It's Never Enough (Vintage Pickup Help)

[theneek]

I recently moved to the state of Washington for a job promotion. Along with bettering our living quarters, it was time for a garage upgrade. You'll see that we outgrew our last vehicular storage facility. Now we have a 4 car garage 2x2 that has.... 4 cars in it. I do light fab work. The bronze BMW that you see had quite a bit of rear end sheetmetal work and 2 of the 4 cars we own are projects. I'm hoping to sequester one of the corners for fabrication. As you can see, it's a smidge tight. The 56' Ford is in front of a small plywood covered work bench the previous owner created. I'm looking for a good way to take the truck apart and store the pieces so that they do not deteriorate. Namely the frame. I can make a cab dolly for the cab (I've seen the one my father did) so I can roll it around the garage. I'm looking for some insight into fender and frame storage. I have a small shed in the backyard where I might be able to squeeze the fenders hood and tailgate, but it's definitely not large enough for the frame.

I don't think putting it outside would be a wise decision here with all the rain, and I know the wife wouldn't take too kindly to a ford pickup frame next to her garden beds. Anyone ever tackled this dilemma? Thanks!

I promise, better photos soon.

 

[Stuart in MN]

If the chassis will be torn down to the bare frame you could probably store it on edge against the wall.

Is the light blue BMW an e3? Nice collection you have there.

 

[theneek]

If the chassis will be torn down to the bare frame you could probably store it on edge against the wall.

Is the light blue BMW an e3? Nice collection you have there.

Thanks for the reply. I was thinking about leaning it against a wall, just curious if anyone has done something crafty to keep it secure or free up wall space.

It's an E3 (good eye). A Bavaria, my wife's car, and our next project.

 

[JSBriggs]

Is this is your first stint in the PNW? If you store anything in a shed, make sure there is adequate ventilation, as things can still rust in there, and what ever you do avoid tarps as those trap the moisture as well.

-Jeff

 

[theneek]

Is this is your first stint in the PNW? If you store anything in a shed, make sure there is adequate ventilation, as things can still rust in there, and what ever you do avoid tarps as those trap the moisture as well.

-Jeff

Yeah, first stint. Thanks for the advice. Luckily everything car related is in the garage at the moment. But we keep the ventilation windows open in the shed (I think I read about that somewhere).

 

[ishiboo]

Thanks for the reply. I was thinking about leaning it against a wall, just curious if anyone has done something crafty to keep it secure or free up wall space.

It's an E3 (good eye). A Bavaria, my wife's car, and our next project.

Get a rotisserie which comes in very handy when doing body work, especially on the old BMWs That way you can turn it and put it up against the wall. Won't gain you much room, but with your vertical height that's about all you can do without expanding the garage.

The Bavaria is a great driver, and the original Hella high beams are just about the best headlights I've ever seen on a car Should really have kept mine.

 

[LEVE]

It's time to build a shop...

 

[Stuart in MN]

It's an E3 (good eye). A Bavaria, my wife's car, and our next project.

Nice cars, several of my friends have them. I have two e30 325ix's and one e28 M535i myself.

 

[theneek]

It's time to build a shop...

true words

 

[Packard V8]

Yes, you've got barely enough vehicle storage and no work area. What is overhead?

For those who've never been in the PNW, it consists of three major climate zones:

1. Only the first fifty miles from the coast is a rain forest. The Olympic and Cascade ranges knock all the water out of the clouds off the ocean. Seattle only sees the sun 60-70 days a year. It doesn't actually get that much volume of rain, just nagging incessant drizzle and fog from October through April. However, on those 60 sunny days, Seattle is one of the prettiest cities in the world.

2. The next 250 miles is desert. The Columbia River runs through it and irrigation projects allow farming for apples, cherries, hay, onions, potatoes. The world's most productive soft white wheat growing area.

3. Just as Washington meets Idaho, the third mountain range begins and it starts to see some rain again.

jack vines

 

[theneek]

Yes, you've got barely enough vehicle storage and no work area. What is overhead?

jack vines

The house

Check that. I guess the first 5 feet or so (above the bronze bmw and audi) is the truss space you see in the first photo for the roof.

P.S. I live in region numero uno.

 

[ihredo4]

Looks to me that you may have room over head in there to put the bare frame. Rig up a set of rope and pulleys and lift the frame up to the roof. Probably would have to rotate it so its parallel to the garage door so it will fit in a bit tighter to the roof. Then use 4 turnbuckles attached to the frame and to anchor points in the roof to hold it there.

 

[bazzateer]

However, on those 60 sunny days, Seattle is one of the prettiest cities in the world.

Seattle is the only part of the US I've been to, but what a great city! Loved it and will definitely go back again one day.

 

[rodknocker]

I think before you tear your truck apart,plan it out.Are you going to use the original frame or go with something newer etc....What about doing one project at a time and put the other in storage.Just think it out for awhile.

 

[theneek]

I think before you tear your truck apart,plan it out.Are you going to use the original frame or go with something newer etc....What about doing one project at a time and put the other in storage.Just think it out for awhile.

A valid point.

I know we'll be doing the Bavaria next and then the ford. I haven't done much work on looking into what I'm going to use from the Ford, I just assumed I'd keep everything for the time being. The truck is my brother-in-laws, who passed away about 4 years ago. The wife and I are going to build it as a tribute because he always wanted to see it done. I'm a bit lost on it, but we'll figure it out.

 

[Bellicose]

What ever you do DO NOT leave the E3 outside, it will disappear before your eyes lol.

This is a pic' of my parts car, wasn't too bad when i got it but after 5 months outside it looked like this.

And a pic of my 2 together.

 

[theneek]

^^^^ Nice. I love the alpine white.

And since this is kind of an introduction thread. Here is our 1981 BMW 320i.

That's Me ^^^

 

[ChristopherLutz]

This may not be a "good" idea...but, it's what I did.

I have a 3 car garage, and have torn a 65 truck down to the frame. I stored many of the smaller parts up in the attic. Fenders, etc.

They really aren't that heavy when spread across a couple of ceiling joists and they are most certainly out of the way.

This won't solve your "where do I work" problem...but - hopefully, it helps a little.

 

[APEowner]

When I did my Model A I hung the frame from the rafters of the little one car garage I was renting at the time.

 

[jabberwoki]

Welcome to the rain!

 

[19GMC63]

*** on wheels.