Above 1200 Sq/FT Restored 1930's Auto Shop

[Vernmotor]

i've only read the first three pages. that place is AWESOME!! the before pics are great and all the stuff that was in there is so cool. great job!!!!!

You got allot of catching up to do LOL

 

[markviii]

Don't forget the required quiz at the end of the thread (whenever that is). (It's not a "pop" quiz since we announced it on post #899-page 45 along with the extra credit question that was promptly answered by XRZ61 who beat out vernmotor with the correct answer.)

We lost the large tree and several others on the corner of the property yesterday. Those high winds can be brutal. We'll post pictures when Tom gets home.

The first car show of the season is tomorrow. We're in a tornado watch right now (it was just a high wind warning yesterday) with rain expected early and late tomorrow. I'm not sure if I'll be able to take the Mark VIII because their projecting thunderstorms and hail. There's a marathon going on tomorrow morning in Champaign-Urbana. 15,000 runners are registered, so the town will be totally impassible all morning. I'll have to take the long way around town to get to the car show, if it's not rained out.

Only 12 more states needed to complete enrollment in class (see post #1068)!

 

[SSCustoms]

Representing Iowa. I have been following along since the beginning.

 

[D.J.]

Well I sort of thought it might a manifold but wasn't sure so I kept quiet. Maybe cast numbers would help, check with Hale, Waterous, Darley, and who else am I leaving out?
Thanks D.J.
________
BODY SCIENCE

 

[Grizz1963]

Does being a South African posting in here, but living in the UK count ?

I am sure there has to be other SA's on here by now.

Love popping into this thread for comments and updates.

Thanks.

 

[markviii]

Yes! Adding South Africa, country #14. Love your thread, Grizz1963.

 

[quadzillabill]

Great thread and an amazing project. Not my sale, but I just ran across one of those Sun Analyzers while browsing craigslist here in Michigan. Didn't know if you or someone else needed one for parts or restoration.

http://saginaw.craigslist.org/tls/1713444357.html

Good luck with the next phases of the project and thank you for an inspiring and cool thread about your process.

 

[McDuff]

Duff from Utah here.

I read your thread over the past couple days during periods at work with nuthin' to do. Must say, I'm deeply impressed. I want my garage to be half as nice as yours.

 

[HAMAR]

This thread is being watched from Iceland

... and we love it

 

[birdman1]

I just realized this was an old thread but awesome work. My shop looks more like the before pic but it's getting cleaned up.Wonderful job on the shop and so much character and history with you childhood--too cool
later Mike

 

[vssjim]

Don't forget the required quiz at the end of the thread (whenever that is). (It's not a "pop" quiz since we announced it on post #899-page 45 along with the extra credit question that was promptly answered by XRZ61 who beat out vernmotor with the correct answer.)

We lost the large tree and several others on the corner of the property yesterday. Those high winds can be brutal. We'll post pictures when Tom gets home.

The first car show of the season is tomorrow. We're in a tornado watch right now (it was just a high wind warning yesterday) with rain expected early and late tomorrow. I'm not sure if I'll be able to take the Mark VIII because their projecting thunderstorms and hail. There's a marathon going on tomorrow morning in Champaign-Urbana. 15,000 runners are registered, so the town will be totally impassible all morning. I'll have to take the long way around town to get to the car show, if it's not rained out.

Only 12 more states needed to complete enrollment in class (see post #1068)!

Not sure if you have Virginia yet but if not add it and if so just wanted to say what a great job you have done

 

[BB767]

Hi Everyone. I'm back home and this is what greeted me (besides Chris of course!)

I get to start the clean up tomorrow or the first dry day. It was the largest tree on that part of the property. Measured about 2 1/2' (maybe 2/3 of a meter) near the base of the trunk. It had been there a very long time. You can see a small part of the barn in the middle background. It also took two smaller walnuts with it. It was a Silver Poplar so not suitable for firewood. I've got 35 new trees ( Colorado Blue Spruce, Redbuds, Flowering Pears and Magnolias going in about 1 week or so. 3 leave and 35 join in. Seems like a fair enough deal I suppose.

I should be able to get something else shop related out tomorrow.

