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A Double Volvo Garage - Intro

VolvoR

Member
Joined
Feb 25, 2015
Messages
18
Location
Overland Park, KS
Good morning GJ, glad to be a new member after lurking through dubber, Rick's Audi Double, and 69bigblok (Mark's) garage.

My garage is ~24'x24' double with single 16' garage and was built in 1972. It has some cracks in the base and is generally unkept. The walls have some cracks in them (not from structural damage per the structural engineer that looked at the house before purchase, interestingly enough movement was less than 1/8") and the walls are covered in scuffs and marks from years of general "old people" abuse. We bought the house from the original builders, so I have the plans from the construction of the garage, which is cool!

I am only 5 years into my career and my wife and I had the kids young (20 and 26), so I don't have huge capital to fund a garage today, but I do have a loving and encouraging wife who allows me to allocate SOME money to it.

I host monthly events in the garage and have fellow Volvo owners come and do maintenance/upgrades on their cars. It has been fun to see people come around a car and assist others monthly, plus sipping on a few beers and chilling has been fun:

20141213_154723.jpg


Right now I am finishing the kitchen where we did wallpaper and popcorn ceiling removal, and redid the backsplash and painted the walls and ceiling as well as upgraded the lighting from a single 100W bulb to 4xPar30 bulbs recessed in the ceiling. It is turning out really well, just finishing that up!

So it's tax season and I got $300 allocated for the garage (it's a start) and figured I would post up for ideas to get the ball rolling on potential updates/upgrades. I know the long term plan is to have a lift and heater in the garage with some RD flooring, but that's out for this round.

The only modification I have done thus far is to change out a single light in the ceiling for 3 T8 double hanging fixtures with 6 more planned (purchased, and the ceiling is wired, just need to cut in the new fixtures into the ceiling beyond the 3 I already did). That should brighten things up!

We house a 2007 Volvo S60R "Charmander" and a 2010 Volvo XC60 R-Design "Charizard" in the garage. They are both Passion Red (read: Fire Engine Red) so the red accent wall with some grey/white and black accents will likely be my plan (actually had that plan before). I am thinking of paining a large R-Design symbol on the wife's side and a large R on mine for fun. I assume paint will eat up $100 and I already have tape/mud/drywall tools to fill the gaps.

So, ideas for the other $200? I will post up pictures as soon as I can get both cars out of the garage during the day, but essentially it's 24x24 with a 16' garage on the front and the door is centered in the back with 2 steps. The sides on the garage door end are recessed with flush shelving (I am thinking about making some doors that hide those, like a linen closet). Other than that there are a few leftover ladder racks and a shelf by the house door for shoes, but nothing else. I built a 12'x12' treehouse last year and have some leftover wood (2x12 down to 2x4, and 2 sheets of plywood) that won't fit in the basement without being cut. I would love to get that up to the ceiling somehow...

I have to keep a large 90-gallon trash bin, small recycle bin (dubber, doing your recycle bin mod by the door), wood radial saw, stroller, jogger, mower, weed-eater, full size fridge modified into a keggerator (unused at the moment :(), 2 adult bikes and 1 child's bike (bought hooks for that), outdoor shoes (muddy), lawn fertilizer/seed, step ladder (6'), extending/folding ladder (28' in 4 folding sections, one of those "stair" ladder deals) wood (2x12's down to 2x4's and 2 sheets), along with kids toys (jeep, trike) and all of the shelves are filled on my side with car supplies (oil, fluids, jack/jack stands, etc) and the other side is full of kids smaller toys like frisbees and soccer balls. Right now I am able to fill up the entire outer border of the garage as compact as possible and get both cars in with relative ease (it's a nightmare getting anything out though).

