Real Fiero Tech

2000 Firebird Formula - typical cam/suspension/bolt-on car.

1986 LandCruiser FJ60 - Downey header, cold A/C, delphi alternator and electric fans courtesy of ford/vw. MS/TBI pending.


The bikes! From L to R: 1974 Honda CB450, 1965 Honda CB160, 1971 CL450 - Highlights include koni shocks and hayabusa steeri/ng dampers on both 450s and FZ600 rearsets/superhawk bars/harley mufflers on the blue 450.

The CB160 isn't actually mine. My dad's brother borrowed and wrecked it back in the 70s. I found a donor frame and other good parts and put together a reasonable example from the two for his 65th birthday.


1977 LandCruiser FJ40 - Its a work in progress



We've just moved and I'm currently trying to get everything(except the cb160) under one roof this coming spring/summer.

Nice collection! I think my next project will be a firebird, but of the third generation variety.

Got a pic of the new garage that will be able to accommodate all this stuff?

pmbrunelle wrote: ↑Thu Dec 24, 2020 1:16 pm Got a pic of the new garage that will be able to accommodate all this stuff?

You’ll have to use a little imagination.
It’ll be 24x34 with a short drive going to the back alley. The house is an old 1-1/2 story with a steep roofline; I’m thinking that doing a steep roof on the garage will help it blend in and give me a gable room for even more space.

With a 4-post, I should be able to squeeze everything in and still have more “shop” space than I had at the other place.

Progress!

Is that a dual boom bucket lift?

The Dark Side of Will wrote: ↑Tue Feb 23, 2021 10:18 am Is that a dual boom bucket lift?

Articulating boom w/single bucket. It was pretty slick. Moves on tracks and squeezed through my front gate to reach the backyard.

Might be this one:

https://www.altec.com/products/aerials/ ... ing/tda58/

Next thing is I need to make a decision on heat, like really soon. I keep going back and forth between an overhead radiant tube or a radiant floor setup.

A buddy of mine has the floor and is pushing me to go that way, and my brother can probably get me a break on the pump/boiler/etc, but my luck is historically terrible with plumbing and I worry about potentially hitting the pex when I need to drill/anchor something down.

The tubes I see all over in shops and most are pretty happy with them, but clearance may be a concern as I fill the place up.

Both seem pretty economical as long as the insulation is good

in-floor heating lets you keep the temperature lower and still feel comfortable, but if you're planning to drill into the floor later, may not be ideal unless you have VERY accurate surveys/drawings of where the pipes are. Also, for in-floor to be effective, you need to put down rigid foam insulation and pour the floor slab on top of that.

Are you planning on pouring concrete in the cold (freezing risk)?

Those trees could have become rather problematic to take down with your garage in the way.

The Dark Side of Will wrote: ↑Tue Feb 23, 2021 7:46 pm in-floor heating lets you keep the temperature lower and still feel comfortable, but if you're planning to drill into the floor later, may not be ideal unless you have VERY accurate surveys/drawings of where the pipes are. Also, for in-floor to be effective, you need to put down rigid foam insulation and pour the floor slab on top of that.

The slab is getting insulated either way. The one in the old garage wasn’t and it gets just awful during a cold snap.

pmbrunelle wrote: ↑Wed Feb 24, 2021 12:01 am Are you planning on pouring concrete in the cold (freezing risk)?

Maybe the end of next month or April? Not sure on everyone’s schedule and the weather is still pretty erratic

What part of the world are you in?

Honest Don wrote: ↑Tue Feb 23, 2021 5:36 pm

The Dark Side of Will wrote: ↑Tue Feb 23, 2021 10:18 am Is that a dual boom bucket lift?

Articulating boom w/single bucket. It was pretty slick. Moves on tracks and squeezed through my front gate to reach the backyard.

Might be this one:

https://www.altec.com/products/aerials/ ... ing/tda58/

Ahh, ok. I see now... no wonder it looked weird in your photo.

So much for April. Had some issues with the permit office, then rain and more rain, but they finally got it dug out last week. Maybe concrete within the next week?

Permits suck but great you finally got started!

The Dark Side of Will wrote: ↑Tue Jun 08, 2021 10:06 pm Permits suck but great you finally got started!

Yeah, but walking through an old neighborhood you can totally see why they became a thing.

Since I'm over 750 sqft, the proximity to the back alley became more specific, as in I had to move the garage 2' closer to the house. On the plus side, it should make for a more comfortable driveway.

Oh nice!

Is slab-on-grade a usual way of doing things in your area, versus digging a trench and having a footing a few feet down?

pmbrunelle wrote: ↑Thu Jun 10, 2021 6:49 pm Oh nice!

Is slab-on-grade a usual way of doing things in your area, versus digging a trench and having a footing a few feet down?

when I build my shop, I plan to pour a footer around the perimeter of the slab, it tends to help with erosion at the edges of the slab.

pmbrunelle wrote: ↑Thu Jun 10, 2021 6:49 pm Oh nice!

Is slab-on-grade a usual way of doing things in your area, versus digging a trench and having a footing a few feet down?

Mine is dug for a footing, but I’m not sure everything needs one? I’m far from an authority on this sort of thing.