Thomas

 

[markviii]

Welcome, birdman1. Be a joiner, rather than a lurker, and start a thread to show us the pictures! The more the merrier and we can help with the clean-up/identification/suggestions. See post #911 for Nuts' wrecking yard to see how yours compares. There's light at the end of the tunnel. And McDuff, you did too work, especially if you actually got through to page 55 in a couple of days (but speed reading may not have helped you prepare well for the upcoming quiz). Congrats! Virginia's in the mix; we still have 12 states to go (see post 1068 for the missing ones). Hi, Hamar. Glad Iceland is still with us.

The day cleared up so I took my Mark VIII to the car show at the local community college. It was the largest turnout they had ever had - over 350 cars, I think, with a variety of cars from all over IL and western IN.

Oh, and we're doing our part for the environment by planting lots of trees (we won't have to buy as many of those carbon credits to offset all of our car emissions!).

Chris

 

[BB767]

Well I sort of thought it might a manifold but wasn't sure so I kept quiet. Maybe cast numbers would help, check with Hale, Waterous, Darley, and who else am I leaving out?
Thanks D.J.

OK if casting numbers will help I'll post whatever I can find. I truly haven't a clue.

Thanks for being persistent.

Thomas

 

[BB767]

Great thread and an amazing project. Not my sale, but I just ran across one of those Sun Analyzers while browsing craigslist here in Michigan. Didn't know if you or someone else needed one for parts or restoration.

http://saginaw.craigslist.org/tls/1713444357.html

Good luck with the next phases of the project and thank you for an inspiring and cool thread about your process.

Thanks quadzillabill. The one in the 2 car garage (seen below).......

........is missing the 3 right side instruments. The one on Craig's list looks to be maybe in better condition. I have not touched or looked at mine since I moved it out of the shop.

I do have a newer model Sun Engine Analyzer however.........

.........that operates perfectly. I haven't done a post the Analyzers yet so maybe I'll wait until I do to follow up on this. Many thanks for the information.

Thomas

 

[BB767]

Representing Iowa. I have been following along since the beginning.

And representing not just Iowa, but North Liberty, Iowa, all 2,900 strong I see. Another small town Mid West guy. Thanks for staying with us.

Thomas

 

[BB767]

Duff from Utah here.

I read your thread over the past couple days during periods at work with nuthin' to do. Must say, I'm deeply impressed. I want my garage to be half as nice as yours.

Duff thank you for taking a moment out of you obviously busy day confused to check in. I hope I don't get anyone fired for reading this when they should have been doing something else!

Thomas

 

[BB767]

This thread is being watched from Iceland

... and we love it

HAMAR, Do you know we use Reykjavik routinely as an ETOPS alternate when we're flying the North Atlantic? In case we have a problem and need to get on the ground, there are very few choices after Greenland and before Ireland. While I haven't actually been to Iceland, I have seen it from 36,000' many times over the years.

Thomas

 

[BB767]

I just realized this was an old thread but awesome work. My shop looks more like the before pic but it's getting cleaned up.Wonderful job on the shop and so much character and history with you childhood--too cool
later Mike

Mike, old is a relative term. This thread is only 4 months old and I hadn't thought of it as an "old thread" but I guess it is now. Way to go on the cleaning. Once you get your shop cleaned up I bet you'll find you like it better that way and will get much more done out there. Taking time to clean and organize is all part of it I think.

Thomas

 

[classic gary]

I spent the better part of thursday morning reading all the pages. Wow, is about all i can say.
But then i do have a question, is that a Vega converter on the shelf over the SBC's ? Those are getting pretty rare aren't they ? and if you find any '56 chevy parts in the lean-too, i'm lookin' for just about anything.

 

[rlwhitetr3b]

Don't forget the required quiz at the end of the thread

That in itself if enough reason that this thread must not end!

 

[BB767]

That in itself if enough reason that this thread must not end!

If I never mentioned it before, all you guys involved in this thread are a bunch of pretty cool dudes!

Thomas

 

[BB767]

So this is how my day went today........

