The Gearhead Garage

[EarlyBroncoGuy]

All my friends and family say I'm the biggest gearhead they know, so now that I finally have the space and the money to build me a real shop, picking a name for it was easy. Welcome to...the Gearhead Garage.

Ever since I can remember, I was taking things apart to see how they worked, and (usually) putting them back together. Fisher Price, Hot Wheels, Matchbox, Tonka, Nylint, Aurora AFX slot cars, Lionel trains, tricycles, bicycles, lawn mowers, go karts, ATV's, cars, trucks, tractors, trailers....you get the idea.

I put up with a 2 car garage (that also served as a laundry room and storage) as a workshop for 20 years, I just got tired of moving 3 or 4 things out of the way just to get at the one thing I wanted to work on, and crawling under vehicles supported on jackstands all the time isn't as easy or as much fun when you're in your late 40s as it used to be. When our youngest kid graduated high school, we decided it was time to move out to the country and get some elbow room.

6 acres gives me room to play and build, so I decided a 2400 sq ft (60 x 40x 16) building would be more than large enough to hold all of my vehicles (currently a toyhauler travel trailer, an extended cab truck, small tractor, several ATV's, an old Bronco, a classic Porsche, and way too many parts) and tools and still have room to work on them without being cramped.

After reading though several of the shop build threads on this site and some others, and getting quotes from several different types of building companies, I decided to go with a Mueller "red iron" metal building - there is a local outlet near me (Bastrop, Tx), the price was about the same as a pole barn or Versatube, and I've heard good things about them.

Concrete prices about gave me a heart attack when I got some quotes for a slab, but those were start-to-finish with the contractor doing everything. I know some guys that know some guys, and was able to work a deal with some of them to do most of the labor that I didn't know anything about (building forms, spreading/smoothing the concrete itself, etc) as long as I supplied the materials and did what work I could.

Late October 2013 I put down my deposit and ordered the building - 40 x 60 x 16, three roll up doors (12x14, two 10x10,) two walk doors, insulation on walls and roof, three huge skylights. Since it would take 5-6 weeks for the building to be delivered, I also started the ball rolling on the concrete work - got a few dump truck loads of road base dropped off and rented a Bobcat to level the site for the slab.

I'll update as work progresses, and add some photos. All comments, suggestions, and ideas are welcome.

 

[Thruxton]

Looking forward to the photos! And good to see yet another Porsche owner on the list- what model/year?

 

[katotter]

In for updates.

 

[EarlyBroncoGuy]

Looking forward to the photos! And good to see yet another Porsche owner on the list- what model/year?

'66 912. It was a basket case when I got it over 20 years ago, headed for the junkyard. Rusted out floors, mismatched fenders, no engine. I tore it completely apart and started repairing the floors, sandblasting control arms, etc, with a goal to restore it back to factory stock - but life kinda got in the way (kids, parents passed away, moved, etc) and it's sat for a while. It's one of the reasons I'm building the shop - because there's an SHO V6 being stuffed in the engine bay.

 

[Flathead Red]

It sounds like an interesting build. I am subscribed and look forward to updates.

Red


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[EarlyBroncoGuy]

10/25/13

View from about halfway across the back yard from earlier in the year, looking southeast, over the future shop site and towards the back of the house. The large brush pile on the right in the photo was left by the previous owner, it's smack dab in the middle of where the shop will go.:

Here's the site, looking west - not much to look at yet, just grass and weeds. If you look close, you can see the corner stakes. I ended up moving the brush pile with my tractor. (Only got it stuck twice).:

View towards the northwest -got a couple of truckloads of road base delivered to prep and level the site before the forms for the slab are built.

 

[Mobman924]

I'm looking forward the build! Good luck!

 

[LXCam]

That's killer, best of luck on your build bud!.

 

[EarlyBroncoGuy]

10/28/13

Rented a bobcat for the weekend and had some fun. The site was pretty level, ended up digging about 1 foot out of the high corner and moving the dirt over to the low corner. Topped it off with the road base.

