Tips to Keep Mice out of Stored Cars

From Hagerty

If you're a classic car owner, chances are that you've had to store your car at some point. Check out readers' best ideas for nipping rodent problems in the bud, ranging from D-Con and dryer sheets to sulfur and steel wool. If you’re putting your car away for the winter, keep reading for ways to keep those small, unwanted guests out of your classic. 

1. Dryer sheets
“I have had a 1966 Ford Fairlane 500 XL for 18 years, and I also have an acre in the country, so we see our share of mice. The best thing I've used is dryer sheets. Just go to the Dollar Store and buy a box. They don't have to be expensive. I just lay them all over the interior, under the hood, in the trunk, on top of the tires – even in the exhaust pipe. Then, in the spring, gather them all up and toss them. Not only will there be no mice, the car will smell like it just came out of the dryer. Works great for me!”
“Try Bounce fabric softener dryer sheets. Mice don’t like the smell, but you’ll like it better than moth balls. Use them in several places in the car.”
“One of the best things to deter rodents is to put multiple sheets of a fabric softener inside the car (“Bounce” is excellent!). There is a very low odor associated with the smell after taking the car out of storage, yet rodents hate this item!!! I have a car that I put in storage each winter and also have a 30-foot camping trailer that I store. I have never had one problem since I was introduced to this idea years ago, and I had many problems with rodents before using this technique.”
“I've tried with a good amount of success using fabric softener sheets placed around the car and inside the vehicle. Bounce seems to work the best. I received this information from an upholstery shop that does a lot of work on vehicle interiors.” 

2. D-Con
“The best (and most effective) means of removing all rats and mice from virtually any place is to place D-Con around in areas accessible by the mice and rats, but too small to be accessible by dogs, cats, or any other pets you may have. You may (or may not) detect a slight odor as they are killed off, but I can assure you will never be bothered by them again. I'm 75 years old and have used D-Con all my life, and have yet to see any signs of mice or rats beyond the third or fourth day of setting out the D-Con. I have an antique car, and I use D-Con in it while it is in storage to guarantee against any damage to upholstery or insulation in the car.” 

3. Traps
“The best killer is the Victor snap traps with the 1-inch square plastic yellow tongue. It's more sensitive than traditional snap traps with the small metal tongue. I prefer a small smear of peanut butter in a center hole. You don't want much; just enough to give off the scent. The one downside of these traps is that if they sit long enough without a mouse going for the bait, crickets (and some small bugs) can eat all the traces of peanut butter without setting off the traps because they are so light. A combination of fabric sheets, snap traps, and building inspection and maintenance will keep your classic rodent free.”
“I have five classic cars and believe me, I have tried everything to keep the mice away. But I keep going back to the old faithful mouse trap. You have to keep an eye on them, but they do work. I also have a commercial pest control company put out poison. So far (keeping my fingers crossed) I haven't had much trouble or damage from the varmints. Years ago I made the mistake of putting the trap inside the car. It was nearly impossible to get the smell out of the car! Don't make that mistake.” 

4. Mothballs
“The ultimate prevention to mice invasion, or any other rodent invasion, is the good, old-fashioned mothball. By the first of summer the mothballs are gone. By opening up the car and taking a few rides, the smell is gone as well.”
“This is the second winter I've tried Bounce, in the car and under the hood. It worked OK last year, so hopefully it will continue to. But of course, there's that half box of mothballs spread around and under the car and in the far corners of the [old] garage, so it may be this combo that works. It sure keeps the chipmunks – destructive monsters compared to mice – out of the garage and from under the porch. “ 

5. Sulphur
“Garden stores sell granular or powdered pure sulphur. Mice, roaches and other vermin hate the smell. Cut an old pillowcase into 8" x 8" squares and put a spoonfull of sulphur in the center. Gather the ends and tie into a small pouch. Place these bags around areas that may have a mouse or bug problem.” 

6. Steel wool
“In addition to the soap and mothballs, I put wads of steel wool inside the pipes on my modifed '48 Willys Jeepster.” 

