Between 485 & 705 SQ/FT Denver MCM garage expansion

[kwyjibo]

I love those dealer posters, where did you get them?

I completely lucked out on those. About 7 years ago I contacted a guy selling a BMW Classic poster with a Z1 on it. I have a friend back in NH that has a blue Z1 like the one in the poster so I was getting it to give to him (the photo is us at a BavAuto Show'n'Shine). When I told him that I was getting it as a gift and I had an E9, he offered to throw in another couple dealer posters, one with an E9, for a few more bucks. Of course I jumped on it. The tube showed up with 6 posters, including a couple from the "joy" campaign. I'd only seen these posters as magazine ads when they (re?)launched BMW Classic, so I was really happy with my purchase. Sorry that I can't send you in the right direction, these are the only ones that I've ever seen.

 

[Trapps]

I appreciate your encouragement! I still look around and see every mistake and flaw so I know that if I didn't go (as my wife says) over the top from the beginning, in the long run it would drive me nuts.



Thanks for your suggestion, it got me thinking - I was thinking of using a router bit to cut the sheets, then laminate and trim. But now I'm thinking that if I laminate first, then use a trim bit and straightedge as the template, I can cut to final size and get a good, clean edge in one run.

Perhaps just ‘rough cut’ the sheets to + 1/4, laminate and then do a final trim with an edge trim bit. Generates a little
waste but makes alignment a non-issue.

 

[pjmariner]

thanks!

I was fitting the countertop over the weekend and realized that there is a shadow over half the surface. I might need to mount a light strip under the upper cabinet. I'll live with it for a while before deciding if it's needed/worth the trouble.

Also hung the second bookshelf on the opposite wall. This was a total pain in the ****. There is a short stretch of plywood (painted black) on the beam in the upper right corner of the photo. That is the first section of ply that I'm using to sister the beam that has a notch cut out of it for the door opener track. Once I replace the opener with a jackshaft model, I'll sheath the beam with the 3/4" ply to hide the cutout and to reinforce the beam.
Anyway, I measured wrong and the cabinet was about 1/8" too wide for the space between the cabinet and the beam. So I needed to shave the 3/4" ply down to 5/8" for the last 12" or so. Next up: sliding doors for the bookshelves... Anyone know the best way to get a clean edge on masonite?

Love the build and all the cabinet work, I wish I had time/budget to build that way. I dig the clean exposed edge plywood and laminate. For the Masonite doors, are you doing the hanging closet style door like you did before, or are you going to have them slide in an upper and lower track?

I used the plastic track and it works great. Masonite cuts clean with a decent 40 tooth blade in a table saw, or equivalent in a skill saw. If you are using upper and lower tracks, I would install tracks, then I would cut and fit Masonite to tracks first so you get them the way you want, and Masonite is dirt cheap if you have any issues. Once fitted to track I would laminate, and use a flush cut trim bit, with the cut edge of the Masonite as your guide.

 

[Arclitgold]

I read this thread front to back and I gotta say, you do some serious work man!!

I’m also a sucker for MCM and vintage BMW’s, though my current project is a VW. I’m also from the Denver area! Were we separated at birth? Ha!

Anyway, keep it up, these cabinets are giving me some serious inspiration!


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[kwyjibo]

Perhaps just ‘rough cut’ the sheets to + 1/4, laminate and then do a final trim with an edge trim bit. Generates a little
waste but makes alignment a non-issue.

Love the build and all the cabinet work, I wish I had time/budget to build that way. I dig the clean exposed edge plywood and laminate. For the Masonite doors, are you doing the hanging closet style door like you did before, or are you going to have them slide in an upper and lower track?

I used the plastic track and it works great. Masonite cuts clean with a decent 40 tooth blade in a table saw, or equivalent in a skill saw. If you are using upper and lower tracks, I would install tracks, then I would cut and fit Masonite to tracks first so you get them the way you want, and Masonite is dirt cheap if you have any issues. Once fitted to track I would laminate, and use a flush cut trim bit, with the cut edge of the Masonite as your guide.

Thanks for the suggestions. I was going to make a few test cuts and compare the edges, but after the first cut with the track saw, I was satisfied with the edge. So I went ahead with the steps as pjmariner suggested. Thanks! The carcass has two aluminum C-channels sitting in dados for the door tracks, I've attached a photo below.

I read this thread front to back and I gotta say, you do some serious work man!!

I’m also a sucker for MCM and vintage BMW’s, though my current project is a VW. I’m also from the Denver area! Were we separated at birth? Ha!

Anyway, keep it up, these cabinets are giving me some serious inspiration!


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Thanks for the encouragement! Definitely brothers from different mothers! I'm still a fan of VWs

Here's a close-up photo of the two aluminum channels sitting in the dado. I have taller/deeper ones for the upper channels. I'm still wondering if the narrow strip of wood will hold up over time - if the ply delaminates, there won't be anything holding the channels in place. But by doing it this way the cabinets all have a consistent look with the exposed edges.