 

[EarlyBroncoGuy]

11/2/13 Got it all formed up.

11/16/13 -a little more progress:

Got a crew of 4 or 5 guys together and five 10 yard trucks ordered, they showed up early and worked late.

The trench around the perimeter is 2 feet deep and nearly a foot across, with 2 loops of rebar near the bottom and 2 near the top. Mesh for the main part of the slab, slab is 6" deep and has 2 holes where the 2 post lift will be that are over 12" deep and 2 feet across with scrap rebar and mesh in them.

The last truck had a little bit left after the slab was filled, they used it to lay a short apron in front of the main door.

Next day, the size of it is really starting to sink in.

 

[TxJohn]

Very nice! Looking forward to your updates. Good luck!

 

[N0tt0N]

"Next day, the size of it is really starting to sink in."

Congratulations and good luck! I'm sure you'll have no trouble filling it

 

[e-tek]

"Next day, the size of it is really starting to sink in."

Congratulations and good luck! I'm sure you'll have no trouble filling it

Not only will you have no trouble filling it - in 2 or 3 years it'll look small!!!

Looking forward to your progress.

 

[jsherid1]

Great looking project--just guessing that you might be here in Texas based on the trees...

 

[8man]

Great size and height on the shop. You are going to love having some elbow room when dissembling some car project, like the Bronco!

 

[sunsation288]

40 x 60 x 16 !! , wow can't wait for the picture
Subscribed

 

[Scotty31588]

looking forward to seeing the construction photos

 

[EarlyBroncoGuy]

Not only will you have no trouble filling it - in 2 or 3 years it'll look small!!!

Looking forward to your progress.

Yeah, I know - it's got to hold:

28' toyhauler
16' utility trailer
8' atv trailer
'70 Bronco project
'66 Porsche project
'01 GMC hauler/tow vehicle
Yanmar tractor
Honda 125m, 200x, 250r, 350x, TRX70, 200m turned into a quad with 450r parts
Lots of tools

...and hopefully have plenty of room left to work on them all.

Wife thinks I should have settled for something smaller, but I'm glad I didn't.

 

[EarlyBroncoGuy]

11/25/13

Building arrived today - on the coldest, wettest, most miserable day to be working outside in a lonnnng time. Low 30's, pouring rain, wind....ugh. I felt really bad for the truck driver having to be out in the weather using his forklift to unload the truck.......until I saw the ruts it had left in my yard.

I did what I could with a shovel to fill in some of the worst ruts, but it sucked.

At least I had a huge tarp to cover the rolls of insulation.

Now I'm looking around trying to get quotes from construction companies that do steel building erection. I know the basics of putting it together aren't that hard, but since it's 16' tall, it's going to take a forklift, scissorlift, or a bunch of really strong guys to get the beams up - and the added hassle of insulation I'm sure will add to all the fun. If I can find a crew that knows what they're doing to get it put up for a few grand, it's worth it to me.

 

[JordanFTW]

Looking forward to more photos.

 

[EarlyBroncoGuy]

12/11/13

We have erection!

Well, at least a start. I found a local guy who has all the equipment needed and experience with construction, so decided to go with him (plus he's my cousin, so that helps). He brought a Bobcat over and we were able to get the 6 main columns up this afternoon.

Pics to follow.

 

[dubber]

Looking forward to more photos.

/\ this. I'm definitely going to keep checking this one. Good luck!

 

[EarlyBroncoGuy]

12/17/13

Finally had good weather and time to take some construction photos. These were taken before the north endwall was put up, so there's still some work to do:

Front corner view, looking northwest.

The contractor is actually my cousin, he lives just a few miles down the road and is a jack of all trades. He's got (or has access to) equipment I've never even heard of. The rigid frame (I beam) columns we put up with a strap and the Bobcat loader. The rafters he raised with a hand cranked load lifter - lots of fun with all that weight 16' up in the air and blowing around in the wind.

Rear corner, looking northeast.

