So it is that time of the year when I must prepare the Abarth for winter storage and this year was far better than last since I have moved and have a large garage. Although I will miss her during the winter months, unwrapping her in the spring makes up for it. It is like getting a new car. That is why I spend the time now to prepare her perfectly so that when spring comes, she is just perfect and ready to ride.

So here are the steps I performed:

Washed Inside and Out

I washed the car with extra care including special attention to the wheels, inside the doors and rockers, engine and surrounding compartment, and the trunk and edges around. My goal is to have it cleaner that new.

I then cleaned all the rubber, plastic and leather and treated it with 303 Aerospace Protectant.

Paint Touch Ups

I then examined all the exterior surfaces of the car looking for chips that may require a touch up. I found three, one really big one. Looked like a bullet scratch. I cleaned the area with rubbing alcohol then carefully pin-dropped tiny amounts of touch up paint into the crevice. I never apply too much since I plan to do three really small coats. Once applied, I hold a hair dryer on the area on mild heat and low setting to aid in the paint curing. This may take (boring part) 15 to 20 minutes. I then apply another small amount and cure that coat.

Once completed those pesky rock chips seem to fade away and cannot be seen unless examined carefully in the specific area.

Gasoline Additive

Since the car will be in the garage for more than 3-months, I added 10 ounces of SeaFoam Engine/Fuel Treatment. I then shaked the car or rocked it by pushing against the door frame to mix it in the tank. Finally I ran the engine for 10 Minutes to get some of the treated gas into the injectors and fuel line.

Tires

I drove the car into the garage and placed rubber mats under the tires so that the tires are not on cement. To help avoid flat spots next spring, I got out the compressor and pumper the tires up to 45 PSI, just below the 50 PSI Max. If you do this, please remember to adjust them in the spring. The proper settings will be specified on the inside of the driver’s door.

Battery

I disconnected the negative terminal from the battery. For safety, I placed a cardboard between the battery and connector so that it does not accidently move and touch during storage.

Tucked In

So at this point the car is ready for her winter slumber. Clean inside and out, gasoline treated, tires protected, battery disconnected and so on. The final step is to cover her up. This will protect her from when the garage door opens in winter when I use the snow blower. The cover will prevent blowing snow to get on her and it allows the car to breath. But best off is that I will not see her until April.