Mantopia on a Budget.....

[BigKev]

I am new here, but I thought I would post pictures of my own garage project.

My wife and I bought this (our first) house about 2 years ago. I had bought a '54 Packard Clipper to restore. The car was in pretty rough shape when I found her, but that is what I wanted so I could teach myself all the aspects of restoring one these old cars. So she let me have the entire garage for this process.

The house and garage were built in 1959 and are typical of a California ranch style home from that period. The garage is attached to the front of the house, but has no other door other that the main roll up door. The garage only had 1 double outlet for power that was shared with the bedrooms on the shared attached wall.

Also the garage has really ceiling rafters. It has a vaulted type celing with just 4 or 5 rafter coming across for stability, and a single rafter coming the other way to tie them all together. It does have the standard roof rafters, the roof was covered in 1x6 boards, with asphault shingles on top of that. That is the standard construction for just about all the garges in this neighborhood. While I like the open feeling of the celing, it gives you no overhead storage.

So the first thing I did was build 3' x 8' loft that is lag bolted into the wall studs about 7' off the floor. I am 6'4" so this allows be to walk under it without banging my head, and yet I can reach most things without needing a ladder or step stool. I later built another one that run the length of the back wall and comes out 24".

The next issue was the electrical. I ran a 50amp subpanel into the garage. I needed a 20amp dedicated feed for the Craftmens Professional Compressor. I also ran an abundance of outlets along attached wall as that is where a workbench runs the length of that wall.

I ran another circuit for the ceilling lights and garage door opener, and finally another circuit for outlets along the other two walls.

I also installed electrical and air reels from the ceiling. So it I always have electrical and air at a moments notice, and the hoses and cords selfwind back up into the ceiling.

The wifey has been pretty supportive. She has replaced all my off-shore china made tool with their Craftsmen version over the last year or so. She recently bought me a set of Gladiator Garage cabinets. I have those mounted right now, but they will come down soon as I need to sheath the inside of the garage to finish it out. Here are the current (and messy) pictures. I have no other storage except a small shed I built in the backyard. So I have to move stuff around in the garage as I work it.

Hopefully the next pictures I will post will be after the walls are finished.

 

[Bib Overalls]

A lot of very nice cars have been built in garages like yours. The trick is to work smart and find inovative ways to store the things you need but don't use every day.

Finishing out the walls and painting them in a light color will make a big difference. If you don't finish the ceilings consider spraying the exposed rafters and the exposed undersides of your roof with white paint. This is a messy job. But it is not expensive to do and will have a big payback.

 

[BigKev]

Thanks for the advice. I appreciate it. I do like the look of natural wood of the ceiling. After 50 years it has a very nice seasoned look to it. So I may leave everything natural looking that is above the wall top plates.

I do plan on painting the walls a very light gray (almost white), and the loft will get painted also to match. I think eventually I will frame out the loft a bit more so they look like cabinets with door that will close off the look of all that clutter.

The loft has been a godsend in getting the stuff up off the floor. The front fenders on that Packard are abour 5' long, 3' tall and about 2' wide. Those took up a huge amount of room. So those, the lawn equiptment, and other non-car related things are stored out in the mini-barn style shed in the backyard that I built earlier in the year.

I think I am going the finish the walls in 1/4" plywood. It will be far more durable than the drywall, and once primed in painted should look pretty good. Plus it will serve as a good base for the wall track system, and I wont have to search for a stud every time I want to hang something. Later I may cover all the walls in Slat Wall. So this will provide a good base for that.

Everything is time and money. So I have to balance how much I can spend on the garage remodel vs the money needed for the car. I want to get the car drivable by next summer. I spent the last summer stripping the engine and front frame to get it ready for refinish. The motor is all done and painted. That long straight eight cast iron motor looked like something that was recovered from the Titanic. It sure looks great now.

 

[DynoDave]

Very well organized BigKev! And I love your choice of projects too! That big Packard is going to be a lot of fun when you are done. Just "ask the man who owns one"!

