Mark's Monster Garage....3800 sq ft

[Hostyle]

That GT40... more please! Is it a replica?

ETA: Doh... must read before I post. Fender bender all fixed-up again. Nice work! Do you have any plans on ever doing a GT40 replica build? One in the same style like the Vette's would be awesome.

 

[IGO2XS]

That GT40... more please! Is it a replica?

ETA: Doh... must read before I post. Fender bender all fixed-up again. Nice work! Do you have any plans on ever doing a GT40 replica build? One in the same style like the Vette's would be awesome.

No it is the real deal!!!

 

[IGO2XS]

Hey guys we did it!!! We got the front Cover of Vette Magazine this month! Wow I am so happy I can't stand it. Vette Magazine came out in 1976 as a quarterly publication and the first featuring Corvettes! My dad would have been real proud of this.:thumb:

 

[ajohno]

Congratulations looks great.

 

[383]

Too Cool Mark, you deserve it!

 

[Toolfool]

Congratulations. Fitting honor for an outstanding build.

 

[Bob Heine]

Hey guys we did it!!! We got the front Cover of Vette Magazine this month! Wow I am so happy I can't stand it. Vette Magazine came out in 1976 as a quarterly publication and the first featuring Corvettes! My dad would have been real proud of this.:thumb:

Mark, congratulations on the cover and feature in Vette! This is the first time a car I've followed and seen in person created by someone I consider a friend has been so featured -- I feel a special connection.

When I bought my first Corvette in 1977 GM published a free Corvette magazine so I signed up. In 1978 I received a free Premier Issue of Corvette Fever and I renewed my subscription for the next 32 years. The October 2010 issue was the end of the magazine when it merged with Vette the next month. I've been a regular Vette reader since.

Because print magazine subscribers are dying off, I think the publishers were generous calling the final issue a "Collector's Edition".

 

[IGO2XS]

Thank you guys!! Bob, I do consider you a friend and I appreciate the well wishes. I ran down to Barnes and Noble today and bought all 3 copies they had on the newsstand!! Its time to start another project!!

 

[LXCam]

That completely kicks *** Mark!. And is more then well deserved, that's one killer ride your built.

 

[IGO2XS]

That completely kicks *** Mark!. And is more then well deserved, that's one killer ride your built.

Thank you very much......and just in time we just hit the 2,000,000 click mark on Marks Monster Garage

 

[Boosted1]

Congrats on the cover. That should be good for business.

 

[Fastphil]

Have you succeeded in selling Punisher?

When you have some spare time, could we get a comprehensive update on the shop's goings-on?

 

[HemiRamOn22s]

Very Awesome that car deserves the attention!

 

[IGO2XS]

I still have the car.......in fact I drove it today......well, I actually backed it out of the shop and then drove it back in so technically I drove it.

 

[IGO2XS]

Ok guys so i thought I would post the good and the ugly today. We have a 1969 Firebird 400 convertible in the shop. I got this job last month from a gentlemen who found us on the internet. The story goes he was a GM company man in the late 60's who had company cars. Probably more prevalent in those days he had various new Gm cars he would drive and 6 months at a time and would then turn them back in to a dealership. One of his favorites was a cool Firebird 400. His brother found out he had turned it back in and purchased the car. Living in Sarasota the last 30 plus years he drove it until it became in disrepair. It has been parked in his garage ever since. We found the car in his garage under piles of degree as his brother was a hoarder. We finally have the car at the shop.....what do you think....





Here are a few pictures of the 49 GMC pickup interior. We are getting close on the build and it is coming together. All of the interior panels are made out of a composite plastic material and are all made by hand. if you look at the kick panel with the stainless mesh speaker grill you will see the headlight dimmer recessed in it so we don't have an ugly switch on the floor. My interior guys are really talented.

 

[IGO2XS]

one more cool picture of the 401 Nailhead going in our 1965 Buick Riviera resto mod...........killer March serpentine kit on it........Fast Fuel injection to follow.

 

[oldironfarmer]

WOW! Your posts just leave me speechless, and that's not easy to do...

 

[Wanna Ride]

I follow you on facebook; ever get any more pics of the Bronco, or is still under construction? I haven't seen any posts about it on there, in a while.

 

[Boosted1]

What are the plans for the firebird?
I'm looking forward to seeing what you do with it. It's one of my favorites.
Looks like it checks a lot of boxes: ram air, hood tach, correct 400 center grille w emblem, etc.
Nail head motor looks good.
Would you mind sharing how the interior plastic is hand formed?

