Modern Garage in Far East

[EuroVt]

Lancia Stratos and 246 Dino. I like your taste.

 

[abstamaria]

I would love a shop of this fashion, but I simply have to much "stuff" and not enough space. Plus a days work here would destroy that place.

That is probably true, Kail. The garage is more suited for light restoration, servicing, and repair, and no fabrication, by one or two persons working leisurely.

Thanks, EuroVT. The Stratos and Dino, which as you know share the same V6 engine, complement each other.

 

[Omphaloskeptic]

Andres,

I envy the minimalist lifestyle you and your wife pursue. In searching for a symbol to convey my admiration for what you don't have, I kept coming back to the Zen 'enzo' which I've learned encompasses both emptiness and completeness at the same time.

Rich

 

[abstamaria]

Thank you, Rich. I didn't know the symbol "enzo" and googled for more information. Thank you for pointing it out. Being a very spare design, the garage is almost completely "finished," so there is little to post now. Best regards, Andres

 

[Camaro Mike]

I've greatly enjoyed going through this entire thread tonight. Thank you for sharing.

 

[dr john]

Dr. John, thank you. Yes, I think Chewbakka's picture is the best one, too. I miss him; he was a good companion and friend. We picked up an 8-month-old Rottweiller puppy the other week; he's quite a handful. I like your avatar. Andres

Chewbakka is a doll. Which brings to mind a bit of trivia , albeit somewhat OT... Chewbakka's "voice" in the movie was actually an Alaskan Malamute. The Malamute's name was "Indiana" ; and yes, that's where the name for the Indiana Jones series came from.
Dogs rule...

 

[abstamaria]

Sundance

Thank you for the trivia, Dr. John. I didn't know any of that. It is amazing how many comments I have received on Chewbakka and Xena. People who like garages are probably dog people generally.

We have a new addition - Sundance - now 10 weeks old. He has big shoes to fill!

 

[993James993]

Congratulations on Sundance. I can tell you will have your hands full. He looks like a great addition!

 

[porschedude996TT]

Re: Separate Garage

I decided to try a light gray, which looks nice actually (I would still prefer white, because in comparison it brightens an area much more than gray). The air compressor will go in the rear right corner. Those are old Rubbermaid cabinets that we had in our other house. They last and weather very well.

Thanks for the comment about the white vs. light gray epoxy. I am about to epoxy my shop floor and was going to use gray with a white flakes. I was thinking that the light gray would reflect some useful light. Now I think I may use white with a light gray flake or just plain white.

 

[shopnut]

Re: Sundance

We have a new addition - Sundance - now 10 weeks old. He has big shoes to fill!

What a cutie! That is a perfect picture. I hope he is as innocent and sweet as he looks. Judging by his feet - he's going to be a big one!

 

[dr john]

Re: Sundance

We have a new addition - Sundance - now 10 weeks old. He has big shoes to fill![/QUOTE]

Who? Me? COULDN'T have been ME that chewed/wet/pottied /etc...

What a good little guy. Congratulations and a long and happy life to you both!

{where did his picture go?]

 

[abstamaria]

Carroll Shelby and Phil Hill in Manila

In 1998, we had the good fortune of having Carroll and Cleo Shelby and Phil and Alma Hill come to Manila on the invitation of the local sports car club. They stayed a number of days, and so that was quite a treat, as we were able to spend time with these two gracious gentlemen, icons in the motoring world, and their lovely spouses. Carroll and Phil were naturally quite interested in the Philippines' American heritage, so we took them to, among other places, the American war cemetery and the island fortress Corregidor.

One evening, a few of us took our guests to dinner at the historic Manila Hotel, which stands at a park and former parade grounds (planned by American designer Burnham) and overlooks Manila Bay. Gen. Douglas MacArthur commanded operations at a suite at this hotel during World War II until he was forced to evacuate, promising then to return. After dinner, we brought the Shelbys and the Hills to MacArthur's suite, where we had this photo taken.

Carroll and Phil are, of course, awesome (an overused adjective these days, but I think wholly appropriate here), legends from the 60s, but they were down-to-earth and so easy to speak with. I asked Carroll about Carroll Smith, whose books on nuts and bolts, engineering, and shop theory helped make up for my lack of mechanical education, and Shelby's recollections were quite entertaining. Smith was a mechanic and team manager in Shelby's racing team, I recall with the GT40 program. I was sitting next to Alma Hill during dinner, and she was telling me that Phil was restoring musical instruments, principally because the mechanical aspect fascinated him.

I apologize again for this digression, sparked by a photograph I saw accidentally in my usual year-end sort, but it is related to automobiles and racing (I note a number of Shelby fans on this forum). I thought also it might be interesting to our American friends, particularly those who served at the U.S. bases here.

Happy holidays, and a good 2011 to all of you.

Andy

PS: Yes, Sundance is quite a handful, but I look forward to having him keep me and 7-year old Rottie Xena company in the garage when he settles down.

