Time goes by so fast sometimes faster than we realize. I cannot tell you how many times I have seen a picture or talked of a memorable event, only to realize the event did not occur two years ago but actually happened three, four or even five years ago. I am sure many of you have also walked away from a project, such as an old car, expecting to return but before you know it several years have gone by. Well, that is exactly where I find myself and my 1969 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham today. The only difference is it has not been several years but over 18 years since I had my 1969 Cadillac out and running so I started to the about the resurrection of the classic car.
I have owned numerous old cars since then, but would never part with the old Cadillac, a gift from an elderly aunt to me and my father when I was sixteen years old. I can still remember that Cadillac hanging over the end of that flatbed truck as we transported it from my Aunt’s family farm in Lincoln Park, New Jersey to my parent’s home in Dix Hills, New York.
The history of the car was what I loved most about it. My Aunt Edna owned the car with her first husband, George, but at the time did not know how to drive. In that era, it was pretty common for the husband to do all the driving, and the need to learn herself just was not there. When George passed away, Aunt Edna took it upon herself to learn to drive in that very Cadillac. Still living on the farm that her father bought in the early 1900s, she learned to drive that car in the fields behind the house before venturing out onto the roads. She was in her mid-60s when she taught herself how to drive.
Once Edna learned to drive, it was time to replace the Cadillac with a, new at the time, 1984 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham in the same exact color, as navy blue is the only color that would do for her. The 1969 Fleetwood was parked in the barn and each week she would go out and start it up and dust it inside and out. She certainly made it a point to tell how much effort went into keeping the interior clean even while it was being stored in an old barn.
My father always loved a Cadillac and he especially loved the 1969 Fleetwood, so when my Aunt offered to give me the car when I turned 16, he was equally excited.
The interior of the car was perfect, and the exterior was in good condition, with the exception of a small spot of rust on the bottom corner of the back window. Not knowing the value of a “survivor” car at the time, we made plans to have the car re-sprayed in an updated version of the same blue.
The car was beautiful and while not the most desirable car for teenage a boy to drive, I loved it. The feeling I got when I floated down the road, as if on a cloud, was irreplaceable.
The car was used only sunny days and for local cruises for the next 15 or so years.
So where is that 1969 Cadillac today?
My Dad passed away in 1999, and shortly after I bought my first home, got married and had my first child. Unfortunately, with these life changes, both the desire and time to go through the “trouble” of uncovering the old Cadillac and taking it out on a cruise were not there.
It was about 2003 when I backed the Fleetwood into the garage at my parent’s home and that is where it has sat ever since.
So, what happens to a car that has sat for any period of time without being used. Well, the hope is that, with the warmer weather, we will find out. It is my intention to resurrect that old 1969 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham and give it the attention it deserves.
While we are on the topic of a car sitting idle, do not think it takes years for a car that has been left idle to begin to show signs of its lack of use. The reality is it only takes about 6 months to begin to see the effects of neglect.
Letting your classic car sit for any extended period of time can result in a number of problems but there are ways of preventing them.
If possible, it is always good to take a car on a short drive at least once a month. The drive does not need to be long, but I believe between 15 minutes and a half hour. This not only helps to keep the battery charged but allows the fuel and oil to circulate, as well as it ensures the tires are not sitting in one place for too long. However, if it is not possible to take the car out for a quick drive to keep things lubricated and running right, the following are steps you can take to help ensure the car is ready to drive.
While flat spots on tires are not as common with modern tires, it can still happen and it definitely something to address with bias ply tires on that old classic. Flat spots occur when the weight of the car is sitting on the same spot of a tire for an extended period of time. There are a number of ways to prevent this from occurring.
Many people place the car on jack stands in all four corners, taking the weight of the vehicle off the tires altogether. This certainly helps prevent the tires from developing flat spots. However, if you are concerned about leaving the car up on jack stands for an extended period of time, you can opt to place an old set of tires on the car putting the regular tires in storage until you are ready to take the car out for a spin. This requires considerably more work and may require you to think about how long the car will actually be stored.
Finally, while I have not used this method myself, I have heard of people putting Styrofoam or cushions under the tires to better disburse the weight of the vehicle. This may be the best option if you are unsure of how long the car will actually sit and you intend to take it out for a quick drive sooner rather than later.
Another issue with leaving a car in storage for a long period of time results in the car battery going dead. All cars regardless of age have a small amount of parasitic draw and over time this will ultimately cause the battery to go dead. This can be prevented by attaching a trickle charger to the battery in order to cycle the battery and prevent this parasitic draw from draining the battery. While the use of a trickle charge helps to maintain a healthy battery; if you do not own a trickle charger you can simply disconnect the battery.
The next problem you must contend with when leaving a car, unused for an extended period of time is both rust forming in the gas tank itself and the gas degrading and ultimately becoming “varnish”. The best way to avoid this from happening, aside from draining all fuel from the tank, is to use a fuel system stabilizer. Adding a stabilizer in the fuel system will help to prevent rust and degradation of both the fuel and the system in general.
Finally, depending on where you live and the place where the car will be stored you will have to consider mice, rats or other rodents from making a home inside your vehicle. Believe it or not it does not take long, especially during the colder months for a rodent to figure out that an engine compartment or the cushion of a car seat is a great place to start a family. For instance, I had decorated the front of my home with corn stalks for Halloween and when I opened up the hood of my son’s jeep that had only been parked for two weeks, I discovered a battery tray filled with corn. I also learned to get to the battery tray, the critter had chewed through a few wires in the wiring harness. Fortunately, I was able to change that section of the harness, and all turned out okay. I have heard of many people chasing electrical problems that ultimately ended up being damage caused by a rodent chewing on wires in the engine compartment.
In addition to putting steel wool in some of the holes where a critter might enter, there are also sprays on the market to discourage rodents from entering the vehicle or you can always put some moth balls throughout the vehicle in order to keep unwanted critters away.
Letting a car sit for an extended period of time is never a good thing because cars want to be driven. I am looking forward to bringing you along as I resurrect my 1969 Cadillac and hopefully, get her back out on the road by this Summer.
Stay tuned as we get this survivor back on the road again.
Jamie Pappas
