Pro tip: Don't store a classic Mustang under a tarp in a barn for 8 months

I thought I was being smart last winter. Put my '65 Mustang under a heavy tarp in my dad's barn to save cash on storage. Went to pull it out last week for a spring cruise and found the tarp had rubbed the paint down to bare metal in 3 spots. Guess the wind moved it just enough over time. Also had a family of mice living in the air intake. Took me 4 hours just to clean out the nesting material. Now I'm looking at a $600 paint job just to fix the hood and fender. Anybody else learn this lesson the hard way or am I the only one who thought a tarp was good enough?

3 comments

3 Comments

luna_wright1mo ago

Oh man, that hurts to read. Had a buddy do the exact same thing with his '72 Challenger and the tarp turned into a giant sanding block over the winter. Pro tip from a retired body guy I knew: use an old bedsheet under the tarp, that soft layer stops the micro-movement sanding and keeps critters from finding a cozy spot right against the paint.

mark_carr71mo ago

Great advice. I ruined a good paint job on my old Mustang the same way.

elizabethmason1mo ago

@luna_wright's sheet trick just creates a new layer for moisture to get trapped against the paint though.