Modern Garage in Far East

[jimmie jam]

This is VERY impressive. Truly inspirational. Outstanding. Thank you for posting . Your home is a stunning work of art, just like the cars. i need more pictures of the house.

 

[abstamaria]

Thanks, Shopnut. Yes, those T-series MGs are quite appealing cars. The TD, with rack-and-pinion steering and 15" wheels, has a more "modern" feel than the TC, but still quite period in feel. I am sure your dad enjoys his greatly.

Thanks, too, Jimmie. I am glad you like the house and my motley collection. The bottom half of our bookshelves, tables, etc. are sheathed with cardboard now - we have a teething puppy. i will try to take pictures when things normalize.

My best.

Andres

 

[abstamaria]

Grass Pavers

It is still quiet cool here in tropics, with temperatures dipping to a frosty (for us) 18 degrees C. That makes it especially exhilarating to go out for ride, which I did very, very early this morning.

When I returned home and got off to open the garage door, I looked back at the Dino and said "I must take a picture." The grass pavers make an interesting setting for photographing the cars.

It hasn't rained for a while, so the grass is suffering a bit, but they should recover when the rainy season begins.

Andres

PS: The black blob on the bottom right corner is either Xena or Sundance, our garage dogs

 

[Camaro Mike]

There is nothing like a morning ride in an awesome automobile. I always enjoy your updates. Thanks.

 

[abstamaria]

Thanks, Camaro Mike. I am glad you agree with the early morning rides. One of my favorite automobile movie scenes is from "A Man and A Woman," which many here, including you, are probably too young to have seen. In the scene, the hero, a competition driver, comes to early morning practice with a GT40 and a '65 Mustang. No Camoros then yet, but one can still relate. The scene is magical for me.

 

[Curt_pnw]

Andres, I think you might have mentioned earlier in your thread, but what kind of grass do you have planted in the pavers?

 

[abstamaria]

Hello, Curt. The grass we used is a local, broad-leafed variety, called "Carabao" (Buffalo) grass. We used it because it is hardy and can take shade (some trees overhang the driveway) and needs little water. I am not sure if there is an equivalent where you live. I think that Bermuda or Bluegrass, with their tight growth and small leaves, will probably be better for pavers, if conditions will permit them.

We plan to install a sprinkler system to help the grass during the dry season. We should have done this when we laid the pavers, but the contractor said this would be easy to retrofit.

Andres

 

[Curt_pnw]

Great, thanks. We are getting closer to installing our pavers, and there will be quite a bit of shade so having a tough grass would be ideal.

 

[hguerrero]

Re: Green now, instead of crushed gravel.

This photo shows the grass pavers and green roof as they are now, both establishing nicely. The red car at the top end is a Singer 4AD, an early 1950s British roadster, the single example here.

My good friend Louie does the only natural thing to do after brunch – take siesta. Louie was a very successful privateer, racing assorted open-wheel and sports racers up to the mid 1980s. He is still a very quick driver and campaigns a fire-breathing Lola T70 “evocation” in the local vintage series. He drives a very nicely restored (and fast) Ferrari 365 BB. I cannot keep up with him!

Regards to all.

Andres

andres, do you also own the red s2000 in the pic?

 

[abstamaria]

I'm afraid not, hguerrero. The Honda nelongs to a friend of mine. Fantastic car.

 

[tstukel]

Magnificent cars, magnificent garage. I spent three years in Manila in the early nineties. Loved everything but the traffic: gridlock morning to night. I could almost see my office on Roxas blvd from my apartment in Makati, but it could take up to 1 1/2 hours to drive there when it rained. I can't imagine what it must be like now, twenty years later. It would scare me to death to drive one of your gorgeous cars in that traffic.

 

[abstamaria]

Sorry, we missed you here, tstukel. Early Vettes have a strong following here, as you know. There are at least 2 split-windows around. I love them.

