4 Maintenance Tips for Classic Car Owners
There is something quite thrilling about owning a classic car. It could be a Model T Ford or one of the surprisingly unpopular first Corvettes of which GM only built 300 in 1953, but beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder. Needless to say, after such an inauspicious start, Corvettes became known as “America’s sports car” and today, anyone owning one of those first ‘Vettes has a trophy to be envied.
No matter what kind of classic car you own, you certainly don’t want it to lose value because you are not properly maintaining it.
1. Safe Storage Comes First!
You may be wondering what storage has to do with automobile maintenance. Actually, safe storage is the foundation of what maintenance is defined as. With a rough definition being a process of preserving something, it stands to reason that safe storage is the foundation of preservation. If left to the elements, for example, how long would it take before a windstorm blew debris that marred a vehicle’s paint? The first line of business when seeking to maintain a classic car would be to secure luxury vehicle storage, especially with climate control and state-of-the-art security.
2. Avoid After-Market Parts If at All Possible
Bear in mind that this is a classic car and OEM parts may be unavailable. To the extent that it is humanly possible, avoid after-market parts like the plague. There may be times when it is unavoidable to get mechanical parts no longer being manufactured, but with time and patience, you just might find them listed as a ‘parts only’ sale in local marketplaces. While mechanical parts are almost always proprietary to the year, make, and model, they are easier to modify than visible body parts without opening the hood or looking under the car.
3. Tune-Ups and Fluids Specific to that Year, Make and Model
This is something you need to be very careful about. Many of the older cars will not take some of the synthetic fluids on the market today, so always do the research before getting tune-ups at shops. In fact, older vehicles are much easier when it comes to such things as bleeding brakes, changing oil, and many other routine maintenance jobs simply because there were no electronics in those vehicles. There were no computerized chips to communicate with but that means that you would need to keep a log as to the miles driven.
4. Keep Exterior Clean and Waxed
Finally, even if you keep your vehicle safely stored in a unit with climate control, you will probably be taking it out for a Sunday spin or simply to show it off around town. Try to avoid driving on snowy roads that have been salted, and by all means, if you live in an area near an ocean, keep your car washed and waxed to prevent salt in the air from eating away at the finish.
Remember, you know how long you dreamed of owning that classic car and now that it’s your baby, take good care of her. If you do right by her, she’ll make you proud when all eyes turn in your direction as you cruise by.