I have done this to three different cars.  One sat for 6 years, another
for 8 years, another for 12 years.

What is important here is what was done to the car before it was put
away.  Hopefully they used gas stabilizer, for example, before storing
the car.

Here are some tips and things to keep in mind.

Pull all the spark plugs out and squirt oil into all the cylinders.
Replace the plugs.

Check all the fluids to make sure you have enough oil, coolant,
transmission fluid, and brake fluid.

Get a new battery, make sure the choke closes on the carburetor.  It
may be stuck and you may need WD-40 or something like that to loosen it
up.

It may help to use starting fluid down the throat of the carb.  Just
make sure the choke is closed again when you go to start it.

See if it starts.  It will take a few tries for gas to get pumped from
the tank and to fill the carburetor fuel bowl.

Let it run a few minutes and see how it is.  Make sure the car does not
overheat due to a stuck thermostat or loose water pump belt.

Look for things like radiator hoses that leak or a radiator cap that
leaks as the car warms up.  You may need to replace them.

The car will likely not run well until all of the old gas is burned out
of the tank.  That is, unless someone used fuel stabilizer before
storage.  If the tank is near full, you may want to siphon the old gas
out of the tank and put fresh gas in.

Within a very short time, you're probably going to have to do a number
of things to the car.  You'll probably want to do a full tume up:
points, condenser, distributor cap, rotor, spark plugs, plug wires.
You're probably going to want to rebuild the carburetor.  But it is
possible you may not need to do any of this.  You'll have to see how
the car runs the first couple of times you use it.

You should check for worn out radiator hoses and belts.  Belts may be
OK but may be loose and may need tightening.

You should re-check the transmission fluid level with the car warmed up
and running in "Park".

You will want to change the oil and filter very soon after getting the
car running.

And MAKE SURE you check the brakes- especially the hydraulics.  Is
there enough fluid in the master cylinder?  Are the wheel cylinders
leaking?  How about the brake hoses?

On a 1964 model car, they only had single reservoir master cylinders.
That means if one brake line has a problem you have NO BRAKES so make
sure they work or you can be seriously hurt if you have an accident.
Those cars also did not have things like shoulder belts or collapsible
steering columns.  All of this came about by about 1967 or 1968 which
made cars built since that time much safer.

After you've done all of this, you still will probably want to replace
your tires since they probably have flat spots after sitting so long.

Check the brake shoes.  You may want to replace the shock absorbers.
But this can be done late on if you want.

Hope this helps.

try to turn the engine over by hand.  IF it moves freely that is good.
IF not fill the cylinders with penetrating oil and leave sit then try
again.  Once you can turn the engine over by hand, change the oil.  If
there is any way you can pressurize the oiling system without starting
the engine do so (on a SBC or Studebaker, for instance, you can turn the
oil pump with a screwdriver shank in a drill) plan on performing a minor
tuneup (points, condenser, plugs at minimum) before it will even think
about running.  Once you've run some oil through it, run a hose from a
gas can to the fuel pump, you don't want to run it on whatever's in the
tank, unless you've siphoned it dry and refilled with fresh gas.  Go
ahead and try to start it, but make sure there is water in the radiator
and fluid in the transmission.  You will probably have to pour some gas
down the carb to get it to start as the accel pump will be shot.  If it
runs OK then you can proceed on with getting it driveable.  Plan on
rebuilding the carb, maybe even fuel pump, change ALL fluids, rebuild
all the brake hydraulics, replace brake hoses, rad hoses, any other
hoses that look suspect.  Keep an eye on anything that rotates
(alternator, water pump, etc.) for failing bearings - sometimes if
they've been let sit too long their lube will harden and they will fail
shortly after having been put back in service.

good luck,

nate

Good points, all. The above will certainly assist you in turning the
engine and running it. I just want to add that once running, I am sure
it will be driven. It's been sitting awhile, as we understand.

Remember to look at your exhaust, and I expect it is rusted, but you'll
find out about that once the engine runs, :) .

Check the suspension lube points, tie-rod and steering ball joints.
Might want to shoot some lube into them.  Look them over while doing
that, and the rods and knuckle.

Get some lube-spray.  It may come in useful for hinges, latches, etc.

Take a look at the brakes.  If it runs, and moves, it will need to
stop.:wink:

Wish you well with the car, let us know how it goes.

Aside from the good suggestions about what's under the hood, anything
stored outdoors may have other issues - like my 67 Kaiser Jeepster
Commando did.

I bought it from a guy who had a lot of work done on it about 11 years
before I bought it, but someone smashed the windshield in his carport
and since it was a 'recreational' driver, he never fixed it and didn't
drive it after that. Sat under cover, but outdoors in San Francisco for
11 years - weather there is pretty gentle compared to lots of other
areas your car might have been parked in. He got it running about a week
before I bought it and I took it for a short test drive. Paid cash and
made the happy trip home with my really sweet new find.

Over the next 6 months, virtually every piece of rubber in the chassis &
steering failed. Dry rot hits rubber pretty bad and the strain of
chassis use can bust all kinds of bushings that look OK now, but no
longer have any real flexibility from exposure. Even if it's not
cracking, it'll shrink and not really fit in it's place very well when
it gets old. Cars made in the 1960s didn't have urathane bushings in the
chassis or steering - almost all plain black rubber or lower-grade
plastics that don't get better with age.

Even with the tranny rebuilt before storage (like mine was) the seals
can leak like a seive (like mine) requiring another rebuild just to keep
fluid in it.  It only leaks under pressure so it seems fine sitting &
running in the driveway. Take it out on the road, and it's slipping in
10 minutes.

I'm also about to replace the entire wiring harness as well. Lots of
not-so-flexible' parts in that with new cracks developing every day.
Last thing I want is to restore something like this only to have it burn
to the ground. Your harness might be just fine, but it still warrants a
good once-over inspection just to be sure.

YMMV.

Cheers,
 - JJ

^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Indeed, well put.