 

[BigKev]

Thanks Dave, I really do like just about anything Packard.

It has been an interesting journey so far. One of the things that came out of it was me setting up one of the largest Packard driven community sites on the web. Just a bunch of other Packard owners helping one another. Kind of like this website.

 

[comp]

 

[72blckbuty]

It looks like it's coming together nicely! I love all the new tools and the storage. A light colored paint on the walls and the ceiling is definitely the way to go. Good luck on your future progress.

 

[BigKev]

Well I managed to get 15 sheets of plywood to the house yesterday. The plywood I got is sanded so I would not have that much prep work to get nice walls. I am about 2/3rd of the way done.

Here is one of the finished sides. Excuse the mess. I had to pull everything away from the walls. So there is stuff everywhere!

The Gladiator Gear Track system I have will cover the long horizontal seem in the plywood (which is 56" off the slab). Also the another row of Gear Track will **** up against the bottom of the loft.

Once the walls are done, then I will also sheet the bottom of the storage loft also. I will use some 1/4 round moulding to finish the corners and and the bottom of the walls where the plywood meets the footings. Hopefully I get get all the wood work done tomorrow. Then I need to prime it with Kilz, and then then roll the paint out.

 

[mhoffm911]

What made you decide on plywood versus drywall? Was it for easy of installation, cost or wanting to be able to hang things anywhere?

 

[BigKev]

Easy of installation, ability to hang things anywhere, and plus it can can take a hit better.

The plywood was $12 a sheet. I have no other storage to move out the things currently in my garage. So the thought of mudding and tapping joints and the dust from the required sanding wasnt something I wanted to deal with.

I managed to sheet 2/3rds of the unfinished walls by myself in 4 hours. Once complete, I can prime and paint right away with no sanding.

So to me, it was the quickest and cheapest way to get the walls covered so I am get the garage back in order, and get back to work on my car.

 

[mhoffm911]

I think it looks good, but I was somewhat concerned about the flammability of wood versus drywall?

Is there any sort of paint that provides fire retardation?

I currently have OSB on 2 out of 3 walls and am seriously considering its' removal. I plan on drywalling my walls, so may end up putting the drywall up right over the OSB. This would provide some flame retardant and better grip for hanging things in case I miss a stud.

I have to take the OSB down to run some electrical wires next week and put in more insulation, so will make the decision at that time as to what is going back up.

 

[BigKev]

Well I am done with the garage for now.

I still need to install one more row of Gear Track along the back wall to cover the horizontal plywood seam, and then do a little bit of trim work. Then I need to patch and skim coat the old drywall, and then prime and paint the entire garage. But all of that will wait till after the holidays.

It is starting to look way better and for now most it is organized and but away. I still have a few things I need to find a home for.

Perhaps now I can get back to work on the car!!!

and the toolboxes got a bit more organized also...

 

[daddylama]

the garage will do nicely... many a great car has been built in the typical 2 car garage...

and i do love seein' a Packard in progress!

I sold a '55 Clipper Constellation in pretty poor shape to a guy out your way (in Norco), about 7 or 8 years ago. pulled it out of a barn in Indiana, where chickens had been roosting in it, along with a '53 Hudson. Both cars had re-worked floorboards and trunk floors... looked a lot like some Southern cars I've found, that had been runnin' 'shine... dunno of the hooch was run in Indy all that much, and don't think it was a dry state in the 50s... but coulda been some good home-made stuff...

the Constellation was sold to a guy named Lenard, who owned a couple early 50s convertibles (one in the midst of a resto, the other in dire need of one)

 

[BigKev]

Norco is just around the corner from me. I will have to keep a look out for that '55. I pulled the '54 out of a storage yard. It needs new floorboard due to leaking door seals, the carpet held that moisture against the floors for just way to long.

I bought it as a project. I write software all day, so it's nice to come home and work on something mechanical. I keep telling my wife that all of this work I have been doing on the garage will make it easier to work on the car. At least she is onboard. She is the one that has bought me all new tools. The compressor is my favorite thing.....and the GearWrenches are a close second!

