I found a limited-edition muscle car that has been sitting in a garage since 1984, when the owner died. Don't worry, nobody is swindling some old widow - she knows the cars is worth 6 figures. Obviously the rubber bits will need replacing. I think most parts for this car are available (apart from the 8-track cartridge player!). I noticed the brake fluid was empty; must have seeped out somewhere in 26 years. What happens to an engine that hasn't turned over for so long - are there any risks?

drain the old oil, and put in some new stuff. Turn the crank by hand to make sure the motor will still move. Drain any old fuel out, but a new battery in and fire her up! I worked on a MR2 that was sitting for 15 years. It even barely ran with the old fuel in it. I was surprised as hell.. Nothing leaked.

problems with car in storage for decades?

Sep 14, 2010 23 Replies

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cuhulin 15 years ago

There used to be a Goodwill store down town, I used to get to that store every morning when the store opened.One of those streets near that store, I used to see an old dusty British car sitting in a driveway over there.It was a convertible car, I think it dates back to the 1960's.I never did stop and ask about that car, I don't know what year, make or model that car is.It was sort of a sporty looking car.I haven't been over that way in about eleven years, or more.I don't know if that car is still sitting over there.That is in one of those ''neighborhoods'' I don't want to go to nowadays, if you know what I mean? cuhulin

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hls 15 years ago

I certainly know what you mean... The British made a number of sports cars, and some of the engineering was rather advanced for the time. They had a tendency, IMO, to build promising cars in a slipshod way.

Form rather than substance is not an unusual attitude in the misty isles.

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cuhulin 15 years ago

The car was backed into the driveway.I could see the front of the car and the left side of the car when I used to drive by there years ago.If I could find some pictures/photos of those old British cars from the

1960's maybe I could figure out what car it is. cuhulin

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M.A. Stewart 15 years ago

Go to Google images, search the following individual lines (this is only a small sample of the possible cars),

MG MGA MGB MG Midget Triumph TR3 Triumph TR4 Triumph TR6 Triumph GT6 Austin Healey Austin Healey 3000 Austin Healey Sprite Sunbeam Alpine

And for something which made tire salesmen get all weepy eyed and emotional,

Sunbeam Tiger (with factory installed Ford 260/289 V8)

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