Around here, I pull a battery cable off the ones stored inside... and leave them connected when outside (usually). I don't find unattended charging to be very appealing either.
Sadie - 1974 Imperial LeBaron
- Thread starter CollinR
- Start date
as noted earlier, I have OCD to a degree...unplug toasters, etc...around the house...drives the wife mad. But, with the ugly gas tank leak on Lil' Red in the garage this year and the thought of minimal spark from her my mind conjures up what could have happened.
I understand what you mean. I didn’t realize trickle chargers could be a bad idea. I will say I believed it was my best option at the time being that the cold weather was creeping in. Even in the relatively well insulated garage, when the first sign of cold temperatures hit I couldn’t start her up to save my life. It would crank and then click. Which signaled to me that the battery was dead. I wasn’t able to get it started until I went and bought a trickle charger and thus far that’s how I’ve managed to get it up and running now that the temperature has been so low. It likely is going to need a new battery soon though. I don’t keep it hooked up 24/7. Just every now and then to keep the battery going since I haven’t completely finished driving it this year. I’ve noticed the more frequently it’s started up the better it runs. Even if it’s for a couple days out of the week. Used to have a lot of rough idle issues after driving her for the first time, the seller likely hadn’t exercised it as much since it was mostly a show car. When my grandfather and I would drive her around Champaign, Illinois after getting back from Iowa, it would be hard to keep the engine running at times. It wasn’t uncommon for it to idle very fast and rough after starting only to die or stall shortly after. Luckily that hasn’t happened since then. I think we just needed to push all of the mothballs and dust out of the system.
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Trickle chargers can work good, but anything electrical has some fire hazard possibility... the battery getting low on water and creating an arc in the cells is all it would take to make a real mess.
I disconnect to prevent a 12 volt short in the car from being able to burn her while I'm not there. I tend to keep the ground cable firm, but loose enough I can get it off by hand if something happened while driving. I do intend to resolve all of this with a heavy duty disconnect switch hidden where I can get to it with the hood closed. Silly things like headlight switches can melt and cause the car to burn.
The regular driving thing is huge... the components of fuel that are evaporated early on will change the fuel quality. The components left behind, like varnish, can cause big problems in the fuel system... especially the carburetor.
For the most part, I'm not worried about the fuel... but a big leak is a problem... and far worse if you have appliances nearby with pilot flames... few basements down here, means water heaters and such are typically in the garage area.
78Brougham
"Chump"
I never had any luck with trickle chargers, so I have up on them years ago. I especially wouldn't get one from HF!
Right now my cars are in hibernation with the batteries disconnected, that's the only time I ever fully disconnect them.
Right now my cars are in hibernation with the batteries disconnected, that's the only time I ever fully disconnect them.
commando1
Old Man with a Hat
One hundred quadrillion trickle chargers in use.
One car caught fire.
I'm staying rational and will continue to use one without thinking twice about it.
And they are from HF....
One car caught fire.
I'm staying rational and will continue to use one without thinking twice about it.
And they are from HF....
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78Brougham
"Chump"
HF makes the best. It was a pun.
Last year I didn't have to jump any of my fleet. Just hooked up the batteries and started them right up.
We'll see in the spring....
Last year I didn't have to jump any of my fleet. Just hooked up the batteries and started them right up.
We'll see in the spring....
Funny how things happen. Just got word from shop that Tina Patina started smoking yesterday out of a couple areas from a wiring issue...they traced it to power seat motor and the controls.
LeBaron1973
Old Man with a Hat
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Lucky save there Doc. Better in the shop than on a drive.
jack smith
New Member
I have a similar car with historic provenance that I don't use, same colors. please contact me if you ever endeavor to sell. Jack Smith 9073509493.
Do you have any pictures?
I do appreciate the offer but I don't think I can ever part with her. It was love at first sight when I found that ad and I don't think I'd be able to find another triple black '74 Imperial in that shape ever again. She's a one of a kind <3
I really like your attitude. Isn´t Sadie your first car?
jack smith
New Member
Good man. I would never sell mine either
If you ever get to Anchorage Alaska stop by and see your twin car
Just drive around the airport and look for the polished aluminum airplanes and old European sports cars outside my hangar. My Chrysler is the only American car in the stable
Cheers
If you ever get to Anchorage Alaska stop by and see your twin car
Just drive around the airport and look for the polished aluminum airplanes and old European sports cars outside my hangar. My Chrysler is the only American car in the stable
Cheers
Hey Jack, do you have a Chrysler or an Imperial?
My first collector car. My first car is the Pilot that my mother passed down to me when I was 16. It gracefully takes all of the abuse at the college parking lots that the Imperial doesn't have to.
Robert Saigh
Senior Member
Nice looking Bonneville!
Looking forward to reading through this thread ... belated welcome
FarCanal
Member
Be damn nice to have them both - 1976 New Yorker 440 V8 - 50k genuine mile, purchased USA - now residing in Adelaide, South Australia
By the way .... the 2 Door is the LONGEST of them all, beating the 4 Door & Station Wagons ..... (go figure)
Mine is also equipped with the Factory CB Radio Option. Paid $5k for her, and she now has 68k on the gauge.
I also won the Bid at Aarons Speed Shop liquidation, and scored a fresh 500+Hp 440 - which I'm installing in the next few weeks.
Now THAT'S a SLEEPER !!!
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