The Winter and a Model A

JoeMarine

JoeMarine

Senior Member
I search through the archives and read a number of hits IRT storing a Model A during the winter. I could not come up with an answer to my question. Simply put, if you plan to drive the vehicle or at least start it up every now and then, and have 50/50 antifreeze in the radiator, is there anything else you need to do to avoid any "freezing" issues with the vehicle.
Semper Fidelis
Joe Marine
 
kenny in k'zoo said:
I would suggest keeping a trickle charger on the battery.
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BE SURE TO LOOSEN THE BATTERY CAPS!! I blew the top off a battery with a 2 Amp trickle charger after 2 days charging:eek: "SOMEONE" FORGOT to punch out the tiny VENT holes in the caps:eek: Bill W. (Use a tender, they only put out about 1/2 amp & they're only $5.99 @ Harbor Freight)
 
If you don't have lots of mothballs and traps, then tape the exhaust and intake closed to keep out the vermin.

I don't like to leave a battery on ANY kind of charger unattended. Over the years I've had one charger burn up and 2 batteries explode. They were only on 1 to 4 amp chargers when it happened. If the car is stored away from the house then bring the battery home and put it on a small charger for an hour a month. If the car is at home, then you can leave the battery in the car and charge it once a month for an hour. Simply clip to the head nut and starter switch. I keep mothballs in and under my cars and haven't had any mouse problems.

Three weeks ago I bought 4 Victor mouse traps with the plastic cheese paddle and caught 6 mice in the first 2 days. I set them in my basement and in front of the garage door. Caught 3 mince in each spot. I never catch any mice in my off brand China traps, so be sure to buy the Victor brand with the cheese paddle. I use peanut butter in the paddle holes.
 
Don't just run it for little short bursts ! as you'll get a build up of condensation in the engine .
Better to oil it up and turn it over with the crank every few weeks . If your going to run it let it run 30 minutes or so that way you should burn the condensation out .
John Cochran
 
Thanks everyone, I'll keep it running throughout the winter with your guidance and recommendations.
SF
Joe Marine
 
I have never blown up a battery with the Harbor Freight chargers but they do not come in 6 volt versions. I bought a few special electronic chargers from Granite Digital (saveabattery.com) and started using one today. They sell a lot to owners of high end cars and people who have a lot of cars. Cost was about $60 for each in 6 or 12 volt. We will see how they work.
Vic
 
Tom Wesenberg said:
Three weeks ago I bought 4 Victor mouse traps with the plastic cheese paddle and caught 6 mice in the first 2 days. I set them in my basement and in front of the garage door. Caught 3 mince in each spot. I never catch any mice in my off brand China traps, so be sure to buy the Victor brand with the cheese paddle. I use peanut butter in the paddle holes.
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Sounds like the mice are getting kinda fussy on what kind of trap they prefer to die in:)

Our Maine Coon Tom cat usually gets them first. Best little mice trap I ever had. You have to keep the cars covered up but NEVER anything living within 50 feet of my garage. He kills and eats everything, squirrels, rabbits, mice, if it moves it's dead. Eats the bones, fur, everything but the heart he leaves that for us as a 'gift'. He even killed a neighbor's Dachsund last year hates dogs with a passion. At 24 pounds and no fat, he's a killing machine!
 
kenny in k'zoo said:
He's right. Use a battery tender rather than a charger.
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I had 2 Battery Tender Brand units. When you hook it up, it shows red, then as the battery is charged, the light turns green.
The units were about 4 months old, I noticed that one unit was still red, and the unit was quite hot. About 3 weeks later, the other unit did the same thing.
 
BlueSunoco said:
Sounds like the mice are getting kinda fussy on what kind of trap they prefer to die in:)

Our Maine Coon Tom cat usually gets them first. Best little mice trap I ever had. You have to keep the cars covered up but NEVER anything living within 50 feet of my garage. He kills and eats everything, squirrels, rabbits, mice, if it moves it's dead. Eats the bones, fur, everything but the heart he leaves that for us as a 'gift'. He even killed a neighbor's Dachsund last year hates dogs with a passion. At 24 pounds and no fat, he's a killing machine!
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Man those cats are huge! My wife says thats what she wants next when all our other cats pass on. Geeze we have a 12 pounder tom cat that loves the get on the model a. Really pisses me off. He waits till i uncover it, wash it, then turn my back and he runs across the fenders and hood just to make me mad i think. It works.
 
Wonder what Buster T. would think of that big ol kitty? 24 Lb. that's a big cat! Do you have a Pic.? Can we start a thread for pet pictures?
 
insomniacshotrods said:
Man those cats are huge! My wife says thats what she wants next when all our other cats pass on. Geeze we have a 12 pounder tom cat that loves the get on the model a. Really pisses me off. He waits till i uncover it, wash it, then turn my back and he runs across the fenders and hood just to make me mad i think. It works.
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I don't know much about cats, we got this thing for our grandson when he was real small and he kept growing and growing. When he went to the vets for his shots, the Vet said 'This is a Maine Coon. Where did you get him?' I had never heard of them before. Vet told us 'They act more lie a dog than a cat. Make chirping sounds instead of meowing much, and are the best cats to train, follow you around like a dog. They are VERY inteligent '. He's not fat, just a dang big and very powerful cat. I was told that they were a cross between a Norwegian Forest Cat that the Vikings brought over, and a Bobcat. They started out in Maine, people thought that they were racoons because they run and hop sideways like a Coon does when they are startled or getting ready to attack.

Got a picture of him somewhere sitting on top of our Ford Escape. He takes up a lot of space up there! Will post it if I can find it!
 
Bill ,You had better have a safe room ready for dog now that the cats out of the bag . He's already got one dog down! You got to hide!
 
If your worried about mice and you won't be driving it for a while. Get 4 jack stands and 4 five gallon buckets.
Place the jack stands in the buckets and store it up on the stands with the tires off the ground 6 - 8" or so.
 
Pinstripe said:
Bill ,You had better have a safe room ready for dog now that the cats out of the bag . He's already got one dog down! You got to hide!
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WOW! Pinstripe, That's a BIG, MEAN, sounding CAT,:eek: never heard of them! Gregg once had a Burmese Temple Cat, 'til he ran away.
BUT, Buster T's:cool: FAST! Rat Terrier's have Italian Greyhound & Whippitt in their lineage:D Google, "RAT TERRIER HISTORY" you'll be amazed at their history. Originally they were called "FEISTS", bred in England to combat rats & mice during the Beubonic Plague, as people died by the thousands!
The Rat Terrier name was coined by Teddy Roosevelt, when he brought 3 of them into the White House, to combat RATS & MICE!
They are also very proficient hunters of squirrel, deer & even BEAR!:cool: Besides being natural born killers of all rodents in general.
In S.E. Oklahoma, they & Jack Russels have almost completely replaced the typical family watch DOGS:cool: & hunting DOGS:cool:. Both are also used for tunneling Dogs:cool: to rid fields of destructive Woodchucks, Groundhogs, etc! They are the most friendly, loving, social Dogs:cool:, also!
Bill W.
 

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