Back garden build - rolling the car on it's side.
Discussion
Sadly we dont have space for a garage at the front of our house. We do, however, have a very large and secure shed (insulated walls and roof etc.) that the previous owner used for storing his numerous race motorbikes.
It would be nice if I could keep the kit I'm planning on starting next year, under cover rather than on the driveway under a sheet. So I was thinking........
Our side passage is wide enough to comfortably fit a 7 Type car on it's side but not "the right way up" I would guess the car would need to be angled at around 70+ degrees.
I could create a special trolley type affair to wheel the car through the passage before lowering it to the floor on it's wheels.
While the logistics of moving the car to-and-fro each weekend wouldnt bother me, I am a little concerned about fluids etc. in the car.
I could easily locate the oil breater hose so that it was the correct way up when driving and on it's side but what else would I need to consider?
Am I chasing an impossible dream ?
It would be nice if I could keep the kit I'm planning on starting next year, under cover rather than on the driveway under a sheet. So I was thinking........
Our side passage is wide enough to comfortably fit a 7 Type car on it's side but not "the right way up" I would guess the car would need to be angled at around 70+ degrees.
I could create a special trolley type affair to wheel the car through the passage before lowering it to the floor on it's wheels.
While the logistics of moving the car to-and-fro each weekend wouldnt bother me, I am a little concerned about fluids etc. in the car.
I could easily locate the oil breater hose so that it was the correct way up when driving and on it's side but what else would I need to consider?
Am I chasing an impossible dream ?
Steve_D said:
Sorry but this really is not practical.
How do you think you are going to get the car up on its side? You can't just pick it up.
Steve
I realise you cant just pick it up and carry it like a piece of furniture How do you think you are going to get the car up on its side? You can't just pick it up.
Steve
Imagine a pair of "ramps" like those you see in a garage that lift the car in the air.... now forget the vertical hydraulic lift, imagine the two ramps are joined and pivoted along one edge.That is a pretty basic description, but I would drive the car onta a trolley, strap/bolt it down then rotate the ramps and car together either electrically or manually.
This guy's in the UK, too. Might be able to get hold of him:
http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=3070996&a...
Edited by dxg on Wednesday 27th August 22:05
If you're mad enough to try, the fluids are the least of your worries... simply drain the engine oil, if it bothers you (though TBH I can't see it making much of a difference if you leave it in - it will drain back into the sump as soon as the car is back on the level).
Edited by Sam_68 on Wednesday 27th August 23:00
I can see what everyone else means about it being a pain, and I'd encourage you to perhaps look for something like this which might actually fit down your alleyway : www.carver-worldwide.com
but if you want to go through with it then lets look at it practically, stick with fuel injected engines as carbs would leak everywhere, get something with a cable clutch, the brake fluid probably won't leak out as it's a sealed bottle to stop air and moisture getting in..but if you were really concerned then fit it with a remote fluid cylinder on the brake cylinder that you could tilt. No reason for the gearbox or engine to leak (I assume it's just tipping over whilst going through the alleyway and then back horizontal?) The rear diff on a 7 will have a vent on the top but will only leak if it's upside down.
The fuel tank is a tricky one, the fuel cap should make a pressured seal I believe but I'm not sure I'd trust it, some clever planning as to which way you were tilting the car would let you plan which end to have the fuel filler so that stays at the top. I'm not sure what good it would do your fuel level sender flapping around at such angles so perhaps just have a sight guage.
I'm sure I've missed something really obvious, but if you REALLY want a kitcar that much then go for it, where there is a will there is a way.
but if you want to go through with it then lets look at it practically, stick with fuel injected engines as carbs would leak everywhere, get something with a cable clutch, the brake fluid probably won't leak out as it's a sealed bottle to stop air and moisture getting in..but if you were really concerned then fit it with a remote fluid cylinder on the brake cylinder that you could tilt. No reason for the gearbox or engine to leak (I assume it's just tipping over whilst going through the alleyway and then back horizontal?) The rear diff on a 7 will have a vent on the top but will only leak if it's upside down.
The fuel tank is a tricky one, the fuel cap should make a pressured seal I believe but I'm not sure I'd trust it, some clever planning as to which way you were tilting the car would let you plan which end to have the fuel filler so that stays at the top. I'm not sure what good it would do your fuel level sender flapping around at such angles so perhaps just have a sight guage.
I'm sure I've missed something really obvious, but if you REALLY want a kitcar that much then go for it, where there is a will there is a way.
I suppose it's typical of forums that questions such as "how do I do this?" will often be answered with "don't do it", or "it can't be done".
Personally I think this is a fascinating problem, and it does have solutions, the task here is to find the best solution, and then to decide whether to do it or not.
