CDNflatlander
Member
What a great read! Congrats on "your own" space; you are doing a great job making it yours and usable.
Thanks for the thread.
Greg
Thanks for the thread.
Greg
Canadian Triple Garage
- Thread starter owdlvr
- Start date
^^ thanks! Having fun, for sure. But this whole mortgage payment thing is a little scary 
Pulled out Grandpa's router, tried it out on a few scrap bits to figure it out and then cut some grooves into my new bench:
I then started working on the scrap plywood pile...of which there is a LOT.
Four hours...and many, many cuts on the table saw and the mitre saw and I have a pile of bits. Tomorrow this set needs 430 more passes on the table saw and they'll be ready for assembly. Wish Grandpa's dado set could be used for the grooves...it would cut the number of passes down greatly. With the new bench, however, I'm able to jig and clamp stops so it's just a matter of picking up a piece, doing a motion and placing it to the side, and repeat. I actually only stopped for the night as the motions on the table saw for putting in the grooves were getting so comfortable I was starting to zone out. Not smart when you're working with a tool you don't know well, and can very easily send you to the hospital!
-Dave
Pulled out Grandpa's router, tried it out on a few scrap bits to figure it out and then cut some grooves into my new bench:
I then started working on the scrap plywood pile...of which there is a LOT.
Four hours...and many, many cuts on the table saw and the mitre saw and I have a pile of bits. Tomorrow this set needs 430 more passes on the table saw and they'll be ready for assembly. Wish Grandpa's dado set could be used for the grooves...it would cut the number of passes down greatly. With the new bench, however, I'm able to jig and clamp stops so it's just a matter of picking up a piece, doing a motion and placing it to the side, and repeat. I actually only stopped for the night as the motions on the table saw for putting in the grooves were getting so comfortable I was starting to zone out. Not smart when you're working with a tool you don't know well, and can very easily send you to the hospital!
-Dave
At this point you might be wondering just what the heck I'm doing. I was originally going to be buy plastic bins for sorting hardware, wire, etc. But why buy something when you can make it? Not the prettiest, but functional and that's what I need.
At this point, I went to fire up the table saw to start ripping the masonite down for the dividing squares and...nothing. Well, not nothing, but rather a couple of large bangs from the motor and then nothing. Guess after 10yrs in storage putting it to extended work was a bit too much! Will be pulling the motor out to see if it's just brushes or something more sinister.
With the Table Saw out of commission, I figured I better relax and hang some artwork.
Original Salzburg Rally Poster
My Salzburg Tribute car in RetroCars magazine
And lastly, the shop as it was when I bought it. Seems a touch silly to put it up now, but years from now this forgotten photo over in the corner will end up being pretty cool. At least, that's the plan
The centre post in the garage has always bugged me. I've wished I had the budget to put in a proper beam and remove it, but that's DEFINITELY not going to happen, especially now. The other day trying to maneuver three cars into the shop was interesting, and that darned post was in the way. Yesterday, though, I found a good use for it! It's quite handy for bringing in non-running cars with stuck brake drums!
-Dave
madoc1
Well-known member
the shop is looking great. i see how good a fabber you are also. i am up to page 5 of your rally build. nice inventive work.
jim
jim
Thanks!
Decided I'd like to get the lower floor of my house back, so it's time to move more stuff into the shop. Storage bay is gonna get a little tight! Shelves are from Home Depot.
And started to hang some mementos from an earlier time in life. These are back from when I raced Nationals. Raced on the red Rossignol, and had the Coiler custom built for the next season. I qualified poorly in dual slalom, and ended up with bib 118 for giant slalom. But there, I did well. Broke my leg in '97, and that was the end of my Snowboard racing career! I coached for a few years, but it was always just a fun weekend deal after the break.
The 1103 number plate is from a race called the Beetleball. It was a cannonball run style race from the port of Los Angeles to Las Vegas. I asked one of my best friends, Warwick, if he'd be interested in running it with me. When we entered, in stock-beetle class, I figured "how fast can a Beetle really go?" While we'd be breaking the speed limit, we wouldn't exactly be driving too far outside the letter of the law. Haha, well, not quite. We had my '69 beetle doing 95mph across the desert, and ended up winning our class. The race ended after the year we did it, so I think at this stage is safe to say we still hold the record for fastest stock beetle from LA to Las Vegas I have some photos from the event that I need to get blown up for the wall.
Decided I'd like to get the lower floor of my house back, so it's time to move more stuff into the shop. Storage bay is gonna get a little tight! Shelves are from Home Depot.
And started to hang some mementos from an earlier time in life. These are back from when I raced Nationals. Raced on the red Rossignol, and had the Coiler custom built for the next season. I qualified poorly in dual slalom, and ended up with bib 118 for giant slalom. But there, I did well. Broke my leg in '97, and that was the end of my Snowboard racing career! I coached for a few years, but it was always just a fun weekend deal after the break.