7. Other tips: Tape, jacks, ‘Tom Cat,’ lowered visors, no covers
“Don't forget to put tape over the tail pipe opening and the air intake. A friend could tell you a story about tearing down an engine and finding a mouse carcass on top of a piston.”
“I maybe go a bit overboard, but I'd rather spend a few dollars and be safe than lots come spring. I put my car up on jackstands so only mice that can pole vault or jump really high can reach it. I also put lots of Bounce sheets inside and under the hood. I set about four or five mousetraps that I check every time the weather is warm enough to walk over to the garage where I keep it stored (it’s only a 50 ft. jaunt, but at 20 below it seems like a mile ). I also, since no pets can get into my garage, set out about six little caps of antifreeze. Most of these can be used year after year and so far have been very effective, or maybe I'm just lucky. Either way, when spring comes and everything is the way it was when I parked it, I'm happy.”
“I reproduce interiors of vehicles; a procedure I inform my customers is to purchase "Tom Cat" mice packets. These are sealed packets (6/ box). Do not open the packets but place in trunk, under seats on floor, on top of the air filter cover under the hood. If packets remain closed the bait will remain fresh, if broken it will indicate the presence of an intruder,(who will not remain within the vehicle but leave and search for water). Remove the broken packet and replace with a new sealed packet. The indication of an open packet will remind one to view the vehicle more often. Unfortunately there is no inexpensive means to totally prevent the appearance of rodents, short of obtaining a complete air tight trailer; but this process has worked to assist in keeping the unwanted guests from a restored vehicle. I also recommend that vehicles not be stored in old barns or garages that present means for rodents to have access to the interior of the building. “
“This is not a method to prevent mice from getting in, but rather an extra precaution in case they do get into the interior. Mice have been known to 'nest' behind the sun visor and cause damage to the visor and headliner. Always lower the visor to eliminate the chance for the critters to establish residence on them.” 

“I learned not to cover the car because mice like dark areas to build their nests, usually out of the car's installation, hood blanket, seat cushioning material, etc. I live in Colorado and every fall mice and other critters look for a place to come in out of the cold. Anyway, I now leave my trunk and hood both open and no longer have a problem.”

1971 Chevelle Suspension

I've been driving the '71 Chevelle mostly these days, and wanted to get the suspension upgraded. What I mean is that I just wanted new stock components installed, not tubular A-Arms and poly bushings etc... I want a smooth quiet ride. I did have this annoying knock in the front end, which was eliminated after a new outer tie-rod end was replaced and and new ball joints were installed, both uppers and lowers. While I was at it, I had new control arm bushings installed in the upper and lower front, as well as the lower rear control arm bushings. After the alignment, she drives great again. I wish I could do more, but the pain in my neck and back really keep me from working on the car. I've had to have friends help a lot lately.

I've also been looking at new Camaros, not that I need one. I really like the 2013 over the 2014, but what I want is sort of specific: either a black or orange 2SS with the RS package, NO sunroof with orange or black interior. I waste a lot of time looking at these, but then I drive around in the Chevelle and forget all about it. I even toyed with the idea of trading in the Chevelle or 67 Camaro for one, but that is just crazy. I should just go for a test ride and get it out of my system. Bad idea.

Thousands travel to Nebraska for Lambrecht Chevy auction

PIERCE, Neb. (AP) — A handful of barely driven vintage Chevrolets fetched more than half a million dollars on Saturday at an auction that drew thousands of car buffs from around the world to a small northeast Nebraska town.

Bidders and gawkers crowded shoulder-to-shoulder for the auction in a muddy field just west of Pierce, a town of about 1,800. Spectators in helicopters and airplanes circled overhead as the lead auctioneer, Yvette VanDerBrink, inched down the auction line on a wooden platform hauled by a pickup.

Event organizers said an estimated 10,000 people traveled from as far as Norway and Brazil to see the sale in person, and more than 3,800 had registered online to bid at an auction website by mid-day Saturday.

The auction of more than 500 old cars and pickups was expected to continue on Sunday. Organizers said they hadn't yet totaled the bids for the roughly 50 most high-profile, low-mileage classic cars and trucks, which were auctioned on Saturday. As of midday, six of the most valuable models had sold for a combined $545,000.