The first question we must ask Goochie is "moving the car past the house, is this a one-off event, will it need to be done a few times, or are we talking about every weekend?"
If a one off then Dilbert's crane suggestion might be the one to go for. If a few times, then some kind of rotating cradle, with Mattstead's suggestion regarding the fuel tank being adopted, and the oil and water drained out first with a couple of those Pela suction pumps that Machine Mart sell (and very good they are too). Take out the windscreen washer tank, the battery etc. Actually with practice this solution might work on a frequent basis too.
As for a garage elsewhere, I got the impression that Goochie wants to actually build the car , and a garage elsewhere, unless he gets very lucky in terms of electricity, security and closeness is usually not a good solution
Personally I think this is a fascinating problem, and it does have solutions, the task here is to find the best solution, and then to decide whether to do it or not.
The first question we must ask Goochie is "moving the car past the house, is this a one-off event, will it need to be done a few times, or are we talking about every weekend?"
If a one off then Dilbert's crane suggestion might be the one to go for. If a few times, then some kind of rotating cradle, with Mattstead's suggestion regarding the fuel tank being adopted, and the oil and water drained out first with a couple of those Pela suction pumps that Machine Mart sell (and very good they are too). Take out the windscreen washer tank, the battery etc. Actually with practice this solution might work on a frequent basis too.
As for a garage elsewhere, I got the impression that Goochie wants to actually build the car , and a garage elsewhere, unless he gets very lucky in terms of electricity, security and closeness is usually not a good solution
Edited by singlecoil on Thursday 28th August 15:39
singlecoil said:
I suppose it's typical of forums that questions such as "how do I do this?" will often be answered with "don't do it", or "it can't be done".
Personally I think this is a fascinating problem, and it does have solutions, the task here is to find the best solution, and then to decide whether to do it or not.
The first question we must ask Goochie is "moving the car past the house, is this a one-off event, will it need to be done a few times, or are we talking about every weekend?"
If a one off then Dilbert's crane suggestion might be the one to go for. If a few times, then some kind of rotating cradle, with Mattstead's suggestion regarding the fuel tank being adopted, and the oil and water drained out first with a couple of those Pela suction pumps that Machine Mart sell (and very good they are too). Take out the windscreen washer tank, the battery etc. Actually with practice this solution might work on a frequent basis too.
As for a garage elsewhere, I got the impression that Goochie wants to actually build the car , and a garage elsewhere, unless he gets very lucky in terms of electricity, security and closeness is usually not a good solution
At last, someone who understands the problem!Personally I think this is a fascinating problem, and it does have solutions, the task here is to find the best solution, and then to decide whether to do it or not.
The first question we must ask Goochie is "moving the car past the house, is this a one-off event, will it need to be done a few times, or are we talking about every weekend?"
If a one off then Dilbert's crane suggestion might be the one to go for. If a few times, then some kind of rotating cradle, with Mattstead's suggestion regarding the fuel tank being adopted, and the oil and water drained out first with a couple of those Pela suction pumps that Machine Mart sell (and very good they are too). Take out the windscreen washer tank, the battery etc. Actually with practice this solution might work on a frequent basis too.
As for a garage elsewhere, I got the impression that Goochie wants to actually build the car , and a garage elsewhere, unless he gets very lucky in terms of electricity, security and closeness is usually not a good solution
Edited by singlecoil on Thursday 28th August 15:39
Sadly the best place to keep the car once finished, would be behind the house in the shed. So each time I wanted to drive it, I'd have to roll it on it's side and take it through the passageway.
I'm confident that the fuel in the tank would be OK, if the car was always rolled on the same side and the filler cap were at one corner as suggested. The sight gauge in place of a conventional fuel gauge is a great idea too.
The car would be stored the correct way up in the shed.
I think I would have to remove the battery each time.
The screen wash bottle could be mounted using quick release fittings etc. so this could also be removed.
It is the brake fluid, engine oil and engine coolant that are currently perplexing me a little.
Goochie said:
It is the brake fluid, engine oil and engine coolant that are currently perplexing me a little.
Here's a link to Pela pumps, they do lots of different sizes.http://www.pelapumps.co.uk/default.aspx?a10page=pl...
I have one and would not be without it, you would need two, one for the coolant and one for the oil so as not to not have cross contamination. The brake fluid should stay in, at least for the short time necessary.
Would I NEED to drain the oil and coolant though? Could the oil breather be plugged? I assume, if turned slowly, there would be no problem with oil going to one side of the engine only.
Having thought about it, perhaps the oil pump would empty and give me problems further down the line thanks to inadequate lubrication for the first few minutes of every engine start?
Having thought about it, perhaps the oil pump would empty and give me problems further down the line thanks to inadequate lubrication for the first few minutes of every engine start?
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