The 1103 number plate is from a race called the Beetleball. It was a cannonball run style race from the port of Los Angeles to Las Vegas. I asked one of my best friends, Warwick, if he'd be interested in running it with me. When we entered, in stock-beetle class, I figured "how fast can a Beetle really go?" While we'd be breaking the speed limit, we wouldn't exactly be driving too far outside the letter of the law. Haha, well, not quite. We had my '69 beetle doing 95mph across the desert, and ended up winning our class. The race ended after the year we did it, so I think at this stage is safe to say we still hold the record for fastest stock beetle from LA to Las Vegas
I have some photos from the event that I need to get blown up for the wall.
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Garage is an absolute disaster currently. Pulled the Rally Bug motor out to find an odd valvetrain noise. Turns out I've been running around with variable valve timing, as the timing gear on the crank had come loose. Motor was in desperate need of bearings after 92k miles, so it's getting a refresh.
https://scontent-sea1-1.**.fbcdn.net/v/t31.0-8/16665735_10158124990445468_3684471032867294324_o.jpg?oh=21ed5e2d0649cb9652fda2b70095e73a&oe=5932815A
While I was at it, I figure I should finish the Hydraulic clutch conversion I started a year ago. My car uses a Porsche 901 throwout bearing, so the goal was to hide a Tilton annular clutch bearing inside the transmission. It’s been quite the project, and I’m still not sure it’s going to work out. Got the milling machine up and running to make the adapter plate, amongst other jobs.
https://scontent-sea1-1.**.fbcdn.net/v/t31.0-8/16602072_10158129937600468_3698864360662323707_o.jpg?oh=abd2a9c6cdf1eb5e33cdeccdb55e4e32&oe=59400F16
Also decided to convert the Rally Bug to fuel injection. So the past four nights have been spent building a surge tank, and all of the related lines needed for the conversion. The whole car runs AN lines for the oil system, so I’m doing the same for the fuel system.
Loving the new shop space though. Tonnes of room to spread out and work!
Woke up this morning to find out that the Rally Bug is on the latest issue of Let’s Play VWs in Japan. Pretty rad, I get to use the hashtag #imbiginjapan for a little while
-Dave
https://scontent-sea1-1.**.fbcdn.net/v/t31.0-8/16665735_10158124990445468_3684471032867294324_o.jpg?oh=21ed5e2d0649cb9652fda2b70095e73a&oe=5932815A
While I was at it, I figure I should finish the Hydraulic clutch conversion I started a year ago. My car uses a Porsche 901 throwout bearing, so the goal was to hide a Tilton annular clutch bearing inside the transmission. It’s been quite the project, and I’m still not sure it’s going to work out. Got the milling machine up and running to make the adapter plate, amongst other jobs.
https://scontent-sea1-1.**.fbcdn.net/v/t31.0-8/16602072_10158129937600468_3698864360662323707_o.jpg?oh=abd2a9c6cdf1eb5e33cdeccdb55e4e32&oe=59400F16
Also decided to convert the Rally Bug to fuel injection. So the past four nights have been spent building a surge tank, and all of the related lines needed for the conversion. The whole car runs AN lines for the oil system, so I’m doing the same for the fuel system.
Loving the new shop space though. Tonnes of room to spread out and work!
Woke up this morning to find out that the Rally Bug is on the latest issue of Let’s Play VWs in Japan. Pretty rad, I get to use the hashtag #imbiginjapan for a little while
-Dave
Looks awesome Dave! Hats off to another Vancouver car guy. Love the bug collection and the garage! Really coming into its own. Let me know if you are still looking for a lift. I just bought a MaxJax for my garage and absolutely love it. I got it locally (new) from Babco in Langley. I dealt with Kristen and she was awesome!!
Long time, no update. So long in fact, that finding photos for all the updates has been quite a problem. So, here's a few to add some info to the thread...
I do an annual trip to Colorado every year for the Hagerty Silver Summit classic car adventure, and Colorado has become a place I love, so I added a Colorado beer bottle opener above the beer fridge.
A good friend of mine in High School and I reconnected after almost 20 years. He now owns one of the bars in my home town, and after seeing photos of the house and shop sent me a very special care package. My _favourite_ beer is Creemore Springs, having grown up skiing just outside the town of Creemore. It's non-pasturized, and for years after I moved out West I couldn't get it. My buddy saw the shop, and a note on FB that I needed to get a whiteboard. He did one better, and had Creemore Springs make me a blackboard for the shop. So rad!
https://scontent-sea1-1.**.fbcdn.net/v/t31.0-8/16715956_10158138755955468_2214030811615574371_o.jpg?oh=b798bcd33968b517d67327dda0ad9918&oe=5A6DEE0C
The outside of the shop is looking a little bare...and you know what every car guy wants, a gas pump right? Now, having been a kid of the 80's, what I really want is an 80's pump with the chrome top and the glass ball with the two balls that bounce around when you're filling...but then, I was out looking for some kitchen cabinets when I saw this in the yard of the used building supply...
