Discussion Forum - Northstar Chevelle Club

Dave Seitz · Mega Poster

Do these guys work in their shops

Enganeer · Mega Poster

posers

Lost in the 60s · President

It's just a "parking garage". They don't do restoration work in there.

Dave Seitz · Mega Poster

The epoxy coating on my floor that I had dreams of always looking nice on my floor is burned chipped and destroyed. So how can you cut weld grind paint and do fab work in a shop like that?

gearlube · Active Member

Um you guys haven't seen Kevin's garage with the wood floors and it is spotless.

Lost in the 60s · President

Yup, I've seen Kevins "shop". He doesn't use a torch, grinder or welder in there. And he's retired.........he has a ALL DAY to clean...

I wish I had a floor that nice in my house...

bowtie · Secretary

I dunno, that shop shown has Menard's/Home Depot cabinets and vinyl floor that any of us could do cheaply. I think he uses his shop, but staged some stuff in there for the picture. I mean, who has a stoplight in a stand in front of thier workbench? (and the guitars obviously)

Dan Williams · Active Member

Sorry Brian, I have that same stoplight blocking one of my benches! I'm sure that guy got his like I did, really cool gift that is always in the way. Maybe someday this winter I can get it hung up on the wall where it belongs.

John D · 2K+ Club

I think it depends upon the "true" or intented use of the space... examples:

Dashboard - Built primarily for woodworking and a 2nd living space/gathering area, but pulls secondary usage as automotive space. (It also helps that Kevin is a meticulously neat & organized shop steward - traits I don't have...)

Pushrod - Built for automotive work, but also serves as storage for farming tractor, golf cart, snowmobile, etc. (still "new", we'll see in 5 years.)

Dave - Built for welding & metal fabrication, but automotive projects seem to be the theme. Metal fab is dirty/messy work.

Me - Oversize 2-car workshop/garage that still must be used as a garage at all times (1 car must have it's space). The other 2/3rds is divided into project space, tool storage, fabrication, parts storage, etc. Truthfully a 3-season workspace. (built 30 years ago)

If I had my Givens & Druthers, I would have 2 shops. A "display/parking" shop (like above), then a 2nd shop partitioned into "clean & minor" and "heavy & dirty" workspaces.

It seems that most guys have to deal with less than I have - the family garage that shares with yard equipment, bicycles/kid stuff, laundry, daily drivers, "crap" storage, and all the other stuff that clutters the traditional definition of a suburban "garage".

Derek69SS · Founding Member

It's easier to keep a clean garage if your car is "done".

There's a big difference between tinkering on a restored car, and doing a full-on restoration complete with welding and fabrication.

Bowtieman427 · Active Member

My garage is always in a work in progress. Simple 2 car garage and it is to small. last year had a neighbor come over when we were working on the Chevelle and litterally one side was just parts all over. One stall had all the parts all over engine, tranny, radiator rear, end, OD unit a little table with odds and ends and tools all over the floor. The car was on 4 stands in the other stall. She could not understand how I could get anything done (she is a car painter). Atleast this year I put in a heater that will not kill me. Somehow it got done. This yr car will be on one side and rebuilding an engine on the other. NEED BIGGER GARAGE. Our garage never had a dailey driver in it.

bowtie · Secretary

I'll be working with that dilemma very soon. Tonight I start laying out my new garage. Still haven't decided wether the Chevelle stays in the front/regular side so I have the space in back, or in the back where it's a little more protected but in the way. I have a feeling it will sit up front and the back will be workshop. Won't be as nice as Kevin's, but with a little time, it should look pretty good.

Pics to follow as I get going on it.

Chris R · 2K+ Club

Most guys that have huge showcase garages dont work on thier own stuff in thier own garage anyways. They farm that stuff out and pay someone else to do it because the can and have the money to do so.

Ive also been in Kevins kitchen, I mean garage as well. Lots of windows for natual light and just a very nice space to work in for what size it is.

Derek69SS · Founding Member

I know of quite a few "showroom" type garages that have had awesome cars built in them by their owners... after the car was done, finishing off the garage became the next project.

Here's one example... That car was built in there, the garage just didn't look that nice at the time.

SShink · 3K+ Club

Derek69SS wrote:
I know of quite a few "showroom" type garages that have had awesome cars built in them by their owners... after the car was done, finishing off the garage became the next project.

Here's one example... That car was built in there, the garage just didn't look that nice at the time.

That car/garage is in Rochester area. I'm subscribed to his thread on garagejournal.com. I'm going to steal his cabinet/soffet idea (there's storage with sliding doors on the upper gray cabinets) for my cave in the next couple of years... it's a great idea!

Hey Pushrod... 'another Camaro with a friggin' LS engine in it...' Love it!

-- Edited by SShink on Thursday 22nd of December 2011 04:48:47 PM

Derek69SS · Founding Member

Yup, he's in Stewartville... I've been in that garage a couple times, before and after it was finished.

To say "you could eat off the floor" is an understatement... I wouldn't be afraid to slurp up a spilled beer from that floor.

