NJ: new project

[Buckgnarly]

Re: New Garage Art

Ha good eye! Yes, my wife is an iconographer so this a rare 'repro' icon!

That's awesome! My wife mentioned something about iconographers,...does she research or draw them? Can't remember which one it is....

 

[ersatzs2]

oh oh Eyes bigger than my mouth

I've needed a compressor for a long time, but really need to keep noise down. Just feet from the neighbor's playing kids.
So I have casually looked for a good deal on a used Rotary compressor, either Kaeser or IR. On Sun I found a barely used IR, 7.5HP, single phase (rare) Integrated refridge de-humid.
Bought it on impulse and a friend picked it up for me this AM. One look and I knew I was in trouble. It's really big, 650lbs. No idea where I will put it. Took the chain hoist and a lot of wrestling to get it out of the pickup. The only bay with a rolling car in it also had the lift, so drove pickup on the lift, hoisted in the air, drove pickup off lift, then lowered the compressor through the lift frame, cleared by inches on all sides.

 

[ersatzs2]

Compressor in Place

Finally had some time to maneuver the compressor into its place. After lots of head scratching over where 'its place' should be. Fired it up last night. Wow the tools work a lot differently than the trusty Emglo! Now to figure out the plumbing.

 

[NJHandyGuy]

Damn NICE

 

[jjohnston]

Man what I sweet set up, new to this forum and always thought my garage was great. But looking around on here sure humbles me, hats off to you guy.

 

[ersatzs2]

Gotta get me a bead blaster!!

Actually as long as I can borrow a friends blast cabinet, I guess I'd just as soon not introduce all that dust and lose the floorspace. But man is it satisfying. Here is a box of Willys parts all ready for primer. Kinda like swapping old parts for new...

Oh and the rest of the project? Coming along slowly. Can you say "Scope-Creep"

 

[numbah9]

How did the parts look before blasting?

 

[t-head]

ersatzs2.....Great meeting you here.....Nice shop!!

 

[ersatzs2]

Thanks I know my shop is great for a dilettante but yours... a league of it's own!

Took a photo of the loft hoist in action for a snowshovel thread...


snowblower by Connaught I, on Flickr

 

[bullnerd]

Hi ersatzs2,I grew up in Mercer,went to Hamilton West.

Why does Mercer Motors sound so familiar?

Just cant place it?

Nice shop BTW.

 

[ersatzs2]

NJ motorheads: vital history lesson...

Hi ersatzs2,I grew up in Mercer,went to Hamilton West.

Why does Mercer Motors sound so familiar?

Oh dude, you're breaking my heart! OK, History lesson for all those GJ listers in New Jersey: The Mercer Automobile company was founded in Trenton NJ in 1909. The founding investors and managers were the Roeblings (the industrialists who founded Roebling NJ and build most of America's early suspension bridges including the Brooklyn Bridge) and the Kuser Family. The company only lasted until 1923, never really recovering from the death of Washington Roebling, the creative core of the company, who died on the Titanic.
However during it's short life, it earned a permanent place in US auto history. It has a legitimate claim to being one of the first true 'Sportscars' anywhere. In 1909 it broke with then-current wisdom that speed=size, and won many racing victories including one of the first Grand Prix races with a car that was very lightweight and small displacement, the Type 35R.
In it's day, the Mercer Raceabout was the Lamborghini/McLaren/Ferrari of the auto world. It cost ~$5K at a time when a nice house was $2K, and a model T was ~$300. In 1916, when the 'L' Head raceabout was launched, it was guaranteed by the factory to be able to hit 80mph. It's rivalry with competitor Stutz Bearcat was a precursor of the Ford/Chevy wars of sixties. In it's day, it was the car of movie stars and celebrities: Buster Keaton had two of them (see his movie 'Seven Chances') So did Rudolph Valentino and several silent movie starlets. About 100 survive today in the most sophisticated collections. Bill Harrah had almost 20 of them. Jay Leno has a great video of his on his website.
some photos from Pebble Beach this summer, where Mercer was the featured Marque.

 

[bullnerd]

Ahhh...that Mercer,yes I remember reading about them.

Didnt they just have a big event in Roebling?Aniversary or something?

 

[Tone-NY]

Thanks for the history lesson. I currently live in Mercer county as well, but am a transplant. Great garage!

 

[ersatzs2]

Didnt they just have a big event in Roebling?Aniversary or something?

Yes exactly, in 2009, at the Roebling museum. "Mercer Magic " it was called, and probably the largest assembly of Mercers in many decades. Far more than Pebble Beach this year where Mercer was featured. See video here:

 

[bry@n]

You have a great shop. Congrats.

