Who has the best Garage on Pistonheads?
Discussion
Thornaby said:
Redmax's garage is bigger than most houses.
Not really, it's technically only a large double with an awkwardly-shaped extension. There are plenty of significantly larger garages on here but I recognise I'm lucky to have the space I do. I'd like to think it's pretty well planned to make the most of the available space though. Swampy1982 said:
What an earth do you lot do for a living! Is there a secret PH millionaires fund that you unlock after years of membership!
I often wonder this. The only jobs that I know that pay enough money to afford this sort of setup would give you no free time/energy to use it. Redmax said:
Not really, it's technically only a large double with an awkwardly-shaped extension. There are plenty of significantly larger garages on here but I recognise I'm lucky to have the space I do. I'd like to think it's pretty well planned to make the most of the available space though.
Size isn't everything! I have a 6 bay garage with a workshop attached (1 bay size), however its not deep enough to get cars over 4.6m in them its also damp/ cold, has a pigeon living in it and is badly lit. I certainly wouldn't want to spend much time in it unlike Redmax's set up
Redmax said:
Swampy1982 said:
What an earth do you lot do for a living! Is there a secret PH millionaires fund that you unlock after years of membership!
That sir, is a fantastic garage, really spot on. And lovely to hear it gets used in anger!
Do you have any pics of any of the cars mid build, with parts strewn everywhere and tools on the floor?
And can we see inside some of the cupboards?
I genuinely can't find any pics where the garage is a mess, but I'm genuinely the world's messiest worker! It gets to the point where I can't take it any more and can't find anything then have to have a tidy-up. And I'm clearly too embarrassed to take photos when it's a mess. That sir, is a fantastic garage, really spot on. And lovely to hear it gets used in anger!
Do you have any pics of any of the cars mid build, with parts strewn everywhere and tools on the floor?
And can we see inside some of the cupboards?
I did a Caterham build thread on here back around 2012, but I bet the photos always show a tidy garage!
I've uploaded a couple of cupboard interior pics which I'll take down before too long.
When I started this thread it was with the hope that I would get to see more garages likes yours. Show garages are all well and good but people who actually wrench on their cars for me deserve a huge amount of respect. If that was my garage the only things I would add would be some metal shaping tools like an English wheel etc
You obviously have a bit of a tool fetish like myself plus you appear to have the whole of the DeWalt back catalogue, well done that man.
I know a set up like yours would be out of reach of most; just the cost of those cabinets would make most people wince. But the fact that you have built three cars in there is a credit to you. If we were doing an update of the competition I had when I started this thread I suspect would stand a great chance of winning
ds666 said:
Here's the starting point for my garage extension - should be finished in a few weeks 
Really interested in what you are doing. My garage is identical in structure to yours, and I was idly thinking about how I could extend it (I also have space to the left as you do, but where your (left hand) fence is is the front of my house). I'm looking for inspiration/ideas! More garage space = more excuses to buy cars (but less money, as I've spent it on the garage.... first world problems!).
@Redmax, fantastic garage (and contents!). Jealous.
Redmax said:
RichB said:
Redmax said:
Thanks again for all the kind comments 
I've got jacking beams on both lifts so I can take the load off the suspension, but I agree, it would be handy to have both types of lift.
Streetrod said:
The only thing I would change in the garage would be the green lift. Personally I would have installed a four arm lift. That way you could lift and car whilst taking the load off the wheels and suspension plus it would be easier to remove a body from its chassis with a four arm lift, but I am just being picky
Maybe next year for a two-post lift! I did consider between two and four-post lifts when choosing my four-post lift last year and I struggled to find any where the two-post lifts would fit in my limited headroom. I've only got about 2.5m to the ceiling, ignoring the boxing for the beam, and I struggled to find any two-post lifts where the posts were lower than that. The other issue I found was the lifting pads that go under the sills are usually at least 10cm from the floor, which is too deep for any of the cars I work on, even the Westfield. And it felt a faff to have to stick blocks under the tyres to raise the sills enough to get the lifting pads in every time I used it.I've got jacking beams on both lifts so I can take the load off the suspension, but I agree, it would be handy to have both types of lift.
Redmax said:
Maybe next year for a two-post lift! I did consider between two and four-post lifts when choosing my four-post lift last year and I struggled to find any where the two-post lifts would fit in my limited headroom. I've only got about 2.5m to the ceiling, ignoring the boxing for the beam, and I struggled to find any two-post lifts where the posts were lower than that. The other issue I found was the lifting pads that go under the sills are usually at least 10cm from the floor, which is too deep for any of the cars I work on, even the Westfield. And it felt a faff to have to stick blocks under the tyres to raise the sills enough to get the lifting pads in every time I used it.
I've got jacking beams on both lifts so I can take the load off the suspension, but I agree, it would be handy to have both types of lift.
Two post lifts need thicker concrete under the posts than 4 post lifts due to the increased load and leverage.I've got jacking beams on both lifts so I can take the load off the suspension, but I agree, it would be handy to have both types of lift.
I have a 4 post but agree that one of each would be nice.
Streetrod said:
The only thing I would change in the garage would be the green lift. Personally I would have installed a four arm lift. That way you could lift and car whilst taking the load off the wheels and suspension plus it would be easier to remove a body from its chassis with a four arm lift, but I am just being picky
For me the combination offers a choice of either depending on the job in hand. I’m on the lookout for my lift now. Headroom not an issue. I’m very much torn between a 2 and 4 poster currently. I want to use it to work on my cars, although storing raised might be useful as it’ll give an extra space.
My understanding is for storage a 4 is best but for working a lot a 2 gives better access. I have seen people have fabricated steel pickups to swap in on a 2 poster to allow it to pick up the wheels to avoid chassis flex and suspension droop when raised for long periods.
Question is, on 2 posters can you even leave them with a car stored on them for long periods or is this going to kill the lift in short order?
Also in the ‘budget lifts’ category, there seems to be so much choice. How the fuzz does one work out how good/ reliable/ safe a lift is simply by looking at it??
My understanding is for storage a 4 is best but for working a lot a 2 gives better access. I have seen people have fabricated steel pickups to swap in on a 2 poster to allow it to pick up the wheels to avoid chassis flex and suspension droop when raised for long periods.
Question is, on 2 posters can you even leave them with a car stored on them for long periods or is this going to kill the lift in short order?
Also in the ‘budget lifts’ category, there seems to be so much choice. How the fuzz does one work out how good/ reliable/ safe a lift is simply by looking at it??
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