Am I kidding myself

[reyetwinger]

Hi all. Please bear with me as I know this topic has been discussed on this forum before. I have probably read most of the threads but every situation is different and I am hoping to get some input given my specifics

I have a pretty large 2 car garage which now houses a 1967 Impala SS 427 and a 2012 Challenger 392. I am hooked on buying a 1970 Eldorado which obviously won’t fit. I would like to get a 4 post lift to store the Impala on top of the Eldorado. The issue is my ceiling height is 129” (10’9”).

My Impala is 58 inches in height. I don’t yet have the Cadillac so I can only go off published specs of around 55 inches. This brings the total height of the 2 cars to 113 inches (9’5”). So I’m left with 16 inches that must include the runways, space between the cars and I am assuming some upward movement to unlock.

Am I kidding myself here or is what I would like to do a possibility? One of my main concerns is the spacing of the locks. Even if I could get it all to fit if the lock falls in the wrong place for me with no room for error that would be a bad thing.

Excuse my ignorance on the subject as I have never owned a lift. I would also have to move my door tracks up higher. If it is a possibility, any suggestions on what brand/model, which has more locks to fine tune height? Thanks

 

[kd3pc]

time and money - anything is possible.

In my experience you are too close to guess, and be confident it will work like you want, then there is the repeatability. Just not there. An odd inch and a slope there, will keep you grounded.

I would call a few of the lift makers and give them your dimensions and see what they say. I know the atlas garage pro 8000 dimensions in the manual are "close" but not exact. They have a good number of stops and lock positions, but there will be a time that you miss the stop and have to go higher to set it down on the stops.

 

[CTyankee]

i know nothing about lifts..or your financial situation. Heck I don't even have my own garage. But I won't let that stop me from offering my 2 cents

I can't see the justification of getting a lift to store a car above another one. Maybe in a pinch. I'd love to have a garage..and a lift. But I wouldn't want to play musical cars everytime I wanted to use it. Based on the little you've told, you must like cars and working on them. IMHO the whole scenario seems like a bad way to ruin a good time. Any chance you could build another "storage" space or add on to what you have? Sorry if my comments are off base, feel free to ignore them.

 

[LPD ret]

I have the answer to your problem - send that old Impala to me, I'll take that clunker off your hands!

I love those cars, had a regular '67 Impala in high school. Anyway, you are asking the right questions about the spacing and the need to raise a lift in order to lower it. If those published specs on the height of the Eldorado are correct it would seem you have just enough room with some inches to spare. On paper, it sounds like it would work.

My lift is made by Advantage lifts. I am storing a 2007 Corvette up top and a '89 GTA below, both low profile cars, so I have no issues. But, the specs posted by Advantage helped me decide if this would work for my application.

 

[reyetwinger]

Yes, that's what makes me uncomfortable...it's a craps shoot. It would be nice to have a 12 foot ceiling like you're supposed to have but I'm stuck with what I have. I'm in an HOA so there is no extending or building a separate garage.

I don't mind having one on top of the other as they aren't used often enough for that to be an issue. I figure if I get tired of driving one I can switch it up. I would much rather have that issue than my only other choice which is to rent a storage unit somewhere. I'm sure I would use the car less if I had to go drive to get it every time. Plus I like having my stuff at my home.

 

[brownbagg]

take the wheels off

 

[LPD ret]

Additionally, I had my garage door tracks made to hug the ceiling and use a jackshaft opener. I have the LiftMaster that is the subject of another thread here - but in 3+ years I have never had the issues that others have described.

We can always test that Impala on my lift and measure the room underneath! Post a picture of that sometime.

 

[reyetwinger]

Additionally, I had my garage door tracks made to hug the ceiling and use a jackshaft opener. I have the LiftMaster that is the subject of another thread here - but in 3+ years I have never had the issues that others have described.

We can always test that Impala on my lift and measure the room underneath! Post a picture of that sometime.

If you were closer lol

 

[egdede]

...Excuse my ignorance...

Maybe a different user name would help.

 

[nyy845]

Put one or both cars on bags

 

[reyetwinger]

Maybe a different user name would help.

Help what? What would that help with? Do you think a different username would elicit more input?

 

[egdede]

In granting an excuse. Look, I'm just being a leeftwyng smartass. We are not supposed to be politicfal here. I think the political nature of your username irked me.

On the bright side, I never get ____hurt when people smartass me!

 

[reyetwinger]

I only see the word political, or any mention of politics in one post, and it's not mine. Sorry I won't play. I don't smarta$$ anyone. Thanks to all that replied to my questions.