 

[ersatzs2]

Finally got my air lines plumbed. Used black iron since compressor should be mostly moisture-free, and I want to maintain high pressure in the line leading to each regulator. Four outlets: one at compressor, one to hose reel under bench, one to large hose reel over central bay, one leading outside to eventual ECO air meter install!

 

[broinkrist]

Great space. I hope one day to have a workshop like that. I do miss wrenching and working in the garage. I hope to get my FSAE car running to AutoX and a FF would just be a dream for road course lapping. Just a bummer that everything in the Mercer County area is so expensive. I've lived in NJ all my life except college (now 28) and work in Princeton Junction.

 

[ersatzs2]

It's official: I bought one of the 'exotic car garages' at NJMP http://www.njmp.com/exotic-car-garage.html
Time to apply not only what I've learned on my own project but everything else GJ has become in the subsequent years. Can't wait. Space is roughly the same as this one; 40x25, located right at the Octopus turn of the Thunderbolt circuit. Separate thread eventually, of course...

 

[bmwpower]

It's official: I bought one of the 'exotic car garages' at NJMP http://www.njmp.com/exotic-car-garage.html
Time to apply not only what I've learned on my own project but everything else GJ has become in the subsequent years. Can't wait. Space is roughly the same as this one; 40x25, located right at the Octopus turn of the Thunderbolt circuit. Separate thread eventually, of course...

Cool! How do you think you will use it? High end parking or track workshop?

 

[ersatzs2]

Cool! How do you think you will use it? High end parking or track workshop?

The awesome thing about these 'garages' is you get a CO for overnight stay. Technically you could live there. So it will have a loft with sleeping quarters for overnight stays at the track, bathroom w/shower etc. But it will be set up to keep and work on racecars and racing gear, and secondly for car storage. Heat and AC is included, so is centralized air compressor. Of course I'm already thinking of some more nice blue cabinets that you and I prefer!

The thinking is that these garages become the core of an emerging car-culture community at the track that includes hotrods, classics etc. I am really stoked I think it's gonna be amazing.

 

[ersatzs2]

Labor day weekend my son and I pulled a three day marathon and got the CJ-2A back together and running by 4PM Monday. Really great to get it off the stands where it has stood for a year!

 

[dubber]

Wow, first time i've seen this thread. Great job with your build and excellent documentation of the process.

 

[ersatzs2]

Things getting a little crowded in the shop; but fortunately that engineered ridge beam can easily support a little 1000lb race car...

 

[pmason0]

Interesting lift for the FF

 

[ersatzs2]

I've tried for ~5 years to get AC for garage stubbornly assuming I needed to tie something in to the existing forced air heating system. I have no room for a the condensor unit in the yard, and putting it on the roof like I wanted requires all kinds of unnatural acts by the township (eg a dedicated ladder and catwalk for service) so finally in desperation I went shopping for a plain old window unit that would handle my ~1500sf, high ceiling space. In a burst of inspiration, I checked McMaster Carr, and sure enough they had this 36,000 btu unit that just fit the window. $1600. It has a wifi handheld app so I can control and program remotely. What bliss, it is a cool 75 in the garage tonight! BTW this same Freiderich unit was over $3K from Sears I later found

 

[bmwpower]

AC is nice. It really makes a difference when it is hot out and you're in the garage working. Glad you finally found a solution.

 

[ersatzs2]

AC is nice. It really makes a difference when it is hot out and you're in the garage working. Glad you finally found a solution.

Hey man great to hear from you! hope all is well. I sure have enjoyed your stainless countertops all these years!

Doing another interminable build down at NJMP, you need to come down for a member day and exercise some of those bimmers.

PS: just started this thread off topic:
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showpost.php?p=4920176&postcount=1

 

[Bob Heine]

When the garage is air conditioned, working out there in the summer is a pleasant experience, something to look forward to rather than dread. I also settled on a window unit but with only 700 square feet it's a much smaller 115V 13,000 btu unit. I consider it as necessary in the garage as electricity and compressed air. Now that I'm over 70, cushions have been added to the necessary list as well.

 

[bmwpower]

Hey man great to hear from you! hope all is well. I sure have enjoyed your stainless countertops all these years!

Doing another interminable build down at NJMP, you need to come down for a member day and exercise some of those bimmers.

PS: just started this thread off topic:
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showpost.php?p=4920176&postcount=1

Almost have my e30 ready for the track. I'd love to swing down.

 

[ersatzs2]

Selling the house and just learned new owners plan to turn the third bay into a pool house! So that I guess is a fitting bookend to this 11 year old thread. Thanks to everyone who contributed ideas, which have found continuing use in my NJMP shop!