Our Dream

[naki kid]

A little bit of history.We bought the 8 acres of nice flat farmland 12 month's ago. A lot of ground work builders, engineer's, councel all the usual stuff.The building is what we call a American or New Zealand barn and it is built in steel.We have fantastic view's, Mt Egmont out the back and the Tasman sea out the front.So we have started the build.

The living will be in one side and the upper floor. The rest is garaging.

This is the land we bought

Start of construction

The concrete floor is laid - the floor is 16meters(52.5feet) by 18 meters(59feet)

The building is going up

 

[wagonmaster]

Looks great! Keep the pictures coming!

 

[thdewey]

Man what a beautiful view! Someday I'm going to make it down there for a visit. I'm an American, can I come stay in your new 'American' barn?

 

[RRmech]

Nice!!

Steve

 

[T4Turtle]

Awesome Views!

 

[stricht8]

Yes, incredible view. I had to check your location since I don't remember seeing a mountain like that in the US.

 

[X1 Mike]

Wow!
Looking at the pictures I had to find out a little more about that mountain.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Taranaki

Pretty interesting stuff, now I don't have to ask what your screen name means. Have you ever climbed it?

 

[naki kid]

Man what a beautiful view! Someday I'm going to make it down there for a visit. I'm an American, can I come stay in your new 'American' barn?

It would be a pleasure to have you and your wife stay.We were in America in 2002.We attended the 100 year of the Caddy at Detroit and had a fantastic time.
Thank you for the replys.this building a big dream of ours.
X1 mike. in the 50 odd years that I have lived here I have only been up the Mountain about 8 times and never to the top.

 

[naki kid]

Progress to date after a week of rain. It is winter down here.

Weather permitting the roof may be on at the end of the week.

 

[naki kid]

p to date photo's

to be continude.

 

[matttys]

The living will be in one side and the upper floor. The rest is garaging.

Are you going to be living above the garage? Or will that be where the in-laws stay

 

[naki kid]

Mattys. the upstairs will have 3 bedrooms, bathroom and toilet.One side on the lower floor is 1 bedroom,bathroom, toilet ,kitchen lounge and dining room.2garages,1 for the every day cars(jappers ) and a large garage for the real cars, 59 caddy and 52 dodge full custom,and it will be a display room to display all of our hotrodding stuff.also in one corner is to be a 50 dinner.We have another shed which will be my workshop.

 

[Hardware]

Great lookin building!

 

[evil_twin]

I like it!

 

[cyclopsblown34]

That is a great start on what appears to going to be a great looking building and unbelievable views. I'm anxious to see it completed.

 

[GHOSTDANCER]

Wow ! Looks great.

 

[rsanter]

looks like lots of dream potential there
awsome view

bob

 

[naki kid]

Here are some more progress shots as of today. The last 2 photos are of a ford f350 dash which we have converted to right hand drive,this is what I do for a job.and I do all the woodgraining by hand and airbrush.
Thank you all for the comments.

the dash

thank you for looking.more to come next week.

 

[SKULLY]

very nice shop, lots of steel, will last forever....good luck

 

[redneckprofessor]

Holy Cow!! That dash is gorgeous! Very nice handiwork.

Got any more pics of your dash work?

 

[Skyline]

So you're saying that dash is faux finished with an air brush??? Real or fake wood, either way it looks really great. But if that's a faux finish, it is even more amazing I think.

 

[naki kid]

The woodgraining is all done by hand.When the truck came to New Zealand it had a faux plastic wood grain panels stuck to the dash and the owner liked it so I copyed the grain onto a right hand drive dash that we made for the truck.I work for a right hand drive conversion shop.In NZ we drive on the right side of the road.But my own american cars are lefthand drive.It is only the new cars that are imported into NZ that get converted.

 

[naki kid]

some pudates on the build.

more next week.thank you for looking.

 

[Zoobee]

You "winter" looks completely tolerable.

My oldest boy has gotten into playing rugby in a big way, and a few of his dreams are to move to New Zealand, meet the All Blacks and play against/with some real Kiwis.

