Modern Garage in Far East

[Morrisman]

Re: RIP Carroll Shelby

Pardon me while I digress a bit to pay my respects to Carroll Shelby, who passed away a few days ago. As I recounted in an earlier post in this thread, he and Phil Hill came over to Manila some 14 years ago as guests of our small sports car club...

Yes indeed, RIP Carroll Shelby. Another legend gone.

I must admit, a real Shelby Cobra in the Philippines, I'd never have thought it until I started reading your thread a few months ago. There is so much more to this country than meets the casual eye. A friend of mine in Angeles has a very nice looking Cobra in his shop, apparently for some work to give extra legroom. I believe it is a replica, but a very nice looking one, blue metallic.

And in another shop, the other end of town...

 

[ODIS]

Thanks for the tip, Ody. That is a good idea. And that looks like a '56 in that photo. A nice one too.

No, not all Snap-On, Fatandre. Just the wrenches and a few screwdrivers. They're well made and satisfying to use.

Best, Andy

Andy,

Hope the tip I sent will work for you. Actually, the car in the background is my 57 T-Bird. Continental Kit probably threw you off.

Ody.

 

[abstamaria]

Some nice old cars here

Yes, there are some surprises here. Occasionally there would be an interesting old original car, such as the Cobra, but these are far and few between. World War II decimated whatever automotive heritage we had before then, and the following regimes of strict currency and import controls ensured only a few cars would trickle in.

An old family here had a Bugatti, a Type 35B, judging from the little shown in the family album; I dream of finding it preserved in a barn somewhere, as we did with this Harrington Le Mans GT shown in the photo below (that's me in the car, when I was 30). Still, a 1916 Studebaker was recently discovered and shown nicely restored at the last concours, so there is hope for me.

American automotive heritage is strongest in Angeles City in the province Pampanga, where Morrisman is building his garage. Angeles was host toClark Field, a very large and important US air force base, in use since the beginning of the 20th century. That was the source for US cars, which the servicemen would bring in. My father bought a new Mustang there in 1966. I would go to the little stores around the base for incredible stuff such as AN nuts and bolts, stainless steel wire, quick-release pins, and such. My Stack-on toolbox, which I painted British Racing Green and brought to the races, I bought there. One could build an entire “Kennedy-type” military jeep from the parts available there. The base was Little America, with foot-long hotdogs and all. I loved going there.

In 1991, Mt. Pinatubo, which was never identified as a volcano, erupted, covering Angeles and the base with three or so inches of volcanic ash. Lahar, with the consistency of wet cement, came in torrents, tearing up bridges, burying churches and whole neighborhoods. The Americans pulled out immediately. Several new Harleys were left in the showroom; such was the emergency. The American era ended in Clark and Angeles, but, as shown by Morrisman, the tradition of drag races and hot rods lives on. I am glad Morrisman is there to carry on; I know he will by example improve the technical skills there!

I apologize for the off-topic note, but hope it is interesting, especially to our American friends. I know from PMs that several of them were stationed in Clark or the Navy Base Subic, not too far away and even closer now with a brand new lovely highway connecting the two former US bases.

By the way, coincidentally linking the long-gone Bugatti and Angeles, where Morrisman stays part of the year, here is an ad that appeared some time ago.

Pesos 240,000 is roughly US$6,000. Sadly, the phone number no longer rings.

Andy

 

[abstamaria]

Replica Cobras, too.

I must admit, a real Shelby Cobra in the Philippines, I'd never have thought it until I started reading your thread a few months ago. There is so much more to this country than meets the casual eye. A friend of mine in Angeles has a very nice looking Cobra in his shop, apparently for some work to give extra legroom. I believe it is a replica, but a very nice looking one, blue metallic.

A good friend of mine, Nene, built several replica Cobras from scratch here in in Manila, down to the windscreen farmes. Nene graduated from that trade school downriver from Harvard, so had passable engineering skills. There is a good chance your friend's replica Cobra is one of his. If so, it should have a "Michel Motors" tag on it and, if your friend is lucky, Carroll Shelby's signature on the glovebox lid. Nene makes each steering wheel himself by hand.

Here is a photo I took from Nene's "factory," which would make for a good thread in this forum. That's Nene in the white shirt on the far side (he also appears in a group photo with the Shelbys and the Hills, posted much earlier in this thread).

In the early years, I always regarded the Cobra as a "large" car. Now, in comparision with modern sports cars, it looks nice and small. A wonderful car. In a perfect world, I would have one - a 289 FIA. I haven't decided on the color yet!

Andy

 

[abstamaria]

T-Birds

Andy, Hope the tip I sent will work for you. Actually, the car in the background is my 57 T-Bird. Continental Kit probably threw you off. Ody.

Thanks, Ody. Of course, I should have known better! That's a very evocative car you have. But very different in character from a 356!

