The quote has been attributed to everyone from Sun Tzu to a former Commandant of the Marine Corps, and it goes a little something like this: “Amateurs study tactics. Professionals study logistics.” Maybe that’s why if you ask any serious classic-car enthusiast about their collection, you’d better be prepared to hear almost as much talk about storage and transport and 220-volt power as you will about the actual cars in that collection! The practical and logistical aspects of owning classic and collector cars might not be as obviously exciting as the roar of a Hemi or the luscious curve of an E-Type fender, but it’s undeniable that you’ll enjoy your cars a lot more if they’re stored in a manner that makes them fast and easy to access. For many of us, that means making changes to our garages at home.
As with the classic car hobby itself, your commitment to garage improvement can take many forms. Some people will find that their needs are met with a single four-post lift, while others may wind up with a two-level garage complete with vehicle elevator. We’re going to talk about both of those solutions below, along with real-world practical advice for meeting your on-site storage and service needs.
Four-Post Lifts, Garage Doors, and You
The four-post lift is the basic building block of many home storage solutions. Don’t confuse this with a two-post “service lift” like the ones made by Rotary and Mohawk; those can have a place in your garage, and we’ll talk about them later, but for now we’re discussing a four-poster. These commonly have… you guessed it, four posts, with broad metal “feet” on the bottom of each. These four posts support a platform onto which you drive the car to be stored. You’ll have a choice between a twin-ramp solution with empty space under the middle of the car, which some people also use to make oil changes and basic service easier, and a full-width metal platform.
All four posts will have a series of slots cut into them, along with a ratchet tooth mechanism. At least two of the posts will also have steel cables. One of the posts, usually the one on the driver’s side and farthest away from your garage door, will have a motor that operates the steel cables. Activating the motor will raise the deck on which your car is parked. As the deck rises, the ratchets will snap into successive slots in the posts. These are meant to keep your car from falling if the lifting motor fails or the cables break. To lower the car, disconnect the ratchets and run the motor in reverse.
You’d be surprised at how easy it can be to install a four-post lift. Many of them don’t need to be bolted into the garage floor, although it’s almost never a bad idea to do it. Most lifts can operate on 110-volt household power, although you can expect a lift time of between 45 seconds and two minutes on 110-volt compared to the 10-20 seconds the same lift can manage on 220-volt. Most garages with a four-inch concrete floor in good condition can support a four-post lift with no reinforcement, but make sure you get full requirements from your lift manufacturer. Costs, too, are reasonable, with many brands coming in at under ten thousand dollars including freight shipping to you.
Regardless of garage height, most four-post lift owners will face one serious obstacle: their cars are being lifted right up to where the garage door tracks run. For that reason, you should expect to perform a “high lift” modification that will move the tracks all the way up to the ceiling of your garage. If you don’t have the space, consider a roll-up garage door. Once the exclusive province of store-it-yourself units, roll-up doors can now be had in a variety of finishes and materials, including real wood. A quick drive down PCH (Pacific Coast Highway) will reveal a hundred roll-up doors in Malibu-area homes, particularly ones with garages beneath the rest of the house.
Adding a pair of four-post lifts can turn most two-car garages into a four-car garage, which solves the storage problems faced by many classic car enthusiasts and offers you near-instant access to your car whenever you want to drive it. If your budget permits, consider a USA-made lift with thicker steel, having the lift professionally bolted into your concrete, and running 220-volt power to the lift for quicker and more sure operation.
Should You Add a Two-Post Lift?
If you have at least ten feet of vertical space, and you have a concrete floor of four inches thickness (with rebar) or six inches (without), you might want to consider a traditional two-post service lift. These are more expensive than four-post lifts, they require professional installation, they’re almost impossible to run on 110-volt power, and they are not nearly as foolproof in operation as a four-post – but if you ever need to drop a transmission out of your classic car, or perform significant service to the suspension, you’ll be glad you have it.
Most collectors who have a two-post lift don’t use it for storage. Sitting on a two-post lift for extended periods of time can be hard on a car’s frame or rockers. There’s also some danger involved in loading the car onto the lift improperly. Think of a two-post lift as a very expensive specialty tool, not as a storage solution.
Two-Story Garages: The Dream Solution
Planning new construction or an extensive rehab? It might be time to consider a two-story garage. The first floor will look like a standard garage and in many cases will hold a few four–post lifts to maximize storage – but one of the spaces on the first floor is a cable–operated section that raises cars to the second floor. This is the ultimate answer for people who want to spend time with their classics, as the second floor can be finished much like any other room in the house right down to a wooden or tile flooring surface. If you’ve ever wanted to do your paperwork or watch a football game while also admiring your collection, this is the way to go.
The costs of a two-story garage are, to put it mildly, considerable. For enthusiasts who are building on “tear-down” or small-footage lots, however, it can be a lifesaver. Best of all, you’re investing in your home, not in renting storage across town.
What Should You Ask for When You Build New?
Many new construction homes, particularly in suburbia, are now being sold with three-car garages. If you’re building new, don’t assume that your needs will be met by the builder. Garage depth is crucial, so get as much as you can. It could be the difference you’ll need to get a motorcycle in there, or enough room to fit an entire extra car using roller dollies. If you’re already planning for four-posts lifts, or think you might be, ask about 220-volt power to each “slot” in the garage. And don’t forget ceiling height; ten-foot ceilings make using a four-post lift much easier.
The $300 Way to Find Another Spot in Your Garage
If new construction isn’t in your future, a four-post lift is outside your budget, and a two-story garage isn’t even a part of your wildest dreams, don’t lose hope; there might be an affordable way to sneak an extra car into the space you already have. The rolling auto dollies from Merrick Machine and a few other vendors fit under the tires of your cars and allow you to push them into all sorts of arrangements. One example: many garages with two single-car doors are wide enough for three cars, if you can slide them around once they’ve entered via one of the existing doors. If your garage is 24 feet wide and 21 feet deep on the inside, that’s two MG Midgets nose to tail against the back wall and you still might have room for your everyday cars to enter normally, assuming those everyday cars are reasonably sized.
You’re Going to Have to Ask
We’d be remiss if we didn’t prepare you for one important part of modifying your garage: the hassle of finding out. Very few manufacturers post prices online, shipping is almost never free, and the cost of installation can vary widely by region or even neighborhood. Believe it or not, shopping for classic-car storage is a lot less transparent than shopping for a classic car. So be prepared to send a lot of e-mails and take a lot of phone calls from salespeople. And if you find an installer you trust – don’t lose that number! It’s not guaranteed to be easy, but the first time you wake up on Sunday morning and have your classic idling in your driveway five minutes after you open the garage door, we suspect you’ll be satisfied with the results.
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