I know this thread is worthless without pics, so I'll add a really embarassing one I took when I was plastidipping my FILTHY R and showing it done on my wife's FILTHY RD. We usually keep our cars relatively clean, I have about $500 in detailing equipment, mostly chemical guys. My most recent R detail went through this process...:
KR-Bkukoy-djM1GRV62bjiewcMd97UnMXqR0aAj1E5A=w746-h420-no


Garage (horrible cellphone pic quality SORRY!!!):
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My side:
20140726_105212.jpg


My wife isn't very "into" cars, but respects my love for everything cars. She does LOVE her XC60RD and feels like the anti-soccer mom driving it!

So there is my intro, I look forward to progressing over many years into a 3-car garage in my double with a 4-poster and a max jax in addition to the RD floor and heat/insulation, etc.

I am contemplating the other $200 going into installing a 60A 240V subpanel (I am comfortable around all things electrical) for future 240V service to the lift and either that or natural gas heater, then transferring some of the lights to their own circuit on motion, and others switched. The garage is bordered 75% by the outdoors and the garage door is not insulated well (it is newer with a chamberlain silent operator opener hanging WAY too low ;)). I have not inspected the walls to verify the insulation, but I can blow tons in from the attic above when the money is available(currently VERY minimally used by a few boards, was easy to wire!).

So thanks, and looking forward to both contributing and watching my garage progress!!!

Kevin
 
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rburke65

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 10, 2007
Messages
12,349
Location
Canfield, Ohio
Looks like a great start. It isn't easy with having kids. How about some more shelving to get stuff better organized. Good luck.....you'll get there.
 

dubber

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 31, 2012
Messages
5,326
Location
Canada's Capital
Very happy to welcome you given your passion for cool cars especially. I'm a long time fan of the R line of Volvo cars. I always look fondly back to a memory when i was 16 and a family friend gave me his manual R wagon for the day, epic! My pops also had an 01 S60 T-5 in grey which looked like the one in your first pic.

Don't be embarrassed by the early pics, great to have the "before" pics well documented so that you can truly appreciate the journey and the transformation when done. When you mentioned "I have to keep..... in the garage", does that mean a shed is out of the question? Basement storage? I know both of those items saved me for my garage.

BTW I've subscribed!
 
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VolvoR

Member
Joined
Feb 25, 2015
Messages
18
Location
Overland Park, KS
Very happy to welcome you given your passion for cool cars especially. I'm a long time fan of the R line of Volvo cars. I always look fondly back to a memory when i was 16 and a family friend gave me his manual R wagon for the day, epic! My pops also had an 01 S60 T-5 in grey which looked like the one in your first pic.

Don't be embarrassed by the early pics, great to have the "before" pics well documented so that you can truly appreciate the journey and the transformation when done. When you mentioned "I have to keep..... in the garage", does that mean a shed is out of the question? Basement storage? I know both of those items saved me for my garage.

BTW I've subscribed!

Thanks dubber, it should be quite the progression thread if my ideas come to fruition! Before my R I had a static G35 on coilovers and daily'd it this low:
386624_1773809183675_988711486_n.jpg


Winter mode:
420132_1892106421032_971022485_n.jpg


There we parts of the city I just could not go to. Sacrificed my favorite sub shop as well haha. Or it was half a block walk to get there.

Shed is definitely out of the question from the city bylaws. I am looking into laws around making some sort of fenced side trash storage for my trash can. It can't be visible from the street.

I do have a basement but the pain is that just through the house entrance door to the right and not many long or heavy things are easily maneuvered down it. Admittedly the saw could move, but the lumber that was short enough to fit (did tests haha) is downstairs in the basement.

Any solutions that anyone knows of for lifting sheets of plywood and some other larger 16' wood to tuch against the ceiling? Even over the garage is fine until I raise it.
 
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apexit1

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 25, 2011
Messages
336
I'll be honest I skimmed the last bit. With $200 my suggestion would be either some storage to help tidy it up or maybe DIY epoxy. Not sure if $200 will do the epoxy and acid etching but I think it's close. If you're set on RD then storage gets my vote.
 

Jagmandave

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 6, 2011
Messages
6,299
Location
Overland Park, Ks.
Great to see another OP resident here at GJ! Welcome!