Indirectly related to the shop restoration I would say. Not how I was planning on working once I got home but ya gotta do it. It's a little easier to see the barn now through the trees. I didn't have a tape measure out there but the stump looks every bit of 30+ inches in diameter. Anyone who has spent several hours with a chainsaw and cleaning up brush knows how I feel right now. That plus a little jet lag and I'm in some serious need of
I'm up early tomorrow to go get my shelving from the powder coaters and consult on the best way to handle coating the Walker floor jack. Since I'm taking my enclosed car trailer, I think I'll take the jack with to give them a first hand look at it. I'm getting closer all the time to cleaning out those last few buildings. I'll let you know what I find out about the jack. Thanks everyone.

Thomas

 

[BB767]

I spent the better part of thursday morning reading all the pages. Wow, is about all i can say.
But then i do have a question, is that a Vega converter on the shelf over the SBC's ? Those are getting pretty rare aren't they ? and if you find any '56 chevy parts in the lean-too, i'm lookin' for just about anything.

Hi Gary and welcome to my world! The transmission in question is a rare air-cooled power glide from my '66 Chevy II. It needs a new home if you know someone BTW. I believe there are a few '56 parts out there as I recall, that or '55. I got just a glance but I'm pretty sure either one or the other. I'll let you know.

Thomas

 

[markviii]

rlwhitetr3b - well, learning is cumulative, so the final quiz may be over just the last "unit" of study. We just don't know what or when that will be, yet, so keep on your toes! Our studies have covered topics including construction/carpentry/wood working, music and creative arts, philosophy (including work ethics), financial management, history, geography, metal working/welding, auto mechanics, plumbing, wiring, and landscaping. That's a real liberal arts education! We're all life-long learners.

 

[jaso]

Hey Thomas & markviii

I pointed my old man (dad ) to this thread last night and he was very impressed with what you have done he is an old ****** and very hard to impress so you have done well.

Over the next few weeks i should be able to post up a pic of a Walker jack in orig form never used ( we just have to get the auth to get into the rental house that he has all his stuff stored so could take a bit of time )

from what he was telling me it is still in the orig packing that it came in when my grandfather purchased it. He thinks it is the same as the oes you have there it also has the receipt with it

The second i get the jack I will post them here as well as the orig paperwork

Jason

 

[gateway_sc]

Pity the poor fellow who just sees this thread for the first time.......43 pages worth. That could be so daunting that they don't even bother to start.

Really, I didn't plan on that......it just sort of, well, grew.

My apologies to all the new folks for that. Hey, I hope it was better than watching TV anyway!

Thomas

I just found out about this thread last Friday, April 30th and the thread was 54 pages long when I started reading. I actually procrastinated cleaning my garage this weekend just so I could get through this thread. I just caught up and decided I had to join the forum.

Very impressive work and attention to detail. I've learned several things in this thread that I wish I would have known about before I built my garage 3 years ago.

 

[Chateau Slate 66]

I feel your pain with the loss of a good tree. We had straight line winds come through our neighborhood a few years ago and took down all our trees (except the two I would have liked to have lost, of course). Here is a picture of the downed tree close to my house. At least it missed the house.

...and one with my wife in the picture for size reference.

 

[BB767]

All to tell the rest of the story, day 3 of the tree clean up.......

.........the tree is no more. Couldn't have done it without my little John Deere tractor.. The barn is lurking in the background. I measured the stump and it turned out to be 40" (1 meter) in diameter. I'll have the stump ground at some point but won't bore you with that!

This was 3 years ago on the same corner. The only reason I post this at all is to explain why I haven't put something together about some aspect of the shop.....this was a little diversion along the way.

Now about the shelves that was suppose to be the main goal today.......................they aren't done. Painters told me they'll be ready for pickup Wednesday morning. They did finish my electrical boxes so I can now install the outside lights on the barn. More on that later as there is more than meets the eye with that little project.

While I was there picking up the electrical boxes we discussed the floor jack. We decided that coating it apart in individual parts would give the best results. They are going to strip it while I'm there and they have a spot in the office where I can tape off the parts I don't want coated. Also figured out how to best do the painting where it's two different colors on the same piece like the handle. They'll coat and then heat it up partially to set the first coating. Then we'll take it out of the oven and after it cools, tape and paint the other color, remove the tape and then back in the oven for the final curing. Doing it in two steps this way prevents over heating the first coating. These guys are so very accommodating. They are with me all the way in seeing that the powder coating gets done correctly on this period piece. More coming still.............

