Bringing my garage up to par for another project car.

[ArthurJGuy]

From 2007ish to 2012 I had a 2005 GTO that I did literally everything to. Heads, cam, blower, suspension, fuel, you name it, it was a pretty ridiculous car but I decided to sell it. So who got the bright idea to demod their GTO while right in the middle of building a new house from dirt.... this guy. So about 3/4 of the way through the demod I had to shift everything over to the new house and even though the GTO left a year or so ago the garage never has recovered.

I decided that now that I own a home, if I build another project car I won't do it out of a $250 Craftsman portable toolbox like I did the GTO, we are doing shit RIGHT.

So, this is my first order of business. Clean it up, organize it, and prepare it for serious a HP makin Regal.

Here is what I'm starting with. It's dirty, it's a mess, and it's just flat out embarassing. Not only that but the wiring and install is designed to work and be installed quickly, not be clean and out of the way like I want it.

 

[ArthurJGuy]

When I built the house, I knew that I was going to be doing a serious amount of work in the garage so I had florescent lights installed from day one.

It was pretty disappointing to me to open the garage door and have one 55 watt light bulb kick on when I had these bad ass fluorescents overhead, so I needed a fix. I also hated the doorbell style garage button they used on the build.

Here is what I started with

So I picked up this

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00C1CF1S6/ref=oh_details_o03_s02_i01?ie=UTF8&psc=1


It replaced that terrible door bell button, added a motion sensor to kick the lights on when my hands are full, added the ability to control the door and any auxiliary devices from my Android phone (in or out of the home), and allowed me to add this light switch.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009NTV7O2/ref=oh_details_o03_s02_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1


The light switch can be controlled by any Homelink device, including the garage door opener. Now any time the little 55 watt smurfer kicks on, so do my fluorescents. As a bonus I can control my garage lights and door from my phone which is great if I need to let someone in the house (done it a few times already).

End result

 

[ArthurJGuy]

Next step was to get rid of the things that are no longer needed and organize what stays. I tossed all the GTO and V parts i couldn't sell into the dumpster then tackled how to organize what remained.

I ordered four of these bad boys and ran them all across the garage door. It made short work of the shit that my wife wanted out of the house, but it didn't help me much with the mess. I did get a decent amount of storage for g-body parts though.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004GHO9FK/ref=oh_details_o03_s03_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I grabbed the matching wall shelves to have a place for the folding chairs, roller skates, and the powerwheels car.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005FO273E/ref=oh_details_o01_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[ArthurJGuy]

That brings me to this point, which is everything other than tools off the floor and put away. I skipped taking photos of the ladder and bike hooks, didn't think they were that exciting.

One of the things I hate the most about track homes is the control joints in the garage. I hate cleaning them and I hate digging for tools or small nuts and bolts that fall into them.

So, away they go. First filled with some 5/8 foamcore backer rod.

Then filled with some nice Sikaflex self leveling concrete urethane that will still allow the garage floor to shift if needed.

That is where I'm at today. I'm waiting for the Sika to cure so that I can start on the acid wash and epoxy, which will lead into plumbing for the compressor, wiring up 220 for the Tig, shelves, etc.

 

[longball]

Dang, I can't see any of the pictures!

 

[blackazz]

What about a urinal. Hate to have to walk all the way inside for a R/R break. Better then listening to the screech of the wife as I grease touch everything along the way.

 

[nonoss38]

I bought a rental house a few years ago. While cleaning out the garage something in the corner caught my eye. It was a funnel about 2 feet high mounted to the wall with a hose ran out to the street.

Posted from the TurboBuick.Com mobile app

 

[87 Drop top]

My man cave, wrenching place, had the same dilemma, what's a guy to do? 3.99 sign from the local ace hardware fixed that, and no one usually has to stand in line! When the keg gets flowing, n bs going, gotta have a men's room!

