So I'm sitting here watching as lots of people on the middy section make great progress on their bodywork, and are probably going - "So where's that South African with his grand plan?"

I have been distracted by (amongst other things) the building of a new 37 square metre double garage (with 20 square metre loft storage floor), onto one end of my house. Even though I had contractors do almost everything, except the loft, it still took a lot of my time. I built the loft from recycled timber.

So now I can make exclusive use of my existing double garage for CANAMSA. Seems lots of people build cars in the most awkward conditions, but I don't like to battle, and to me part of the hobby is having an organized work space.

Now I just want to tidy the workshop, plus do a family holiday in Cape Town - should be back on the car in early January!

Cheers

Fred W B


gr3

[Edited on 11/12/06 by Fred W B]

gr5

[Edited on 11/12/06 by Fred W B]

No excuses..........
I built mine in a single Garage !

Description

[Edited on 11/12/2006 by nitram38]

Oh what I would do for a workshop like that
I have been building my car in a standard sized garage which means that all work had to be done outside, rolling the car in and out as required. UK weather (today is monsoon stylee rain ) doesn't make things easy.

My next build will be in a double garage

Well.....

I've been moaning about the size of my garage, and been getting quotes to extend a concrete sectional garage ranging from 8 to 14 thousand quid, had me quite cheesed off recently to be honest, but after reading CaLviNx's post maybee I should be happy with my lot and get on with it, if only the rain didn't leak thorugh the roof.

Fair enough Mark, and to be honest I did think twice before posting. I am aware of the conditions in which a lot of people work. I posted in the middy section, and my post is directed to fellow middy builders who are stratch building full body work and moulds, which would be almost impossible in a single garage.

Hobbies are more fun when shared with people who appreciate what you are doing, and sure I could be boasting, but I am proud of the work I put into my new garage. So I posted in the same spirit as someone might post pictures of , for example, some excellent welding he had done.

Out here we do have space, and if you happen to be one of the lucky one's who received a good education in a field that is in demand in our growing economy, and have established yourself, you can earn a fair living, in SA terms. Also we have great weather, which is conducive to building / enjoying cars. Would you believe that building sites here stop work if it rains - wouldn't build much if you did that in Europe.

Advantage (for car building) of living in the UK is easy access to the well developed cottage industry supplying kit car parts.

When we start trying to obtain/pay for imported items is when the trouble starts. With the internet we can access anything, but have to pay for shipping, duties as well as the part price in our weak currency. And you thought you had problems getting parts supplied/delivered over a distance of a couple hundred miles - try thousands.

Disadvantage of living here is possible exposure to violent crime. But then when I read some of the lengths you guys go to secure cars and garages seems their are problems everywhere. Remember that some of the SA's you meet in the UK/AUS/NZ/CANADA will only tell you one side of the story to living in SA, as they want to justify their decision to immigrate to themselves/family members.

Cheers

Fred W B


gr4

[Edited on 11/12/06 by Fred W B]

Good post Fred.

While I fully understand Mark's post, and have been in the UK struggling for many years...I made a concious descision to emigrate..it's not all been easy by any means...lots of hard work in difficult conditions (hot and humid), but now I feel I can relax and enjoy the fruits of my labor and life choices.

I only try and share my work, ideas, and enthusiasm...never to show off.

Us guys with decent facilities probably feel the same.....we only want be involved in this wonderful hobby.....so please don't try and make us feel bad for having it easier in some aspects...

Alan

I can know exactly were you are coming from, I too built myself the big garage to make the working on the car more enjoyable..... I only wished I had made it a 3 or 4 car garage now lol.

I'll be in Cape town on business in the new year, bit aprehensive as I'll be a long way from the family but I hear its a nice there this time of year....