Traffic is chaotic. They are able to improve the situation, with restricted access based on license plate numbers, U-turn slots, and other means, but then more cars are added to the system, so traffic deteriorates again. I live some 20 kilometers to work, and that takes me about 45 minutes. Driving one of my old cars to work will not be fun.

I am now at Subic, the old U.S. naval base, staying at the boat club, which is of course by the water. The club is empty and quiet, and it was nice this morningto walk on the wharf among the boats. It was sunny, but cool with the breeze. There were hardly any people about, just some of the boat crews going about their work. No traffic to speak of. It would be nice to live here instead of Manila.

About two years ago, a brand-new expressway opened, connecting the North Expressway, from Clark Field, to Subic Bay. That is long, wonderful new Expressway, cutting through virgin countryside. The government is building a road with overpasses that will provide direct access from an avenue just outside my community to the North Expressway. That will make a fantastic early Sunday ride for me.

Best,

Andres

 

[thomfr]

Andres,

Love (beside your cars, dogs and garage) your grass pavers. But how do you keep weed out of them Does it now overgrow the grass?

Thom

 

[abstamaria]

We haven't had problems with weeds yet, Thom, but the variety of grass we planted is quite hardy and aggressive and seems to resist weeds. I was told Bluegrass was the same. We try to keep it mowed down. Some grass hasn't taken as seen in the photo, but they should catch on with rain. The pavers give a nice check pattern to the turf.

 

[993James993]

Andres, please tell us about the Gull Wing.

 

[hguerrero]

I'm afraid not, hguerrero. The Honda nelongs to a friend of mine. Fantastic car.

i'm really impressed with the s2000...

it always makes the top 10 lists on "driver" type magazines...
50/50 weight distribution
six speed transmission
redlines at 9000 rpm...
hand built in japan
great classic look...

what's not to like?

 

[abstamaria]

One That Got Away

When the original owner of the Mercedes 300SL in the earlier photo passed away in the late 1960s, his family put the car on the market for P35,000, if memory serves (a new Mercedes 190D was P18,500 then), far too expensive for me. The friend who bought it has had it since then. It is in wonderful, unrestored very original condition, down to the fitted luggage.

The other Gullwing that got away is shown below.

One afternoon in 1988, my best friend called me to say he had been offered a long-stored car at a very attractive price. He asked if he should buy it, and I said, if he didn’t, I would. He bought it, so we quickly arranged to pick it up. It was in a warehouse, covered with boxes and years of dust. we pumped up the tires, rolled it out, and left as quickly as we could. A barn find.

 

[Bob Heine]

I was a postal worker in 1963 and delivered mail to a number of collector car owners. The man with the '56 Gullwing wanted $8,000 for his (willing to sell it for what he originally paid). The man with the '37 Cord sedan wanted even more -- $10,000, Doesn't sound like much but back then you could buy a brand new 3-bedroom raised ranch home for $9,900 in a nearby neighborhood. Working 60 hours a week for 52 weeks that year I didn't earn enough to pay for the Gullwing. Banks wouldn't loan much money to a 19-year old for exotic used cars (or ordinary used ones for that matter).

 

[abstamaria]

That's true, Bob. I sometimes forget what money could buy then. "The one that got away" is a favorite topic at our local club, but we wouldn't have been able to afford the cars even then. The disassembled 300SL (the engine, glass, interior, and various parts came in boxes) in the picture was offered at a low price though, low enough for my friend, who was struggling then like me, to think that if he scrimped on meals and education for his family, he might just be able to buy and restore it. It was just within reach. Eventually, though, the realities of restoration (the missing radiator cost several thousands of dollars then) and sustaining a family forced the sale of the car, to the U.S., I recall, still unrestored. Enjoy your retirement, Bob.

Andres

 

[abstamaria]

Roll-up Door Seal

I thought I would show a little detail that helps seal the garage. The bottom edge of our roll-up door has a rubber seal, visible in the photo, which sits just before a little step (about 1/4" high) into the garage proper. The combination of the rubber seal and the step keeps most dust and water out.