 

[egdede]

Your username itself is a claim of political identity, which seems to suggest you are in support of 'reyetwing' stuff, which suggests that you are advocating for 'reyetwing' stuff. And now we have a political discussion borne of a username.

Glad you got some real responses though, hope they are helpful.

 

[sberry]

Get over it.

 

[PelicanPines]

Sounds like you are trying to convince yourself of something you know is invalid.

You are going to have a problem here with that username too. Trying to be honest. This is a VERY politically neutral space.

That said... would love to see pics of your car.

 

[DGersic]

Can you raise the ceiling?


Sent from my iPad using The Garage Journal mobile app

 

[egdede]

Get over it.

I'm totally over it all. I think the OP should get a 70 Eldo convertible. If the windshield is parallel to the joists (like it would be in my garage) height won't be an issue!

 

[Kev442]

As long as you can clear the garage door by backing the eldo onto the lift, you will be fine. You might have to unscrew the ceiling lightbulb!
The ramps are about 4" thick.

- 4 post owner with 10' 6" ceilings

 

[ddawg16]

1970 Eldorado? Really?

Hard to take you serious if you want that car.

But you can somewhat redeem yourself by posting some pics of the 67 Impala

 

[PugetDude]

Maybe a different user name would help.

Your username itself is a claim of political identity, which seems to suggest you are in support of 'reyetwing' stuff, which suggests that you are advocating for 'reyetwing' stuff. And now we have a political discussion borne of a username.

Glad you got some real responses though, hope they are helpful.

...says the guy who steered this thread into politics.

 

[fourbyford]

...several years ago, I helped my buddy modify his roof trusses directly over his lift... we raised the ceiling 2'. Being an engineer, he was a bit nervous about cutting into the trusses... my plan left everything in tact until all the bracing was completed... cutting the bottom chord was the last thing to be done. The trusses over the lift are the most solid ones in the whole building!

 

[reyetwinger]

I can't do anything as far as raising the ceiling, there is a bonus room over the garage. It's encouraging to hear what I'd like to do has been done. The thing is I'm trying to put 2 tanks in the same footprint, they're both BIG. If they were Corvettes or some little sports car I wouldn't be nearly as concerned.

Kev442, what lift do you own and what do you have parked on it? I'm assuming one of them is a 442.

I've never been a Cadillac guy but I really dig the 70 with the 500 CID engines. They are pretty sharp in my opinion. A couple of people asked for pics of my Chevy, I'll try to attach them here. Not a Z24, just a regular SS with 427. Thanks.

 

[PelicanPines]

Engine picture and the interior picture... goose bumps... and I'm not even a car guy. Thanks for the pics.

 

[LPD ret]

Thanks for posting the pics of the '67. Chevy really made it confusing in '67 because you could have a 427 Impala Super Sport, or an SS427 (Z24) with no Impala badges - but basically the same car. Yours is awesome. And a factory AC car to boot.

 

[Bluedodge]

"...The issue is my ceiling height is 129” (10’9”).

...the total height of the 2 cars to 113 inches (9’5”). So I’m left with 16 inches that must include the runways, space between the cars and I am assuming some upward movement to unlock....

...I would also have to move my door tracks up higher...."

Thinking out loud here....

When you move your tracks up closer to the ceiling, will you lose another 6 inches of space?
I visualize a 7' tall roll up door.
Approx 2.5 feet of it will stay in the vertical position when opened, along the front wall of the garage and in the curved track. The other 4.5 feet will be horizontal against the ceiling when open. If that is the case, sure seems like that would be a shorter distance than the length of the Chevy's trunk and/or hood.
If you have an 8' tall door, then you may run into problems, as the top of the door may be getting close to the Chevy's roof line.

 

[reyetwinger]

I think the door will be something I can overcome one way or the other. I would put the lift as deep into the garage as I could and both cars have pretty long hoods. I would probably have to back the top one on the lift. If I couldn't avoid it I would just stop the door from fully opening. I really don't want to do that but I don't think I'll have to just by eyeballing the cars position on the ground now.

My real concern is the roof of the car hitting the ceiling. It's so close with the room I have that I wouldn't know for sure until everything is in place. It's not a comfortable feeling. It seems like everything would have to work out perfect including the spacing of the locks. I guess I could air down the tires for a few inches lol.

 

[LS6 Tommy]

Nice imp, reyetwinger! A 4 speed, too! The Mo is nice, too.

