Garage pit - anyone built one?
Discussion
tvrbob said:
Years ago I remember seeing a prefabricated GRP pit in a car mag (pre www days). Dig the hole, fit the pit and backfill with sand. I've scoured the net but can't find anything. Has anyone built one or know of a supplier?
Think you still find these advertised in the classic car mags. Give your thumbs some exercise next time you're in WH Smiths.
That'll be the Mech-mate pit by, er.... someone... 
Certainly as recently as late last year they were being advertised in Practical Classics. I stopped buying it becasue the price was horrendous and they didn't tell me anythig I didn't already know :hugeego:
Also, despite Ed. Will Holman promising to give me a mention, he never did... some more...
Ian
Certainly as recently as late last year they were being advertised in Practical Classics. I stopped buying it becasue the price was horrendous and they didn't tell me anythig I didn't already know :hugeego:
Also, despite Ed. Will Holman promising to give me a mention, he never did...
some more... Ian
Many years ago my dad dug a pit in his garage to help keep his Elan +2 130/5 on the road.
Admittedly it is a big bigger than most of the pre-fab ones I've seen, but I use it occasionally because driving the 400 mile round trip once in a while is preferably to me having to put sweat, blood, tears and back breaking effort into one of my own.
I have found that it is quite painful to work in - the problem is you end up sitting / crouching whilst looking straight up and it is damn uncomfortable. In an ideal world you would make the pit about 6ft deep so you can stand up whilst working.
That said, I refurbished my previous Chimaera's chassis getting under the car using nothing but axle stands and I promised I would get my own pit before doing that again!
They should also come with a health warning - before leaving home I managed to fall into it TWICE whilst working on various wrecks of my own (and on both occasions I was stone cold sober).
Admittedly it is a big bigger than most of the pre-fab ones I've seen, but I use it occasionally because driving the 400 mile round trip once in a while is preferably to me having to put sweat, blood, tears and back breaking effort into one of my own.
I have found that it is quite painful to work in - the problem is you end up sitting / crouching whilst looking straight up and it is damn uncomfortable. In an ideal world you would make the pit about 6ft deep so you can stand up whilst working.
That said, I refurbished my previous Chimaera's chassis getting under the car using nothing but axle stands and I promised I would get my own pit before doing that again!
They should also come with a health warning - before leaving home I managed to fall into it TWICE whilst working on various wrecks of my own (and on both occasions I was stone cold sober).
I thought about building an inspection pit, but discounted the idea because of the effort and mess involved in digging the hole.
Another consideration is the level of the local water table.
There was a truck depot only about 100 yards from our house. They dug a huge pit which promptly filled with water. It ended up being lined with a fully welded steel tub, which was concreted in place.
If I recall correctly, the tub had to be filled with bricks until the concrete went off, simply to stop the tub popping up out of the hole.....
I am now trying to save up for a portable lift of some type, which I reckon is a better compromise.
Pat.
Another consideration is the level of the local water table.
There was a truck depot only about 100 yards from our house. They dug a huge pit which promptly filled with water. It ended up being lined with a fully welded steel tub, which was concreted in place.
If I recall correctly, the tub had to be filled with bricks until the concrete went off, simply to stop the tub popping up out of the hole.....
I am now trying to save up for a portable lift of some type, which I reckon is a better compromise.
Pat.
Get yourself one of these beauties instead for only £2k. Hours of fun and practical too.
www.machinemart.co.uk/product.asp?p=020110413&r=2051&g=107
www.machinemart.co.uk/product.asp?p=020110413&r=2051&g=107
Nevin said:
Get yourself one of these beauties instead for only £2k. Hours of fun and practical too.
www.machinemart.co.uk/product.asp?p=020110413&r=2051&g=107
Just remember to check how high your garage roof is first!
Nevin said:I have seriously considered one of those full-length car ramps that auto retailers use to display 4x4's. Drive all the way on and then either leave one end of your car 6" off the ground or seesaw it level at 3" off the ground. Chassis work would be a doddle.
Get yourself one of these beauties instead for only £2k. Hours of fun and practical too.
www.machinemart.co.uk/product.asp?p=020110413&r=2051&g=107
tvrbob said:
I have seriously considered one of those full-length car ramps that auto retailers use to display 4x4's. Drive all the way on and then either leave one end of your car 6" off the ground or seesaw it level at 3" off the ground. Chassis work would be a doddle.
Yes, and you never did show me the plans...
Ian
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