Small Axe HQ: Garage Thread

We have moved. 

Old garage setup:

• Tiny two-car garage at home - housed the truck and my wife's car, VW sat outside
• 20 x 40 garage rented ~8 min from home (now ~25 min from new house) - housed the E21, Healey and sometimes the truck and, for a bit, E36 M3iata.

New garage setup:

• Full two-car garage 
• Extra 13 x 21.5 perpendicular garage - both at home

Eventually we'll build a large garage addition but that's not in the cards right now and probably won't be for ~10 years I'd say. 

The rented shop will be going away in July. This thread will be me trying to pack 4 cars into an area too small for 4 cars with the ability to re-arrange (see: put something outside) for workspace. Oh and a Locost frame hanging from the ceiling somewhere.

The truck and my wife's car will be as pictured, the VW will live outside and the E21 and Healey are intended to be in the extra area. If it's just too tight, the Healey will live at my parent's house or some other spot. On paper, I can put the E21 on rollers, push it into the rear corner of the extra section by the main garage, and pull the Healey in at an angle.

Looking into the garage from the laundry room. (Pics are hazy, I didn't realize the camera was smudged until I took the basement pic) You can sort of see, on the right-hand side, where the extra garage area attaches in line with the back edge of her driver's door.

Area in front of my wife's car. The cabinet houses the water hookup.

Looking towards the house from in front of the truck.

76.5" x 40" area behind truck

The ceilings in the main garage are 9 ft. high and there is 18" available above the open garage door. 

Walking into the extra section, looking left.

Looking right.

Right side, at the other end where a 93" garage door opens to the back yard.

Left side.

From the backyard looking in.

The last bit is actually in the basement. A 17' x 15.5' area that was obviously the previous owner's workshop. 

Pay no mind to where items currently are aside from the Mazda and truck. Most if it has just been tossed places in an effort to make the space livable for the time being.

The big 2x4 shelving under the Saab front clip definitely has to go and I'll likely just take everything out of that section to better plan. I'm hoping that much of the shelving I currently have in the rented shop will go in the basement work shop and all the things I don't use often like wheels, tires, etc. will go down there along with bigger spares. 

I'm hoping to have all car tools in the extra garage space along with some sort of work bench, likely folding, as well. It's worth mentioning that the intention would be to house the Healey at my house ONLY in the summer when we would be using it. Only the E21 will be in the extra section in the winter - when I try to do a lot of the big projects anyway. 

That's where I am. I'd really appreciate any and all suggestions that the GRM crew has about how to maximize my space. I'll update as I go!

Can you get away with a small shed for the mower and yard crap and bikes?

I could, yes, and my wife even suggested it yesterday but I'd like to avoid it if possible. We're intending to have a large garden and chicken coop. Adding a shed to that would get a little funny looking.

Shed with chicken coop built in

Ditto what Patrick says.  Square footage is so valuable... create cheaper square footage for some items.

A ChickShed ain't a bad idea... 

In reply to AxeHealey :

You really don't need a big footprint for a riding mower and a couple bikes 

It looks like shed is definitely the choice. Yesterday we were standing outside talking about all the various things that will be in our back yard and my wife just goes "Why don't you put it back there?" and points to the woods behind our back yard (still our property). 

There's already a nice big cleared section where the previous owners had a camp fire setup. It's on high ground, close to where our fence will end and completely hidden in the summer. Deal. 

Bonus is I think I can also clear a nice space next to it to park the trailer to get it out of the driveway. Not entirely sold on that aspect yet but it's available. I need to get used to having this much space... it allows for imagination.   

Continuing to bring things home from the rented shop. 

Measured the Locost frame last night and it's just under 10 ft. long. Shed will be 10 ft. long. 

Took some time last night to remove the various storage *things* the previous owner built. Forgive me if the construction guys here think it's fine but I feel it's complete berkeleyery to use BOTH screws and nails when making something. Sometimes in the same joint. In the corner where the wagon was and then extending towards the water table used to be what I think was a firewood rack. After this picture was taken I took down the shelving with the peg board on the right-hand side.

