A 12 year-old's dream

[64 lane]

I thought I would share some pics of my new / old shop. My dad and I built this 30 x 60 garage when I was 12. I recently was blessed to purchase the shop from my mother and aunt. They had no reason to sell, since the shop was rented to a good tenant. They sold it to me because they knew what the shop meant to me and my father. When we built the shop I always assumed that one day it would be passed from my father to me.

He decided to open an auto shop after he was fired from his construction job due to an on the job injury. He opened the garage in 1982. It was successful because he was honest and always kept a car of his own to work on when he didn't have a customer's car. My uncle ( his brother) owned a salvage yard. Whenever he had a car come in that could be fixed up, my father would buy it and work on it when things were slow. He would sell these to people looking to buy a high school starter car or often to people who were looking for cheap transportation to drive to work. We also would drag race on the weekends during the summer. I will try to post some of the old pics my father has.


The economic recession of the late 80s forced my father to close the doors on the shop. It wasn't due to his lack of business sense, but I believe due to his large heart. Many of my fathers customers needed their autos worked on, but were unable to pay him. We lived in a small town with farmers and an oil company as some of his bigger customers. He refused to borrow money to pay for the shop, so he decided to close the doors and move on to other things.

My father and mother divorced when I was about 14. For a brief period, my father converted the storage area into a small apartment so he could be close to me and my sisters. When he decide to sell, my grandmother purchased the shop so she could keep it in the family. She rented it for years, but she had no way to keep track of the renters use and abuse of the building. After she passed, my mother and aunt kept the shop rented out.

[64 lane]

Outside

[Strouty]

Sounds like it is back where it belongs. Post more pictures when you get them.

[64 lane]

Inside storage / apartment

[64 lane]

Inside the garage. 1969 VW my father built with no shop for 3 little boys who love the real Herbie. Was a quick restoration. My oldest now 10, wants us to do a complete resto for his 16th birthday.

[64 lane]

Building shelves for motors and parts storage. The real reason for the garage purchase. 1964 Fairlane 500. The only car my father purchased brand new. This was going to be my car when I turn 16, but we found a 66 Falcon Sports Coupe that just needed a motor. Dad signed the title over to me and 3 weeks later some kids beat every window out of the car. The car would fade fast without the glass.

[Strouty]

Looks like you have a blank canvas to start with, it takes longer, but it is more fun that way too.

[64 lane]

Originally Posted by Strouty

Looks like you have a blank canvas to start with, it takes longer, but it is more fun that way too.

Thanks, it does need some work, but getting it ready to do that work has been fun. Like most of the guys I have read, I am not a mechanic. I am the son of a man who can make anything run. I look forward to getting started on the 64. Next weekend is tool gathering and cleaning glass out of the Fairlane.

[64 lane]

The first day in the shop, we took a buffer and concrete cleaner to the whole shop. After that we power washed and squeegeed the floors. I have a trailer full of items that are on the way to the shop. Thanks to a great mother in law, I have a LG side by side fridge, and a Maytag washer and dryer set for the shop. When the weather warms, I plan on a remodel to the living quarters.

[JimVonBaden]

Lots of potential here!

Jim

[jeffmoss26]

Very cool shop and I like the story behind it!

[ed_v]

Great looking place, but an even better story. Thanks for sharing.

Ed

[64 lane]

Got back to the shop this weekend. We wanted to get everything out of the Fairlane and start the glass cleanup.
We also decided to get all of our tools together to see what we had. Dad like many people, had is shop toolbox stolen. Many of his tools were stored in buckets and small tool chests that were often left out in the weather. I picked up this 11 drawer Husky off Craigslist cheap. I realized that I will have to get a larger shop box, but this will do for now.

The new wenches were Black Friday purchases.

My Step father gave me a ton of Impact sockets. Napa, Snap-on, Proto, and Craftsman. He also gane me a couple of Blue Point box sets.

I thought I would snap a couple pics of Herbie

Next time I get to the shop, I will post some pics of my work benches. I had none last month. Today I have 3 in the shop and a welding table on the way.

[Nighttrain]

Cool story! Keep us posted.

[JCQuick]

Nice and what a great story can't wait to see more. Glad your planning on keeping the herbie

[fergus]

Its always nice to see things stay in the family. Here's one that I'm trying to keep in the family for me:




This is one my dad and I built about 15 years ago. Built it for my sister, but she drove it for all of about 9 months before she left for college. Then, bout 8 years ago, the tranny died in it. Dad had a new GT40 crate thrown in with a built AOD and a new 9inch with auburn and 3.30s out back. I'll bet it doesn't even have 500 miles on it yet. Still not broke in. Jeez. I drive it every time I get down there since no one else does. He threatened to sell it two years ago, so I told him to sell his boat instead. I'm glad he kept it. Plus I've basically told him that I'll write him out of my will (hahaha) if he sells it to anyone but me. Cheers!

[64 lane]

Originally Posted by fergus

Its always nice to see things stay in the family. Here's one that I'm trying to keep in the family for me:




This is one my dad and I built about 15 years ago. Built it for my sister, but she drove it for all of about 9 months before she left for college. Then, bout 8 years ago, the tranny died in it. Dad had a new GT40 crate thrown in with a built AOD and a new 9inch with auburn and 3.30s out back. I'll bet it doesn't even have 500 miles on it yet. Still not broke in. Jeez. I drive it every time I get down there since no one else does. He threatened to sell it two years ago, so I told him to sell his boat instead. I'm glad he kept it. Plus I've basically told him that I'll write him out of my will (hahaha) if he sells it to anyone but me. Cheers!

Love the 64. You don't see many of them anymore. This was our family car when I was very young. Like you I live away from my father, so it is weekend trips for the restore. When I was 16 dad had a set of the ss cragers on it just like yours. Love that look. Good to see you guys have taken such good care of it.

[fergus]

We've got to do something about the fender lips in the rear. It rubs reallllll bad around the corners with the slightly wider tires on it. I guess we'll have to roll the lips and see if that does it.

[64 lane]

Originally Posted by fergus

We've got to do something about the fender lips in the rear. It rubs reallllll bad around the corners with the slightly wider tires on it. I guess we'll have to roll the lips and see if that does it.

They are very small. I was just asking dad if we needed to move the wells in a bit. He thought it would be OK if we just use the right offset. My first car was a 66 Falcon. The rear tires were just a little big and they would rub on the corners as well. We took a bat and rolled the inside lip a little. please post some pics of the engine bay when you can.

[cranejon]

How about a picture of the front engine rail? Where is that going in the shop?