Winter Blues

[chockey]

Well its that time of the year, the dreaded time of the year. Its now daylight savings time, there is barely a leaf on the trees, no need to cut the grass because we have had our first snowfall. All these depressing things can only make putting my Vette away for the next 5 1/2 months more depressing. Today the temp might reach 40 and there is a chance of sunshine 4 days from now, sigh and the vette still has to go away.

Question ?????
How are you handling this time of year and what are your plans for the winter months?

Just curious
Chuck

 

[smurfvet]

I'm getting ready for a ride to the Finger Lakes this weekend- it should be nice. Why put the car away???

I drove the car every month last winter except February. As long as the roads were free of salt, the vette came out. It was sort of nice cruising around New Year's Eve with the wife in the car!

 

[JohnZ]

Here's my plan - I'm retired, my new garage/office is insulated and heated, I have a to-do list for both my cars, already have all the parts I need for both of them, both are now off the road, and I can watch the snow pile up outside while I take my time to check off all the items on both lists. Come Spring, fire 'em up and drive! Works for me

 

[Dave L.]

I am not a big a fan of cold weather myself. I take my car out of the garage for a good 20-30 mile jaunt at least once a month when the roads are dry and salt free. It helps to keep everything in good working order. I'll fire up the heat in the garage and work on my "corvette to do list" when the January-February doldrums set in.

Dave

 

[82dukman]

I usually put her away and work on her. Since we had a baby this year and can't afford and major parts purchases, I'm going to drive her when it is nice out.

 

[mytoy]

call me stupid but i am looking forward to winter, i will finall y have the time to finish our 68 mustang. Have the new garage done and i am ready i have a few minor tweeks on the vette also

 

[billybob]

Love it and Hate it at the same time.

Love because now I get to do all the "extra" work that I was avoiding so I could drive it.

Hate it because now I cant drive it for months.

I wont even risk the salt aspect, dry roads or not, its now up on stands and wont come down till the late srping.

 

[Hijinx]

Granted, here in Texas I have no real need to put my baby away, but I tend to do major work between November and January. Last year I rebuilt the top end of my engine. In the past week I have put her up on jack stands to install headers, MSD 6AL, Billet tack drive distributer, Holly fuel pump and new lines, clean up, sandblast and paint the middle crossmember, assorted brackets and spare tire carrier. Pulled the exhaust system to redo with the headers and will probably drop the gas tank and refurb it. Replace and relocate the charcoal chanister and a few other small items. I always like doing that now because the weather is cool enough to work in the garage without either burning up or freezing. Normally all I need is a long sleeve shirt.

 

[lytemup]

i bought a big screen and plan to break that in good.

 

[sscam69]

I love living in the south!!

No such thing as winter here!!

Doesn't mean I doesn't get cold or don't have bad weather but with the car naturally by design having a hot interior I don't need a heater:L

Unfortunately I don't have a garage to work in so I have to roll around on cold pavement:crazy

 

[chockey]

Hey smurfvet if you go to the area of Watkins Glen try the Wild Flower Cafe for lunch its on the main st next to the police station.

Thanks to all for your comments, I really like the big screen TV with a couple of BARLEY POPS (Labatts Blue) and a bowl of pop corn.

I don't have a garage so its a car cover and tarps when the weather is bad but for winter I store the Vette in a rented garage away from the elements. Winter this year will give me a chance to add to the parts I need for spring. So you see the Vettes away but my mind is on getting her ready for next summer.

SSCAM69 you mentioned cold pavement well it is going to reach 33 deg here today and winter is 6 weeks away still.

Chuck

 

[GerryLP]

Visit up north

Scam,

Let me know if you ever come-up to I'llbequerky (Albuquerque). We'll meet for lunch and chat about our babies...:L

 

[DkBG]

I'm retired too , so I'm going to sit around , in front of the fireplace watching old westerns . Winter is great - if you don't have to go out in it ! Cliff

 

[sscam69]

GerryLP

I actually might be going up there. At least the possiblity exists.

My fiance did some Co-Ops/Internships for Sandia Nat. Labs. She is going to graduate with a degree in Industrial Engineering and if they offer her a job we just might move up there.

So I just might take you up on that offer!:L

 

[mvftw]

I just bought my first Vette and I work a few blocks from Ground Zero:cry, so if ain't raining or snowwing I'm CRUZIN:cool

 

[76L82]

Chockey - Winter is 6 weeks away? You guys that live in the DEEP SOUTH got it made!!LOL Actually, you guys had snow before we did.

The temp is going to be in the 50's today so I will be doing all the heavy lifting to put the Vette away for the season. I went through my annual ritual before parking her for the season....slapped an AC/DC "Back in Black" cassette in and took her out on some back country roads before the climax...a little blast down I-95! At the last set of lights before I brought her in, a group of young kids pulled up and yelled "Hey Mister, nice car!!". And the mystique lives on....

What will I be doing this Winter?...finishing off my 70 Camaro Super Sport that has been in the garage for the past 4 years looking to be restored. I am half way through the project and need some final motivation to get it done. The motivation is that I pledged I can't restore the Vette until I get the SS done...so I am plenty motivated!!!

 

[401K Vette]

Have you ever thought about relocating to the South? I washed my vette yesterday and rode with the top off. The golfer's are just loving this 75 degree weather today and the 18th hole is really busy. I'm able to drive my vette year round. Have a nice day! Linda

 

[vigman]

Well for us CA boys ( and girls )

Our biggest problem is to figgure out how to get that wet stuff off our cars..( I think it's called rain... I read about it in magazines)

And we know about snow.. but you have to go to the moutains to get it.. (it think that comes from a machine at the ski resorts).

Vig!

 

[GerryLP]

Good News

Scam,

That is good news. I hear that they round-up every brain cell power available. Your fiancee has it made

The most harmful weather here is the windy season around march. It picks up every bit of sand grains and propels it at around 40 MPH average. So the blast hurts the paint job and sometimes the windshield? I do not drive my vette during that time.

 

[76L82]

401K Vette and Vigman - You guys are killing me!!

I always said when I was young that 'success' would be to drive my Stingray with the t-tops off ...every day of the year!. I've got the Stingray but I guess I'll have to settle for driving it 7 months out of the year.

I travel for work a fair amount so I do get the chance to spend time both in the Southern states and out in California when the Winter sets in here...you both have some beautiful states! Once I started to travel a lot as a young adult I really began to appreciate this country...it sure is beautiful!! It's kind of funny, although I was born and raised in the Northeast I have never thought of myself as being partial to the North or South, East or West. I can honestly say, that all the states I have traveled through I have met some of the nicest people and was treated with incredible hospitality...

I feel somewhat spoiled though...I'm five minutes from class 3-4 white water (we kayak), some of the best fly-fishing in the world, 45 minutes from a rocky coastline that is to die for (did I tell you we kayak!), five minutes from a golf course that is consistently rated in the top 10 in the country, my siblings own camps on two lakes that are within 10 minutes from where I live and I'm 45 minutes from some of the best skiing in the Northeast. To boot, we always joke that in Maine a mile equals a minute...there is very little traffic congestion!