Suitor's Garage

[SuitorsGarage]

We have a modest 24X28 that we consider more of a lifestyle than a building.
It gets used hard but always respected. It hosts several parties a year (which is good because it gets a good cleaning for them). It has built several projects with one just finishing up (rebuild of my daughter's car after a rollover) and another ready to come in (my chevy frame up truck build that went out to do the kid's car). It is also home base for my contracting/mechanic work endevors.

Right now it has too much stuff inside it and could use a makeover again. We plan to do that this summer.

 

[toolchanger777]

Very nice

 

[JC23]

Nice. Whatcha got in mind?

 

[SuitorsGarage]

For starters I have way to much memorabilia and I need to thin it out and keep only the stuff I really enjoy. Pretty much a cleaner new look with some of the walls showing again...I'm a pack rat I suppose. I got a lot of truck parts laying around and I need to to get my truck put back together to free up some shelf and storage space. Then a fresh coat of paint on the inside to brighten it up.

Here is what it usually looks like only worse until I can get the truck finished.

 

[Call me the Breeze]

We just got rid of our 2005 Dodge Hemi Magnum... Was worthless in the snow. How does yours handle in it? Nice shop you have there. I know there a ton of guys on here that would help you get rid of the memorabilia! I dig the Oilzum signs!

 

[SuitorsGarage]

Call me the Breeze-(Skynyrd is my favorite!!)
That magnum is my brother's. It's an awd sxt, he claims it is the best thing he has ever driven in the snow. He comutes about an hour each way to work with it. It's not a hemi but it does have 250hp/250fp in the V6.

As far as the memorabilia goes, I got way too many qt cans and such that are stacked everywhere. We had an absolute blast coming up with all the stuff but it got out of control. Some stuff is in pretty tough condition and I gotta go through it and keep only the good stuff. I recently just got rid of a couple boxes of cans to a friend for his garage. He got all giddy over the stuff and I was happy to see it go to someone that appreciates it.
The Oilzum sign was my dad's dealer sign from the 60's, I won't be getting rid of that...glad you noticed it.

 

[Call me the Breeze]

The Hemi Magnum was a hoot to drive, and for the 5.7 version it was pretty quick. I would have liked to try out one of those SRT8's, just to see the difference in them. Mine Didn't have the AWD which I'm sure makes all the difference in the world. Welcome to the board. I hope you like your computer... with this site, you'll be on here alot!

 

[radguard9]

Hey I've been in that garage before!!! Had a few beers there too!!! ha ha Good to see your garage here! It certainly has character!!! I come here often to get ideas for my 40X45X12 with a carport for my camper. I plan on cutting trees this coming fall/winter after I get the motor back in my 69 Camaro. Know who this is yet??? ha ha

 

[SuitorsGarage]

Small world eh'? Especially since you are on the other end of it from us now.
Your garage is going to be awsome! Can't wait to see it going up.
I got some glass in that little blue project today. It's been in the garage for almost a year now and it can finally go outside without worry! I'll have to put together some pics of it for you. Waiting on 2 fender liners before I call it done and take it for a test drive before I hand the keys over.

 

[SuitorsGarage]

Here you go Rad...I will get one of it finished sometime for you.

Crappy phone pic of when it came off the wrecker

Assessing the damage

New roof ready to weld

Roof and pillar welded in

Doors hung and glass out of the donor car set it to make sure everything fit

Then we did a bunch of work to the mangled front end and test fit the new sheet metal

Then it sat waiting for the painter to take it from there, and sat, and sat!!
After six months I gave up on the free paint job and started to do some of it myself. I never wanted to paint in the garage.

Then I got another painter to do the outside of the car for me thank god.

Now it's all back together except for 2 pcs. of plastic under the fenders.

 

[sasquach]

Nice work . Not to sound like a **** but why .Wouldn't it been cheaper to just replace it ?

 

[str8axle55]

Nice garage, and great work on the Cav. I like your truck as well, I have an 86 K30, and an 88 Burb.

 

[SuitorsGarage]

Nice work . Not to sound like a **** but why .Wouldn't it been cheaper to just replace it ?

Cheaper no, easier yes.
She was pretty upset about her car. That was her baby. I was gonna junk it but it was really not hurt all that bad and I had access to multiple cavaliers for parts. If you could have seen the look on her face when I told her we could fix it, you would understand.
Besides she helped some and I got to hang out with my baby girl in the garage!

 

[jktruck150]

I like the second pic off the ground the best! Looks great! Great job on the cavilier! I like that blue color. where did you get the sign over your garage doors, or did you make that?

 

[SuitorsGarage]

Nice garage, and great work on the Cav. I like your truck as well, I have an 86 K30, and an 88 Burb.

The truck is an 86 1/2 ton. Not much 86 of it left though. I converted a 2wd frame to use under it. Guess I never take the simple route.

 

[sasquach]

Cheaper no, easier yes.
She was pretty upset about her car. That was her baby. I was gonna junk it but it was really not hurt all that bad and I had access to multiple cavaliers for parts. If you could have seen the look on her face when I told her we could fix it, you would understand.
Besides she helped some and I got to hang out with my baby girl in the garage!

