So I decided to take on my Falcon project without having any real space to work. Anyone have any creative ways of getting your project completed with little to no space?
I did a project under my carport, welder and toolbox were stored in the kitchen. A friend of mine restored a Bike in the livingroom. I guess its all about how bad you want it.........
At one time I bought a two bedroom tent from big 5 and cut a door in the side and rolled my project in and ducktaped it shut. Hung lights inside and worked on it all winter. Cut the chill and the wind. $65 beat the price of a garage! And after it was done with I was able to take it down until next winter.
Looks like newbie night, ya know, if you want it bad enough you'll find a place, I paint shit in the driveway, wrench in the rain, what ever it takes. just do it.
grits got it. what ever it takes just do it i got an old hand me down ez up, welded it up so it doesnt fold down, threw a tarp on top and my A coupe is sitting under it in the side yard. a little rain wont hurt a real hot rod.
I built a bike in the living room too, but I didn't have a wife or girlfriend at the time. You gotta also work it out with those that are important in your life.
It also helps to befriend the neighbors. That way they will cheer you on when you use the 10x10 pop-up as a spray booth in the street in front of your house! Conor
HAHAHA! You guys are hilarious! It's even more funny thinking about all this happening. I've got two cars in a two car garage, no side yard, but I do have an EZ Up. I'm digging the tent idea - I'm just hoping the cops don't want to ticket me for leaving crap on the street - again. It's not a matter of cover, it's a matter of no real estate for the car. Keep the stories coming, these are great!
i understand that man, its the same were i live, we cant keep something outside, we get cited for it. so we had to tear down our fence and pave half our back yard to put our cars back there. i did rattle can a truck in the driveway tho, my jerk neighbors were on the phone with the home owners association. maybe youl have to find a friedn with some space or something. iv had to do that as well.
I hear that. We're even considering moving for more space. I'd rather spend the money that would go to concrete, on the car.
haha i understand that! every dime i get i want to put it in my car. thats just how us car guys are. now that iv got the car, a patch of ground to build it, and sold my other car to fund my hot rod, the bank messes up my debit card and iv been waiting over a month to get a new card so i can order parts.
im in the same boat. Just moved to MI in an apartment complex with no covered/assigned parking. I want to bring my project here from CA but I dont even have a frame yet and I dont want to just stick the body in the middle of a parking lot. Im thinkin about befriending a local shop and see if I could cut a deal with them. If not there are a crap load of abandoned buildings over here, might just move in, im sure no one will notice
Here's "Old Henry" in the 10' X 20' $170.00 portable "garage" we bought to work on him winter of 2007. It has 4 sides and a "door" that zips up. We ran an extension cord out for lights and an electric heater. But, if you don't have a 10' X 20' piece of ground I guess it won't help.
First off, I understand the move from CA but not to MI! Working a deal with a shop would be cool. My dad's got an upholstery shop, but it's packed with fabric, dacron, and old furniture. I need somewhere to store the stripped parts.
my first workshop was under a big tree, genirator kept dry under an old car hood.. built a few cars, paint panel engine swaps coversions etc , sold em and built a shed, 1 car garage... now i have my own house and family etc big 5 car shop.. and i have slowed down.. built more cars under a tree because i HAD to, now i dont have to rush i only do 1 of my cars and a few paying jobs each year... shoulda just kept the tree! ps done a paint job on the street, gearbox on the side of the road, head swap under a street light... just plan what ya gota do and do it. ANYWHERE!
Home owners associations are MAJOR pile of dog sh*t on the sidewalk of life! There's the biggest hurdle you have to get over...
Tell me about it .Got a parking ticket in front of my house yesterday for parking facing the wrong direction ,so did about 15 people on my street from an asshole down the block calling in on us.As far as working out side goes i have done it the 13 years i have lived here.I have primered cars ,pulled motors ,trannys ,rearends ,etc , right by my house in the driveway ,but i always keep it looking halfway presentable while im doing it.Most of my neighbors love old cars and like me .Had a few complaints over the years about cars i had parked in my driveway that i was working on .Recieved notices from the city on a few.I then run down and get it registered then park it in the street (legally) for everyone to enjoy looking at just to get even .If its a truck that makes it even better ,cuz i will pile as much clutter in the bed as i can find to make it look worse .After a while the ones calling on you will put 2 and 2 together and stop calling.Its kinda like paper training a dog.You just have to break it down where they can understand ...
There are more places to work then you can imagine. When I was 17, I took over my father’s garage that he always religiously parked his car in. I once rebuilt my trans. in a grocery store parking lot. Also I removed the radiator out of my bus on a residential street and to my surprise, the lady came out and gave us lemonade!The whole point is KEEP THE PLACE CLEAN and few will bitch.
No kidding! I have a 24x24 here at home, and a 18x20 at one of our rental homes that I don't include with the house, and my daily driver still sits outside in the driveway. Wifey's van is "inside", though, so that keeps me out of trouble.
Keep your projects down in size dont try to paint your frame in the driveway you know. Do all the little things that dont require storeing fenders and such. when you get all that done make a deal to put the cars in the garage out in the driveway, then they won't have to be out so long. Good luck with the build. I got lucky I have both my cars in my dads back lot at his house and the 54 pickup at my wifes grandmas house. Theres always somewhere to put em.
Got this "portable garage" for Christmas last year from my wife! It came from HF and costs about 199.99 and is always on sale. Sure beats working outside!
Homeowner Associations serve a purpose, they protect the value of your largest investment (your home), unless you are a renter (then you won't be able to relate). I'm sure the laws were in place before you chose to move there. Temporary blue tarp, canvas type structures, and dead broken down cars, in residential areas, look like shit, and bring down property values. Its hard enough these days to sell a home, without an automotive repair shop/wrecking yard forming next door. Now if you live out in the country, and they are out of sight, more power to you. For the OP, I wish you luck in finding a suitable place to be able to work on your ride.
I've been working on my car in the drive way. Scheduling your work around the weather is inconvenient at the worst. There is a auto hobby shop on base here but I'm not going to pay $30 each way to tow it there everytime. I'll be moving to Okinawa next summer where I'll have to use a parking lot. Wouldn't be the first time though. I used to work on my Neon in the dorm parking lot (all I could afford). Even spray painted it behind the dumpsters (No cops). I also remember my piss mate in the dorms would occasionally have car parts degreasing in the shower.
Don't need any association to protect my investments, have a neighbor whose house is a shithole, but it's none of my business. Back on topic, when I had a Falcon with a 283, used to pull over the ditch to swap transmissions. Got pretty fast after a while. (Those big tents are a good solution for lots of guys. Nobody's business but their own.)
Agreed ,there are lots of houses here in town and one at the end of my street that would make Sanford and Son proud ,but its not my business.If the man needs to work on his car or his toilet on his front porch for a week more power to him .I have a shop (my late fathers )to use whenever i want ,but its nearly 20 miles away .Its too far to drive there work for an hour or so and then have to drive back and get ready to go to work each afternnon ,so i just work here .I do store items there though ...
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