it all possible, place your car on special support stands for the duration of its storage. This will help prevent the tyres from developing flat spots (when the weight of the car sits motionless on the wheels for too long) and can also act as a deterrent to thieves, as unless they are fully committed, they won't want to mess around with spanners, nuts and bolts. Finally, it's worth taking your car out for a short drive every few weeks, just to ensure things still run smoothly.
Be sure to get in touch with the team at Shed Boss to get your dream garage underway!
