Summer is a great time of year to spend some time on your classic musclecar. The weather is warm, so you can drive with the windows open or the top down, and you don’t have to worry about salted roads rusting away your undercarriage. Since more people are out, more accidents happen. Here are a few safety tips to keep in mind whether you’re under the hood or on the road:
Time for a Tuneup
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This is especially important if you’re going to be driving your classic car during the summer months but haven’t been driving during the winter. A quick tuneup and once-over to make sure all your parts are in good condition could mean the difference between a lovely summer cruise and a panicked attempt to stop your car before it crashes into anything because a brake line rusted through during the winter.
Take the time to put your car up on a lift or some jack stands to make sure everything is in working order and ready for your summer driving.
Hold the Door
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June is Garage Door Safety Month [4]. Yes, there are enough garage door accidents every year that an entire month has been dedicated to making sure they are safe. 30,000, in fact. If you’re working in your garage during the warmer summer months, you’ll probably want to keep that door open to aid air flow. Before you start working on anything, take the time to inspect your garage door and make sure there are no problems. Then, make sure you don’t park or stand under it. The last thing you need when you’re working on your car is to have the garage door fall on you or your car. It happens more often than you’d think.
Wax It Up
OK, this tip might be more for your car’s safety than yours, but if you’re planning on using your classic musclecar as a daily driver during the summer months or you’re planning to hit the show circuit, it’s important to protect that beautiful paint job.
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Put a good coat of wax on your car to protect its finish from the weather or grabby hands at your local show. A good wash and wax shouldn’t be an afternoon project [7] — expect it to take a full seven- or eight-hour day to get it done right. Focus on the details. Your car will thank you for it later.
Classic musclecars make great daily drivers during the warm summer months — they’re almost guaranteed to turn heads — but it’s up to you to make sure both you and your car are safe. Take the time to make sure everything is in working order before you start enjoying the warmer weather, and you’ll be able to enjoy summer without stressing about your car. And one last tip… don’t do a burnout when leaving a car show [8]. Just [9] don’t [10].