The very nice shed (that will be stuck back in the woods) we landed on was denied by our city this morning because it didn't match our house. Wonderful. 

Baby steps. One set of shelving has been moved from the shop to the home garage. We found last night that very careful parking of Elmore allows for "easy" access to the space behind.

The pegboard back there holds garden tools that are really only used at the front of the house and things my daughter doesn't use much these days.

Plenty of room on the shelves to pack with stuff. Pop tent and chairs on the bottom, recreational stuff, likely car wash/detailing things...

Yes, I need a new basketball. I didn't have a hoop at the old house and now that I have one I'm back to shooting every day. The old ball hasn't held up well with rough old net. Heavy swooshes.

I can only imagine what the fine people of pepper pike had going through their heads when the new guy rolled up in Elmore 

In reply to Patrick (Forum Supporter) :

On almost the first day.

Neighbor: "Hi, cool old truck. Is it going to sit outside?" AKA am I going to have to look at it every day

Me: ...

EDIT: Also - probably told Patrick this but I drove Elmore for our final inspections. I hopped out and they go "Oh, I thought you were the septic guy."

Here is what 20+ years of AutoWeek looks like shoved into a shelf. To be fair, there's a 7 inch stack that didn't fit and is now on the shelves in my office. The race wheels/tires won't stay under there but I just needed to get them out of my way.

Whoever buys this house from the decrepit old man who lives here in 50 years (me) will know he was a racer and liked a good burger on a nice beach.

I've got all the brake parts I need for the E21 coming this week and after that, I'll really start the migration of tools and equipment from the shop home. 

Really looking forward to see what you do with the place!

Thanks man!

No pics but I have spent more time organizing the basement and I actually brought my workbench home from the shop yesterday. 

I need to be out of the shop on the 15th and our shed doesn't get delivered until the 31st so things will be a full on mess for a couple weeks. 

Oh, I also pulled the Locost frame down from the shop ceiling yesterday. 

With the workbench at home, I'm starting to be able to visualize where things will fit in the "shop" section. I also think I'll be moving the black shelves to the garage door wall. My only concern is that it's uninsulated over there, the stereo receiver will sit on one of them and could be affected. Maybe I'll toss some insulation on that wall.

I hung a tire rack for my wife's winter wheels and tires. Yes I could have made it wider, yes I'd much rather it be against the wall visually but this is how I could hit 2 studs and get at least all four of hers up there. It wigs me out a little, them being way up there above the car. Those things are heavy. It was still hanging this morning when I went out there.

Most importantly, I found a treasure last night while organizing the storage room behind by basement workshop. 

It doesn't seem to be that old see: plastic and I'm certainly not going to use it unless there's a way to really sterilize it, but it's damn cool. Maybe the basement workshop should now be referred to as the Smoke Shop...

A couple hours of organizing left me with a situation not much different than before but tidier. 

Big news is that my brother-in-law and I got my big tool boxes, the drill press and the spare M10 to the house from the old shop this morning. The only big item left is the Locost frame and I can wrangle that into Elmore myself. Oh and the cars...

It's a mess but with the big stuff here now, I'll be able to make some good progress. 

Having all of this at home is awesome for little work breaks. 

Another truckload was had at some point this past weekend. 

Last night I got just about everything remaining out of the shop and into the VW. Tonight will be sweeping and pressure washing. 

It's amazing how dark that garage is without my overhead lights. I went a while with just the bulbs and have no idea how I managed. 

The end of an era. To say this space has served me well would be a vast understatement. 

Wow it looks so big with elmore blocking the doorway

In reply to Patrick (Forum Supporter) :

You mean without? Yeah when you saw it, it was pretty packed tight.

Yeah, I'm tired.  Kinda like how my original garage felt huge when it was empty then i put all my stuff in it and it felt cramped and tiny

All the shelving is set up downstairs now. I've also done some things in the garage but haven't gotten pics.