 

[BiTurbo228]

Nice I've got a bit of a penchant for those old Firebirds, especially the '67.

If I was living in America, I think my project of choice would be a '67 Firebird with the 230 OHC Sprint I6 (with Webers or injection) and the mashed up transaxle IRS from a Tempest/Corvair mk2.

What're your plans?

 

[IGO2XS]

WOW! Your posts just leave me speechless, and that's not easy to do...

LOL.....well glad to keep you quiet every now and then.

I follow you on facebook; ever get any more pics of the Bronco, or is still under construction? I haven't seen any posts about it on there, in a while.

It is done....sorry I guess I didn't get to post too many pictures of it. It turned out real nice. For some reason i didn't take many pictures.....

What are the plans for the firebird?
I'm looking forward to seeing what you do with it. It's one of my favorites.
Looks like it checks a lot of boxes: ram air, hood tach, correct 400 center grille w emblem, etc.
Nail head motor looks good.
Would you mind sharing how the interior plastic is hand formed?

The Firebird is getting a full restoration. Probably 90 percent of the parts will be new down to the wiring. Not sure if we will do aftermarket a/c on it at this point. The owner is not trying to win any restoration awards but we want it as correct as possible. i buy the plastic in sheets just like plywood. It cuts just like wood and we shape it with routers.

Nice I've got a bit of a penchant for those old Firebirds, especially the '67.

If I was living in America, I think my project of choice would be a '67 Firebird with the 230 OHC Sprint I6 (with Webers or injection) and the mashed up transaxle IRS from a Tempest/Corvair mk2.
What're your plans?

Its a great car with the 400 in it so we are taking in back to original.

 

[jbmatth]

I really like that interior, top notch just like everything you touch. What is the plastic material exactly, if I were to order it where would be a good place to go?
JB

 

[YJ4000]

I'm lookin forward to seeing the firebird project. I have a 67 Camaro convertible I hope to have running by winter.

Ryan.

 

[slodat]

Mark, looks like your guys are using expanded PVC? Have you had any issues with Florida temperatures messing with it over time?

 

[IGO2XS]

I really like that interior, top notch just like everything you touch. What is the plastic material exactly, if I were to order it where would be a good place to go?
JB

Mark, looks like your guys are using expanded PVC? Have you had any issues with Florida temperatures messing with it over time?

yes it is expanded PVC and we have not had any trouble with it. This is the material most higher end interior shops are using. We get ours f rom Farco Plastics.

 

[rbkool]

Made it. 150 pages read over the last couple weeks. Great stories, great cars, and great garage(s)!!! Obviously too much to comment on now, but incredible job on everything, and it's been really neat to follow your last couple years in just a couple weeks.

It's probably too much to read the whole thing, but I would encourage you, Mark, to review where you have come from, as documented in this thread (note: i don't mean this as rags to riches as obviously you started just fine with your "home" garage, but I mean more in terms of your business and repair/restoration jobs... Amazing!).

I'll continue to follow along, and be wowed by the creativity and impeccable work you and your crew do - Cheers!!

 

[IGO2XS]

Made it. 150 pages read over the last couple weeks. Great stories, great cars, and great garage(s)!!! O

I'll continue to follow along, and be wowed by the creativity and impeccable work you and your crew do - Cheers!!

Thank you so much. Again I find myself lacking in quality posts. I have a few pictures of the 49 GMC interior. Wow it is really beautiful. All hand sculpted foam and done right here in our interior shop.........probably 100 hrs in the seat.





The 71 Challenger is getting real close to paint. I found a 1971 440 big block for it. I bought a new GM4L80 automatic transmission. We cut the bell housing off of it and with an adapter will be putting it behind the 440. Pretty cool huh!!

 

[IGO2XS]

Here is an update on the 65 Corvette. I wouldn't want to put you guys to sleep with all of the pictures of the glass work but this car was a real mess. We have all of the body straightened out and now working on the modifications. Its been a few weeks of working on the fender flares. We were able to "salvage" the back flares but that was about it. They were wider in the front than the back so we got that straightened out. I will show pictures later to show how we smoothed the inside of the rear flares.....it looks nice. The front flares were a different story.....as you can see we cut the original flares off the front clip to use on the new front end. The wheel opening was too high on the original front end for my taste so we ended up using only the fender lip just to keep from having to completely remake it but the rest of the front flare was all hand built using a 2 part foam, shaping it, then applying the fiberglass over the top. I didn't want the back of the front flare to be too wide........so it would look like it belonged on a 1980's custom van. And, I wanted the front of the flare to taper in to keep the shaped of the front facia. We will mold the front spoiler so it lines up with the front flare.