My forte' is Mini Coopers, but I'm also a Volvo fan.....

I agree that storage and organization is a better priority for you right now than a fancy floor. One thing I'd suggest is to get all the non-shop stuff (including the wood working equipment)out of the garage - take that $200 and buy a shed for the back or side yard (I know of no ordinance against them in OP) and put all the trash, lawn equipment and toys in it or the basement, you'll be amazed at how much more room there is in the garage when you do!

Your first pic reminds me of my house - I hold MINI shop days in my tiny garage....

View media item 35162
And hey - watch the "old People" comments, there are a lot of us geriatrics here on the GJ! :beer: :lol:
 
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zbyler

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 3, 2014
Messages
129
Location
CT
Welcome to GJ! Looks like you have a great starting point. Painting first is a good decision, it will really brighten up the garage and make it look/feel different. Next, I would look into storage and hanging solutions to transfer items from the floor to shelving or wall mounts. You would be amazed at the room you can get back.

Good luck!
 
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69bigblok

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 18, 2012
Messages
431
Location
Nashville, TN
Welcome aboard Kevin! Subscribed and looking forward to the updates. You will be amazed at what you can accomplish by working on it along the way and we'd be glad to help any way we can.

I think organization or getting as much out of the garage to your basement/attic is a great start. The most visible improvements would be some fresh wall paint and maybe do some Rust Bullet on the floor since you can always go with Racedeck at a later date. You would at least have a clean, uniform look that way.

With $200 you could also buy a Husky cabinet or two. I just kept picking another one up now and then and before I knew it they were all there and didn't hurt so bad financially.

I also told everyone to give me Home Depot gift cards for bday/Christmas which was awesome for buying paint and cabinets. The family enjoyed having a part in the makeover that way too.

I love that lowered G35 by the way. I like anything that is red and low! Congrats and keep us posted!
 
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VolvoR

Member
Joined
Feb 25, 2015
Messages
18
Location
Overland Park, KS
Great to see another OP resident here at GJ! Welcome!

My forte' is Mini Coopers, but I'm also a Volvo fan.....

And hey - watch the "old People" comments, there are a lot of us geriatrics here on the GJ! :beer: :lol:

Awesome, we can have GJ days too!!! I am near 95th and Antioch.

I am going to look into the shed idea. If that is a possibility I am all over it!
 
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VolvoR

Member
Joined
Feb 25, 2015
Messages
18
Location
Overland Park, KS
OP
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VolvoR

Member
Joined
Feb 25, 2015
Messages
18
Location
Overland Park, KS
I thought your "hood" looked familiar, I'm at 90th and Antioch!

Yep, just make it a little smaller than 200 sq ft and you're golden.

I'll have to find a steal of a deal, but thats a good goal!

Hi and welcome to the forum, looking forward to see how things go.

As always, enjoy..

Thanks, looking forward to mapping my progress along with so many others!
 

XxToolAholicxX

Well-known member
Joined
May 28, 2014
Messages
1,449
Location
SF **** Bay Northern California
Hello and welcome to the Garage Journal.
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I am a ToolAholic,Sometimes I regret it,Especially when the Toolman wont give me no credit
 

55cadillacking

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 26, 2012
Messages
1,959
Location
Calgary
It's taken me too long to join in on the conversation, but I thought I would drop by and wish you luck as you begin your "garage journey"! Have you spent your initial start up fund yet? You've got a nice sized double to work with, so that's half the battle. Finding ways of keeping everything organized is the other half! I'll be sure to check back on your progress. Best of luck to you.

EDIT: Sat in the new XC90 the other day. Gorgeous vehicle!
 
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VolvoR

Member
Joined
Feb 25, 2015
Messages
18
Location
Overland Park, KS
No start yet, lots of brainstorming but other priorities are in order to appease the wife, including finishing the kitchen and planting her garden!

I will update when I have more to update!
 
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