LUXURY!!! I'm building mine is a darkened telephone booth (well, almost...it's small enough that I have to drag the car over to work on the far side). I'm hoping to build a new garage in January. It's a good thing that he banks have bags of money, because I have none. As the expression goes, I started out with nothing, and still have most of it...

i wish i had all that space! im probably going to rent something when i start my body work because as said it will be nigh on impossible to do it in a single garage. no point building a bigger garage in my current house as the garden is small as it is, and i need to consider what prospective buyers will want when i sell it.

Fred, if you've got it, why be ashamed to flaunt it? Good luck to you, i'm guessing you worked hard for it. Problem with this country is folks seem to enjoy moaning about their lot, rather than doing anything to improve it. And furthermore many can't stand to see people, who they perceive to be doing well. Terrible to admit, but IMHO it's a big flaw in British culture. Maybe its a hang over from losing the Empire
And before anyone starts, i built mine in a single garage, but i only moaned to the dog.
(She's the only one that listens to me )
Rant over....
( please note, these views are my opinion only, and are not aimed at anyone in particular, especially anyone unfortunate enough to be building their car in a tent, portaloo, telephone box,public convenience, or other miniscule, cold, damp, poorly lit, squalid structure.)

Al


Originally posted by Fred W B
Fair enough Mark, and to be honest I did think twice before posting. I am aware of the conditions in which a lot of people work.

I couldn't agree more Wadders.

Hopefully, my car build will be faster than the building of my garage ..., it's been a year now and not a nail or bucket of concrete has been touched.

getting there though ...

Cheers

I got my 34' x 14' additional garage finished in Texas about 3 months before I decided I HAD to move somewhere else.
Now we're in Australia with a single garage
Life rich shed poor I guess.

This is the result of all my effort on the new garage. I now have the workshop organized to built CANAMSA's body plug.

I will put some more details on my bodywork thread soon.

Regards

Fred W B

WORKSHOP



WORKSHOP 2

[Edited on 25/1/07 by Fred W B]

in Yorkshire accent
Building yours in a darkened telephone booth? You were lucky! Mine's in a small shoebox in't middle o' road...



Confused? Read this

[Edited on 14-2-07 by locost_bryan]

outside, wind, rain, and proud of it all - nothing, but, not having parts I've paid for, can knock the smile (read- grim determination) off my face!!!

[Edited on 14/2/07 by worX]

Shoebox? Luxury! I were building mine in a crevice 200 ft up a cliff face, with gannet's trying to nest on it all the time.

But I can't complain.....

gannets, you were lucky - I had pterodactyls crawling all over me whilst tring to figure out the wiring earlier on tonight - you had it lucky...

quote:

---

Originally posted by TheGecko
Shoebox? Luxury! I were building mine in a crevice 200 ft up a cliff face, with gannet's trying to nest on it all the time.

But I can't complain.....

---

Gannets and pterodactyls? You had things easy. I had to build mine in a typhoid invested septic tank crawling with poisonous toads and snakes.

You know, I wouldn't feel too bad about not making progress on the bodywork. The way you phrased it, you make it sound like everyone else is moving right along, which is mostly true, but not many of us truly do/did all the work ourselves.

Me for example, worked on the composite shell, with its 1000s of pin-holes and corners that pulled away from the mold, until it drove me nuts. I then hauled it to a bodyshop and said, "call me when it's done." I have yet to feel bad about that.

Steve Graber did much the same, driving himself to the edge in insanity before taking the molds to a pro.

Even Alan in Florida, who seems to be one of the few who does everything him self, appears to be taking a break from his first car - by starting on another.

So I don't think you have much to feel bad about. As far as posting pictures of your garage, go right ahead. Like you said, it could be said that we're ALL bragging by posting pictures of our projects, "Look what I did!" Eh, that's what we'er here for. Any negative comments about your garage is most likely jelousy.

There was a Dutch guy posted the pics of his garage, that looked to be cleaner than an operating theatre, and apologised for the mess! Got seriously blagged by all the Poms who thought the garage was clean if you could find the car!