 

[63fdsnr]

That is a great picture of the Shelbys and Hills - what a wonderful time for you. Thanks
Allen

 

[abstamaria]

Yes, it was a wonderful time for us, Allen. It was quite a surprise for us that the Shelbys and the Hills came. At the time, I was very much into vintage racing. I posted on the vintage race forum that I was having dinner with Carroll Shelby and Phil Hill, and someone posted back "Yes, and I'm having dinner with the Queen." It was hard for us to believe too.

Best regards,

Andy

 

[abstamaria]

Here is one of my most prized possessions. When we were walking with the Shelbys and the Hills to the MacArthur Suite at the Manila Hotel, I was next to Carroll, and we were chatting. He then dug into his pocket and slipped this small pocket knife into my hand. It is marked “Carroll Shelby Children’s Foundation” on one side. There must be thousands of these knives out there, but this one is of course special to me.

 

[abstamaria]

This past December, we installed aluminum panels to hide the airconditioning pipes (evident in previous photos) that ran up one column to the indoor units on the ceiling. The fabricator had this powder-coated white to blend with the interior, which it does well, as shown in the photos.

This was the last job we needed to do, so, subject to the caveat that a garage is never finished, the garage is for now complete.

The MG TC’s starter needs looking after, and I have to devise some means of securing the Elan’s battery, and I look forward to doing all that in the new premises. And also to continue those long-standing arguments (MG versus Triumph, straight-grade versus multigrade, etc) with old friends in a sitting area that didn’t exist in the old garage. It opens to the small pond and is quite pleasant, I think, so I look forward to that too.

My best wishes again for the New Year.

Andy

 

[abstamaria]

Night Shot

And, finally, the mandatory evening shot. The garage looks good, I think, and is still clean. I hope it stays that way!

 

[Omphaloskeptic]

This past December, we installed aluminum panels to hide the airconditioning pipes (evident in previous photos) that ran up one column to the indoor units on the ceiling. The fabricator had this powder-coated white to blend with the interior, which it does well, as shown in the photos.

This was the last job we needed to do, so, subject to the caveat that a garage is never finished, the garage is for now complete.

The MG TC’s starter needs looking after, and I have to devise some means of securing the Elan’s battery, and I look forward to doing all that in the new premises. And also to continue those long-standing arguments (MG versus Triumph, straight-grade versus multigrade, etc) with old friends in a sitting area that didn’t exist in the old garage. It opens to the small pond and is quite pleasant, I think, so I look forward to that too.

My best wishes again for the New Year.

Andy

Once again - amazingly elegant! May you and your fellow enthusiasts enjoy many good times and 'discussions' about the merits of things automotive. Being the owner of a project '67 GT6, I'd have to root for the Triumph advocates.
Enjoy!

 

[Phil X]

Mate!

I've just spent a few hours reading through this thread, what a truly amazing home, and your garage and collection of wonderful cars!

Great work!

Phil

 

[abstamaria]

Thank you, Omphaloskeptic. I had TR4s in college and raced a friend's TR4A not too long ago, so I may be with you in your corner.

I am happy you enjoyed the thread, Phil. Compared to the others on this forum, we are neighbors.

My best,

Andy

 

[floridaguy]

I just spent the last two days reading this thread and must say I truely enjoyed it from the beginning to this point. The house is very impressive and I have to agree with the others that have already placed comments it is amazing. The garage and the cars are a work of art in themselves.

Salamat sa iyo para sa pagbabahagi ng

 

[abstamaria]

Thank you, volkyrican, I am glad you enjoyed the thread. What we did with the garage is an alternatative to the many excellent and fun approaches illustrated in this forum.

My best, Andres

 

[63fdsnr]

The evening picture of your garage and cars is really special. What a great way to enjoy your cars.
The Elan makes me want to have my '64 again - loved that car but sold it to buy a '65 911.
Keep having fun.
Allen

 

[Brian R]

Re: Night Shot

Your photography is astounding! Read about your Ducati being hidden and not ridden, how sad.

I'm on the Triumph side (vs. MG) and hope to find one to restore with my 11 year old in the next year or two.

Thanks for sharing.

Brian

 

[abstamaria]

Yes, it promises to be a good place to enjoy the cars, 63fdsnr. You had a very early Elan and 911 (that still had a short wheelbase, yes?). Both very pure, undiluted cars.

Thanks, Brian. Another Triumph man! That would be a wonderful thing for you to do with your son. He will learn much from the experience (and not only about cars) and look back fondly to it all his life.

 

[Omphaloskeptic]

Andres,

I wanted to ask this in my previous post, what breed is Sundance? Looks like a frisky little pup. My daughter thinks I should get a pet for company, but I'm still vacillating. I'm thinking the pooch (large breed) would have to come from a 'rescue' group, but seeing your pup's mug, its tempting to seek a just-weened four-legged friend.

I don't want to derail this thread, but I for one wouldn't mind seeing more pictures of both your pets.

 

[bww_mnm]

This has been a very enjoyable post to read. It's as much art as it is a garage. And, now I'd like to toss 75% of my unnecessary belongings. Thank you for sharing.