The last big piece I want to get for the garage is a blast cabinet. To this point I have stripped the engine, carb, fuel pump, front frame assemble and other assorted part down to bare metal with a wire wheel on a die grinder. I am so greatfull that I live exactly 1 mile from a Harbor Freight were wire wheels are cheap and plentiful. The engine has been repainted, fuel and carb rebuilt. Fabricated a custom heavy duty bracket to hold a GM alternator to replace the 6v Generator. Currently I have all the braking system apart. Everything there has to be replaced. The brake lines, master cylinder, and wheelcylinders are toast. I spend the first year locating all the missing parts, and do extensive research. Which then spawned into me creating (with the helps of tons of other Packard owners) one of the largest Packard Information websites on the web.

Hopefully this weekend I can get back in the garage and get some serious work done on the car. I want to get as much as I can done during the nice California winter, before the searing summer heat returns.

 

[bluesman2a]

I bought it as a project. I write software all day, so it's nice to come home and work on something mechanical. I keep telling my wife that all of this work I have been doing on the garage will make it easier to work on the car. At least she is onboard. She is the one that has bought me all new tools.

Wow, that story sounds familiar. I build case management systems all day and manage developers. Sometimes it's nice just to come home and have something you can put your hands on and work with. When you're done you can point to it and say "I did that." My wife is also on the same wavelength... She enables my vices

Nice looking space/projects you have there.

 

[Freejack]

Easy of installation, ability to hang things anywhere, and plus it can can take a hit better.

The plywood was $12 a sheet. I have no other storage to move out the things currently in my garage. So the thought of mudding and tapping joints and the dust from the required sanding wasnt something I wanted to deal with.

A little late now, but I was going to suggest 1/2 OSB instead of 1/4 ply. Sure it doesn't look quite as nice, but chalked and painted with a gloss white, it does look pretty decent, can handle a hit better, and is usually cheaper than ply (right now its cheaper than drywall too).

Jake

 

[geordie]

Coming together nicely. Mantopia on a budget.......I'm in the same boat. Check out my recent thread in General Discussion, Small Garage Tips for the Man on a Budget. Plywood makes a big difference. What size compressor do you typically need to run a blast cabinet?

 

[Kevin54]

I plan on drywalling my walls, so may end up putting the drywall up right over the OSB.

I did that on the house garage. Makes it really nice for running in the drywall screws.

BigKev.....I like the looks of the plywood. It kind of gives me an idea though. I need a new ceiling in the house garage as the drywall seams have all cracked from being done incorrectly to begin with. If I could find sheets that cheap, a little stain, some polyurethane over that, a few beams it would make a pretty sharp wood ceiling. Grid it off into 4' x 4' squares That's what I like about this site. Just one little thing can change a persons approach on what to do to the man domain. As far as your ceiling situation, to clean it up without painting it white, you could always hang vinyl soffit. The weight would not be an issue, it would clean up the old rafters and give you a nice bright overhead. Just a thought. BTW...your garage is coming along great. Really a vast improvement in a short amount of time. Also, how much room behind and in front of the car with the door closed? Looks like it takes up everything from stem to stern.

Kevin

 

[BigKev]

The Packard is a Loooooog car. The front frame rails are about 4" from the door when closed. But I have about 2 feet of space behind the car to walk. To even get that amount of room I had to take off the front bumper.

My house was built in '59. The cars back there were alot bigger than todays cars. I just cant imagine how they fit them in there. With the bumper on, I would have about 14" of free space.

The car is on jackstands as you can see, but when I have it on the ground, it sits on a set of car skates so I can move it around the garage easily.

I am glad that I dont not have to share the garage space with a water heater, washer, dryer or anything like that. Only thing in there is an upright freezer.

