Looking for some great, low-buck garage tips?

Of course you are.

We got some killer entries for our Classic Motorsports Show Us Your Shop contest, and now it's time to visit some of those shops, starting with Jack Olsen's masterpiece. His total budget? About $3500. For reals--and that includes the lift, tile, etc.

During the next year and a half we're going to profile one top shop in each issue of Classic Motorsports. Want in on that action? Want more tips that you can use? Well, subscriptions now start at just $10. Click here to sign up.

If you enjoy GRM, you'll like Classic Motorsports.

Thanks.

How do i install an air-cooled 911 like that in MY garage?

Swank Force One wrote: How do i install an air-cooled 911 like that in MY garage?

By being thrifty when building said garage.

David S. Wallens wrote: Of course you are. We got some killer entries for our Classic Motorsports Show Us Your Shop contest, and now it's time to visit some of those shops, starting with Jack Olsen's masterpiece. His total budget? About $3500. For reals--and that includes the lift, tile, etc. During the next year and a half we're going to profile one top shop in each issue of Classic Motorsports. Want in on that action? Want more tips that you can use? Well, subscriptions now start at just $10. Click here to sign up. If you enjoy GRM, you'll like Classic Motorsports. Thanks.

The fact that Jack didn't spend a lot on his shop does not mean he isn't a man of means. He's distributing wealth intelligently haha

There is a ton of intelligent planning in that shop. A lot of our shop entrants had good stuff to share. That's why we turned their tips into a series vs. cramming them into one story.

We're proofing that section today, and here's one nugget that actually caused us to stop proofing and start discussing shop things:

"My motto from early on was: The floor is not a shelf."

In reply to David S. Wallens:

That's a good philosophy. One that I really should apply to my basement workspace.... It's hard to get anything done when you're constantly tripping on all of your crap!

The floor is not a shelf will be my motto for my garage renovation. Makes perfect sense of the ideas that are rolling around in my head.

David S. Wallens wrote: We're proofing that section today, and here's one nugget that actually caused us to stop proofing and start discussing shop things: "My motto from early on was: The floor is not a shelf."

bluej wrote:

David S. Wallens wrote: We're proofing that section today, and here's one nugget that actually caused us to stop proofing and start discussing shop things: "My motto from early on was: The floor is not a shelf."

I know, right? Damn you, hindsight, for being so 20/20.

The workbench is not a shelf either - that's the rule I haven't learned yet.

I just walked out to my garage. I admit, it's a giant mess. Jack's garage gave me ideas on how to solve things.

First order of business: The floor is not a shelf.

And hope some of you check out the series over in Classic Motorsports. I think there's some really cool stuff to be learned.

We collected all of these tips for an article. I started assembling it and realized I was up to like 5000 words and dozens of photos. That's too much for one issue, but it would make a great miniseries. So the idea was born.

From what I can tell, Jack does not have enough E36 M3! Cars are easy to store when they are in one piece.

Every flat surface is a shelf. All of them.

Swap that Porsche with my Alfa and anything within 100 yards of the garage will become a shelf

NOHOME wrote: From what I can tell, Jack does not have enough E36 M3!

He also doesn't have a daily driver, or a wife with a car. Or multiple kids with bikes, scooters, powerwheels, strollers and wagons. Or lawn and snow removal equipment. Or two street bikes and 4 dirt bikes.

Not hating here, I love his garage almost as much and as I love his Porsche. But he has a workshop, not a garage.

Jack addresses all of the other "stuff."

I'm trying to figure out how to make vertical surfaces a shelf.

Magnets. MAGNETS EVERYWHERE.

David S. Wallens wrote: Jack addresses all of the other "stuff."

I can't wait to read it.

But really, add in five bikes, a wagon, a lawn mower, a pretend pedal lawn mower, a second vehicle, two freezers, and it's pretty crowded, even without tools at all.

What about a shed for that other stuff?

Building a shed should be the first step in any garage make over.

And a related thought. I think some people are looking for that silver bullet that doesn't exist. Or they just like throwing up roadblocks.

I reread Jack's shop tips again last night, and some of the things he said got me thinking. They got me thinking to the point that I walked out to my garage, looked at things, and came up with a plan that should solve some of my problems. This plan isn't going to really cost me much money--basically it's going to free up some space for a real bike work stand, so that's going to be the one expense.

Right there, that helped a ton.

jimbob_racing wrote: Building a shed should be the first step in any garage make over.

We really need to do that.

David S. Wallens wrote: What about a shed for that other stuff?

I indeed desire a weather tight lockable shed. To do it right (not to end up with a bug-riddled, rotting mess) requires a pretty stiff budget by itself. It has to be easily accessible by the kiddoes and yet lockable for the thieves.

Can't put freezers in the shed.

Also, like Nohome suggested, actually doing hardcore work on a car makes a garage very messy. Those tiles (and their grout) wouldn't stand a chance.

I need to wall off a new bay for grinding/welding/painting/mess making, but I don't even have the cash for the grinding wheels right now.