Storing your classic in a shipping container
Discussion
I have purchased myself a Triumph TR3 to tinker with and keep me out of the pub during the winter months, this means my GT6 will need to move out of the garage at home. A friend has offered use of a shipping container on his farm. Has anyone had experience of storing a car in one, or is it a bad idea as I would imagine there wont be much air circulation inside. Any hints/tips, do's and don'ts much appreciated 
As said, condensation is the biggest problem, standard steel containers drip badly from the roof when the weather is cold.
Insulated the roof internally on mine with 50mm thick polystyrene sheet and it transformed it from a damp horrible place to a decent storage facility, was going to do the walls as well
but to be honest with the roof done its fine, although there is a container either side of mine which could have a bearing.
Cost me about £200, so a full container would be ££££'s to do.
Insulated the roof internally on mine with 50mm thick polystyrene sheet and it transformed it from a damp horrible place to a decent storage facility, was going to do the walls as well
but to be honest with the roof done its fine, although there is a container either side of mine which could have a bearing.
Cost me about £200, so a full container would be ££££'s to do.
I own a container on a farm. It is the last place I would store a classic car because of the condensation.
The problem seems to be the big temperature changes (because it's a big metal box) heat and expand the air, then suck in cool moist air overnight (or when it rains)
I can't see how 2" of polystyrene insulation helps, as it seems to me it would just store the condensation like a sponge, keeping the air moist anyway.
What would be needed I would have thought is proper forced ventilation, with plenty of airflow and a hygrometer activated dehumidifier.
Better off hiring a brick garage IMO
The problem seems to be the big temperature changes (because it's a big metal box) heat and expand the air, then suck in cool moist air overnight (or when it rains)
I can't see how 2" of polystyrene insulation helps, as it seems to me it would just store the condensation like a sponge, keeping the air moist anyway.
What would be needed I would have thought is proper forced ventilation, with plenty of airflow and a hygrometer activated dehumidifier.
Better off hiring a brick garage IMO
I managed to destroy a Lotus Elise by leaving it in a container over 1 winter and spring. Condensation rusted everything that was metal and even managed to bubble the paintwork through the glass-fibre. Cost me heavy as I had to let go a £12k car for £6k and then it was only fit to turn into a track-slag. Never again.
I store my car at a garage at Sepang circuit, and they cancelled all the clubman garages and now you need to rent a workshop which is bigger but 7 times the price. I looked at containers and found one off a construction site for peanuts, then I was shown a car that had been in a container for 6 months, no thank you, condensation is a huge problem, I know I'm talking about the tropics and different humidity but for me that car would have been better standing outside covered by a marquee.
As above, do not store your car in a shipping container, the condensation levels are extreme and will corrode every metal surface...in addition to bodywork and driveline components the electrical components run the risk of being hammered.
I stored my classic in an outdoor car tent for two years, it worked superbly...keeping all weathers off the car with the added benefit of a very good airflow. If you have the space for one of these, use one. Be sure to use a heavy duty dpf membrane if siting on a grassed area.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/bhp/portable-garage
For extra protection, remove the seats and carpets during its storage period.
I stored my classic in an outdoor car tent for two years, it worked superbly...keeping all weathers off the car with the added benefit of a very good airflow. If you have the space for one of these, use one. Be sure to use a heavy duty dpf membrane if siting on a grassed area.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/bhp/portable-garage
For extra protection, remove the seats and carpets during its storage period.
tricky1962 said:
I own a container on a farm. It is the last place I would store a classic car because of the condensation.
The problem seems to be the big temperature changes (because it's a big metal box) heat and expand the air, then suck in cool moist air overnight (or when it rains)
I can't see how 2" of polystyrene insulation helps, as it seems to me it would just store the condensation like a sponge, keeping the air moist anyway.
What would be needed I would have thought is proper forced ventilation, with plenty of airflow and a hygrometer activated dehumidifier.
Better off hiring a brick garage IMO
Polystyrene floats in water and does not hold moisture in any way or act like a sponge.The problem seems to be the big temperature changes (because it's a big metal box) heat and expand the air, then suck in cool moist air overnight (or when it rains)
I can't see how 2" of polystyrene insulation helps, as it seems to me it would just store the condensation like a sponge, keeping the air moist anyway.
What would be needed I would have thought is proper forced ventilation, with plenty of airflow and a hygrometer activated dehumidifier.
Better off hiring a brick garage IMO
2" on the roof has proved to be a very effective insulator, i now get no drips whatsoever
Try it you will be pleasantly surprised at the difference.
Carcoon would be an option if you have access to mains power.
I use an outdoor one, but a coded one would probably best option.
https://www.carcoon.com/carcoon-evo-indoor-coded
I use an outdoor one, but a coded one would probably best option.
https://www.carcoon.com/carcoon-evo-indoor-coded
Cheers guys for the advise. The TR3 is coming on a low loader on Saturday so I am unable to sort any other storage (let down by someone at short notice on a good garage) even out on the street is too busy. Looks like the container is my only option, for the short term anyway. Will have to go with it for a while, I was thinking that if I fit air vents for circulation, use a good outdoor cover and visit the car every week or two as it's on the way back from work to assess the condensation it might work out ok 
I run a container storage yard and I would only suggest you use a container for storage of a car if you use a brand new container.