Here's how things look from the garage door. The cabinets on the right are the ones that just got their sliding masonite doors. I still need to figure out the finger pulls. I might just bore a hole and call it done.

Another view of the cabinets. You can see the notch in the beam that a PO made for the opener track... and the subsequent straps. Brilliant.

Last thing for today - the last section of siding is up above the countertop.

 

[anth]

It's coming together so well, and nice to see a shot from the garage door to get an idea of how the space is coming together.

 

[kwyjibo]

It's coming together so well, and nice to see a shot from the garage door to get an idea of how the space is coming together.

Thanks!
That photo also shows my big problem: I don't have a good place to store the seats.

I finished some more doors and shelves this weekend. Also, I did just bore finger holes in the sliding masonite doors.

 

[Matt Johnson]

That photo also shows my big problem: I don't have a good place to store the seats.

I don't see the problem

In the Car
Or
In the Living Room

That's what I tell'em, but maybe that's easier when your single

I've really enjoyed everything you are doing & showing in this thread.
Gives me great ideas, inspiration & asperations for the future.
Keep up the great work!

sent from a desktop pc in my MCM "Flying Wing" Tri-Level w/'82 Black Tie Edition Rabbit in the garage

 

[kwyjibo]

I don't see the problem

In the Car
Or
In the Living Room

That's what I tell'em, but maybe that's easier when your single

I've really enjoyed everything you are doing & showing in this thread.
Gives me great ideas, inspiration & asperations for the future.
Keep up the great work!

sent from a desktop pc in my MCM "Flying Wing" Tri-Level w/'82 Black Tie Edition Rabbit in the garage

Thanks for the encouragement! Any photos of the house? or Rabbit? I've seen a few flying wing style houses when I visit in-laws around the Sea-Tac area. Any chance that you're around either Lynnwood or Tacoma?

I have the original seats for a couple cars sitting around because I prefer to use the Scheel sport seats. The bench that some of the seats are sitting on is too big and needs to go and our house is too small to store seats (and the wife wouldn't like it. At all.) I'm looking into making a shed once I get the landscaping and painting done....

And just to break up the cabinet monotony, here's a photo of an Akita that I met while checking out something automotive this past week. She looks and acts like our old girl did.

 

[kwyjibo]

Quick update.
My new jackshaft opener was delivered - I need to modify a few things but I hope to have it working this week.
I took some left overs and made one last half-height cabinet. I've decided that I won't use masonite doors for the stereo cabinet project. The four taller doors have warped enough that they aren't sliding freely. The shorter ones are also warping but not as much and they're still working well.

I've started to paint the door with the Gulf Racing arrow from the Siffert/Redman Targa Florio car.

A local Cars and Coffee was revived by a friend this morning. It was cold but the location is less than a mile from home. And there was no snow predicted for the morning. So I drove the Carrera over. The photo is not mine, it's from a C&C group post

 

[Coloradical]

The old Kmart right?


Also did you see this in the classifieds?

 

[amalik]

If that’s the Monaco and Evans old Kmart, we’re basically neighbors


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[kwyjibo]

The old Kmart right?

Also did you see this in the classifieds?

If that’s the Monaco and Evans old Kmart, we’re basically neighbors

Yes, that's the abandoned Kmart. We are neighbors! - did you happen to notice an unusual number of Mclarens, import tuners, Ferraris, etc running through the area?
Thanks for pointing that out Coloradical, I wish I had more space.

I started installing the garage door opener but didn't get very far. It looks like the spring is wound in the opposite orientation, attached photo. I think it's because of the low ceiling, the spring is mounted too close to the door tracks and it's wound "backwards" to get an angle that pulls the door up higher. If the spring is reversed, the cable wouldn't pull the door high enough (red line in the photo).

The problem is where/how to mount the cable tension monitor? Because the cable comes off from the far side of the wheel the cable is about 5-6" from the wall when the door is down. When the door is up, the cable goes away from the wheel (like in the photo). There is no way that the monitor could be mounted like in the instructions without getting ripped off the wall the first time the door opens. I'm thinking that if I mount the monitor backwards and on the inner side of the cable (green X in the photo), it would do it's job.
Any ideas?

 

[Rockcam]

Kwyjibo: Not sure I've chimed in yet, but I love your project and thread. I too am a MCM fan and have worked for a major MCM furniture manufacturer for many years.

In my old house (1920’s Tudor Revival), they had to defeat the tension monitor in my liftmaster to make it work with the super low ceiling and torsion spring. Can’t recall how he did it, but it was not actually in tension ever, rather being off to the side with some device holding the tensioning wheel in the right position.