Rear corner, looking southeast towards the house.

Side view, looking east. This endwall is not up yet.

Just a pic of the peak. All the bolt holes in the steel lined up, I guess I shouldn't have worried so much about the concrete guys and the anchor bolt locations - overall, they were OK. A few bolts shifted a little during the concrete pour, but a few minutes with a die grinder opened up the holes in the plates enough to slip over them.

Specs again: 40 x 60 x 16, two 10 x10 doors front and rear of center bay, one 12 x 14 door front of north bay. Two walk doors, one in front wall of south bay, one in north endwall. If the weather stays nice, it might be finished by Christmas.

 

[vonpahrkur]

Looking good, what brand of building did you get?

 

[Pat Brady]

Great job!! The place is really coming right along!!

 

[EarlyBroncoGuy]

Looking good, what brand of building did you get?

Mueller. Their quote was pretty much the same as any other company I contacted, plus they included the doors, insulation, skylights, and all the hardware, and they have a local office just down the road so I can get help or parts easily and quickly. When the concrete guys were ready to pour, I let the local salesman know, and he said he had the anchor bolts I would need in stock, and gave them to me for no additional cost - all I had to do was drive over and pick them up.

Every piece is labeled, marked, and matches the drawings. Sure makes it a lot easier when you go to actually put the pieces in place.

 

[xSoFx]

Gonna be a nice garage I'm sure. I wish I could work outside in December in a sweatshirt.

 

[1/2 Cup]

Awesome, I just love an all steel build.

 

[vonpahrkur]

I checked out their sight, I like that they have a price list with specs that you can check out without having to get grilled by a rep just to get some estimates. How many other companies did you get quotes from and which ones? I had seen your other thread about figuring out which kind of building to go with, what were the numbers on the building, concrete etc if you don't mind me asking?

 

[Bogan_of_Oz]

wow, nice! wish i had that much space

 

[ufvj217]

Awesome build. Subscribed

 

[EarlyBroncoGuy]

I checked out their sight, I like that they have a price list with specs that you can check out without having to get grilled by a rep just to get some estimates. How many other companies did you get quotes from and which ones? I had seen your other thread about figuring out which kind of building to go with, what were the numbers on the building, concrete etc if you don't mind me asking?

I shopped around - Mueller, Versatube, and several companies that advertised in the local weekly Greensheet-type advertising paper. Almost all of them came in around the 21K price range, so I just decided to go with Mueller due to positive reviews I read and the fact they had the local office so close. I almost went with Versatube because I could have assembled it myself, but I like the strength and durablility of heavy steel and big bolts. When I made the $5000 initial deposit at the local office, they threw in some goodies - big insulated lunch bag, koozies, hat, and a nice folding lockback pocketknife that has come in useful several times already. Yeah, swag I know, but cool anyway.

Concrete (2400 sq ft slab, 6" thick, with 2' deep perimeter beam) came to nearly 10K, including the 5 trucks of mix delivered, labor, and all materials (road base, forms, rebar, mesh, plastic vapor barrier) and equipment rental (Bobcat, concrete buffer). I made the most out of the Bobcat weekend rental ($325, they delivered and picked it up) and also used it to pull out old fence posts, clear some mesquite, and did a little earthmoving for some future landscaping work while I had it.

 

[JordanFTW]

Not a bad package at all, only 31k into it. That included all the doors and everything? Did you consider radiant heat for the building?

 

[EarlyBroncoGuy]

Not a bad package at all, only 31k into it. That included all the doors and everything? Did you consider radiant heat for the building?

No, never really thought about heating - down here in central Texas, it hardly ever gets really cold, and if it does it doesn't stay that way for long. Heat, on the other hand - we got lots of that. That's why I went with white roof panels, insulation, and big doors on both sides to get some cross flow ventilation. I may even air condition the entire interior.

 

[EarlyBroncoGuy]

12/23/13

Frame is done. Looking at it from the front, the left (south) bay will be used for a small office in the front corner, with ATV parking in the rear, and a loft for storage above it all running along the side wall front to back.