Here is one of the local Thunderbirds, on the cover of the Manila Sports Car Club's first concours. This seems a '55 to me, but I have a difficult time sometimes.

You have a good thread going, Ody.

Best,

Andy

 

[abstamaria]

That seems all for now!

That about completes what I’ve been doing with the garage since it was completed and so should end this little postscript. I have projects underway (the fastener cabinets in the garage and awakening the Lotus), but these are minor ones. But all a pleasure to do in the new place.

I was away (Santiago de Compostela – a lovely place) until last week and spent some time in the garage in the evening immediately upon return, just looking at the cars that I missed. I thought one view was particularly nice and took a snapshot, shown below.

I think the photo argues in favor of separating work areas from parking areas (and, if space allows, separating daily transportation from one’s toys). It also argues in favor of a plain white space, because that shows off the cars very well. Here the Dino contrasts nicely with its cousin. Or so I think!

Warm regards to all,

Andy

 

[Jvvmusme]

Did you do the walk to Santiago de Compstela ? Jst to change subject...

 

[abstamaria]

No, I'm afraid I flew, Jose, but there were several peregrinos. It's a lovely place.

Best,

Andy

 

[Omphaloskeptic]

Andy, coming home to your car (art) gallery must have been like stepping into a room and being pleasantly greeted by old friends and fond memories.

I agree with you about the separation of your collection from the daily drivers; it'd be like seeing a Starbucks inside a Louvre gallery. lol The aesthetic of minimalism probably demands that nothing distract from the focus of a space, and your collection certainly deserves one's undivided attention!

 

[abstamaria]

Thank you, Omphaloskeptic. Yes, the bare space is refreshing. I was lucky to have found this place, which no one wanted at the time, that allowed me the space to separate the workshop and park the working cars elsewhere.

The cars are old friends. The Stratos, for instance, has been with me for 26 years now.

Best regards,

Andy

 

[abstamaria]

Lighting

I promised some of you who PM'd I would upload photos of the lighting system in the garage, so here they are.

In the workshop area, we have both fluorescent and halogen lights. In the parking area, we use only halogens.

The halogens are on a trellis-type system that allows repositioning of the light units. The "trellis" in the work area is smaller than the system in the parking area. Here is a detail.

I find that halogens show off a car best and that fluorescents are not flattering both as to shadows and color, but great to work under.

I hope these are helpful.

Good luck!

Andy

 

[Morrisman]

Re: Replica Cobras, too.

A good friend of mine, Nene, built several replica Cobras from scratch here in in Manila, down to the windscreen farmes. Nene graduated from that trade school downriver from Harvard, so had passable engineering skills. There is a good chance your friend's replica Cobra is one of his. If so, it should have a "Michel Motors" tag on it and, if your friend is lucky, Carroll Shelby's signature on the glovebox lid. Nene makes each steering wheel himself by hand.

Here is a photo I took from Nene's "factory," which would make for a good thread in this forum. That's Nene in the white shirt on the far side (he also appears in a group photo with the Shelbys and the Hills, posted much earlier in this thread).

I just flew back out to the USA, but when I get home again in July I shall try to remember to check for that signature.

My Healey will probably be reincarnated as a Cobra style car, now I've found out just how badly hacked about is is underneath. The body looks okay, apart from the style lines on the door being totally out of whack, so it is really just the chassis and running gear that needs attention. There is so little left of this cross-member I'm surprised it hasn't cracked, but then I'm not sure if it was actually driven after this hack job was started.

At some stage it was running a 289 motor, but later on a four cylinder was in there.

 

[alberto]

Re: POSTSCRIPT: Storage racks.

The solution used in this garage shown in another site is quite interesting:

I am trying to figure out how best to hang the sheets or mount them on slides. Any suggestions will be appreciated!

Many thanks! Best,

Andy

Andy:

This shop belongs to a friend of mine. These area actually simple vertical blinds (metal vertical slats) that he attached to the racks. They work in the normal way, except that they hide what's on the racks. It looks great and pretty easy to do.

 

[abstamaria]

That's a lot of work, Morrisman, but you are the right man for the task and I am sure will do a proper job. I am happy you are resurrecting the Healey as there are so few here. When you get going on it, I will drop by. A friend of mine was drag racing a Healey in the late 60s; it had a huge "Monza" petrol filler cap in the back.

Andy

 

[abstamaria]

I'm a big fan of your friend's work, Alberto. I know him from FerrariChat. He was very kind and sent me detail photos of how he hung the sheets. He has quite an eye, too - those GI-sheet doors look very dramatic. I am resolved to copy them!

By the way, his work on the Dinos I believe sets the standard for restorations. Since he took and posted a lot of photos and chronicled his work, he has provided a fantastic resource for Dino enthusiasts. I raised my Dino on the 2-post lift, following his advice on lift points.

