vett70

OK, I've been flooding the website with "How do I fix this" questions and I really want to thank everyone for the help...but now let's have some fun...

I happen to be designing a new house for the family. I jokingly said, "Let's have a C3 restoration garage," and my wife thought it would be a good idea. :D :D :D yoohoo! :cheers:

What ideas, specs, dreams would you guys (and gals) include in your dream garage? More importantly, what would you do different in the garage you use now? Do you think one of those $2300 car lifts is too extravagant? (Let's see...that's about the cost of a Whirlpool in the masterbath.....)


[Modified by vett70, 6:01 AM 10/30/2002]

joeveto

I think the lift is a great idea, and it's worth the money. But I would get one that lifts the car by the frame, not the wheels, as I would want to do work that requires the wheels be off the car.

I also would like a multilevel garage. I would aim for a pit as well as an above the garage shop. In this shop, among other things, would be: my car library with all my car magazines, a fridge, a pool table, a bar, a tv, a nice shop desk, and a stereo. I would also want a couch I could sleep on, for when the wife kicketh outeth.

Let's see, other items I'd like: A sweet floor. Probably not epoxy. I'd go with a nice industrial tile instead. I'd probably stick with a nice classic black and white checker board pattern. Plenty of lighting. A nice exhaust system. Heat is mandatory, and maybe even cooling. This would also enable moisture control. Did I mention a fridge for all the beer?

A phone, for ordering the obligatory, thanks for helping me, pizza is also nice. Although the cell phone works as well, and you can turn the little f'er off.

I nice, separate room for the compressor would be good too. I'd like some insulation from the noise, so I don't crap myself every time it cycles on.

Speaking of crapping myself, a bathroom up and down would also be cool. The down one would be for when you're so dirty, going outside is the only other option. Up would be the executive washroom, for when you wake up in the middle of the night, half cocked, and you don't want to risk falling down the steps.

Lastly, I'd want a LAN line out there so I could access the Forum when I'm stuck. Which is to say, most of the time. :yesnod:

SharkAttack

Get it in writing from your wife while you can. Also, plan things like flowerbeds (for her) around this garage to help ensure you can keep it!

:lol: :lol:

vett70

joeveto.
:lol: :lol: Funnystuff. I new this would be fun. I visited your webpage. I actually walked down that ancient road lined with the sphynxes in Egypt except that I didn't see your vette there. We were on our honeymoon.

I was thinking there has to room for a row of high end mechanics' toolboxes on wheels, maybe a nice drop ceiling with overhead support for body-off lifting and engine dismounting. What else....... :crazy:

paintdaddy

If I had it to do again ,the only thing that I would change is to have an office for looking up manuals and seaching for parts.I know you could do this in the house but its so much easier when the car is right around the corner. :seeya :cheers:

Taijutsu

Our garage/dojo is the everything room. Because the other half uses it, the garage has been Feng Shui ed! I just found my ammo stashed in a new "safer" place. I gotta get my CB550 project bike finished. Having the wife involved is a double edeged blade. When they help, "which is very nice" they want to have input. Knowing something about the subject is another matter. I remember when the garage was a sacred place. My mothers turf ended at the washer/dryer. The car never fit. Now that was a man's garage. I really like the ideas so far. All it takes is $.

Frank75

Build 12' high walls in case you do decide to get a lift. The incremental cost is low. I built a little shop at the back of mine (insulated) for working on bike projects during the winter; it provides nice storage on top. I used roof trusses which gave me a nice room for storage (14'*32'), the only problem is the long stairs! This could become your wife's "sewing room" some day...

Mystery Machine

I built/designed a house 2 years ago (before the vette acquisition) and the largest regret both my wife and I have is that we didn't design the garage better. We only built a 2.5 car garage and after the vette and the Harley and all the other stuff there isn't much room at all.

My recommendation would be go with at least 3 bays for your total garage (not just the C3 section) and definitely design in some "bump-out" areas for tool boxes, benches, etc. I think the idea of an upstairs "office" is awesome (if $$ permits). Give particular attention to the florring as well, cement, although cheap and durable, is nasty looking! I think the lift is a good idea for working on the car but NOT if you intend to use it for additional parking area (putting another car underneath it). Although a pit would probably be cheaper.