We used to get all sorts of condensation hassles until we switched ours to the new "corten" steel Chinese built containers and also lifted the containers up onto 5 inch blocks at each corner to keep a good air gap and circulation around the units, now all the interiors remain dry and condensation free all year round.
The worst containers for condensation are the old painted galvanised steel ones hotly followed by any aluminium container, they will sweat like its underwater !
I store a couple of cars in new containers and have no problems at all, bone dry, I do open the doors on sunny days or dry windy days and air them out but I sometimes leave them a couple of months.
Its worth mentioning that my policy with my yard containers is to replace them when they get to about 4 or 5 years old, mostly because peoples stuff smells but also to keep the containers as new and tip top as possible. An old container on a farm would be the last place I would put a car.
We used to get all sorts of condensation hassles until we switched ours to the new "corten" steel Chinese built containers and also lifted the containers up onto 5 inch blocks at each corner to keep a good air gap and circulation around the units, now all the interiors remain dry and condensation free all year round.
The worst containers for condensation are the old painted galvanised steel ones hotly followed by any aluminium container, they will sweat like its underwater !
I store a couple of cars in new containers and have no problems at all, bone dry, I do open the doors on sunny days or dry windy days and air them out but I sometimes leave them a couple of months.
Its worth mentioning that my policy with my yard containers is to replace them when they get to about 4 or 5 years old, mostly because peoples stuff smells but also to keep the containers as new and tip top as possible. An old container on a farm would be the last place I would put a car.
alspeed said:
tricky1962 said:
I own a container on a farm. It is the last place I would store a classic car because of the condensation.
The problem seems to be the big temperature changes (because it's a big metal box) heat and expand the air, then suck in cool moist air overnight (or when it rains)
I can't see how 2" of polystyrene insulation helps, as it seems to me it would just store the condensation like a sponge, keeping the air moist anyway.
What would be needed I would have thought is proper forced ventilation, with plenty of airflow and a hygrometer activated dehumidifier.
Better off hiring a brick garage IMO
Polystyrene floats in water and does not hold moisture in any way or act like a sponge.The problem seems to be the big temperature changes (because it's a big metal box) heat and expand the air, then suck in cool moist air overnight (or when it rains)
I can't see how 2" of polystyrene insulation helps, as it seems to me it would just store the condensation like a sponge, keeping the air moist anyway.
What would be needed I would have thought is proper forced ventilation, with plenty of airflow and a hygrometer activated dehumidifier.
Better off hiring a brick garage IMO
2" on the roof has proved to be a very effective insulator, i now get no drips whatsoever
Try it you will be pleasantly surprised at the difference.
PS My bath sponge floats on water too
Edited by tricky1962 on Wednesday 23 September 21:53
I also own a self storage facility using shipping new containers. They all have the inside of the roof covered in sprayed-on closed cell foam and we never have condensation issues. There is an air gap of about 1ft underneath too with good drainage.
We don't store cars due to the increased fire risk but a metal surface will attract moisture as it will be colder than the air around it.
The best car store is a wooden garage with a solid concrete floor providing the roof is not tin. Slate/tile with a felt and batten underside. Even better would be a plasterboard ceiling.
Many of my clients store financial records for 6 years with no damp issues so it is not that they are 'damp'.
We don't store cars due to the increased fire risk but a metal surface will attract moisture as it will be colder than the air around it.
The best car store is a wooden garage with a solid concrete floor providing the roof is not tin. Slate/tile with a felt and batten underside. Even better would be a plasterboard ceiling.
Many of my clients store financial records for 6 years with no damp issues so it is not that they are 'damp'.
tricky1962 said:
It's in a metal box! How does 2" of insulation on the roof act as an insulator for the whole box?
PS My bath sponge floats on water too
Mate, i really can't be arsed to argue over it, all i will say is Iv'e actually done it and it works for me........PS My bath sponge floats on water too
Edited by tricky1962 on Wednesday 23 September 21:53
Look what a shipping container did to this poor guy's car: http://www.classicroverforum.net/viewtopic.php?f=2...
Granted, his was in there for three years. But until I saw that, I had no idea how bad the condensation problems were storing a car in one. I mean, on the surface a shipping container looks like an ideal 'instant garage'.
Granted, his was in there for three years. But until I saw that, I had no idea how bad the condensation problems were storing a car in one. I mean, on the surface a shipping container looks like an ideal 'instant garage'.
I've a wooden garage with concrete floor and it does absorb a lot of the moisture, but if there is a serious temperature change the cars are covered in moisture and the garage doors need to be left open to air the place. I have now added Carcoons which keep the cars in pristine condtion through the winter, which can drop to ~minus 17C here. I don't want to start a discussion on which make is the best, just to say the principle seems to work perfectly. But a metal container - the new types excepted it seems,would be the last place I would store my P&J.
Ok after all the useful but worrying comments I was starting to crap myself so went and looked at the container last night. It's the old type, ply lined top to bottom with a wood floor, also has a 9in x 9in air vent/ grill at each end. There are quite a few other containers on the farm with cars stored in them, when I turned up there was a bloke warming up his Aston !!!!!!. Gonna give it a go as I am out of options, will check on the car each week for a bit and see if I have done something stupid
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