The collection belonged to Ray Lambrecht and his wife, Mildred, who ran a Chevrolet dealership in downtown Pierce for five decades before retiring in 1996. Unlike most dealers, Ray Lambrecht stashed many of his unsold cars in a warehouse, at his farm and other spots around town if they didn't sell in the first year.

The first vehicle sold — a sky-blue, 1958 Chevy Cameo pickup driven 1.3 miles — secured the largest bid at $140,000. Another bidder spent $97,500 on a red and white 1963 Impala with 11.4 miles on its odometer, the manufacturer's plastic on the seat and a yellow typewritten window sticker displaying its original price: $3,254.70.

Lyle Buckhouse, a retired farmer from Hankerson, N.D., poked his head Saturday into a 1963 Chevy Corvair with 17.2 miles on the odometer. Moments later, the self-proclaimed "Corvair guy" was hunting eagerly for the bidder-registration tent.

"This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity," Buckhouse said. "That's why I came down here. You just don't know what you're going to see."

Bob Esler, the owner of Bob's Garage in Westfield, Ind., bought a four-door 1964 Bel Air station wagon for $30,000. The car had 326 miles.

"This is one of the cars that I had my eyes on," Esler said, as he leaned against his new purchase. "I want to use it to haul all of my customers around."

"How are you getting it back home?" a friend asked.

Esler shrugged. "I haven't figured that out yet," he said.

Preparations for the two-day auction began in June. VanDerBrink, the auctioneer, said she took calls from as far as Iceland, Singapore and Brazil before the event.

The two least-driven cars, a 1959 Bel Air and a 1960 Corvair Monza, have one mile on their odometer. The oldest vehicle with fewer than 20 miles dates to 1958; the newest is a 1980 Monza with nine miles.

Some bidders used the auction to hunt for rare parts for their collector cars and trucks, while others came to watch the spectacle.

"What drew us here as much as anything was the story," said Ernie Turcotte, who drove with his son, Jeff, from central Massachusetts to look for fenders and running boards for his 1955 Ford F-100. "I don't understand how it even happened. But here they are."

Ray Lambrecht opened the downtown dealership with his uncle in 1946, on the corner of Main Street and Nebraska Highway 13. The U.S. Army veteran quickly established himself as an unusual salesman: He gave his lowest price up front, without negotiation, and encouraged hagglers to try to find a better deal elsewhere.

In 1954, he drove then-Gov. Robert Crosby down Main Street in a parade celebrating the 100-year anniversary of Nebraska as a territory.

The most valuable vehicles were stored for decades at a nearby warehouse, until a heavy snow collapsed the roof. Some were damaged, but many were saved and moved elsewhere. The models at the dealership were among the best preserved, even as the building gave way to bats and holes in the roof.

Ray and his wife, Mildred, retired in 1996.

Barrett Jackson Las Vegas

Yup, it's that time again. Barrett Jackson Las Vegas - September 26 - 28, 2013. Looks like poor coverage on the new FoxSports channel though....disappointing.

500-car 'barn find'

Field of Dreams: Sale of 500-car 'barn find' collection set for this weekend Lambrecht Chevrolet, owned and operated for 50 years by Ray and Mildred Lambrecht, closed its doors in 1996, sealing up a treasure trove of survivor cars. The Lambrechts, now in their 90s, held onto customer trade-ins and purchased outdated inventory to make room for new models. The extensive Lambrecht collection of survivor cars – including many with fewer than 10 miles on the odometer – will be auctioned this weekend near Omaha.

Barrett-Jackson Hot August Nights

No, I have not left New Jersey, but am watching the Barrett-Jackson Hot August Nights auction from Reno Nevada. Yes, of course I'm playing the Hagerty Fantasy Bid Game, and as usual am not winning.

What have I been up to?

Hmmm, now what have I been up to? Why no post lately? Well, there have have been plenty of post on one of my other blogs... http://s-10blazer.blogspot.com

Zach and I have been busy getting the 1991 S-10 Blazer put together, and that's why I haven't posted much here lately. I've decide to give each vehicle it's own little piece of cyber-space. Maybe this will work out, maybe not.