The compressor drives all of my air tools without any problem. Currently it runs a rubber line up the wall and across the ceiling to a reel that is hanging from the center of the garage. You can get different nozzels for a blast cabinet that let it work with lower CFM ratings. I bought a compressor that was uses oil lubrication as there are quiter than the non-oil versions. This is one of the quietest compressor I have run across. The wall where it is stored is shared with my kids bedroom. So I needed one that was not that loud. Plus it had very good reviews. I did alot of research before I bought it. It's running on on a 115 20 amp dedicated circuit. But it is 220 convertable.

 

[REFLEXX]

Big Kev!

A Riverside Local! I thought I was the only one. I'm near Limonite and Van Buren, where you at?

 

[BigKev]

I am near Adams and Arlington. Nice to see another local!

 

[BigKev]

REFLEXX,

Nice machine shop you have there. I took a look at your website. I will have to remember that as I made need a few custom things made for the Packard as the project moves along. I may have to get some quotes from you on a couple of things!

 

[BigKev]

I figure my thread could use a little update, so here we go:

Not much was been happening with the garage because I have been busy with the holidays. I did manage to take all the holiday decorations that were stored in rag-tag boxes up in the Loft, move them into plastic totes. This looks a lot nicer up in the exposed loft, and actually takes up less space.

I have been working on my Packard. Mostly cleaning 50 years of accumalated rust, dirt, and grease off of the front portion of the frame and all the front suspension/steering. Currently all the tie-rods and center link is in apart, and nicely painted sitting on my workbench.

Also I went to see a good buddy today that had a gift for me.

The father of one of his good female friends was a Mechanic for a long time and now has retired. So the father gave all the tools to my friend. He is not a car guy, but more of a wood worker. So he called me and asked me if I wanted to come look thought the tools, and I could take whatever I wanted.

So I took my Taurus to pick up the tools. I should have taken my wife's SUV. So when I get there he leads me out to his garage where he has all this stuff stored at, and what is he giving away?

A big Red Mac rolling toolbox, with side chest. Another side chest made by snapon, and also a snapon top chest. They are greasy, well used, and need a fresh coat of paint, but other wise it very good shape. I will probably paint them black to match the other tool boxes and cabinents in the garage.

So we fit as much as we can in the Taurus (big chest still at his house, needed the SUV for that). So I think we are done, and then he says "Look through the 5 big plastic totes there and take whatever tools you want". There must have been 500lbs of assorted tools in those totes. Hundreds of sockets, wrenches, and other stuff. I got some nice pullers, pry-bars, a pickle fork set (of course I just bought one). Lots of assorted taps and dies. Another Drum Puller. And a ton of just other misc specialty tools. I went through and picked out the bigger sized name brand wrenches and sockets (Snapon, Matco, Craftsmen, etc). If I didnt reconsize the brand, or it wasnt make in the US, then I tossed it back in the junk pile.

I just need to sort and degrease everything, and go and pick up the large chest. So all and all, it was a very good day!

Also Santa was good to me this year and he bought me a few nice items for the garage. A new large drill press (with fricken Laser Beams), and a pneumatic grease gun (which will come in handy with the Packard having 30+ fittings). Also a very nice Tap and Die set which I really needed.

 

[cyclopsblown34]

That is awesome Kevin! Looks like a nice garage redo. You seem to have thought it all out and made logical decisions rather than on whimsy. Keep the wife happy sounds like she feeds your car habit.

 

[BigKev]

Well I got those old user toolboxes repainted and put back together. They fit nicely along the left wall of my garage. They were originaly Snap On, and MAC red. But the years of being in a very busy mechanics shop had them pretty bad. I degreased them, scrapped any loose paint off of them, and the primed and repainted the semi-gloss black. I also polished up the handles, and replaced a broken one. I was lucky to get all the keys with the cabinets, and all the locks work.

They sure do look a lot nicer noew. The top Craftsmen box I already had.

 

[kickassgarage]

That's cool about the tools. I hope that one day my father will pass along his tool collection to me. It is wide a varied as far as manufacturers go, but they are all usable.