 

[IGO2XS]

this just came back in today. For some of you old timers on here we did these flares in the Monster Garage years ago in the very beginning.

 

[jbmatth]

That looks like broken stuff on the floor, that isn't good, what happened?
JB

 

[ranger101ran]

Hi Mark, why go with a gm trans and not Chrysler on the challenger.

 

[plain2car]

MARK,
Great readin' again!!! by chance do you have a thread of the '49 build over on the "other" site...... 67-72chevytrucks.com? also I have a very good friend that we are just finishing up the chassis on a '67 corvette that he has owned for 22+ yrs & he is looking for someone/shop to do all the body work.. he is VERY particular and a VERY GM guy!
would you (your shop) do just portions of builds... or do you have suggestions for us on who/how to find someone that does very good care with corvette bodies??

and... as always..... great work and great write ups!!!

take care,
Jake (rodstored-72) on chevytrucks site

 

[IGO2XS]

That looks like broken stuff on the floor, that isn't good, what happened?
JB

its just carpet pieces as we are carpeting the inside of the car.

Hi Mark, why go with a gm trans and not Chrysler on the challenger.

Its a better solution because of the stand alone computers available and its bullet proof.

MARK,
Great readin' again!!! by chance do you have a thread of the '49 build over on the "other" site...... 67-72chevytrucks.com? also I have a very good friend that we are just finishing up the chassis on a '67 corvette that he has owned for 22+ yrs & he is looking for someone/shop to do all the body work.. he is VERY particular and a VERY GM guy!
would you (your shop) do just portions of builds... or do you have suggestions for us on who/how to find someone that does very good care with corvette bodies??

and... as always..... great work and great write ups!!!

take care,
Jake (rodstored-72) on chevytrucks site

No sorry I just have pictures on here and a few on Facebook.

 

[IGO2XS]

We finally were able to capture some outside photos of our 71 Corvette project. This baby started off back at Marks Monster Garage when all he work was done in the beginning. The customer works overseas and only allows work done on the car when he is in town. The detail on this car is just amazing. We just finished the carpeting last week and I am sure this one will appear on the cover of Vette Magazine in the near future.

 

[IGO2XS]

I thought I would share a few pictures of the Corvette in primer. It has definitely been a boost to see it all in one color. I have been playing around with the ride height which is always a major concern. The original fender flares on the back are a little higher than stock so dropping the car as much as possible and getting the right size tire has been a project. I had planned on a 345/25-20 on the back but might go with a 315/30-20. It is about an inch higher and might allow us to tuck the rear tire up in the rear fender a little bit. The front flares we built by hand so they have been lowered just a bit. I really like to drop these cars down lower but the transmission pan of the 6L80 automatic transmission hangs down a bit. I have a shorter pan and hoping to have the frame around 5" off the ground.

 

[IGO2XS]

Oh.....and you guys get the first peak at the rendering I am working on for our 64 Malibu project.....

 

[Boosted1]

Corvette looks good.
Still working on a '69 fired bird?

 

[PhantomEB]

Simply sick work!

I foresee myself using buying nitrile gloves in bulk for work in my garage, just as I use them lots at work.

 

[pwschuh]

Mark, back to this thread after a long absence and I just wanted to say how impressed I continue to be with both your work and your attitude. I wished I lived closer to you, as I would definitely put a project on your schedule.

 

[IGO2XS]

Corvette looks good.
Still working on a '69 fired bird?

The project took a turn once we had it all apart. I thought I was ahead of the 8 ball when I ordered quarter panels, doors, trunk pan, rockers, etc etc. We figured how much the metal work would cost plus sand blasting and dipping and I decided to order a brand new body from Dynacorn. It comes with doors and the deck lid and saves us a tremendous amount of time. Every piece of sheet metal will be new on this car. I am a little disappointed it isn't the original sheet metal but once the car is done no one will know AND it will be a perfect brand new specimen.

Simply sick work!

Thank you

Mark, back to this thread after a long absence and I just wanted to say how impressed I continue to be with both your work and your attitude. I wished I lived closer to you, as I would definitely put a project on your schedule.

Thank you so much. I keep on saying this is a lot more than I ever expected. Guess me being a little crazy has kept me going. LOL