The Comeback Camaro

After 42 years of fast living, 3 past wrecks & 1 bone-shaking crash, the Camaro was kaput. 123 employees. 2,750 hours. 1 Camaro SS restored to its former glory, turning heads and kicking ass. Hagerty employees have worked for nearly two years to resuscitate this '69 Camaro, and now the true test: Will the barely-completed-in-time car make it through the 2,000-mile Great Race? Click here for blogs, photos and information on the project, then click here to learn about their novice Great Race team.

S10 Blazer Project

Zach and I have been debating whether we should fix up the 1991 Chevy S10 Blazer Tahoe or not. We both like the body style of the two door, but recognize that this one needs some work. After racing with our friend Jay this past weekend and his 1986 S10, and watching a few videos like the one below... we have made the decision to go for it. We spent a few hours today going over the plan, and even ordered a few parts like a new gas tank. I'm thinking of keeping it flat black (like the one to the left), but with a customs RS ghost stripe and emblems like I have on the '67 Camaro....we will see. After we get the body done, we are even considering pulling out the 4.3 V6 and throwing in my brand new 355!

 

R U Faster Than a Redneck?

OMG, I love this new show on Speed! R U Faster Than a Redneck has been so much fun to watch these past few weeks, and if you have not watched it yet you are missing it. Flannel-wearing, mullet-sporting and tobacco-chewing All-American rednecks defend the honor of the American muscle car in a winner-take-all road racing event. With $10,000 on the line, they're ready to take on all challengers - any average Joe with a Porsche, exotic or Japanese tuner car that think they can win with a full-blown hillbilly inches from their fender. Thank you John Reep, and thank you Speed TV!

Camaro Z28 Returns

The Camaro Z28 is back! Or is it the Z/28? Either way, I'm sure many of the bowtie clan are rejoicing, and if you are anyone else...well then you probably won't like to hear that the new Z/28

is solely focused on track capability. In initial testing, the Camaro Z/28 is three seconds faster per lap than the Camaro ZL1. That extra speed comes from three areas:

• Increased grip: The Z/28 is capable of 1.05 g in cornering acceleration, due to comprehensive chassis revisions.
• Increased stopping power: the Z/28 features Brembo carbon-ceramic brakes capable of 1.5 g in deceleration, and consistent brake feel, lap after lap.
• Reduced curb weight: The naturally aspirated Z/28 weighs 300 pounds less than the supercharged Camaro ZL1, with changes ranging from lightweight wheels to thinner rear-window glass.

A hand-assembled LS7 engine, the most-powerful normally aspirated regular production small block V8 ever, is the force that propels Camaro Z/28. Highest-quality parts and precision assembly elevates the redline level to 7000 rpm.

Durable, lightweight components such as titanium intake valves and connecting rods coupled with a forged-steel crankshaft make the LS7 engine incredibly robust. The standard 10.5-quart, dry-sump oiling system distributes pressurized oil from an external reservoir to protect vital components under high-g driving conditions. The LS7 is mated to a TREMEC TR6060 six-speed manual gearbox that features close-ratio gearing - optimized for the engine’s power characteristics. The TREMEC is coupled with a 5.1:1-ratio short-throw shifter to ensure quick and precise feeling shifts.

2014 Camaro

After my recent trip to the Chevrolet dealer to help Tom pick up his new pickup truck, I've been looking at the new Camaros... a lot. That can't be good. It wasn't until this morning did I see the new 2014 Camaro with it's new styling, and the much anticipated return of the Z28. According to their website, "The redesigned front fascia is more angular — making Camaro appear wider, lower and more contemporary. The new fascia flows upward, and a chrome accent within the grille on RS further accentuates the front of Camaro. The new front grille swallows air to cool vital components, expelling it through the new hood vent on SS models. All facets of the lighting system on Camaro Coupe and Convertible have been streamlined in appearance, adding to the modern look.