Tommy

 

[Handyandy23]

Are you 100% sure that the current ceiling is right up against the joists for the room above? I know in my new construction home, the builder actually framed in a drop of a foot or so and then installed the drywall onto that dropped frame. The reason they did this was so they didn't have to box and frame around all of the duct work and beams for the room above.

If your room above the garage has heating ducts in the floor, and your garage ceiling is smooth, chances are there is a cavity in between where you could cut out and re-frame a pocket for the car's roof to fit into.

 

[reyetwinger]

This obviously isn't completed but this is what's under (or technically over) the drywall. Even if I could I doubt I want to mess with it.

 

[Homerr]

Bust out the slab where the 4 post would go? Dig down a few inches and repour to give ~6" more room?

 

[reyetwinger]

I would also need to figure out how to wire up some kind of fail safe, a switch or something that would trip at a certain height to kill power. Something that would prevent me from lifting the car into the ceiling if I were somehow distracted or misjudged something.

I'm also wondering about delivery of one of these things. I understand they usually weigh almost 2000 pounds. I guess you would have to rent a trailer and then open the box/crate and take out one piece at a time. It would be nice if there were companies that would deliver and set them up for a fee. I'm reasonably new to where I live so I can't rustle up a bunch of friends to help.

 

[rburke65]

How long ago did you build the garage? Liking the ‘67. I have a ‘65.

 

[reyetwinger]

How long ago did you build the garage? Liking the ‘67. I have a ‘65.

Thanks. The garage is a little over 4 years old.

 

[Jazzman442]

Cut our the ceiling where the roof of the car will go. Google this as many people even on this forum has done.

 

[CTyankee]

Cut our the ceiling where the roof of the car will go. Google this as many people even on this forum has done.

The joists above look like floor trusses....I don't think he'll be cutting out any of the ceiling.

 

[reyetwinger]

Engine picture and the interior picture... goose bumps... and I'm not even a car guy. Thanks for the pics.

Thanks

Thanks for posting the pics of the '67. Chevy really made it confusing in '67 because you could have a 427 Impala Super Sport, or an SS427 (Z24) with no Impala badges - but basically the same car. Yours is awesome. And a factory AC car to boot.

Thank You, the hood on the Z24 is probably worth as much as my car lol

Nice imp, reyetwinger! A 4 speed, too! The Mo is nice, too.

Tommy

Thanks, love the 65's. I was looking for one but mine came up first. I bought mine in 1985 from the original owner

The joists above look like floor trusses....I don't think he'll be cutting out any of the ceiling.

I wouldn't mess with the structural integrity of my house for a lift. Either it will work as is or it will be an expensive experiment lol.

 

[PoorOwner]

It would depend on which vehicle is the top one.

For example if I were to choose the 55" vehicle on bottom. When I measured my lock cut outs, lift bottom can sits at 61" chosen as the closest lock, add runway height of 4.5", which means the top vehicle is 65.5" off the floor.

128" ceiling - 65.5" = 62.5" of headroom left. 58" vehicle on top will yield 4.5" of headroom left.

There will usually a couple inches difference in ceiling height depending on the front or back of the garage. Picked 128" as an example

Basically, there will be 4.5" left for a 58" vehicle on top. It only takes about 2" to free the lock. Leaves you about 2.5" left of error. Not the greatest scenario.

The good news? If you put the 55" vehicle on top, you will have 5.5" for error. And the bottom vehicle at 58" can still reasonably clear a 61" lock.

Some of us have the advantage lift (great company check them out ) and if needed they will send you a limit switch you clamp to the post so it will stop the pump motor. Splicing is required and there is a tiny bit of momentum before the pump motor comes to a stop, not alot but it is there.

 

[logical]

16 inches to play with (if you check the Caddy and confirm that's the number) is plenty. I'm not that tight with my stack but try to store it as high as possible so I can freely walk under my lift. Leave 6 inches between the car and ceiling. You can put a reference mark on the post to know where to stop and another a few inches above that as a "do not cross" line. That leaves 10 inches. Even if the deck is 5 inches thick you still have 5 to play with. Just double check the ceiling height and car heights and do the math. Get the reference lines done right and you never have to think about it again.
I think some here enjoy tearing up concrete or trusses.

 

[reyetwinger]

I measured the ceiling height at the deepest area of the garage at 129". That would be the shortest amount of room I would have. The garage floor pitches toward the door end but I didn't bother to measure at the door end as that measurement point is probably irrelevant.
As I've said I've never had a lift before so I don't know if the runways can have any sort of pitch, or if they should be level. I would assume they should be level so the posts would have to be shimmed to level.