I have a '79 jeep cherokee that I got from my granddad many years ago. I used to drive it every day, but for a variety of reasons haven’t started it in about 18 months. Should I do anything in particular to the car (check fluid levels, add anything) before trying to start it up? Or just give it a jump and go?
You probably could just fire it up and go without causing a problem. Are you going to start driving it again or are you just starting it up for fun? If you really want to do a good job and you care about the longevity of the vehicle change all your fluids, clean out your oil and transmission pans, to do it right. Of course check belts and hoses. I wouldn’t be surprised if you find a new leak somewhere after running it for a little bit of time.
Likely you could get going with nothing more than checking out the battery. Some people would remove the spark plugs and pour about a tablespoon of oil in each cylinder and turn it over a couple of times without starting it. Many don’t bother and don’t seem to have any problems.
After you get it running remember that it is due for an oil change and likely other fluids. Most call for maintenance based on miles or time whichever comes first.
Be careful at the beginning, test out the brakes etc before you go off on a trip. I don’t suspect you will have any problems however.
Good Luck