Talk Morgan Forums Community The Malvern Arms Winterising a Plus 4

Another thread here:
http://www.talkmorgan.com/ubbthreads.php/topics/666350/preparation-for-the-winter-time#Post666350

This may help if you can't drive it or get someone to do so.
Winterising

ok, so now I have to ask:
In the link that John V6 posted it says "13. REMOVE YOUR TOPS *Remove your tops and tonneau and store them in a warm dry place. They will shrink on the car and can rip at the seams."

I have always left my everflex hood up in the garage in the hope that it will stop it shrinking or becoming brittle and cracking if left folded up.
After reading the above I wonder if anyone else takes theirs off and brings them in the house?
I could do easily enough as the car is inside a Carcoon, so the interior would be fine if I didn't have it covered.

What do you guys do?

I leave mine on all winter. No garage, so is outside in all conditions and temperatures, Been through two winters so far and about to start a third. No ripping seams.....

I bring my soft top, tonneau cover and half tonneau cover indoors for the winter. The soft top is probably original to the car (1959-built) and I am in no hurry to replace.
I also bring in the seats as the bench back is stuffed with a wood wool product that would be mouse heaven should they get in. To deter them from messing with the rest of the car I leave tumble dryer sheets and mothballs in it and block the ever so tempting exhaust pipe with a scouring pad. Also put clingfilm under the windscreen wipers just in case they stick to the glass.
I am in Massachusetts where it is very cold in winter and incredibly dry.

I leave the roof up but not locked down tight if I am away for a while.
Have never brought any parts inside.
I have an electrical buzzer that deters mice.

So do I, there are many dry salt free days. Why deprive yourself.

Ken, Sorry to read medical problems. Hope all is resolved soon so you can get back to the +4

You can do all the things recommended below and indeed enjoy doing them. Nothing like a good potter! But the basic minimum is to keep the car dry and with a decent airflow to take away any condensation. If your car has carbs then it make sense to drain them to avoid the evaporation of fuel and the formation of gum in the jets.. As for the fuel in the tank, my inclination would be to leave the tank as empty as possible to fill with fresh fuel from containers at the start of the next season - having a full tank will slow down the absorption of water in the alcohols but wont stop it. As for tyres, I have never bothered doing more than maybe adding a few psi. Any flat spots, and I cant say I have ever noticed any, would disappear in just a few wheel rotations. One final point - engine wear is worst at start up. Before I realised this I had the habit of starting my Stag engine every monht and running it to warm up. A month gave time for oil to drain so the monthly start ups eventuall knackered the engine. It took time after start for the thick oil to reach the cams which ran in line bored housings in the ally heads and thats what went. So come the next season, take out the plugs and turn the engine over to get oil pressure before firi9ng up

As for my everflex top, I always leave it closed and tensioned. When I had the deer accident two and a half years ago, my 4/4 was in the workshop from March to the end of September, which is the warm season. The hood was always open in the workshop because the car was in a hall. When getting her back I could hardly close the hood, so much it had shrunk and it took some time until it was back to normal.