Hurricane evacuation and classic cars.
 

What do you do with your cars when you evacuate the storm areas? Find high ground for storage? Insure the hell out of them? I can’t imagine leaving my car in a garage I know would be under water. Just something I think about when I hear about storm surge.

I have chosen to not live in any area that can flood or be inundated by hurricane/tropical storm surge.

Not the answer for everyone.

x 2!

Keep in mind that insurance companies will not issue or increase policy limits while under threat of a weather disaster. If your coverage amount is in question, you better deal with it well before any weather threats develop.
As a general rule, if water reaches your carpet it's a total loss.

When Hugo hit Charleston, SC in 1989 my Formula Firebird was moved a few towns away and placed into one of those U-Store-It places for safe keeping.

I was keeping my cars at an inland location and brought the '66 home to prepare for Norwalk when Matthew threw us a curveball.
Our garage was at a lower level than the house and at 2 am it was all hands on deck!
Water kept coming but I didn't give up and quickly raised the car as high as possible.
There was a point where I thought it was a losing battle, but we won!

I watch the weather closely now more than ever as I don't wish this on anyone.
It was a long night with some loss but not the Pontiac.

This shot was just after sunrise...
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...8dfa0cd87a.jpg

My classic car insurance has been sending me email ahead of these storms. They offer to reimburse me up to $ 250 to transport and store my car until it is over. I don't have to worry about high water where I am. You may want to check with your insurance for future storms.

During Katrina we had a displaced New Orliens coupe move in to a rental across the road from us. they were here for a few months. He had just bought a nearly new pick-up a month or so before the storm hit. they took every precaution, raised all their furniture as high as they could, put other valuables and records in the attic and parked the truck at a friends business on much higher ground. The water got so high that it soaked the ceiling which collapsed ruining everything. The truck didn't flood but the wind tossed a construction trailer on top of it. They returned a couple of times and showed us photos and had some incredible stories to tell..
Eventually they were able save the shell of the house and re build. The truck was totaled. Insurance covered most of the loss.
We stayed in touch for a few years but have drifted apart. I always think of them when a hurricane hits that area.

I just got a new catalogue from California Car Cover. They have a 'bubble' that you drive your car into and zip up. IT says it will protect your vehicle from high water. If the product is heavy enough and seals tight enough, sounds like a genius idea!!

probably float the car if it works well enough to keep all the water out

I live in Houston and have dealt with this a few times. Usually I will get the cars as high as I can. Most valuable cars go on the lifts and everything goes on jack stands.

A lot of people here will find a parking lot at high ground feeling that any wind/debris damage is better than a total loss from being flooded.

On the upside you can use the wheels and tires for a few things. Got Harvey I built a wall around our back door with the tires and put plastic over it. All of the water was diverted around it.

When the water started to get closer we brought the tires inside to set the furniture on that we had just bought. Fortunately we didn’t have to as the water never got inside