It's not 80's, but it is (as far as I can tell) late 90's or early 2000's. It was labeled $350, which couldn't possibly be correct. I asked one of the guys, and he jumped on the radio to ask the price. The reply came through totally garbled, and he looked at me and said "I heard forty, did you hear forty?" Suuurrreee, why not?!
It was so heavy, I had to disassemble it in the truck to remove it.
$40 for the gas pump, and I sold $120 worth of scrap metal out of the inside of it! Over the winter I'll give it a light restoration, and redo the graphics to reflect Shell Premium fuel instead of the diesel.
Inside the shop, I've added a much larger compressor. I've always used a 5gal compressor, so having the 60gal 5hp compressor is simply awesome. Still need to finish running the lines.
Finished my "ego" wall. Memories of racing snowboarding at the nationals, racing a beetle across California / Nevada, coaching (BC Provincial Downhill Coach) and my work with Subaru Rally Team USA (in-car camera guy for Launch Control)
Other than that, I've been traveling a tonne for work so I haven't been using the shop as much as I hoped. When I am home, I've been building furniture for the house instead of working on cars.
https://scontent-sea1-1.**.fbcdn.net/v/t31.0-8/22104790_10159302863495468_5927153563725260042_o.jpg?oh=c8ccd486785bca89d775c901f01096ba&oe=5A776A36
https://scontent-sea1-1.**.fbcdn.net/v/t31.0-8/22256726_10159311019140468_8565957581997317130_o.jpg?oh=92df11dc35aa7b1bfa43066e65e97f13&oe=5A6B8FCD
Soon to be coffee-table...
https://scontent-sea1-1.**.fbcdn.net/v/t31.0-8/22256519_10159315418835468_8486555319953221743_o.jpg?oh=675c5827692d6d6d100b6755f3f7f260&oe=5A81F3D8
I do an annual trip to Colorado every year for the Hagerty Silver Summit classic car adventure, and Colorado has become a place I love, so I added a Colorado beer bottle opener above the beer fridge.
A good friend of mine in High School and I reconnected after almost 20 years. He now owns one of the bars in my home town, and after seeing photos of the house and shop sent me a very special care package. My _favourite_ beer is Creemore Springs, having grown up skiing just outside the town of Creemore. It's non-pasturized, and for years after I moved out West I couldn't get it. My buddy saw the shop, and a note on FB that I needed to get a whiteboard. He did one better, and had Creemore Springs make me a blackboard for the shop. So rad!
https://scontent-sea1-1.**.fbcdn.net/v/t31.0-8/16715956_10158138755955468_2214030811615574371_o.jpg?oh=b798bcd33968b517d67327dda0ad9918&oe=5A6DEE0C
The outside of the shop is looking a little bare...and you know what every car guy wants, a gas pump right? Now, having been a kid of the 80's, what I really want is an 80's pump with the chrome top and the glass ball with the two balls that bounce around when you're filling...but then, I was out looking for some kitchen cabinets when I saw this in the yard of the used building supply...
It's not 80's, but it is (as far as I can tell) late 90's or early 2000's. It was labeled $350, which couldn't possibly be correct. I asked one of the guys, and he jumped on the radio to ask the price. The reply came through totally garbled, and he looked at me and said "I heard forty, did you hear forty?" Suuurrreee, why not?!
It was so heavy, I had to disassemble it in the truck to remove it.
$40 for the gas pump, and I sold $120 worth of scrap metal out of the inside of it! Over the winter I'll give it a light restoration, and redo the graphics to reflect Shell Premium fuel instead of the diesel.
Inside the shop, I've added a much larger compressor. I've always used a 5gal compressor, so having the 60gal 5hp compressor is simply awesome. Still need to finish running the lines.
Finished my "ego" wall. Memories of racing snowboarding at the nationals, racing a beetle across California / Nevada, coaching (BC Provincial Downhill Coach) and my work with Subaru Rally Team USA (in-car camera guy for Launch Control)
Other than that, I've been traveling a tonne for work so I haven't been using the shop as much as I hoped. When I am home, I've been building furniture for the house instead of working on cars.
https://scontent-sea1-1.**.fbcdn.net/v/t31.0-8/22104790_10159302863495468_5927153563725260042_o.jpg?oh=c8ccd486785bca89d775c901f01096ba&oe=5A776A36
https://scontent-sea1-1.**.fbcdn.net/v/t31.0-8/22256726_10159311019140468_8565957581997317130_o.jpg?oh=92df11dc35aa7b1bfa43066e65e97f13&oe=5A6B8FCD
Soon to be coffee-table...
https://scontent-sea1-1.**.fbcdn.net/v/t31.0-8/22256519_10159315418835468_8486555319953221743_o.jpg?oh=675c5827692d6d6d100b6755f3f7f260&oe=5A81F3D8
Madone_si
Well-known member
awesome garage work. Loving the vw's and your woodwork. Keep the great work up.
TiFJ
Well-known member
Great work, really enjoyed your thread!