Thomas

 

[BB767]

Hey Thomas & markviii

I pointed my old man (dad ) to this thread last night and he was very impressed with what you have done he is an old ****** and very hard to impress so you have done well.

Over the next few weeks i should be able to post up a pic of a Walker jack in orig form never used ( we just have to get the auth to get into the rental house that he has all his stuff stored so could take a bit of time )

from what he was telling me it is still in the orig packing that it came in when my grandfather purchased it. He thinks it is the same as the oes you have there it also has the receipt with it

The second i get the jack I will post them here as well as the orig paperwork

Jason

Wow Jason, that's a wonderful discovery! If you can post pictures I KNOW everyone here would love to see them. Try to take them with the jack still crated up and then step by step as it's uncrated. Scan the original receipt and post it too if you can. Any idea as to the date on the receipt?? Whats the story behind all this. Why was it never used etc.

Watch this space for more updates on this............

Many thanks for thinking of us on this thread Jason.

Thomas

 

[BB767]

I feel your pain with the loss of a good tree. We had straight line winds come through our neighborhood a few years ago and took down all our trees (except the two I would have liked to have lost, of course). Here is a picture of the downed tree close to my house. At least it missed the house.


...and one with my wife in the picture for size reference.

You dodged a bullet there didn't you!! That's awfully close to the house. At least mine was away from any structures. Nasty if it had harmed the new barn.

A woman with work gloves......... my kind of gal. You are a lucky man also I see! Thanks for sharing with us.

Thomas

 

[BB767]

I just found out about this thread last Friday, April 30th and the thread was 54 pages long when I started reading. I actually procrastinated cleaning my garage this weekend just so I could get through this thread. I just caught up and decided I had to join the forum.

Very impressive work and attention to detail. I've learned several things in this thread that I wish I would have known about before I built my garage 3 years ago.

Hello gateway_sc, Wow, did you do the whole thread over the weekend instead of nasty cleaning? Now that's dedication!

Thanks for your generous comments. I'm still leaning new "stuff" all the time myself that I wish I had known earlier. For example if Dave Heacock had told me about installing a dielectric union on any piping to my lift from the power unit etc. But noooooooooo he waited until 2 years later and page 10, post #199 here to mention it to me. Thanks Dave for the thought but a little late on that one! (just kidding of course Dave )

Anyway now you're here and most welcome.

Thomas

 

[BB767]

The powder coated shelving is done.

I used my car trailer to pick it up. This is at the barn where it was unloaded.

I wanted to spread it out in the trailer so it' wouldn't get all banged on the way home. I used furniture blankets, bath towels (shhhhhh, don't tell Chris ), cardboard, old tire inner tubes all to prevent it from contacting each other.

It will be installed along the back wall to the left.

This batch has 76 pieces.

The rest of the powder coated parts.

Once the shelving is in place I can begin the transfer out of everything in the lean to.............

..........everything in the tool shed...........

.........everything in the 2 car garage ...........

..........and everything left in the honey house. Then these structures will be either moved (honey house and 2 car garage) or, ah... recycled. With the buildings gone, the driveway will continue to curve around where these buildings were in a loop so I don't have to back my car trailer down a curved lane surrounded by trees....no fun at night! This is the start of the last phase of the old shop furnishings and equipment restoration, recycling. I will finally be able to see and evaluate everything that remains and decide what to do with it.

Stand by, there is also still more about inside the shop......

Thomas

 

[Nuts]

More sheds of goodies, I can hardly wait.

Can you tell I was born and raised a junky.

Family had a wrecking yard in the 60s and 70s.

Nuts

 

[Steve from Socal]

My Gawd;

This is like some Indiana Jones epic where you enter a labyrinth. I think perhaps Illinois Johnson is the proper moniker for you at this point! Are there ANY more buildings, sheds, lean to's, barns, shacks, garages, huts, shanty's or structures on this place? You have more building on one lot than we have on our block, not really but it seems like it.