Center bay (10x10 doors front and rear) will be for parking in the front, and the 2 post lift will be near the rear door. Right bay (12x14 door) will be mostly for parking the toyhauler.

Looking at the rear corner of the right bay - there will be space behind the toyhauler when it's parked in there, that's probably where I'll put the Porsche project.

The office will go in that corner, with ATV's and other assorted toys to the right, and a storage loft or pallet racks along that side wall.

North bay for the toyhauler (you can see it parked off in the distance) and the front center doorframe. I've always wanted a building with a door big enough to drive an 18 wheeler through.

I'm trying to figure out the best layout for workbenches, cabinets, tool chests, drill press, welder, etc. I'm thinking since the lift will be in the center bay near the back door, that's where most of my vehicle work will be happening, so having tools close and a workbench to put parts on would be a good idea. I do want a dedicated fabrication/dirty work area (grinding, welding, beating the snot out of rusty things that don't want to come apart, etc), but not sure if I want it in a corner or near a door. Air compressor will be outside in it's own ventilated, sound insulated enclosure. Air hoses and extension cords will be on overhead reels so I won't be tripping over them all the damn time.

 

[EarlyBroncoGuy]

01/04/14

Making some progress - the weather has been changing daily, from frigid to warm, breezy to calm. The guys come out and do what they can when the weather permits, plus the holidays slowed things down a bit. I was surprised to see them bright and early New Years' Day, though.

Walls are almost done, working with the insulation and panels during windy days about drove them nuts.

Entrance walk door is installed, that corner will be the small office area eventually.

The inspector and her helper showed up to check on the progress.

She approves of the insulation.

From the southwest corner looking across to the northeast corner.

Just a small section of wall left to go, then they start on the roof. Big as a dance hall in here.

 

[Sims5]

Looks very nice.

Tell me why two different sizes of overhead doors? Never understood why someone would have tall ceiling and not have a door that could use all of that size. Maybe you have a plan for that inside area above the door? You do realize the door tracks will be at different heights for the two doors side by side?

Please don't take my comments or questions wrong. I don't mean to rain on your excitement of a new build, just want to make sure you've thought this detail out and it would be easier to change now than later.

 

[EarlyBroncoGuy]

I only have one vehicle anywhere near tall enough to need a big door - my toyhauler is 11 feet tall. Most of the time it'll be parked outside, under a lean-to awning I'm going to build along the north wall. I went with the one large door when I ordered the building just so I could bring the toyhauler inside when I want to work on it or during really bad weather.

All my other vehicles are ATV's and normal cars, so the 10x10 doors are plenty big enough.

I do plan on running a loft/storage area around the inside walls, using pallet racks as heavy duty shelving

 

[Sims5]

EarlyBroncoGuy
Makes since. Enjoy your build.

 

[Bronson]

Subscribed. I have a Mueller 30x40x12, spray foam insulated. I am very happy with My Mueller building, but I got no swag, WTH?
I am just south of Amarillo, so I get extreme heat AND cold. I have two man doors and one overhead, insulated. In the cold of winter winds, I find the overhead door has more air leakage than I would like even with extra seals around it. I have a overhead NG unit heater, and in the west wall, a good swamp cooler for summer. I can crack the 5 double pane windows to let the swamp cooler do it thing in summer.
I made one BIG mistake. No ridge vent. With the spray foam, the building is very tight (except for the roll up door). In the summer, the heat build up and hangs in the upper part of the shop ,with no way to escape. I have been trying to decide how to evacuate that heat, and adding ridge vent at this stage is not an option. Your tall roll up door should help with that scenario. I don't use My roll up for ventilation , as I don't want drive-bys to see in the shop. I hate to cut holes in a good roof, so I am still thinking on that. Good luck with Your new shop, I hope You will be as happy as I have been with Mine. BTW, I even added a Mueller roof to My house, and Mueller siding on a couple of out-buildings.