I know he was building a new home with a large garage. I wish he would start threads here on his current workshop and that new garage. That would be very interesting to many. Please thank him again for me.

Andy

 

[Morrisman]

That's a lot of work, Morrisman, but you are the right man for the task and I am sure will do a proper job. I am happy you are resurrecting the Healey as there are so few here. When you get going on it, I will drop by. A friend of mine was drag racing a Healey in the late 60s; it had a huge "Monza" petrol filler cap in the back.

Andy

Not sure if you heard about it, but there was a horrendous crash just outside of Clark main gate about two weeks ago.

Another Healey replica, with a 460 Ford motor, ran into a lighting post in the early hours of the morning. Last I heard the driver was still in hospital in a bad way.

 

[michel]

Re: POSTSCRIPT: Storage racks.

Andy:

This shop belongs to a friend of mine. These area actually simple vertical blinds (metal vertical slats) that he attached to the racks. They work in the normal way, except that they hide what's on the racks. It looks great and pretty easy to do.

I've seen this on Fchat too, I like the sliding boards, I will problably use that system in my garage. I have industrial shelvings and was looking for a way to put doors, I like that.

 

[alberto]

Andy:

If you are ever in San Diego you should make a point to see his car. It's even better than the pictures would indicate. If you do, I live in town as well and it'd be my pleasure to meet you in person.

Alberto

 

[nine4gmc]

verrry nice design, simple and classy, yet entirely functional!!

 

[abstamaria]

Alberto, many thanks. I appreciate that. You, too, Morrisman!

Andy

 

[abstamaria]

Shelving Doors

verrry nice design, simple and classy, yet entirely functional!!

I agree, nine4gmc. It's a great idea for a door. I like the functional, industrial, and very clean look.

Andy

 

[Turbota]

abstamaria ....

Fantastic looking garage!

I live in Florida now, but still have a house in the Philippines. In the Bacolod City area.

Wish I had a garage like that. I live in a gated community with some pretty high end houses, but everyone here only has a carport (even though Filipinos call them "garages").

Here is my "garage"

 

[abstamaria]

Thanks, Turbota. Bacolod is lovely place, and your home and bike look great. Your wife looks Filipina.

My best,

Andy

 

[abstamaria]

Green Roof

Just a short note to show how the roof garden looks now. It's been over a year since we planted, so the ground cover has taken. Felice couldn't resist taking a photo and whipped out her camera.

The "green roof" has reduced indoor temperature dramatically, so I am quite pleased with it. And it is certainly prettier to look at than the previous asphalt waterproofing.

It's the rainy season now, here in the tropics.

My best,

Andy

 

[Kirtap]

I come back to read this thread about once a month, and every single time, I'm awestruck.

Your house, cars and garages are simply astonishing. Everytime I leave this thread I feel so inspired and I hope I get to use that inspiration when I build my own house some day.

Thank you very much for sharing.

Best regards,

Patrik

 

[ConCretin]

Andy, the green roof looks fantastic. Now I'm really starting to second guess my boring gravel ballast roof.

 

[MG30]

Very nice photos Andres. I also must pick my reflex instead of usig the iphone. You get much better shots.

Jorge

 

[abstamaria]

Thank you, Patrik. It’s good of you to say that. I was lucky in that I came to realize that I was more relaxed and could function better in a simple environment and in an empty, calming space. That has meant getting rid of stuff and not acquiring new ones! But that is just me, and, if I have influenced anyone here on GJ, then I would be glad to have been able to pass that philosophy on.

The father of the architect who designed the house is an architect too, a very traditional modernist. He helped in the concept and critiqued the design when we were planning the house, but at that time had begun to focus on sculpture. At a recent interview during a retrospective on his architecture, he was quoted as saying that the key is “control, control, control.” He meant, I think, that one must know when a design, or a building, or space is done and therefore must stop at that point. That is probably the essence of minimalism.

Good luck with your garage, Patrik, and best wishes,

Andres

 

[abstamaria]

Roof

Andy, the green roof looks fantastic. Now I'm really starting to second guess my boring gravel ballast roof.

A gravel roof has a lot going for it, LLWillysfan. I remember looking at visible rooftops in Japan (my favorite architect is Tadao Ando) and noting how clean and pleasing a simple gravel roof looked. You might note in an earlier photo posted here that I had a gravel roof, with gray crushed gravel, on the garage roof.

Where your house is, in the forest, a gravel roof might work! I envy you and enjoy your thread very much.

Andy

 

[abstamaria]

Photos

Very nice photos Andres. I also must pick my reflex instead of usig the iphone. You get much better shots. Jorge

Only because your build is interesting and I want to see more detail, as I am sure many would, Jorge. I would like to see your current garage, though. It seems well thought out and quite interesting from a design point of view. Can you take and post pictures in your thread?

