The large, three car garage has been the repository of a huge amount of unorganized "stuff". Filing cabinets, toys, tools, car parts and other sundry life paraphernalia has remained in the garage since we moved in last fall. So, we finally tackled the job, and can now park two(!) cars in the garage! Actually, we did get three cars in after re-arranging things and transferring more stuff to the shop. Before we parked the cars, though, we had a significant repair to make.

"Krazy Karl", the prior owner, had the large garage built some time in the 1993-1994 time frame. This makes it the newest structure on the property. However, it is the one with the most significant structural issues. The roof need to be completely re-framed, as the gambrel trusses were home made, and are pulling apart. The second floor is constructed of 2x10s, 12" on center. Very stout construction, except for the fact that the girder the joists set upon is pieced together in two places, and there is a "temporary" 4x4 holding up the center of the girder. This has now been repaired by adding a 20 foot long 9 inch wide standard C-channel to the main girder. It is bolted every 18 inches, and is tied to the 6x6 support posts with additional vertical timber. With the help of several good (and strong) friends, we got the big steel beam up and bolted to the girder. Before drilling and bolting, we had used a house jack to raise the girder back up to just above level (crowned). With the added support, the girder was straight, true, and able to fully support the second floor load.

One of the goals for this fall was to get the "extra" Merkur XR4ti that Jim has into the shop. This car will eventually be transformed into a road racer, but it has been sitting out in front of the shop since we moved in last fall. The shop is a bank barn with a street level accessible two car garage and a second floor accessible from ground level on the opposite side. It is built into the side of the hill, hence the term "bank". Nope, no money here.

Anyway, the upper level deck consists of a poured concrete slab with steel reinforcing. More than strong enough to carry the weight of a car. However, there was an extension built onto the rear by previous owner(s) that was only wood framed, and not reinforced for vehicles. "Krazy Karl", the previous owner, used this building as a wood shop, so never needed a floor more substantial than what was already there. Well, to get the car past the wood framed extension and onto the concrete slab, we had to reinforce the floor. We used two pieces of 9 inch standard C-channel for ramps or runners between the edge of the addition and the edge of the concrete portion of the floor. Then, we put an 8 inch piece of standard C-channel across the two center piers that supported the sill beam and 9 inch channels. With these modifications, the building was now more than strong enough to support the weight of the car. After a few short, nervous seconds, the car was backed into its new home, and nothing collapsed. That was a great relief, since two of my 1967 Pontiacs are parked immediately below. Of course, I should have taken them both out before I brought the Merkur in, but I had faith. Now I have a dry, level, lighted and heatable space to work on the car. Now all I need is time and money . . .