Folks Of Interest How many of you are true garage builders ?

First, let me clarify. When I say home builders, I mean do it yourselfers working a full time job somewhere else. Not a pro builder, just a guy that has to do everything himself.

I do everything except interior. Paint and body, not the best, but way below average.

I build my own engines, chassis work etc. Mostly due to being poor my entire life. Now that I am older and make more money, I still have a hard time farming stuff out, although I am getting more likely to pay for better condition parts in my old age.

What about you?

 

I do all my own fab work, body, paint, motors, suspension setups etc.... 2 car garage with ac.... Hobart handler 180, plasma cutter, chop saw, drill press, some electric tools and some air also...A lot of stuff into a 2 car garage but serves as full working shop. I work a normal job outside of the auto industry, 3d design at a computer due to fractured back years ago... But still get out in the garage and build away... 8 cars have been built in this garage... 4 chassis built on this floor...All chassis cross measure within 1/32" and no more rise than 1/32" deflection vertically. I don't do upholstery... Main reason is A sewing machine takes room I don't have.... I have sewn some model a roof fillers out of conv. top material but retired from that due to killing my wifes sewing machine. I guess Mexican blankets work, But mostly I just bring seats to a shop and have the tuck and roll done...

Heavy work bay....

Driver and minor work bay

 

I also do everything except paint and interior, unless mexican blankets qualify.

 

sounds like me. do it all myself. just try to start with better cars or parts. most of the time.

 

I built this little 12'X20' lean to garage off the back of my house. Then I built my big garage that is 24'x40' between two 40' containers with inside openings. I think that makes me a garage builder!

I used to do everything myself. Now I have a '34 that I bought as a runner but am making some changes. I have a '30 roadster pickup in peaces that I will probably (eventually) do a complete build on. I also have a 63.5 Galaxie that I'm doing a frame off but that car will go together more like a resto than a full on hot rod build.

 

I do all my own work and I am slow as a glacier. Usually have to do something two or three times to get an acceptable result and I set a low bar for myself. Still, I'm happy.

 

Yep, do everything myself except heavy upholstery. Although l have access to a couple industrial sewing machines. And I don't machine engines heads and such. Body, paint, metal fab, assembly, etc. are done by me. I have done it professionally in the past but now just do my dad's, sons and my projects.

 

Same here, Roothawg. I do all my own mechanical work, including engine, electrical, welding etc. and have since I was a boy (now 73). I don't do upholstery. I do as much as possible just because I enjoy it and because it's a habit formed back when I couldn't afford to have someone do it for me.

 

I am exactly like you. The only things not done in my or my buddies garage was the trans and the machine work on the heads on this thing.

 

Are you saying there are people I could have hired to build my truck????

 

I started that way, hobby doing my own stuff. But major stuff, restorations and ground up builds. Seemed innocent enough tinkering around. Hahah My 2 car was too small and 1st wife wanted to park in the garage anyway so I built a 30x30 out back. Then I Started doing little side jobs at night. The very First one was the electrician that wired the new 30x30 place. Side jobs Sorta helped pay for that 30x30 then started paying dividends. Nice!


Moved from there, cashed out well and sorta stopped garage work for a few years. Moved again and had a 24x36 shop there and got involved again. Moved again but with a HOA and rented a 24x40. That’s when stuff got crazybecsuse it’s gotta pay for itself. Then Rented a 30x100 then few years later added another bay 30x100 got married and then few years later took over my neighbors 30x100 when he got diagnosed and that made 9000 sf. Then I bought a place with 8200 sf buildings. Ain’t a hobby anymore, that the readers digest version of 30 year evolution

 

I've always looked at doing things myself. Then I decided to be a 'pro builder' as you describe,but still for me do as much with my own talents as possible, even metal finishing before chrome. No secret that the main focus of my pro efforts (that doesn't feel right calling myself a pro, weird...) is in restoration. Those efforts have focused on the big stuff like Packard, Auburn, Duesenberg and more. What that has done for me is shift my visuals toward as close an OEM style that even something modified can appear as such. Not everyone sees it right away. I may reference this topic on a soon-to-happen visual for my old Ford.

 

I had help building both of my garages.

Oh...the cars...yeah, I'm the same way as you, although I did work on other peoples' cars for a while. I never made enough money to consider myself a professional, though.

 

I believe I am to the extent it is therapy for me to connect the puzzle pieces. I know it's done to my liking. I can customize if I want to. Doing my own labor allows me to put that money where I want it to go.