Congrats on the dream shop.

 

[GearBeer]

Might want to warm him up on some Europeans first, Zoo!

Lookin good Mr. Kiwi. Most of the upside-down guys I know who have American cars leave them LHD. I didn't know there was a significant demand to convert them to RHD.

 

[thdewey]

Naki Kid

This morning I heard that there was an earthquake off the West NZ coast. We hope that everything is all right with your family and friends. There isn't a lot of news coverage yet.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8151530.stm
Best wishes, Tom

 

[naki kid]

Naki Kid

This morning I heard that there was an earthquake off the West NZ coast. We hope that everything is all right with your family and friends. There isn't a lot of news coverage yet.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8151530.stm
Best wishes, Tom

Thank you for your thoughts Tom,the earth quake was at the bottom of the south island.miles away from us.and the earth didn't move for meI read it was a large one.
Zoobee. the winter not that bad here, it rains a lot and a cold wind.The local saying is if you have a view of the mountain you will get a cold southerly wind,I live about 2miles down from the main gates to the mountain house which is about 3miles further up the mountain.and the snow very really falls that low.
Gearbear,It is the law down here to convert left hand drive cars to right hand drive.Cars 20 years old to new ones.Some new cars that are collectors cars are allowed to stay as they left the factory.

 

[cletus66]

Nice shop with a heck of a view. I would never leave home if I lived there.

 

[barracuda]

Looking good Naki!

 

[Canadian Charlie]

Any pics on how a conversion is done?

We have right hand drive cars where I live but my Chevy is a lefty

 

[naki kid]

An update as of today,we are about 20hours ahead of the USA.

Plenty of steel in the upper floor,the top floor will be laid tomorrow in flooring grade chipboard. then the windows later in the week (I hope ).
I spent the weekend on the tractor digging out for the driveway around the back of the shed (garage)

 

[mik641]

looking good mate. Im from wellington. Shed looks to be a big one, never have enough space eh!

 

[badhst]

Keep the pic's coming, looks realllllly GOOD !!!!!

 

[HOTFR8]

An amazing build. What plans do you have for the interior ?

 

[Jaguar Fan]

Looks great! Lots of progress! Yes, what do you have planned for the interior? About how long is the plan from breaking ground to finished?

 

[naki kid]

Thank you for the interest in our new home.The interior will have 2 garages 1,6meters x10 1/2 meters wide for the every day cars (jappers ) the other 10 1/2 wide x 10meters long for the 59 caddy and the 52dodge custom.there will be a 50s style milk bar in one corner and display case's along the sides to put all our model cars in,I have them going back to the early 60s and it will be the first time in 34 years off marrage that they will be all on display all together.We have a lot of hotrod posters and photos from our trip to the states and the good old American flag and nz flag to hang up together.The rest of the bottom will be 1/ bedroom, bathroom,toilet,kitchen dining room and lounge.The upstairs will have 2 guest bedrooms,another toilet,bathroom and a big main bedroom,5x6 meters with a ranch slider onto a3x6 meter deck which you will see the mountain out the back and the sea out the front.
All the interior walls will be wooden frames and jibboard (sheetrock to you Americans )and painted finish which my wife and myself will do.Heating will be a log fire with a ******* to heat the water plus solar water heating to.There is no under floor heating here as we don't need it here.We are tough down here. There won't be a workshop in the building as I have another garage close by. which will be my worksop.It is 6x9 meters but one day it will be extended to house a hoist.
Thank you again for the interest.Ray.

 

[dlamerton]

wow, great location! I am soooo jealous right now!

 

[naki kid]

Photos as of today.floor joists,the floor is now in upstairs.

holes cut for windows doors etc

 

[naki kid]

Some updates on our build.
down stairs framework

doors in

 

[thomask]

Greetings, great plan and build you have. Can't wait to see her all full of your toys. Great that you can get them all out and on display to enjoy. How far are you from the water? Is there a rocky shore or beach? Good fishing?