More storage...

[428]

It never ends and is never, ever enough.

Taking apart the first of two 1968 Firebirds, it will be one at a time though and the parts are piling up around the edges of the garage. Seats, door panels, glass, trim pieces, bumpers, grill, etc... a complete frame off job.
I have some shelf space for the trim pieces and attic storage for others but since I have to refurbish every part I pretty much need it available. Not to mention when I'm done with it, someplace safe to store it.
Also when the car gets back from paint, it'll be from the firewall back only, fenders, hood, subframe and all else will be in pieces.

So far I've come up with a 78" high x 72" x 120" mezanine to build over where the tractor parks. With 10' ceilings it'll give me some storage. Not enough but some. I figure I can put the painted fenders and interior pieces up there until needed. Bumpers, Chrome and Stainless trim can go on shelves. Not sure how I'll tackle the subframe rebuild.
Something's gotta park outside for awhile to give me working space. Once it's back under the car I can go back to only one bay *******.

Mainly posting this FYI, having storage space is one thing, but make sure it'll fit what you're putting there. A couple of inner and outter fenders takes a lot of room, a hood? Forget it. About all you can do is lean it against a wall and pray.

 

[boiler7904]

Is there a way to suspend a platform from the ceiling? I'm thinking something out of plywood and 2x lumber that would hang from rope/cable/chain and pulleys allowing you to raise and lower as needed. The key would be not blocking lights, overhead door travel path, etc. This would give you a place to store large flat items (like your hood) without leaving them wide open to damage or taking up a lot of headroom. Just an idea.

 

[428]

Here's what I had in mind. The only thing kinda in the way would be one post. I'd put a 4' light under it.

This is something I plan to leave up only until both cars are done, hopefully it shouldn't take but around 18-24 months to do both.
Right now I pull the Expedition out when working on the Bird in the middle bay.

It's just starting to get crowded in there with parts and sub-assembly's everywhere. While the cars gone I'll use the middle bay to work on the subframe and detail parts, finish them and pack them away until needed. The car should be gone to the body shop from October to around Christmas.
Please, return as a Christmas present.

 

[Ryan Wilke]

....I pretty much need....someplace safe to store it.
...a hood? ..... About all you can do is lean it against a wall and pray.

428,

This might sound kinda overkill, but once I removed my hotrod car hood, I too stood it up against the wall. I also placed my drained radiator & fan shrouding behind it. Then about 2/3rds up, I strung a light wire from one side to the other and attached the wire to to small eye hooks that I screwed into the wall, preventing the hood from tipping sideways or away from the wall.

Although I'm wasn't "excited" about making more holes (although small) in my wall, I knew that if someone/somehow was to bump into the hood, it could fall over, likely damaging it and possibly the radiator & whatever it crashed down on. If the hood was only going to be off for a week or so I'd likely not of secured it in such a fashion; But because the engine was coming out and I knew the project was likely going to take over a month - more likely 3 months - the likelyhood of the hood being bumped was pretty good.

Anything thats leaning against a wall has the potential to fall over. Securing it will ensure no injury to it, something else or yourself.

Good Luck!
RW

 

[chet]

I think the best way is kick one of the other cars (or the tractor) outside for a while!

 

[DynoDave]

I remember reading in one of my garage planning books years ago that if you're restoring a car, figure on 2 cars worth of space for every disassembled car, and I can believe that. Of course, I don't have room or budget to build that big, but it's a nice thought! I do plan on spread web light storage trusses above the work area and first bay, so there will be some room "up stairs".

 

[rodwerkz]

honestly it is tough.. even my T took up nearly two full spots during certain parts of the construction. The best thing you can do is get the parts you won't need for a while (like interior parts, trim, etc) out of the space all together untill you need them) Use your attic, basement or any spot you can.

Also buy yourself a few of those rolling wire mesh shellving units. They are the best thing you can buy for disassembly.

 

[428]

Arrrgh! Time to vent...

I've had my boat stored at the lake in a shed used by several others of our ski lake.
In the mean time I've disassembled my Firebird coupe and have parts piled everywhere. Barely room to walk around at times. I do orginize piles as I get the parts off but it's still crowded.
Now, the shed owner wants my boat and several others out. His prerogative but it couldn't have come at a worse time. I was hoping to leave it there through the Winter since most of us do not ski then anyway and the car would be pretty much reassembled by then, at least the big peices.

Not sure what I'll do now, still several weeks of work left before getting the car to the body shop, can't leave a boat out in my neighborhood and covered boat storage cost is redicules around here.
Thinking of going ahead with buying a 4 post lift and storing the parts on top. Just wasn't ready to drop that kind of money nor the install time on a lift right now. Plus it'll still be real crowded in there with a 21 foot long boat taking up a full bay.
No matter what I'll still have to cram everything into a corner this week to get the boat in this weekend until I find a solution. Had planned on pulling the engine and rear axle out this weekend, then the front clip comes off the following.
Now what?

My advise, figure your garage size, then double it. And never count on things going according to plan.

Just another Monkey in the wrench.