If you are confident that it will be safe without the monitor, that may work for your application too.

 

[kwyjibo]

Kwyjibo: Not sure I've chimed in yet, but I love your project and thread. I too am a MCM fan and have worked for a major MCM furniture manufacturer for many years.

In my old house (1920’s Tudor Revival), they had to defeat the tension monitor in my liftmaster to make it work with the super low ceiling and torsion spring. Can’t recall how he did it, but it was not actually in tension ever, rather being off to the side with some device holding the tensioning wheel in the right position.

If you are confident that it will be safe without the monitor, that may work for your application too.

Thanks Rockcam! Based on your location, I think that we may have some of your company's stuff in our house.
The reverse-sprung door is turning out to be a real headache - I didn't think about it until I was halfway through installing the opener, but the torsion spring and the opener would be working in opposite directions. In other words, if the opener turns the tube clockwise to open, the torsion spring turns the tube counterclockwise to open. Once I got everything roughed in, I gave it a test: sure enough, when the opener 'thinks' its opening the door, it's actually trying to close it. Dang. I think it might be best to correct the spring and figure out a way for it to open the door as much as possible.

 

[kwyjibo]

I had a garage door guy out this week to reverse the spring. Well worth the cost because I had the new opener installed and working in 20min once the door was in the right configuration. The old opener is moving to the adjacent garage because it's a few years newer than the one in there. The ceiling is already a lot cleaner without the opener, the track and the wires for the outlet. Next up: repair the cut-out at the center the (structural) beam.

Here's how it looks now (ignore the "roughed in" wires for the opener, I'm going back to trim later)

 

[LaCorski]

Any chance you can have a local "garage door guy" come look at reversing the spring? I have two of those style openers side by side and they work great! I see what you mean about the reversely hung spring, its opposite of what those openers need. Nothing done right is EVER easy!

 

[Rockcam]

Actually I’m with the other one - starts with a “K.”

Glad you got the opener figured out - I think you’ll like it!

 

[kwyjibo]

The jack shaft opener has been part of my plans from the beginning but now that it's finally done, I'm kicking myself for not installing it much sooner. It's only been two days, but we're really happy with it: it's quieter and the notifications are reassuring. More importantly the lack of the track means that I was able to repair the notched beam. The paint is still drying, but here's the beam (I still need to sister the last couple feet on the right after I replace the clerestory windows)

 

[kwyjibo]

The black tape order came in today's mail so I finished the door. Keeping in line with the original racing spirit, the paint is definitely a 20-footer.

 

[Arclitgold]

Keep it going! This is one of my favorite garage designs and I love the mid century theme


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[Growlertdi]

The black tape order came in today's mail so I finished the door. Keeping in line with the original racing spirit, the paint is definitely a 20-footer.

Is there a reason the Arrow is not centered on the door? Like was it not centered on the original racing cars and you are following suit, or do you just like to see how many people on the internet you can trigger.. LOL

either way, I like what you are doing, more curious than

 

[smschriefer]

The Porsche 908 that raced at the 74 Targa Florio only had the arrow on one side.

 

[Jo3l]

I love it! And the more "character" the better

 

[kwyjibo]

Thanks for the kind words
The arrow is offset intentionally... maybe to mimic the car. Maybe to trigger....
Actually, here's a good photo of the arrow on the Bell and Siffert 908/3 '71 Nurburgring car. It's wearing a different endurance front end with headlights.

 

[Growlertdi]

Awesome way to pay tribute. I have no concerns about the off center arrow now.

Looking forward to what you do in the future.

 

[kwyjibo]

Awesome way to pay tribute. I have no concerns about the off center arrow now.

Looking forward to what you do in the future.

Thanks Growler! I've attached a photo, cropped to show the view that was the original inspiration for the door. I was going to further agitate by painting a small green patch across the bottom left side. But when I put pen to paper it really disturbed my OCD.

 

[Buzz Lightyear]

I think you should paint the louvers and the duct from the car on the door too!

 

[kwyjibo]

I think you should paint the louvers and the duct from the car on the door too!

I wish that I had the artistic talent to not mess that up. I have learned that paint is not my friend.

I had the electrician by this week to get power to the single-car garage. And after a bit of work now have instant daylight in there and a couple of wall sconces on the exterior. This garage is actually a walled in carport and the wall on the right is built on the slab. I need to rebuild it because the bottom is rotting. When it gets rebuilt, it'll also move in about 12" to the location of the original posts are - you can see one of them in the photo, painted white. Oh, and the door will also be moving over a couple feet.

I've moved on to finishing the trim in the main garage. The I-beam is now boxed in to make it look like all the other beams (that are wood).

And most of the trim, that matches the trim on the house, is up. Now I need to figure out how to best trim around the windows and doors.