Perhaps there is a Mustang in there some where; a NAA Mustang. I knew a guy long ago who had an uncle somewhere in Ohio with a machine shop. From the sound of it it was the machine shop version of your place. The uncle bought several airplanes from Wright-Pat in the late 1940's took them apart and stashed them in complex he had. The list included a B model Mustang, a razorback P47 and a Stinson or Howard.

Have you culled through the stuff in all the other buildings or is this fresh stuff? The sheer amount of "stuff" is amazing.

Steve

 

[jaso]

Wow Jason, that's a wonderful discovery! If you can post pictures I KNOW everyone here would love to see them. Try to take them with the jack still crated up and then step by step as it's uncrated. Scan the original receipt and post it too if you can. Any idea as to the date on the receipt?? Whats the story behind all this. Why was it never used etc.

Watch this space for more updates on this............

Many thanks for thinking of us on this thread Jason.

Thomas

not to sure on the date but knowing that my grandfather passed away 3 days after I was born. So i know it would be well before 1972 not sure on the dates that the ones you have are from but my dad saysit looks identical

Jason

 

[BB767]

More sheds of goodies, I can hardly wait.

Can you tell I was born and raised a junky.

Family had a wrecking yard in the 60s and 70s.

Nuts

Patience grasshopper, patience!
And yes it does show. What a wonderful upbringing you must of had.

Thomas

 

[BB767]

My Gawd;

This is like some Indiana Jones epic where you enter a labyrinth. I think perhaps Illinois Johnson is the proper moniker for you at this point! Are there ANY more buildings, sheds, lean to's, barns, shacks, garages, huts, shanty's or structures on this place? You have more building on one lot than we have on our block, not really but it seems like it.

Perhaps there is a Mustang in there some where; a NAA Mustang. I knew a guy long ago who had an uncle somewhere in Ohio with a machine shop. From the sound of it it was the machine shop version of your place. The uncle bought several airplanes from Wright-Pat in the late 1940's took them apart and stashed them in complex he had. The list included a B model Mustang, a razorback P47 and a Stinson or Howard.

Have you culled through the stuff in all the other buildings or is this fresh stuff? The sheer amount of "stuff" is amazing.

Steve

Steve, there were several other buildings, structures and sheds I've never mentioned here before. I never bothered to photograph some of them, the others I've just not posted, didn't think they were all that noteworthy, the exception being the one that all those prune juice jars came out of. The buildings were emptied and then the buildings were recycled. The tool shed (the building in the middle) I have not fully explored as yet. Most of what is in there on one side is what I've removed from various buildings to be gone through at a later date. The other side I've done a cursory look through trying to find a 1969 Hemi still in it's packing crate. So far no luck but there is always hope isn't there? I gave up on finding any aircraft early in the process. Yes there was/is a bunch of "stuff"!!


Thomas a.k.a. Illinois Johnson

 

[BB767]

not to sure on the date but knowing that my grandfather passed away 3 days after I was born. So i know it would be well before 1972 not sure on the dates that the ones you have are from but my dad saysit looks identical

Jason

Thanks Jason for the update. The oldest of mine dates from the mid to late 1930's, the other one sometime before 1949 when they changed from red trim on the front wheels and saddle. The only real visible change over the years was the color trim. When I do an update on the jacks I'll show some other changes not easily seen. You know I can't wait to see pictures. Any idea why it never got used? It was an expensive piece of equipment. Is it in Australia? Keep in touch.

Thomas

 

[Xenocide]

Hi Thomas + Chris,

Another UK visitor here. I've spent the last 3 nights reading the thread and I must say i'm absolutely in awe! I've got one single garage (Which you'd struggle to fit a car in with nothing else in it). An american car would certainly never fit in. I'm sure you appreciate how lucky you are but holy hell do you have alot of space! haha

I'd love to see some more information on the sun analysers! Could you try rigging them up and showing us how they work?

I love the style of the place. I'm 20..errr ish, 23 I think and it looks so appealing. Those jacks are really quite **** .

Keep up the good work; i'll carry on watching and admiring.