I've mentioned a lot about how to keep a car outside of a garage and how to protect it. So here is the devil of the details. Photos always help a lot better than descriptions. So I engaged the help of my sweetie to take some photos while I did my stuff.

It looks like a lot of work, but it does get easy with practice. The main trick is to fold up the tarps and car covers when you take them off - makes it a snap to re-apply.

Setting up the tarps and car covers when you first take them out of the bag - well, that takes some time. Maybe that might make for a sequel on this thread one day in the future.



Ok, so here we go. 1st thing I do is lay out a couple of thick pieces of carpet from the rear hatch areas of SUVs out of the local salvage yard.





That piece on top is to just add a little something to keep water from laying around - forces it to drain off.




Gotta remove antenna. The antenna mount WILL punch through the car cover and tarps with time!!





........So cover it up with a piece of carpet







Same thing here - a little something to force the water away from the horizontal areas. Hard rains will pool water where ever it can!!





2 Car covers: The bottom one is worn out , I just keep on using it. Both provide a thick barrier. Think of it a thick layers of loose fitting clothing in the winter. Notice how I have folded and all rolled up. The rope and cords are on the top cover's eyelets, help keep it in place.




Getting the covers in place while KEEPING the pieces of carpet in place requires some fiddling - take time, don't rush!!





"Well I'll be damn....he DOES have 2 car covers, doesn't he" :-)




What is this??? This bent piece of threaded stock makes all the difference between hooking up a bungee cord in an eyelet and halfway crawling under the car trying to grab a hold of the end and fighting to get the cords hooked up. Been there - done that!!




Car Covers on - Next - Tarps.




An old man and his car - ain't it a beautiful thing!!




I can't understate the importance of folding and rolling when uncovering. It really makes this easy.




Now unfolding






Tarps are easy since there isn't that carpet to get lined up when laying down the car covers.








I get the bungee cords at WalMart - Come in clear plastic can with a screw lid - Cost $10. These Green colored ones are the perfect length for these J-Bodies going from side to side.




1st place to start is in front of the front wheels and behind the rear. This allows you to center the tarps upon the car. Also if the wind does blow these 2 cords will keep you from loosing your mind - and the tarps!!






Now for 3 cords in the middle between the wheels - pulls everything on the sides all snug. Using that home made hook!!




I don't have to crawl under the darn car trying to get those bungee cords!








These tie up the front and rear flaps left over. These are ultra cheap tie-downs from the dollar tree. The blue colored cords work best here.










See how this pulls all the loose ends together?




And to make this look really nice I just tuck the tie down behind those green cords . Keeps the wind from blowing everything around.




And that is it. All smiles and you will have a nice clean dry machine the next time you uncover it. Only thing to do is keep an eye on that top tarp - replace as necessary. (Now you don't have no excuse why you can't keep your car in good shape for a very long time)

***As a footnote*** The smiles faded away about an hour later when I discovered I had left the battery in and the keys in the ignition switch!!
Opppssssss.....






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