Above 1200 Sq/FT Restored 1930's Auto Shop

[stewed baker]

Thomas:
Hello again. I finally caught up with your progress again, so I thought I would throw in my 2 cents worth.
The question of whether the basement steel would be powder coated has been addressed. I won't go there.
From what I can see the bolt heads have been clocked. Flats to the top and bottom.
As can be expected. Extraordinary attention to detail, as usual.
May I suggest that you use fiberglas insulation in all interior walls and between floors.
That simple step cuts sound transmission down to an incredible level.
Thank You for documenting the trip and allowing us to experience such excellence.

 

[stillp]

Thomas:

From what I can see the bolt heads have been clocked. Flats to the top and bottom.
As can be expected. Extraordinary attention to detail, as usual.

Surely not! Dust will collect on the horizontal top flat!

Pete

 

[BB767]

Did you save me piece of 10' x 15' tyvek Thomas?

Charlie I will save you a piece, promise.



We still have about 1/2 of the house left to wrap before I know how much is left over. We've been working steadily only on getting the roof finished.



The roof is scheduled to be "blacked in" tomorrow (Thursday) which will be a major accomplishment. No more leaks!



With the roof completed you really start to get a feel for what the cathedral ceiling in the great room will look like. The ceiling is 18.5' (5.6 m) tall in there. Next week we'll frame the upstairs and finish this wall. Might even get the windows installed, we'll see.



So far, so good.

More is on the way, not to worry.

Thomas

 

[BB767]

Thomas:........

May I suggest that you use fiberglass insulation in all interior walls and between floors.
That simple step cuts sound transmission down to an incredible level.
Thank You for documenting the trip and allowing us to experience such excellence.

Hi stewed baker and welcome back. The floors will all be insulated and some select rooms will have interior insulation as well for sound absorption. Not sure if I'll do all of them but some for sure.

Sharing is why I started this thread and it's been my pleasure to do so. I've met such a wide circle of new friends because of it. That's been a great unexpected benefit.

Thomas

 

[eokie1]

Thomas, I don't post often, but have followed your efforts now for several years, and I really appreciate the time you take from your (especially right now) VERY busy days, to post updates for us COTU-addicts..... ha ha The house looks great, as usual, just as with everything you do !!
James in the OLDEST city, St Augustine, FL

 

[SiGmA_X]

Thomas,

Very nice work, sir. Thanks for posting the update, the pictures and progress are always a welcome sight.

Roman

 

[markviii]

If you watch WCIA Channel 3 out of Champaign IL this week, their CI Living segment is Our Town Philo. Each night on the news there is a segment featuring different aspects of our town. They interviewed the farmer down the road who does tractor pulls all over the midwest, the 4H about their butterfly garden at the library (where I'm on the board), and Tom got some time in front of the camera with the Restored 1930s Auto Shop. They'll be in town filming live on Friday, June 17 from 4-7pm. There will be a bouncy-house for the kids, a bake sale and several other things going on. And don't miss the fish sandwiches at the local restaurant (the Philo Tavern) - be prepared to wait a little while. There's always a line, but it's worth the wait. They might even seat you out in the green house with a great water garden view!

Chris

 

[AZpilot]

That tall ceiling is going to be fun to paint!

 

[BB767]

If you watch WCIA Channel 3 out of Champaign IL this week, their CI Living segment is Our Town Philo. Each night on the news there is a segment featuring different aspects of our town. They interviewed the farmer down the road who does tractor pulls all over the midwest, the 4H about their butterfly garden at the library (where I'm on the board), and Tom got some time in front of the camera with the Restored 1930s Auto Shop. They'll be in town filming live on Friday, June 17 from 4-7pm.

Chris

Here's the TV crew in the shop, the reporter is talking with my sweetie. No doubt all the shop footage will wind up on the editing room floor! I won't even get 15 minutes of fame........sigh. I 'coulda been a contender. No private jet, no entourage, no Jimmy Kimmel Live, no Time Magazine or GQ cover shots..............

Oh well, I might as well go finish that roof today instead!

No name fame game Thomas

 

[gasgas17]

World famous in Philo!

 

[gordyy]

Thomas will be the center of the universe shop GURU

 

[realvc]

Thomas and Chris, I'm so proud just know you both through this thread. It is just really nice to follow your adventures and now to know you will be on T.V.