Andres

 

[MG30]

Re: Garage Philosophy

First, my apology for the non-garage photo, but there is some relation to the garage.

I took this photo of our library, our most-used room, when we first moved in, some nine years ago. Since then, some furniture has crept into the room, and a large computer screen and assorted things have claimed the table top.

I would like to bring the library back to the way it was in this photo, down to that simple chair. It already then had all the things needed to make it work; since it was uncluttered, it uncluttered my mind, too, and was peaceful and calming. I want to review the rest of the house also, as it has gained a few pounds here and there, just like me. Since the new garage is already quite simple, I want to ensure that it stays that way. I have this photo as my screensaver to remind me of those goals. Those are my New Year’s resolutions then!

My best wishes to all. I hope the New Year brings you joy and happiness working on and in your garages – our havens from an often turbulent World. Thank you posting on all those threads, which have been a wonderful read for me. Happy New Year!

Andy

Thats a library with...books. Something i like to see, lots of books in a library. Congratulations for the fantastic space Andres.

Jorge

 

[Dennis Cavallino]

Re: Green Roof

Just a short note to show how the roof garden looks now. It's been over a year since we planted, so the ground cover has taken. Felice couldn't resist taking a photo and whipped out her camera.

The "green roof" has reduced indoor temperature dramatically, so I am quite pleased with it. And it is certainly prettier to look at than the previous asphalt waterproofing.

It's the rainy season now, here in the tropics.

My best,

Andy

Looks very nice!

 

[abstamaria]

Thanks, Jorge, Dennis. Nice of you both to say that.

Best,

Andy

 

[Turbota]

Andy ... I am kinda suprised you could find contractors in the Philippines that could do such a fantastic job on your garage floor.

When I lived in Bacolod City, it was always a headache to find good help in the trades. Most tradesmen didn't even own power tools. Hire a carpenter, and be would come to your house with a hammer, an old hand saw and a chisel.

Here are some of the cement guys hard at work on our house in the Philippines when it was built.

Unbelievable, but the exterior and interior walls of the house actually turned out nice once they were finished.

 

[abstamaria]

It looks like they did a good job at your house, Turbota.

My experience is that the local carpenters, masons, and other workmen are very good at what they do and extremely hard working. But they are poor and not well-paid, so will not have tools beyond the most basic. The key is to get a good contractor who has the right equipment and will oversee his workmen.

The advantage here is that it is still possible to get a professional to do a small job, which is sometimes prohibitive to do abroad. For instance, I had the drilling for the MaJax lift done by a specialist who came with the right drill, SDS bits, and even the special pump and brushes to clean the holes. His staff were very good and efficient, and the fellow who did the actual drilling very accurate.

Our problem has been that we are losing many of our craftsmen and mechanics to the Middle East.

You have a nice house in Bacolod, and yes it turned out very well. Beautiful city too, very Southern, laid back, plantations all around.

Best,

Andres

 

[Dennis Cavallino]

It's interesting to see the difference with our work forces here in the Netherlands. We all have to wear safety shoes, safety glasses, ear plugs... we have to be certificated, tools as well. And all we can do here in NL is complaining about the high costs of labour. All those regulations here are no guarantee accidents won't happen, but they reduce the pain when things go out of control.

 

[Jvvmusme]

For me the pictures of the cement peope could be easily in Colombia. The flip flops, no safety precautions, etc....
I agre with Andres. In colombia you can still good prefessional working craftsmen at reasonable price and every day they have access to better tools but they still go to your place to do a small job like the anchors

 

[Turbota]

It's interesting to see the difference with our work forces here in the Netherlands. We all have to wear safety shoes, safety glasses, ear plugs...

What's "Safety Shoes"?

 

[abstamaria]

Construction around the world

Yes, indeed. Safety shoes are rarely used here, although the large projects do employ them. One of my friends in the sports car club requires their use in his business - he services private aircraft.

What is really great about this forum is how it allows us to watch (and comment on!) construction projects all over the world, in places we might never visit. Even the small projects - a wall going up in some town in Italy, for instance - is so interesting to me. The designs, materials, and techniques differ so widely.

What struck me about home construction in the US and Europe, compared to Manila (aside from the safety shoes), is the use of heavy equipment - giant cranes, bulldozers, cement mixers .... I am so amazed. The only heavy equipment used in my home was a crane, used to lift the very large panes of glass to a second floor bedroom, shown below.

That's Xena, just waking up in that photo, taken by me from my bed one very early morning. It is unusual to get fog in Manila, but sometimes it comes.

My best,

Andy

 

[Morrisman]

There are some real craftsmen in the Philippines, safety shoes or otherwise.

All these columns and beams are plumb and straight within 1/8"

Some of the tile laying is amazing, considering what they have to work with. Everything here is concrete, no filler or plaster. They can smooth and mold and skim everything as smooth and flat as a pool table.