Ever since 2009 when I moved all of my tools from my g/f's big 28'x26' garage to my much smaller garage, I've been struggling with how to make working on cars easier. The main issue is parking. I can fit two small cars in the garage at the same time, but since the working area was close to the garage door, any car parked in the back of the garage was trapped while the project car was being worked on. This has tended to disuade me from starting any long-term projects that would trap one car or another for an extended period.
So the solution seems simple: Move the wrenching area to the back of the garage (duh...).
in practice, not so much, since my garage is packed with... stuff... yeah... we'll call it "stuff"...
(I meant to take more pictures while working, but I'm new at this whole "build documention" thing...)
The garage in old configuration (I've already moved a 24" kitchen base cabinet that was next to the slop sink into the basement):
In the back on the right, notice there are two old steel kitchen base cabinets as well as two Gladiator roll cabinets. Between the Gladiator cabinets and the tool box is a parts cleaner I never use (because the drain plug leaks and it's usually covered in crap). Closer to the door, you can see the lift and the 2x10 ramps on each side. The 2x12 ramps behind it are there to make moving a car from the back of the garage easier.
Progress. The two steel cabinets have been moved to the basement and the Gladiator cabinets just barely fit between the slop sink and the house stairs. The lift has been moved to the back and I've assembled a wire shelving unit from Sam's Club.
The wire shelving unit is rolled against the wall and filled. 5 gal buckets of stuff on the bottom. Gallons of antifreeze and drain pans above. Oil and charging station next (so nice to finally have a charging station after all these years...). More oil and crap continuing up each shelf (anyone use 15 qts of 10w30 dino oil?).
This is sort of where I'm at right now. Lift moved to the rear. 2x10 ramps set up next to it. 2x12 ramps moved out since they're no longer needed. Parts washer moved to the left side with trash can and recycling bin between it and the door stairs. One thing that hinders the layout a bit is a window opening into the basement - not visible, but behind/under the stacked 5 gal pails on the left. Still a ton of crap that needs to find a more permanent home so I actually have some bench space on the Gladiator cabinets. At least I can now get to those cabinets. Before, whenever there was car parked back there, they were blocked and I keep a number of the special tools in the door cabinet.
Better view of the right side. A lot of stuff still needs a home. The drill press is supposed to live on one of the Galdiator cabinets, but it's actually broken right now (the chuck won't stay on the arbor). The transmission will eventually go into the GT6 (or back in a new shed). Some day I want to replace the deafening air compressor with a hard-piped 2-stage compressor installed in my basement. The pile of stuff next to the Mini are matts and carpet remnents I use to kneel on when working.
The left side. The blue bin full of Volvo parts has since been moved to the basement. Anyone need a Miata p/s rack? (don't ask...). Why I still have the old, broken belly pan from the TDi is anyone's guess... The 2x12's are fillers that spanned between the lift ramps and the parking ramps.
The easier access to the Gladiator cabinets (and the piles of crap on every flat surface...). I need to figure out a better home for the radio or replace it with a small, cheap shelf system.
With the GT6 inside as well.
This is my current dilemma. The lack of space between the front of the car and the tool box. One problem with having the Mini parked here is it makes the space look bigger than it really is. I fear that with the TDi parked back there - a much wider and longer car - things will be cramped. I'll have to see if I can test that sometime this week.