 

[Cebby]

What about bringing in one of those POD storage containers. I'm sure it's different by location, but for me it is roughly $100 a month for a 8 x 8 x 12 container stored at my location ($130 for a 8 x 8 x 16). There are delivery/pickup charges, but they seem very reasonable. I'm probably going to get one of these to store my garage stuff in when I redo it. I figured I could set up shelves inside it to make the most of the available space.

 

[428]

Maybe someone here will remember where/what this is.

Awhile back was a post showing an attached to the wall lift. It was for Motorcycles, lawn mowers, etc...
Something like that where my tractor sits would give me the storage I need without the post in the way.
I could lower the lift, put stuff on it, raise it and park the tractor under it.

I tried to google it, no luck.

I couldn't leave a POD outside in my neighborhood. I might consider a small regular storage building until the cars are done. PITA, but I could stop and pick up what I need to work on, finish and return it for more parts to restore.
But not exactly what I had in mind when I started this project. I have some storage space in the compressor shed out back, but not a lot.

Right now I'm looking at going ahead with building that (ugly) wood platform over the tractor. I can build it this weekend for less than $100. Temporary but it'll work.
The SUV will have to park outside for awhile to clear space for the boat.
Funny, I can leave a car, no matter how ratty outside as long as it runs, but I can't leave a covered $30,000 boat outside. Don't you just love HOA's?

Once the car is at the body shop I may install a 4 post lift while it's out of the way. Then the Convertible can go up top to be stored out of the way while I reassemble the Coupe.

5 bays and 1500 sq feet of garage and I'm out of room

 

[JohnHenrys48]

Maybe someone here will remember where/what this is.

I think this might be the post...

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1709

Good luck...

 

[428]

That's it. Thanks for finding it.

I called the nearest dealer. They have one for $1500 bucks.
I say on that.

Think I'll build my $75 OSB 2 x 4 platform.

 

[428]

Finally got my platform built. Wife thought I was nuts to paint it but I didn't want to look and smell that raw wood for the next 12+ months. I don't plan on leaving it permanently but it'll be there for two restorations at least.
Total cost? $54 Could have got out almost free but didn't feel like busting pallets apart at work.
Plenty of head room underneath, probably could have gone another few inches higher but I clear fine and it's not to dark either.

I was able to put everything but the hood up there. Still might try to come up with something for that, right now it's against the wall behind the boat, when it comes back from paint is when I'll worry.
It got crowded in there with the boat, but with everything orginized I do have some working room now.
Spent the better part of a day re-arranging shelves. I got the 6' shelves behind the center bay emptied to use for nothing but parts for the car in progress. Got all the other stuff away from the car work... somewhat.

Now I can go back to working on the car.

 

[Brad54]

If you've built a mezzanine (sp?), you can maximize that space by walling it off as well. I think you wrote it was six feet by 12 feet? It sounds like 12 feet of that is going to be open to the shop. Put up a framed wall for most of it, and you can then hang fenders on that wall, or other parts. Leave a 4-foot "door way" to get seats and such into what is now an elevated storage room.

Go to Sam's Club, Wal-Mart or Home Depot and buy the stoutest "clam shell" storage boxes you can get. Buy a bunch of them. Store parts in them, and label on the outside of the box what pieces are in the box. This will get you quick, stackable storage, with quick reference to find parts when you need them.

Now that you have boxes, you'll need shelves to put them on. Find commercially available shelves, or build some. To maximize the shelving, put the first shelf two box-heights off the ground. This will allow you to stack the heavier boxes, and you can also stash engines and transmissions under the shelves. The next two shelves should be just high enough to stack a box on. This will minimize wasted space.
One shelf should be spaced only about 10 inches from the next shelf--a good, short shelf is perfect for sliding intakes, exhaust manifolds and valve covers in. These are items you usually throw on a shelf, but then don't stack anything else on them, waisting several inches of vertical storage.
If you have 7 shelves on your unit, and maximize them to save even two inches each, that's 14 inches worth of height you've gained on one shelving unit. That's enough to add an additional shelf. If you've got long shelves, that's a good bit of extra storage space.

One thing I've also found is that glass is a pain to store. In my shop, I took three pieces of 2x2x1/4 angle iron and cut them about 3 feet long. I then took 15 pieces of 1x1 box tubing, and cut the end at a 5-degree angle. I welded five pieces of the box tubing to the angle. The angle iron mounts with one flange on a wall stud, the other standing proud off the wall. I welded the box tubing to the angle so the tubing was sticking out from the wall 90-degrees (forming arms to set things on), with the end angled up slightly so that the pieces naturally slide back to the wall.
Dress the box tubing arms with foam pipe insulation, and the outstanding flange of the angle iron with a couple layers of tape or bump-on edging (like boats use on the edges of fiberglass), and set your windshield, back glass and door glass on the rack.
It's much like lumber racks. There are three supports, spread across three wall studs. Supports both ends and the middle, and the middle one is close enough to the others to support short door and side glass (on my '57 Chevy)
To really finish mine, I painted it red, and capped the ends of the box tubing arms with rubber crutch feet from Home Depot. Dressing all the metal, and any place the glass can come in contact with the metal, prevents it from getting chipped.
All my glass is now store 8 feet off the ground and higher, out of my way, and safe from accidents.