 

[993James993]

Andres, I think everyone has a "one that got away" story. That would sure make an interesting thread! Thanks for sharing your Gullwing experiences.

 

[MartyO]

I like it!

I only wish I could keep my floors that clean!!

 

[abstamaria]

Thanks, MartyO. I am happy you like the garage. Like a white car, a white floor is actually easy to keep clean. But I do have to pick up and clean after each job, which can be quite a chore sometimes. My best.

Andres

 

[abstamaria]

Someone in another chat room said that "cars make the garage." I think that is probably true, with the qualification only that the cars do not have to be expensive ones or even generally sought after, but should only be special to the owner. For that matter, even just one car, special to the owner, is good enough.

But here is the garage of a friend of mine, a very simple one with plain cement walls and floors, which supports the adage I quoted above. It is almost not visible, but the car at the far end is the real thing. I wish I had it, but would be happy with any of the three cars.

My best, Andres

 

[abstamaria]

Some of you have asked to see more of the house, so here are some pictures we took recently. One of my favorite houses by the Japanese architect Tadao Ando was featured in a magazine some years after it had been lived in. Books, lamps, and other things, not anticipated by the architect but necessary for daily life, have added some clutter and detracted somewhat from his bare, very minimalist design. That made me curious to see pictures of a “modern house lived in,” to see whether the ethic can be maintained in spite of the needs of daily living.

So here is our lived-in house. We did not clean up for the photographs and, looking at the pictures, think we have managed to keep to the original, bare style of the house, even after almost 8 years of living in it. I’m not promising how long we can keep this up! I hope to have the same success in the garage.

Jim has asked where we keep the rest of the books; here is another section on the 2nd floor where we keep some books (these are mostly my car books). The guest rooms have a glass interior wall; roll-down shades do offer some privacy, but the glass walls suggest that occupancy must be temporary! The bathroom follows the same concept as the garage; plenty of enclosed storage. It does keep clutter down, both visually and in the mind. The small red sculpture is by the architect’s father, also a modernist architect.

By the way, Tadao Ando, the Japanese architect I like, was not schooled as such. He was a boxer!

I hope the pictures are interesting and useful.

Andres

 

[jimmie jam]

Andres,

beautiful interior photos . my kind of living!

please post more if you get a chance.

Jimmie

 

[beggers]

This morning after arriving at my desk I went through my daily routine of checking out the latest at GJ and I discovered your thread, it has now been three hours of pure enjoyment and I am having a tough time pulling away to get some work done. . I love both the garage and house, the minimalist look with the clean lines in every aspect of your fine space is very soothing to me.
Six years ago I built a new house on the water with simple clean lines inside but more traditional craftsman style from the outside. I wish our American culture embraced the style you have mastered in your home.
After seeing your white floor I will no longer feel odd when my neighbors comment or think I am a bit OCD about my keeping my grey garage epoxy floor clean.
Thanks for setting the bar high Andres with your focus on perfection. Beautiful, just beautiful!

 

[abstamaria]

Thanks, Jimmie, beggers. I am glad the style appeals to you and perhaps also the somewhat restrained lifestyle that it imposes. The question "where am I going to put it?" frequently prevents me from buying things! But the absence of stuff on the walls, table tops, etc., makes the garage and house easy to maintain; it also eases the mind. My friends say the minimalist look has a calming effect on them.

Your garage and house on the water in Saginaw must be lovely, beggers. Do you have a thread on it?

Andres

 

[993James993]

Wow Andres! I love the minimalist ideal that you have achieved. I would like to be able to have every room in my house that uncluttered but it just isn't practical for me. I do manage to have a similar style in part of the house, but only because I have moved all the clutter to other rooms. Occasionally I will attempt to clean and cull the clutter but it rarely works.