Lost in the 60s · President

Derek69SS wrote:
Yup, he's in Stewartville... I've been in that garage a couple times, before and after it was finished.

To say "you could eat off the floor" is an understatement... I wouldn't be afraid to slurp up a spilled beer from that floor.
But would he be willing to do a full on frame off restoration with rust removal, panel replacement and all the dirt, grindings and crap in there now ? I know he did a front sub-frame swap a while back while it looked like that, but everything he installed was new. I arranged to have his old sub-frame bought by a Camaro Club member. I then repaired it and installed it in another '69 Camaro.

Derek69SS · Founding Member

He doesn't need to, his car is done.

Jon H · 1K+ Club

That would be "this" car, how about the "next" one? It seems we are never satisfied.

bowtie · Secretary

off topic a little-Stan I'm on Garage Journal too as Northstar. Just joined as I was selling my house.

Dan Williams · Active Member

bowtie wrote:
off topic a little-Stan I'm on Garage Journal too as Northstar. Just joined as I was selling my house.

I've been on as WILL02 for 5 years. A lot of TC members on there.

Chris R · 2K+ Club

Ill bet the percentage of nice higher end, detailed garages that get any sort of actual work performed in them is not as high as people may think. Im not saying they arent out there. Kevin is a good example on a nice organized garage that gets a good amount of heavy work done in it.

There is still no way a lot of the garages like out there have any sort of real work performed in them. Let alone any sort of work at all. They are essentially an extra room in the house that you can walk in with your socks on and not get dirty.

The first thing to go would be the floor surface and these arent the kind of garages have the, throw some floor cleaner down and scrub it with a stiff bristled broom kind of clean. These are the kind that just never got dirty to begin with. Some of which have those red colored italian made decor with yellow prancing horses on them. Seems a lot of these gara..I mean rooms, have at least one of these parked in them. Examples

-- Edited by Chris R on Friday 23rd of December 2011 12:33:56 AM

-- Edited by Chris R on Friday 23rd of December 2011 12:34:59 AM

John D · 2K+ Club

The last 4 are in a league or fraternity that we'll join only by hitting Powerball or MegaMillions... I'd fathom a guess that the construction costs of 1, 2 & 4 are pushing what we spent for our entire HOUSES (not one room). Heck #3 has more invested in flat-screens than I spent on our kitchen remodel.

The Stewartville guy's shop is a really nice example of what someone can do with an oversize 2-car garage... build some soffits, re-rock it, good lighting, stock cabinets with formica tops, epoxy floor coat - then just get the mindset of KEEPING it as clean as new.
I've never been there. Is it free-standing or attached to the house?

If attached/existing I'd guess he's only got around $3500 in materials to set that place up - and you can hang a lot of 'rock with beer & pizza.

Derek69SS · Founding Member

Not a tool in sight in any of those 4, but if they can afford all that, they can afford a separate space for working in if they want to... but if you own brand new exotics, how much work do you really need to do?

My intent when I build a shop is to have 2 separated areas under one roof... about 3-4 car space for working in, and another 3-4 stalls of nice clean dry heated storage for the cars I'm not working on at the time. They'll be sealed off separate from each other so the clean area will be free of dust, smoke, and hazards that could scratch or ding the cars.

It's fun to dream though, the budget may dictate otherwise...

Chris R · 2K+ Club

I was in Harry Ungers of Diamond Interiors fame garage. I was supprised its nothing more then a slightly oversized 2 car garage that was very organized and he turns out some very nice high end interior work on a regular basis in there. You would think seeing his work he has a large shop. Just your typical garage in the middle of the suburban Robbinsdale neighborhood. I havent been there in over 15 years to see if anything has changed though.

Derek69SS · Founding Member

In pic #3, is that a portable stage w/ stripper pole in front of the Bentley?

Maybe some things do get "serviced" in that garage...

Chris R · 2K+ Club

Funny the subject of stop lights for decoration was brought up. Last week my HVAC instructor said they have had this floating around for years and just put in storage for more years after that since it never got used. He finally drug it out this school year. I said, you know where that would look good, my garage more as a joke.

He said go ahead and take it. I said be carefull, ill seriously will take it. He said I am serious, its yours if you want it. I brought my truck around after lab and loaded it up.

-- Edited by Chris R on Friday 23rd of December 2011 03:28:42 PM

Dan Williams · Active Member

Chris R wrote:
Funny the subject of stop lights for decoration was brought up. Last week my HVAC instructor said they have had this floating around for years and just put in storage for more years after that since it never got used. He finally drug it out this school year. I said, you know where that would look good, my garage more as a joke.
He said go ahead and take it. I said be carefull, ill seriously will take it. He said I am serious, its yours if you want it. I brought my truck around after lab and loaded it up.

-- Edited by Chris R on Friday 23rd of December 2011 03:28:42 PM

I actualy plan on hanging it in the end where the bus lives and hook up the lights with some kind of switch tape or lasers or something to find perfect parking spot for the bus and trailer. Seems like if it is 3" off, it is a pain to get around.