 

[kwyjibo]

We have a blizzard today in Colorado but inside the garage isn't so bad. I'm working on putting up siding and trim around the Gulf door. The paint is still drying, but here's how it looked this morning.

I hope to have better updates later this week.

 

[kwyjibo]

Here's a small update on the Gulf doorway. I got more siding and trim up.

....But the big update is this:

More details later

 

[Arclitgold]

Whaaaaa!? Don’t leave us hanging!


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[smschriefer]

Things are looking good and I agree that baiting us with the Porsche pic has to be against the Geneva Convention.

Question regarding the light switches by the door. Have you thought about swapping the white switches out for some black ones to make them disappear? Either that or see if you can find some in industrial orange.

Looking forward to your next update.

 

[kwyjibo]

Whaaaaa!? Don’t leave us hanging!


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Things are looking good and I agree that baiting us with the Porsche pic has to be against the Geneva Convention.

Question regarding the light switches by the door. Have you thought about swapping the white switches out for some black ones to make them disappear? Either that or see if you can find some in industrial orange.

Looking forward to your next update.

Here ya go Steve, I went with the opposite of disappearing

sorry guys, didn't mean to leave you hanging. Yesterday was a long day. Actually, it started on Friday night when a friend (and automotive co-conspirator) called to tell me that the 1971 Conda green 911T that I had inspected earlier was available again and the seller was willing to talk, knowing my previous offer/max price. It was "sold" a while back, but problems with the buyer put an end to that sale. I knew that there was another prospective buyer with a bag of cash handy (very literally, a bag of cash!) so we moved fast to get it out of the seller's garage. I arranged for a meeting with the seller, and just in case, for transport to show up a while later. A deal was cut and before I had loaded all the parts into the boxes, the flatbed arrived. We rushed to get everything loaded and got out of there. The car and parts made the trek across town safely and got tucked away in my friend's garage where the last photo was taken. I got home with enough time to clean up, eat and make a post before leaving for evening plans.

So, what do I know about the car's history? The seller bought the car as a non-running project in 2006 from an elderly widow. He rolled the car into his garage, put it up on stands, and dropped the engine. He did have a local shop diagnose the non-op problem but he decided to rebuild since it was already out. And then he ignored it for 13 years. I confirmed the story with the shop because the shop he went to happens to be run by my friends and they remember trying to convince him to just make the repairs. No paperwork came with the sale.

From the first inspection I knew that the car was originally Conda green under the rattle can black paint. It's not much to look at but there is minimal rust and despite the lack of supporting paperwork, I believe the odometer's sub 90k mileage. The motor and trans numbers are both within the correct range for '71. The interior was "updated" but the remaining pieces that I think are original indicate that it was black. I'll confirm that when I start dismantling/cataloging later. There are enough correct parts to suggest that the car had the S appearance group option. Porsche recently changed their process of obtaining Certificates of Authenticity such that an authorized tech at a specialized dealership (Porsche Classic Center) needs to inspect the car. The CoA is the way that most people get original build information prior to restoring. Now it seems that you're supposed to restore it and then ask Porsche if you did it right? I get that some people have abused the CoA info to create "matching-numbers" cars, but this seems a bit backwards.

First time moving in over a dozen years - too bad it's not under its own power

And another angle in the garage. I'll get over to the garage later to start a more detailed inspection.

And, I'll end with an aspirational photo: I hope a couple years of work will look something like this

 

[Arclitgold]

Wow I can’t wait to see what you do with it! Will you keep that build thread intermingled here?


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[Growlertdi]

X2 ^^ Keep it here

 

[kwyjibo]

Yes, I'll post the work here. But I won't get to it for a while - I promised my wife that I'll finish the house before I start focusing on the car. I'll be collecting parts for the restoration in the meantime.

 

[kwyjibo]

I've been putting off some projects for a while, re-siding the original part of the garage is one of them. It was supposed to be rain and snow free this week so I decided the time had come. The wall was a mix of new siding in grey and the old part in green and there was a short section of exposed tyvek that separated the two. The original siding was rotting at the base because the siding went a few inches below grade. The first step was to move the landscaping rocks and remove a few inches of dirt. Here's how it looked when I started pulling trim.

After a couple days of cooking in the sun, the wall is all new siding and painted. I'm working on the windows and trim now.

 

[Arclitgold]

Looks great! I’ve always loved the look of that siding


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[kwyjibo]

Looks great! I’ve always loved the look of that siding


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Thanks! My neighbors got excited that the wall looked "finished"... and then I disappointed them when I put up plywood and plastic sheeting while I waited for new insulated panes.

quick update. I put up more siding and trim, but the big update will come soon because the new windows got delivered. I was going to install them today but since we're expecting blizzard conditions tomorrow and I didn't think that I could finish the job today, I'm putting it off. Not much to see but here they are: