Car Workspace in NYC (Brooklyn)

I recently moved to Brooklyn for work from North Carolina (not a hipster) and while public transportation is great, I've noticed I've been checking craigslist way too much lately and my southern roots/redneck tendencies are starting to show.

I'm currently looking at a Volvo diesel wagon that's close by. While on paper it sounds awesome, but the VW inline 6 engines are pseudo-notorious for problems. My small apartment has on-street parking but nowhere to do a very likely timing belt job. I've been looking around for mechanic workspaces/storage spaces and I haven't found too much. Anyone have a workspace/garage/house/anything I might be able to come by and work on this wagon. I have a little $$$/booze/medical supplies. Or if you know of cheap rental spaces that are car-friendly, that'd be great.

Cheers,

Khanh

That's the first time I've seen a first post offer a bribe of money, booze AND medical supplies. It's like a trifecta of contraband!

I'd holler canoe, but I'm not sure why. I think I just want to hang around and see what the heck the medical supplies are for!

maybe by "medical supplies" he means "glaucoma medication"

In reply to SVreX:

Haha,

I moved to Brooklyn to work at a hospital. I don't want to equate fixing cars vs. "fixing" people, but I only really learn when I break something...

I have yet to try excessive drinking + an IV line, but it's on the top of my to-do list.

If you don't have medical supplies in your shop, you're doing it wrong.

Sorry OP, I can't help you. Being from SC, just the thought of NYC makes my skin crawl.

My buddy Brian Scotto (former editor of 0-60 mag and now Ken Block's PR guy) lived in Brooklyn when he was doing 0-60 which was based in Manhattan (why you would publish a car magazine from Manhattan is a subject of another discussion).

Anyhoo, he always had at least 1-2 garages rented pretty much all the time. He would look for people that did seasonal rentals and offer to rent just the garage, or call folks that were renting a house with a garage and make them an offer to rent the garage if someone rented the house that didn't need it. Lots of people renting in NY don't need a garage, and if they can save a few bucks on their rent, and the renter can net more renting the house and garage separately, it's win/win. Literally, I think he just used to call 50 numbers renting houses with garages and tell them his story. Cast a big enough net and you're sure to catch something.

jg

JG Pasterjak wrote: My buddy Brian Scotto (... Ken Block's PR guy)

Who is this Ken Block guy? Has you buddy done anything successful to get his name out there?

STAAAAAAPPPP

^^^^^

I have nothing to suggest for your problem, but I will say this: apparently, you can swap in an Audi straight-5 (the old rally turbo wonders) into those diesel Volvo. The bellhousing patterns apparently are the same.

Carry on.

In reply to moparman76_69:

You best see your street pharmaceutical sales representative on that one

I have nothing to add except 0-60 magazine was awesome. I was quite sad when it folded.

In reply to fanfoy:

I'll probably have to, my luck with diesels isn't the best. I've owned two diesels before this one (a MB 240D manual and a VW Rabbit). Both of them ran for a total of 1.5 days. I've rebuilt the VW engine for ~2k, but it's sitting in a garage while the body is sitting on a wooden rotisserie in NC. My 240SX; however, I've had since I was 19 and still runs great.

My dad grew up in Queens, but he tells good stories about pulling engines in the alley behind my grandparents' house. I guess my dad and his friends built a giant A-frame from lumber and attached a block and tackle.

look for something to rent on the commuter rail line outside of the toilet,errrrr, city. hop the train, ride for an hour, work on the car, ride around the Adirondacks, hop the train and go back to crazy?