Posted from the TurboBuick.Com mobile app

 

[usetaboost]

If you call that a mess you have a seizure walking into mine. After blowing an entire car apart and 8 years of life, here's my suggestions. Plenty of shelves, two decent size Saturday work benches that will later double as drinking tables, lots of lights. You can't have enough. A 6in bench vise. A retractable air hose reel. A retractable extension cord in the middle to occupy the extra plug in where the garage opener is. A screen for the overhead door so you can work without the bugs when its nice. Swivel sockets. A good 3/8 impact electric. A good 1/2 air impact. I suggest ir titanium. Lots of small bins for bolts and small parts. And last but not least. Before you move anything in coat the floor with something. Chipped and scratched Epoxy paint is better than bare oil stained floor any day.

 

[ArthurJGuy]

This project hasn't stalled, the weather just isn't cooperating.

I'm waiting to Epoxy the floors, but they call for low humidity and a high of 80 degrees for 3 days straight, since I'm in Vegas that doesn't happen until about October. It's kind of holding up everything else.

 

[turbojay]

Good job so far. Thanks for the ideas.

 

[larrym]

Thought about polished concrete? Grind it and keep going finer just like the paint on your car.


Mobile larrym

 

[ArthurJGuy]

It's been a while since I updated this, holy hell that thing was horrible. It looks a little different now, still a work in progress though. We are doing the floors next weekend and then the heavy artillery can come home.

I opened up the outside wall since the panel is on this wall. I added a GFI as well as more outlets downstream, a dedicated 220v for the A/C and a dedicated 220v for the Air Compressor or Welder, as needed.

Once that was wrapped up I went to work with the paint. This garage is going to see WORK so I wanted something that would reflect a ton of light and was easy to clean up.

A/C and Google TV went in next. The A/C is a 12,000 BTU unit and so far it works amazing. I haven't insulated the garage door yet at all and it is a major source of heat. The Google TV gives me access to music or TV when I'm in the garage, as well as a way to jump online and look up any parts or info I need.

I got the upper wall cabinets hung a few weeks ago. The garage track has been shortened so it doesn't interfere with the right most cabinet. Underneath these will be my toolbox, workbench, and compressor once the floors are done. I know the wires look like crap, It's still a work in progress.

That's where I'm at as of today.

 

[usetaboost]

WOW that's some ambition! If I ever get done with greasy projects I plan on doing this someday. I got lots of old kitchen cabinets and an old countertop I plan on using for a workbench/drink station.

 

[turbo39151]

Are you keeping track of the costs? Just curious.
My current two car garage is very tight. No space on the sides and low ceilings. So, I'm interested in maximizing the utility.

I like the cabinets and racks you installed. It all looks great. Can't wait to see the finished product.
That paint job makes it look fancy!

 

[fastblackracing]

It's been a while since I updated this, holy hell that thing was horrible. It looks a little different now, still a work in progress though. We are doing the floors next weekend and then the heavy artillery can come home.

I opened up the outside wall since the panel is on this wall. I added a GFI as well as more outlets downstream, a dedicated 220v for the A/C and a dedicated 220v for the Air Compressor or Welder, as needed.

Once that was wrapped up I went to work with the paint. This garage is going to see WORK so I wanted something that would reflect a ton of light and was easy to clean up.

A/C and Google TV went in next. The A/C is a 12,000 BTU unit and so far it works amazing. I haven't insulated the garage door yet at all and it is a major source of heat. The Google TV gives me access to music or TV when I'm in the garage, as well as a way to jump online and look up any parts or info I need.

I got the upper wall cabinets hung a few weeks ago. The garage track has been shortened so it doesn't interfere with the right most cabinet. Underneath these will be my toolbox, workbench, and compressor once the floors are done. I know the wires look like crap, It's still a work in progress.

That's where I'm at as of today.

 

[fastblackracing]

If I lived closer i would build you a proper workbench and drop it off. Lookin real nice reckless what floor paint are you using?

 

[ArthurJGuy]

Thanks everyone.

I haven't been keeping track of costs, it works better that way haha.

I have the Rustoleum industrial epoxy. It's light gray and I'm going to try to do a very heavy black/white flake on it.

 

[buddy]

Haha nice color scheme.

 

[dynoman]

It's light gray and I'm going to try to do a very heavy black/white flake on it.

That black flake will make it harder to find those small clips , nuts , washers , & screws that always jump out of your hand , and hide small oil leaks that most Turbo Buicks have. Just a thought ... Sam