 

[abstamaria]

Sundance and all the other dogs in the photos are Rottweilers, Omphalosketic. They're very gentle (although Sundance has everybody tuckered out) and great companions. Our 7-years old sticks to me like glue. Highly recommended.

Thank you, bmw mnm. I am glad you enjoyed reading the thread.

Andy

 

[er1c]

abstamaria,

You're a great inspiration! I admire and appreciate your styling a lot... to say the least.

As a 24-year-old, I can only hope to aspire to your success.

Thanks for sharing and allowing us to marvel in your slice of heaven!

Side question: how many books do you have in your personal library?

-Eric

 

[johnnybentwrench]

Thank you, Brian. A Vincent Rapide! Wow! Is there a picture anywhere in this forum? If not, open a new thread and post photos, please. I would be very interested.

A friend had a Black Shadow many years ago; I do not know if he still has it. No, you must keep the Rapide. It doesn't take up much space and, later, you can always ride it.

Your Chesapeake Bay cottage must be lovely.

Andres

My neighbor has an original vincent Black shadow in original unrestored condition and beautiful!! another friend who is 91 bought a MG TC 1948 or 49 I always get his Sunbeam S7 confused , it is a 48 or 49.
Your garage and home are beautiful.
I am restoring a BMW R69s at the moment. do you have more motorcycles hiding in there?

 

[abstamaria]

Old BMW motorcycles are well loved here, Johnny. I have several friends who had them, including an R69S, one with the long-distance tank, and one with a sidecar. Another friend has a fabulous collection and recently built a private museum to house it. I will try to post a photograph. Those are lovely motorcycles, those BMWs; good luck with your restoration.

 

[abstamaria]

Thank you, Eric. It's kind of you to say that. I really don't know how many books we have, except that we've been accumulating them for many years, starting when I was as young as you. The books are the only things we have a lot of, and they do take up room. My wife has begun to donate much of her collection, including her own notes and research material, to the university next door.

Best of luck.

Andy

 

[abstamaria]

A plug for Rottweilers

At the risk of being off-topic again, here are two photos, taken last December, for Omphaloskeptic and the others interested in dogs. That's Xena, our 7-year-old, on the steps with the daughter of a friend. And that's Sundance with a neighbor. Looking at that picture, I can't see how I could have blamed him for uprooting all the plants from the pond the other day!

Of course, it would be great too if you can get a rescue dog, Omphaloskeptic.

Now back to garages.

Andy

 

[e-tek]

Another late night spent in a great way - looking at a fantastic home and shop by an obviously very interesting man! Thank you for the time taken to post it - you have a way about you in the way you keep your garage that is mirrored in your posts.

A true connoisseur - A person of informed and discriminating taste.

 

[abstamaria]

Thanks, e-tek. Circumstances just conspired to allow me this level of organization. But if the chaos theory holds, this is all temporary! But I am glad the thread gave you an enjoyable evening.

Best regards,

Andres

PS: You have an interesting and very instructive web site. Congratulations.

 

[widerberg]

Re: Journal - Modern Days

With the advent of computers and inexpensive printers, I moved away from a handwritten journal. I began to write and draw on a computer and turned out the journals, one for each car, shown here. The new format allowed me to paste drawn pictures (using MS Paint) and. more importantly, pictures.

The new format has been quite powerful as a reference tool, but lost some of the charm - and, as my wise Japanese friend Osamu noted, the spontaneity and freshness - of the old handwritten and hand-drawn manuscript.

Andres, beautiful garage and cars And wonderful idea on the restoration/maintenance journals. I love that idea and am going to put together something similar for myself. I think I'm going to modify the design a bit to include using a 3-ring binder. That will allow me to insert plastic "pocket pages" where necessary to hold receipts, etc. Love your idea, though! Great inspiration

 

[abstamaria]

Thanks, widerberg. I like your idea for the clear plastic pages. I might just do that, too. Good luck with your journal!

Andres

 

[993James993]

Good morning all,

Commenting on the journals, I've wanted to do something like this related to various projects I've done including the planning and building of my garage, as well as several furniture projects that I have built. For my garage build I've saved all of my notes and documented everything with thousands of photographs. Currently the notes are mixed in with receipts and product literature and scatted among multiple folders. A journal would be the perfect way to remember this.

 

[79stang514]

Thanks Absta, it's been a hell of a ride. Even if your garage is now done, please don't quit posting, and don't worry about going off topic. Thanks very much for sharing your excellent cars, garage, and your life.
I think I have a new favourite.
My grandfather had a 1959 TR3A that he purchased in 61 and kept until he passed, and I spent quite a bit of time trying to get that car after he left us, but still no luck.
I'm a musclecar and Ferrari guy, but that little car will always have a special place.

 

[ddl2004]

Wonderful post - I've enjoyed every word and picture abstamaria!

On a side note, over the last year I've become a fan of minimalism architecture and style. I'm thinking of building a vacation home in Georgia (USA) in this manner. Time will tell...

Again, thanks for sharing and I will continue to follow along!