Thats awesome that she helped out and i guess if I had the resources for cheap parts I woulda done the same thing . Nice job

 

[SuitorsGarage]

jktruck-
The sign over the door was from my dad's business. One of his customers was a sign painter and did it for him as payment. My avitar is actually a pic of that sign.

That second pic is one of my favorites too that's why I put it up. I worked in the garage that day running a few rigs through during a snowy winter day. When I was done and at the beer store my brother took that pic.

 

[lyonsac4242]

Nice garage!!! Will the update include a lift? Also, I had an SRT8 magnum, did exhaust and intake on it. It was absolutely awesome! I really miss that car. But in winter, it was bad! So I got a used midsize suv AWD and a corvette. Really want the Magnum back too, but not enough garage space

 

[SuitorsGarage]

I wish we could put a lift in there but the ceiling height is just over 8'. We do have a pit though.

 

[radguard9]

Car looks really good! I'm sure she's a happy camper!!! Being over here def has giving me time to think/dream about my garage. I have a pretty good idea now. 40X45X13 with a 20ft overhang for my camper. I plan on using 62' clear span scissor trusses that will cover the overhang so the left side of the garage (middle of the trusses) will hopefully be able to clear a 10X14' high door. A lift will be going on the right side bay that will have a 10X10 door. A 15X25 utility room will be build off the back of the garage with its own small overhead to house the compressor and my lawn mower and four wheeler. Instead of sheathing the outside, I'm going to use purlins and metal siding. The inside will be sheathed with OSB then painted. Metal will be used on the roof as well. Radiant heat is going in the floor. A outside gasification wood boiler will heat the garage and house. Can't hurt to dream can it?

 

[Showboy]

I like that garage. Lots of potential there.

Cool Oilzum sign!

For starters I have way to much memorabilia and I need to thin it out and keep only the stuff I really enjoy.

Well, out of the goodness of my heart, I'd be willing to let you give me some of your memorabilia. No need to thank me.

 

[6SpeedBowtie]

Cheaper no, easier yes.
She was pretty upset about her car. That was her baby. I was gonna junk it but it was really not hurt all that bad and I had access to multiple cavaliers for parts. If you could have seen the look on her face when I told her we could fix it, you would understand.
Besides she helped some and I got to hang out with my baby girl in the garage!

And there you go. One of those priceless memories that the two of you will hold forever.

When I was in High School, my dad and I bought a worn our MGB and brought it back to new. I spent more time holding the treble light than I would have liked, but every time I look at that car, I think of the time we spent together working on it. I don't think I'll ever be able to part with that vehicle.

 

[SuitorsGarage]

If anyone is interested here here is a link to our garage website. My brother does it for the fun of it. Mostly all the current stuff is about racing. There is usually pics from other garages in that section too.

http://www.suitorsgarage.com/

 

[bahumbug]

Dan Suitor was more than a mechanic. He was an automotive historian, a custodian of his older customers"s even older cars. and a friend. While working as a salesman for a local parts house I looked forward to calling on him. Sold him a little but learned a lot. I'm sure he would be proud of what the boys have accomplished under his sign.
Ron Costa

 

[SuitorsGarage]

Dan Suitor was more than a mechanic. He was an automotive historian, a custodian of his older customers"s even older cars. and a friend. While working as a salesman for a local parts house I looked forward to calling on him. Sold him a little but learned a lot. I'm sure he would be proud of what the boys have accomplished under his sign.
Ron Costa

Ron, thanks for remembering Dan. He taught everyone something. Thanks for that sign too (for those of you that don't know, bahumbug is an awsome painter!). I can still remember the day I hung it on that little garage for him. He wanted to take it back down and put it inside but I never did. It looks right at home up there and now it wouldn't be the same place without it. I still have the spark plug machine and the oil bottles that inspired you to do the sign for him.

I should explain who Dan Suitor is to the rest of you. Dan was my dad. He was a self employed mechanic. He was an aircraft mechanic (PB-Y catalinas in the south pacific during WWII), worked at my grandfather's American station until about 1960, then worked in his own shop until 1987, then built Suitor's Garage on his lawn for a place to put his tools and self after retiring. When bahumbug said "Dan Suitor was more than a mechanic. He was an automotive historian, a custodian of his older customers"s even older cars." it reminded me of all his old customers and their cars. He was old school and repaired stuff instead of replaced stuff. For example starters, he would rebuild them before he would buy one.
So as far as Suitor's Garage goes it is because of Dan that we love it so much and respect it the way we do. When I work on stuff in the garage I can still hear him teaching me stuff like "treat every car like your wife and kids will be in it", "take the time to go the extra mile now and you will be glad you did next time you have that apart (cleaning parts, antiseeze, ect)", "be patient it took 20 years for that to rust together like that its not gonna just come right apart", "walk away from it for a while it will go better when your not pissed off at it".

 

[SuitorsGarage]

Here are the pics of the car done except for the emblem on the front and the new front plate.

I saw her hugging it yesterday! Seriously. She moved it at the garage got out laid one arm across the trunk lid, the other arm down the rear quarter with her cheek on top of the rear quarter, and said "I love my car"

That's why daddy fixed it.