 

I own a motorcycle repair shop and do repairs , restorations and sell used cycles. Most of my tool collection is here so it is my garage. I do not do paint but most everything else. So semi- something Gary

 

After decades of working in Dad's or brother's shops, I did build my garage (with help of said Dad and brothers). I've got a lot of cool tools, and do most everything myself except for machine work, and I have Dad sew up upholstery stuff. I'm sure when it comes time for the next nice paint job I'll need to ask for some lessons/favors, but it won't be "paid for".

 

Garage builder here with regular Office type 5-day a week job checking in... in an actual two-car garage. Wish I had a workshop building, but I don't. I get by.

 

I also do everything. Chassis, motor, transmissions, rear end rebuilds. Electrical is a favorite of mine. Machine work is done by my buddy at Dave’s auto machine.

Paint, body work are on the level of OK. Bought a sewing machine so I can do top and seat material, I’ll let you know how that works out.

2 car garage with a rear addition.

I work 50+ hours most weeks and take care of the house so car time comes when I can find it.

Cliff Ramsdell

 

I built my own garage!

Seriously, My 32 pickup was built,painted and what little bit of upholstery it has was done in house, the 327 was built by a friend.

The Ranch Wagon was a home build but I outsourced the paint job and my pal Dave did the interior, Dave nor I are pro builders. HRP

 

Hummm been doing it all but upholstery my whole life, retired now so it takes a mite longer to get anything done but it keeps me alive. Oh and the welding skills have changed now that I have the shakes, makes it a tad more difficult, have to time the shake to the puddle. UGGG. Built painted n maintained by me...........

 

Count me in

 

Watching. Interesting thread, When young, Yes I'm the original DIY ( Still DIY most all projects, home.yard, etc.) mostly because no money to pay anybody when young, Now old, I have trouble paying someone to do something I can do (age, arthritis, is rapidly changing my thoughts) always thought I can do it myself better and heavily influenced by my Dad, a depression era, WW2 vet, I don't remember him ever hiring a service. My Car hobby DIY has been limited to mechanical work as I never took or had the time to sharpen bodywork/paint skills, did paint my racers and recently painted front of my Merc, turned out pretty good. I chose a different path, became a tradesman, started my business and played with Midgets/wing Sprint cars, many years into my mid 40's. Started to build a 32 Roadster after racing and a good friend pointed out at the rate it's getting done, I'll be retired, sold all the parts, purchased a Roadster, nice car, spent many hours fixing all the stupid stuff the builder did. In all my years of car hobby, I have only met a handful of men that actually built a complete car with maybe some help for paint/interior, several that are always building, but never complete anything, we all enjoy the hobby in our own way. I do respect the guys that spent years in their garage building a car, not my deal as it turned out.

 

I do my own work, with the exception of upholstery, chrome plating, and engine machine work.
Retired now, but it was the same way when I was working.

 

does drive way/carport/shade tree count? still trying to build a shop. never have enough money to have it done on my stuff so i do everything i can. my wife's stuff is a different story. block and head as well as interior work is the exceptions.

 

I started out doing my own work paint and bodywork, mechanical and fab because I could not afford to pay someone the it came to when I could pay I didn't like there work. So now that I'm retired I farm out the driver and some of the motor work but the projects are if I don't do em they don't get done. A lot doesn't get done.

 

I figure it this way. By doing I am always learning.

 

I built a two-car garage, then a small workshop, then a little bit more.21Mx7M.I do engines ,transmissions, chassis and paint ,but not upholstery.But only to myself.

 

Yep. me too. All except upholstery, and when it comes time I'm liable to try that if I can find an affordable machine. Can't afford to hire stuff out and wouldn't if I could. (Goes without saying can't do engine machining)

 

I guess you could say I am a true "garage builder", but not in the same sense as are many of the guys who frequent these pages. Compared to many here, who I'd consider nearly full timers and giving them a rating from 1-10, (they being close to 10's), I'd say I'm a 6 maybe 8/9 in fabrication end of things.
Those folks live it, sleep it, bathe in it, eat it for 3 meals a day and talk about nothing but it.
I'm a fair fabricator, being tops in the iron shop when I was in the trades but not in body, paint, upholstery , and real automobile knowledge. Mostly in that aspect "I get by with a little help from my friends".
I did do most of the rebuilding on my avitar from a full fendered casket case with help on the wiring, and paint that was done in the garage I built for it, so put me in the still learning the garage builder class and loving it.

 

I've done about everything in my 2 car garage. Engine builds, lifted bodies off frames, paint, etc. And I work somewhere else.