Beautiful home place, shop, barn and the story continues with the new house.

Since I retired I'm in my shop about everyday and what ever I'm doing I almost always wonder what would Thomas think about this?

Thanks again for sharing. Also the journey of "Beltsville Shell is very cool too. Since I got to read and sign it I feel related to a part of the Center of the Universe. Thanks again for that too.

Vince

 

[markviii]

Here is a link to the tv segments and short articles about Our Town Philo. I guess we're "up" tonight on the news.

http://www.illinoishomepage.net/our-town-2016

The tv crew will be shooting live around town during a mini-festival from4-7pm tomorrow (Friday). Baje sale, corn hole contest, tour of our ESDA facility, fish Friday at the local restaurant, probably a kids basebal tournament down at the park. Lots going on (actually more than the usual on a lazy summer Friday evening).

Chris

 

[bluestripe67]

Great organization Thomas! The construction is slowly showing the form of a great home. Nice story about the garage. Dennis

 

[gordyy]

excellent story very well played Tom loved they even showed the lift working..

 

[Daniel_DePetro]

Absolutely incredible!

 

[rmalkow2]

Awesome local news video coverage.

 

[stillp]

Nice TV feature. Thanks for the link. Lucky they didn't see that crooked switch plate...

Pete

 

[Joe-R]

Here is a link to the tv segments and short articles about Our Town Philo. I guess we're "up" tonight on the news.

http://www.illinoishomepage.net/our-town-2016

The tv crew will be shooting live around town during a mini-festival from4-7pm tomorrow (Friday). Baje sale, corn hole contest, tour of our ESDA facility, fish Friday at the local restaurant, probably a kids basebal tournament down at the park. Lots going on (actually more than the usual on a lazy summer Friday evening).

Chris

Hi Chris,

Thanks for sharing the video!!! I really enjoyed it, especially the Rotary lift in action!!! Tom got me a little choked up there at the end, too!

Joe

 

[Homebody]

Great video!!

 

[unslow1]

Just saw the video on the CH3 news at noon. That looked great!

Troy

 

[Laro13]

Nice Tv item

Also nice to hear the voice of the man himself.

Thank you for entertaining/informing us, all these years!

Cheers, Jasper

 

[oberst]

It's all coming home to me now. All those little touches, like clocking the labels on the pop bottles, were for when the TV cameras finally arrived!

JK of course, but I sure see the benefit of keeping a beautiful property like yours shipshape, just in case the rest of the world want to take a peek inside!

Nice job, you guys!

(It was cool listening to the lift running! Smooth as budduh!)

 

[realvc]

Great video!
Thanks for the link Chris

Vince

 

[stillp]

Four days without an update! Thomas, are you too busy signing autographs now you're a media star?

Pete

 

[JC23]

Knowing that bunch, the next pics will be him hanging things on the inside walls.

 

[ZRX61]

I want to know whats going inside the walls in the way of messages written on 2x4's etc

 

[ZRX61]

uh oh.... I just had a thought....

How about a GJ Tribute wall cavity where people send Tom *stuff* to put inside the wall

Hoping I didn't just open a can of worms...

 

[Jack Olsen]

"It turned out okay."

(That's some Illinois modesty, right there.)

I really enjoyed the video. Thanks for posting the link.

 

[markviii]

We had a 1 day break from the construction site (work continued Friday without us to prepare for window delivery yesterday morning). Vintage racing at the Indy 500 road racing track was very successful this past weekend with 4 1st place finishes for our team from San Diego (2 in the Formula Ford and 2 in the Lola T70 - same driver for all 4). It was hot-hot-hot, but no rain. We had a great time, as always!

Tom's phone was full of voice mails after his segment was aired on the local news. My niece put it on her facebook page, too. Tom's staying humble after all the attention. (and we left town during the live filming on Friday, so he didn't have to deal with all the attention in person)

The roof is tar-papered and windows installed, so definitely no more delays due to weather are anticipated (we've only lost 1/2 day since March 30, so there must be a weather dome over the Center of the Universe). Pictures are coming soon. Our days are very long, but we get a lot done.