How do you manage to maintain that discipline?

 

[bushpilot]

I've enjoyed EVERY moment of this post - absolutely beautiful stuff !
Thank you for sharing !

 

[beggers]

Andres, I havent shown my house here but here is a thread with my garage at night. I live on the Saginaw Bay (lake Huron) which is just beginning to thaw now causing me to get anxious for warmer weather and getting the cars out. Thanks again for sharing your space with us. Brian http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?p=1409021#post1409021

 

[GTVi]

Hi Andres,
Just browsing through your car photos, I may have chanced on a car or two of yours. I am from Australia, and from time to time I work for Zuellig Pharma in the Philippines...I am sure I may have seen your car during a car rally/show at the Power Plant in Manila some time ago. Next time I'm in your part of the world, I would like to see your cars closer. Well done.
Cheers,
Bill

 

[abstamaria]

It’s good you enjoyed the thread, bushpilot. It has morphed a bit, with contributions (all enjoyable for me) by our colleagues on GJ on non-garage things as unusual car carriers, zen philosophy, and Dutch modern architecture. My best, Andres

 

[abstamaria]

Very interesting and good-looking garage, Brian. I would love to see the outside. Do you have a view of the lake? I would be envious. Andres

 

[abstamaria]

That would be the regular breakfast meeting of the Manila Sports Car Club, GTVi. The club meets every 1st Sunday of the month, alternating between the Power Plant (now a mall, of course) and the polo club. I usually attend, so look for me next time you visit. Cheers, Andres

 

[abstamaria]

Jim, that happens to me, too. A clutter-free room usually means stuff was moved to another room. The solution is probably to let go of things one no longer needs, as with the Nikkor lenses we discussed before.

I have been cleaning up my workshop and came across this wood dashboard that for 20 years was on my Lotus Elan. In about 1978, a friend who had a word-working shop cut the blank for me and sprayed it with a thick plastic-like coat. At home, I sanded that coat down with an orbital sander, then by hand with very fine sandpaper until it was glass-smooth. Then, I installed the labels, using Letraset, by hand, a letter at a time. Then I installed the dash. That was 33 years ago.

In 1998, I had an "off" at a vintage race at Subic. The accident stressed the steering column and body, cracking the dashboard. In the rebuild, I replaced the dashboard with a beautiful
one made by a craftsman in the U.S. But I kept my old handmade dashboard for sentimental
reasons. I marvel now how young eyes and hands were able to place each letter so precisely, but know also that it is time to let it go.

Andres

 

[Scuderia-F1]

I really like your absolutely spotless garage & shop area Andres!
As a matter of fact it is thanks to your posts over at F-chat that I found out about this awesome forum which I really enjoy to visit...

Anders

 

[993James993]

Hey Andres,

You are already using valve covers as art. Why not display the dashboard in a similar fashion? It certainly would generate interest and conversation and would serve as a fond reminder of the young man who took so much care in it's fabrication.

Several years ago I was building some bookcases in my backyard. I was concentrating as I sanded a board and suddenly a nice cool breeze passed around me and I was overcome with a wonderful happiness. Just the memory evokes a good feeling. I imagine you felt the same years ago while building that board.

Jim

 

[abstamaria]

The garage and workshop look cleaner in pictures than they do in real life, Anders! But thanks. I also learned of GJ through the the "garage pics" section of F-Chat. It's good to see you here.

Andres

 

[abstamaria]

Hello, Jim,

Good of you to recount that moment in your yard. I was thinking that it didn’t require much to create that, yet such moments don’t come often. Perhaps the simplicity of the situation had much to do with it. There’s a lesson there somewhere.

I am reminded of a story about the Moorish ruler who for many decades ruled Spain with absolute power and unlimited access to its riches. He said he was happy exactly four times. I bet you are luckier than him.

I don’t have a place for the dashboard, so to be consistent I may just have to remember it, Jim.

My best,

Andres