-Brad

 

[Special55]

Hey, nice boat.

You a course skier?

 

[428]

Good ideas on the glass storage. Right now my door glass is laying in the back seat of the Convertible, safest place I could find at the time.
My shelves in the center that I emptied I can move tighter and add one more shelf. It's to be used for parts collecting and anything rebuilt and ready to be put back on. At least that's the plan.

Engine parts are a royal pain. Not exactly sure what I'll do there just yet. The current engine isn't coming apart, only cosmetic work and roller rockers added. but I've got 2 spares taking up space in the garage, really need a better place for them. The compressor shed might work for your shelf idea.

Started collecting boxes already. Rubbermaid tubs work well to. Got several of those stuffed full.

Course skiing? 3 days a week spent chasing little red buoys. Get into 32 off regularly, just can't get all the way through to try 35. One more reason why garage work and car restoration takes me so long. I refuse to give up my ski days.

 

[Special55]

I was working on 28 off two years ago when I screwed up my back. I have two herniated discs in my lumbar with one torn. I haven't been on the water since. My poor Response just sits in the garage collecting dust.

I hope some day I'll get right enough to get back to it some day.

I'm currently restoring a 55 Buick Special.

Good luck on the Firebird,

Rich

 

[Gregdoo]

I would suspend the hood under the mezzanine and above the lawn tractor. Either using rope, or maybe nail long 2 x 4s on the uprights on either side of mezzaine, about 6 or 8" below the floor to make a slot to fit the hood into (supported by the 2 x 4).

 

[428]

Not a bad idea. I measured for it last night, I may have to extend the legs to keep some head room. But it'll fit with some cross pieces underneath.
Thanks

 

[428]

Not really garage or storage related, just an update.

Got the car headed out to the body shop. Thank goodness that parts over.
Now I can spend a little time re-organizing... again. Got bags and boxes of parts and sub assemblies everywhere. Need to get them stored so I can keep track of them. Might be months before some get seen again.

Even thought about another mezzanine over the boat for when the fenders and sheet metal comes back. I'd hate it but once I got everything off I realized just how much space you really need to do a frame off. Pretty much need an extra bay.

 

[C_F]

That body looks pretty darn clean from here, I bet your body guy will have it back to you within a week...so much for the empty bay.

 

[FireZapper]

I know it's not alot of space but.


I have this.

I store my camping gear up there. 3 "L" brackets 3 pieces of 1/2" scraps and 3/8" plywood. I also screwed thru the door tracks into the end of the 1/2" scraps just for another support. The "L" brackets take most if not all the weight.

 

[Coach James]

Hey 428, Is that green jack a Craftsman? My dad has a 1.5 ton green C-man that is around 30 years old. Still works great and I'd take it over the C-man jacks I see today. He paid $100 for it back then.
Coach

 

[428]

I would suspend the hood under the mezzanine and above the lawn tractor. Either using rope, or maybe nail long 2 x 4s on the uprights on either side of mezzaine, about 6 or 8" below the floor to make a slot to fit the hood into (supported by the 2 x 4).

Been away awhile over at Hotrodders.com and the FGF site since I'm deep into car restoration now and not doing much actual garage stuff.
But I did want to post that I added the above mentioned shelf. (Thanks for the idea)
The Hood, Trunk lid and Cowl filler fit nicely underneath. The Fenders, Glass, and a lot of other parts I won't need for awhile are on top as well.

Overall I'd highly recommend a mezzanine for anyone crunched for space, with the aforementioned shelf.

Also, just for an update, the car is back from the body shop now, so re-assembly has begun.

My paint booth for small parts is just 2 very large boxes with a pipe through the top one with wire hangers, not bad for free and it works pretty good for small stuff. I'm going to wrap it with 1 x 2's as the weight and humidity are taking it's toll on it. I had to set it up in the overhang outside the garage.

I lost my off site boat storage so a paint booth will have to wait until I can get the boat gone again.

Best tool investment after a compressor? Hands down would be the blast cabinet.
Could not do a restoration without it.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

Hey 428, Is that green jack a Craftsman? My dad has a 1.5 ton green C-man that is around 30 years old. Still works great and I'd take it over the C-man jacks I see today. He paid $100 for it back then.
Coach

I have one I bought new. Its red and black now, instead of green and white. I had it rebuilt once, but it still leaks down some, but not bad. My neighbor has one that still looks like new, but he rarely uses it. These jacks were made by Blackhawk in the late '60's and early '70's.

Charles

 

[kbs2244]

Your mezzanine is a good idea, I have a lot of shelves above the ice box, etc. But you are wasting the space if it is for stuff you will not need for months. Get a mini storage closet. You don't need to get one boat sized. That would cost too much. But one of the 4 foot wide by 8 foot deep ones can have shelves put in and you can stuff a lot into them. In S.C. you don't need the tractor to plow snow, but you don't need to mow either. Move it out and how much space would you have?