Take your time here and try to think of everything then narrow it down to what you can afford.

Have fun! :cheers:

75 BBC Stingray

I'm in the middle of building my own garage off of the barn. Here's what I've considered important.
1.) Solid anchor points in each of the 4 corners. Even better would be to put two more halfway along the long wall.
2.) Make sure it is big enough. Sounds silly, but I built mine to be 18'X33' (door on the 18' side) after measuring the car. The body is approx 6' wide, and you want plenty of room on either side to work on it. It's also nice to be able to open the doors fully without worrying about hitting the wall, or the workbench along the wall. Also you want room for another car if you decide to do a body off.
3.) A hoist setup. I have two large beams of six 2X10's laminated together with a lift points in the middle. Either one should be able handle most of my lifting, but for "heavy" stuff, I'll use a spreader bar across both.
4.) A loft for the compressor and storage of bulky stuff. Make use of area over garage door when it is open. Anything to keep items off the floor and keep the area open.
5.) A lift. I chose not to make a pit because of the digging involved (I hand dug the 4' foundation walls). I figure the two post lifts are more practical.
6.) A phone
7.) Good lighting for doing body work later.
8.) A thick floor. My floor was 6". Sounds like overkill, but you only pour once, best to do it strong the first time.
9.) Insulation/good vapor barrier/thick sheetrock(fire protection)/ heat/AC
10.) Good ventilation.

I also think sound dampening for the compressor is worthwile

Tom73

Firgure out what size garage you need and then double it :eek:

tom...

a454corvette

VERY difficult to get a pit anymore. Most municipalities will not allow it in a residential setting.

Likely due to the potential for explosion due to accumulation of combustible vapors, not to mention the liability of accidental injury from people falling in.

A drive-on rack (alignment rack) would be the best choice. It has sliding jacks that allow the wheels to be lifted off the drive-on surface.

Kingt

My new garage is 30' X 103' six bays a shop on one end and storage on the other end. My old one one was 1900 sq. ft. and is too small! Construction on the new one begins in January. With a lift.

81Vette_by_eric

Toss in a shower and sink. You don't want to be tracking your dirty self around the house.

Crazyhorse

Have a 220 outlet(s) installed in case you want to run a welder or other
high voltage equipment.

ericshaw

A urinal is a must! :D

tshort

I'm surprised Snowman hasn't chimed in on this one. He's already got the ultimate garage/s.
One thing to add that I wish my garage had is a beam to mount a hoist onto. I've used those at my old job and they are soooo sweet. You retain so much more room than just using a cherry-picker. The electric ones are even cooler. Speaking of cooler....my dad's garage has an extra room at the end of it where he put the freezer and stores most of the fluids, nuts and bolts, etc. That would also be a good place for a compressor to keep the noise down. Another good idea is to run pvc pipe from the compressor along the ceiling and split it off at a few points so that you can connect a hose easily at different points in the garage and not drag the hose along everywhere you go. The coiled ones work nice because you can leave them plugged in and they recoil above head level and then spring down when your using them.
Man, I could go wild if I had unlimited funds for a garage.
Make sure you do something with the floor. If not the tiles mentioned earlier at the very least coat it with a 2-part epoxy. I just did the epoxy on mine and it makes such a great difference.

71'AirStrike

thats funny Ericshaw! :lol: :lol: :lol:

Dont forget this: http://mikemercury.home.att.net/carcover.htm

its worth every penny
chad

Fevre

All I need is heat, I can work around the rest. :)

Hemmo

I'd like to have one of these...

http://www.corvetteforum.net/c5/richs7/index2.shtml

Mike Smith

Do NOT use plastic for piping compressed air. If any part of the plastic pipe fails, the entire piping system can explode, even portions remote from the component that originally failed.

I've seen this occur and you wouldn't believe the damage, not to mention potential for serious injury.