Sometimes you just cannot find what you need when you need it. Take car storage for example. You have a collector's, antique or vintage car, and it has to go somewhere to stay in good condition during the roughest parts of the year (weather-wise). You could probably find a self-storage unit big enough for cars during the warmer months when everyone has taken their collector's cars out or moved their belongings out of storage and moved on, but try to find a spot in late fall or early winter and you might be in trouble. Here are three types of short-term car storage that can work in a pinch.
Portable Car Ports
These metal "tents" go up quickly and stand up to strong winds, rain, snow and ice. While you may not be able to put a portable car port up in less than ten minutes before a storm hits, you can get one together and ready a couple hours or the day before a storm is predicted to hit. They are relatively inexpensive when compared to what it might cost you to repair and restore the damage to your vintage automobile.
Barns
If you know someone with an old barn that is just sitting on their property doing nothing, you may be able to stash your vehicle there temporarily. Even if the barn is a little ramshackle in appearance, it is obviously much better than letting your vehicle sit outside, exposed to the elements. For added protection, use a car tarp to cover the exterior of the vehicle from birds that like to nest inside the barns (e.g., owls, barn swallows, pigeons, etc.).
(Car Storage in) Airport Hangers
This has become a very popular means of storing vintage cars. The airports make a little money off of renting "stalls" to car owners while utilizing empty space. If you have an airport near you, you may want to stop down there and talk to someone at the customer service desk to see if they offer something like this. (It is not generally advertised by any major airport, so you will probably not find the information on your airport's website.)
As a Last (and Very Temporary) Resort
While all of the above are better options, one final option should probably and only be used as a last resort. Because car tarps are designed to keep rain and snow off of your vehicle, you could store it in the open for a day or two until you can locate better lodgings. In fact, if you know you will be able to put your antique car somewhere safe in another day or two, then a car tarp should be just fine.