ZRX61 - we are going to have some sort of cornerstone/time capsule. One of our friends is a Mason, so we're investigating the best way to do this so the stuff inside is actually preserved. Tom did put our names on the foundation and I'm sure something will be on the back of the wooden mantle over the fireplace. Actually, our footprints/handprints are all over this structure since it is personally designed by us for us to enjoy for the rest of our lives. Being able to walk through it is helping to bring the blueprints to life.

Chris

 

[BB767]

Nice TV feature. Thanks for the link. Lucky they didn't see that crooked switch plate...

Pete

Pete I must tell you that was a day brightener for me. I wish I had a quick wit like that. Good one my friend!

Thomas

 

[bulletpruf]

"It turned out okay."

(That's some Illinois modesty, right there.)

I really enjoyed the video. Thanks for posting the link.

Yeah, I had to chuckle when I heard that.

X2 on the video - great stuff.

Scott

 

[BB767]

Indy Racing 2016

First off, many thanks everyone for all the good wishes about my television debut. My 15 minutes of fame turned out to be 3 minutes and I'm good with that. Both members of the TV crew genuinely seemed to really get a kick out of touring the shop. They were both youngish (mid twenties) and had never seen or experienced anything like the old shop before. The old Rotary Lift was a big hit with them as was the Terraplane. They professed a desire to come back and do a more in-depth story about the shop. Maybe I'll get those other 12 minutes of fame after all.

OK, yup I've been busy. Chris and I took a work day, last Friday and the weekend to help our racing buddies from San Diego. This last week was vintage road racing at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (Indy 500 track).



I got some seat time again this year.



After warming up the Lola T70 in the paddock...



...I was asked to drive it from our pits...



...to the pre-grid. Tricky clutch in that car but I managed to not stall it. Our driver, Danny Cowdrey, had back to back races so I ferried the T70 to the pre-grid for him and then ferried his Formula Ford back to our pits after he came in.



I was informed that his Formula Ford (a Titan) has a kamikaze clutch and that was no lie! I did stall it a couple of times but eventually got the hang of it. Maybe by the end of this racing season I'll be a pro like Jack Olsen.



As Chris mentioned, Danny got the traditional bottles of milk for winning both of his qualifying races Saturday and then again won both of his feature races Sunday, Can-Am in the T70 and...



...in his Titan in Formula Ford. He had 4, 1st place podium finishes in 2 days. Not too shabby, but then we knew that. He's a great talent and a really modest fellow that both Chris and I like a lot.

Next road racing is at Road America, Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin next month, 14-17th of July. This year is the 50th anniversary of Can-Am and we expect a tremendous turnout of vintage Can-Am race cars. Really looking forward to that.

More house information......and pictures shortly. I haven't forgotten. Thanks everyone.

Thomas

 

[rixtrix1]

Really liked the video, Thomas! X2 on all the other comments, especially yours! Great pics from Indy. Congrats to Danny!

"It turned out okay." Humph, LOL.

 

[BB767]

Windows Installed

I'm still a little behind posting, but here are some updates with the windows all installed.







I'll go into detail later. The carport is almost done...




...and the firebox for the fireplace started. Also on the interior framing...



...we're working to complete the 2nd floor...



... and the balcony area...



...overlooking the great room. I'll get more detail information on here but wanted to show there has been some recent activity.

Thomas

 

[babaluba]

Young Sir Thomas, please relax.
You are under no obligation to stress on our behalf. We will not be at fault for crooked switch plates or unclocked screws just because you feel you need to update us constantly!

Much better if you take your time, and do it properly. Aaand perhaps powdercoat something along the way. Or better yet, maybe some chrome?

Very good work, like the outlook of things. Interesting to see how building techniques and materials differ from here in Norway for instance.

 

[HOTFR8]

The house is looking great Thomas.

 

[1/2 Cup]

Thomas, just awesome and thank you for the update..

Regards

 

[MG David]

I sometimes watch TV programmes we have over here such as Grand Designs and Building The Dream. They track people having houses built or building themselves. In nearly all cases they run into problems with massive time and money over runs. What they nee to do is read this thread and learn it is about quality and planning.

I know you are not finished yet but, well done Thomas and Chris.

 

[HOTFR8]

Grand Designs we get here in Australia as well but this place of Chris and Thomas would put many of those to shame.