Performance changes flow seamlessly into the interior. Available on SS and ZL1 coupe models, RECARO Performance Sport Seats ensure driver and passenger stay planted, thanks to more aggressive seat bolsters. The Head-Up Display and Driver Information Center are now in color for 2LT, 2SS and ZL1 models, making them easier to read."

I am particularly intrigued by the new tail lights, they remind me of the lights on my '67 RS. I have got to see one in person, and of course take a test ride...and I still don't have any money to purchase one now, but I can dream.

Barrett Jackson Palm Beach 2013

The 2013 Barrett Jackson Palm Beach Collector Car Auction is right around the corner. April 4-6, 2013 from the South Florida Fairgrounds, and live on Speed TV. With tickets as low as $13, it would be a shame not to go!

Garage Makeover

After all the house has been thru with "Super Storm Sandy", we decided that the garage door needed a little attention too. Now I had replaced the old, rotten, wooden garage door with a entry level Home Depot Clopay door a few years ago, but it wasn't much to look at. It was plain, and white, and in need of a tune-up as you can see. I thought about getting a new garage door, but I didn't want to spend $800-$1500 for another door. Zach and I loosened all the mounting brackets and adjusted the door to the best of our ability. We replaced the old lock system with a new one, washed the door and touched it up with a rattle can. You can also see my door bolt, which is locked with a BIG Master lock.... helps me sleep a little easier.

I browsed the web, scooped out the neighborhood, and came up with the idea of giving the garage door a makeover. A new faux window from Home Depot for $99, a set of decorative garage door hinges and handles, and about 1/2 hour with Zach in the driveway... and the door looks new. I added my new favorite Chevrolet tin sign with a few vinyl siding hooks too. The neighbor even removed that monster tree hanging over the back of the garage today too, so no chance of it falling and crushing the Camaro now. In a few weeks we would like to cut out the concrete and re-pour a new floor in the garage entrance... it really needs it. Now if only I could find an old Tokheim gas pump to display outside of the garage, that would be awesome.

Atlantic City Car Auction

Here are a few images from the Atlantic City Car Auction this past week. Enjoy!

Tri-State Classic Car Restorations

Today, Zach, Tommy and I drove down to Atlantic City, NJ for the 40th Annual Atlantic City Car Auction to get our motor-heads running. I'll post some pics later...most of them I have already thrown on Instagram.

While we were there, we ran into some reps from Tri-State Classic Car Restorations, and they had a 1968 Camaro restoration project on display with some excellent work done to it. They had moved the upper A arms back two inches for better handling, and really cleaned up the firewall. Note how the windshield wiper motor has been relocated to under the driver's inner fender....excellent idea! Thanks for the T-shirts guys!

Of course, what would a trip to A.C. be without a stop over to the famous White House Sub Shop for lunch.

1971 Camaro Z28 for sale

So I am driving the 1971 Chevelle around today for the first time in a week due to the recent snow, and what do I come across. A 1971 Camaro Z28 for sale from the 2nd owner. I stopped and called the number, spoke to a friend of the seller. His friend's father was the original owner who let the car sit outside for 25 years...so now it needs a complete restoration. It has a small block and 4 speed, but doesn't run, and needs a full interior too. He is asking $5,000, but I told him that was too much. He would maybe take a reasonable offer...I'll have to think it over. After all it is not a split bumper, but still it is a '71. Zach is sitting here yelling at me "C'mon, buy it! I want it!" Hmmmmmm....

Sick of Winter

I can't wait for this snow to stop, and for spring to get here. In the middle of the blizzard, we all decided to go out to the hot tub tonight and soak away our winter blues. I have a few Hot Rod magazines to read this weekend, and thought I'd link to their YouTube videos to make me feel better.

Barrett Jackson 2013

It's my favorite time in the month of January, the 2013 Barrett Jackson Collector Car Auction in Scottsdale, AZ. I can't wait to watch the live coverage on Speed TV, and play along with the Hagerty Fantasy Bid Game. I love the live coverage streamed here as well... http://stream.speedtv.com/barrett-jackson
This year I'll be keeping an eye out for the current market price of a 1967 Camaro RS, although I have no plans of selling mine.