Hot Rod Diner in SoCal

[HotRodChef]

This is my 3-car (OK... one Car, two Bikes and my collection junk) Garage. It gives me a place to relax and tinker with projects. I've named it the Hot Rod Diner. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

 

[Dan in Pasadena]

Your place rocks. I'd most definitely trade my junk for your junk!��

 

[JC23]

Where did ya get that cabinet thing with the words on it (Hot Rod Diner)?

 

[sooperdave]

Nice

 

[colt zantop]

cool place! I really like all the route 66 stuff and the mini gas pump!

 

[naki kid]

Very Very nice, Like what was said before love the junk Ray.

 

[Souljer]

Hi,

I can't believe I found this/ you posted this at this time.

I'm right at the beginning of re-modeling my apartment which is also my shop. I just told a friend the other day that I'd like it to be my garage/ workspace on one end with a diner booth for hanging out on another wall. I did not think of it but what I meant is a "Hot Rod Diner".

Thanks for giving me a pre-visual to study and work with.

I was thinking of a shuffle board... wait, I'm running out of room again.
It's all great though. Thanks for the inspiration.

 

[GOLF for LIFE]

Nice! You also have very good taste in the 1966 Malibu convert. I had a '66 2 DR. in Marine blue miss it very much.

 

[Zeke]

That's it. I'm moving my old Vendo Coke machine to the garage.

 

[The Hot Rod Grille]

I really like the neon clock and Hot Rod Diner sign on the top of the shelf unit.

Jim

 

[L84ARACE]

Count me in as another who likes the sign above the cabinet. Awesome place!

 

[cyberguypr]

Awesome. If you crop some of the pics a little you can't even tell it's a garage.

 

[Motown 454]

Very Nice setup. It looks like some good time can be had there.

 

[Falcon67]

Now that's a hangout.

 

[Omphaloskeptic]

HotRodChef,

Hey, I've got that same 'jukebox' that you have sitting on the booth table! Your hangout is definitely 'California Cool', and even the Fonz would give you the thumbs-up and say - "Whoa!!!.....AYYY!"

 

[Bryan83taco]

Great looking garage man!

 

[Kevin54]

The shelf or cubby's caught my eye. I like that for a display shelf.

I can see right now that a rework of my garage is in order. I have a folder that I save garage picture ideas in to. It'll be a budget redo, but I see a few things in my future, and I think this shelf will be one of them.

BTW...pull the Chevelle outside and let's have a few pics of it. My BIL had one identical to it.

 

[CitadelBlue]

Wow..... this looks great, but often does the maid come by to clean all of nooks and cubbyholes ........

 

[Mmfh]

Nice looking place! And best of all, is that Chevelle!!

I'd spend all of my time in the Hot Rod Diner, at least my wife would know where I'm at.

 

[softailgarage]

Nice Garage! Is that a Panhead I see ? How about the other scooter?

 

[thomask]

I agree on that cool cabinet and Hot Rod Diner sign....Neat display area, I want one, too.

Where did you get the plan?

 

[HotRodChef]

Thanks all for the nice comments. The diner booth is what started it all... my wife rescued them from a place that was closing down at the beach. The cabinets were homemade (just finished so the maid hasn't come by yet.) They have tracks for glass doors which hopefully will cut down on the dust. They are just 3/4" plywood construction designed to hold plastic storage bins below. I've always loved old handmade signs with jigsaw cutout plywood letters so the top was done just for fun. I'll post a scan of the drawing I did with the dimensions.

 

[HotRodChef]

Here's a post on the cabinets with a couple of "before" shots... http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showpost.php?p=2250705&postcount=325

 

[HotRodChef]

Softtail: Both bikes are "turn of the Century" (2000-2009) production bikes made by Vengeance Motorcycles in Riverside, CA. Some say these were "dark" days in the m/c world when about 50K "cookie cutter" choppers were built. These are two of them. Hand assembled and hand painted these are based on the HD Sofftail frame design with S&S 113ci motors. I ride them to work.

 

[82_454_shorty]

Lots of great ideas and some very cool rides!

 

[HotRodChef]

Lasko Shop Fan Restoration Begins

Here's my latest project a Lasko fan made in the 60's. This was a gift from a friend who was throwing stuff out. It moves air like a champ and is quiet. Last weekend I disassembled, chemical stripped (Easy-Off did you know people clean their ovens with this stuff?) wire brushed and primed the sheet metal.

 

[HotRodChef]

Lasko Shop Fan Restore

Last weekend I rattle canned a couple of coats of color on the Lasko. The paint is Krylon "Catalina Mist" its interesting because it is a matte finish. At first I wasn't sure but its growing one me. After setting up the U-Haul Paint Booth (people use these to store clothing... go figure) and shooting a couple of coats of paint I moved the parts over to my drying rack (people use these to play foosball... go figure). I took the wire guards to the chrome shop and after they stopped laughing at me they said they would see what they could do. The former owner of the fan stopped by say hi and after she saw the fan she had that "I want my fan back" look in her eye.

 

[eborcim]

Nice looking place. What's the story on the Chevelle?

 

[HotRodChef]

My wife and I grew up back east we flew to LA in '85 with $3K in our pockets to buy a car and drive it home. Found it in East LA, second owner, drove it to PA and brought it back to CA when we moved here in '88. Its an original 283ci car w/o any options. Its as base a convertible as you could get. My wife drove it everyday for 15 years shuttling our kids to school (no mini-vans for her.) It got a 350ci crate motor a couple years ago and has had pieces and parts replaced/repaired as needed. Its a driver, not a show car for sure. But its our baby.

 

[softailgarage]

Nice, also diggin the Chevelle. Give me a holler if you're ever San Diego bound.

 

[Dphilly]

great garage! also im betting your friend might be an indian giver fairly soon..

 

[GN4WHLN]

Love the shop and the Chevelle! Looks like a great place to hang out and do some bench racin'.

 

[don long]

It's fun to have a place to hang like a diner
I too dig the cabinet it really makes the diner jump
does the black & white tile cover the entire garage?
where are you putting that cool fan?
If you head for riverside on the bike holler at me
Don

 

[HotRodChef]

Hey Don The B&W covers the entire garage it was the 1st thing we did when we moved in. The fan has feet and will roam around the floor where ever it is needed. Thanks for the invite!