60FlatTop Posted May 21, 2017 Share Posted May 21, 2017 I have heard about the hanging tennis balls to aid in car parking since I was a kid. Honestly, I have never owned a tennis ball in my life. One of the matriarchs on the O'Brien side of the family said guys like me were bred to swing 10 pound broadswords, not prance lightly around the court. So, in my garage, I have items on the pegboard wall that guide me into position. I usually park my '48 Packard (Junior series) Deluxe Eight ahead of my '60 Electra and there is a Pierce-Arrow Club thermometer with a green '31 convertible coupe that I line up with when I park. That assures walking room in front and room for the garage door to close, just my natural routine. Thursday I was doing a little work because the Packard has been taking a back burner and I want to put around 500 miles on it this year. I switched the cars and put the Buick in front with the bumper in the same position the Packard sets in. I like to kid about cracking wallnuts with my Packard because the new clutch is so smooth. Well, I'm putting in inside behind the Buick. As I sneak up real slow behind the Buick I am watching my thermometer guide and the Buick, thinking :This looks close". Then the Buick begins to rise slightly as the Packard bumper guards nudge their way under the bumper. I was surprised that the driver's seating position must be at lease 6" farther back from the bumper on the Packard, and the Senior series has another 6" of fender length. Must be that short snout from the V8 engine. This came up yesterday when some spectators were saying they didn't remember the cars being so long. Looks like I need to regauge my wall. Bernie 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrEarl Posted May 21, 2017 Share Posted May 21, 2017 Hope the Buick wasn't hurt! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dei Posted May 21, 2017 Share Posted May 21, 2017 Trying to get used to driving / parking my Special again too. With it having been up on jack stands for years, now that it is mobile again, the dang thing seems to sit so low. I drove it in, got out and after rolling my tool cart behind her went up to the side door and hit the garage door button to close up. Seems I didn't judge the clearance well as the door came down on the cart but stopped like it should before doing any damage. You are not alone. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrEarl Posted May 21, 2017 Share Posted May 21, 2017 try turning the lights out in the garage and while trying to find the front door, misjudge where the long ass front end of the '38 Special is and end up with your left leg stuck between the front fender and bumper. With a Yuengling in one hand and holding a cat on your shoulder with the other none the less. A whole new meaning for "wildcat" 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmTee Posted May 22, 2017 Share Posted May 22, 2017 I have a piece of plywood and several pieces of 1 1/2" thick foam board leaning against the front bumper of my '56 Chevy (currently up on jack stands). I nose the Riviera in until i see the top of the foam board start to move, then back up about an inch. That leaves me about 2 1/2 inches between the back bumper and the door! I have more room on the other side, so I just have a short 4x4 block on the floor that I roll the GP into until it stops. Nothin' fancy, but it seems to work. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thriller Posted May 22, 2017 Share Posted May 22, 2017 A 4x4 is what Dad used backing the grain truck up to the auger. He lined it up once then put up a flag to guide left/right and the lumber behind the rear tire. Subsequent trips were quicker and almost foolproof. Just as as we are getting the size of the new, smaller Buicks figured out in the city garage, it is time to bring in a couple of the old, long ones for the summer. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Stoneberg Posted May 26, 2017 Share Posted May 26, 2017 I pull my Electra up until it touches the wall as the door won't close if I don't. Damn new houses are built for modern cars, not the Luxery Liners of yesteryear. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barney Eaton Posted May 26, 2017 Share Posted May 26, 2017 I have used both methods.......the hanging ball and a wooden stop. The ball works fine as long as you park the same car in the space....change cars and you must reposition the ball, also if you are really close on space, getting the car a few inches off side to side and the ball hits a different spot on the windshield....doesn't matter if you have a "V" windshield or a curved one, that can change the car position several inches. The lazy man's stop is a 18" 2 X 4.....once you get the car positioned, put the 2x4 in front of the wheel (put it on the side that has less traffic so you don't trip on the part sticking out) Once located, you can put a permanent marker mark where the 2x4 goes. This helps when you are cleaning the garage or the car is out and you walk by and kick the 2x4, you will know where it goes. A few years back I purchased one of those electronic markers that looks like a traffic sign. I got tired of putting batteries in it. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
60FlatTop Posted May 26, 2017 Author Share Posted May 26, 2017 Well, I got the parking thing figured out. I took my Wife out into the garage and blew the horn on each car so she knows them all. I told her that I am going to blow the horn twice when I pull in the driveway. When she hears it she will run out to the garage, it is about 125 feet from the house, and open the overhead door. Then I want her to stand next to the car I am parking behind with her hands held out and apart to show the distance between the parked car and the car I am parking. She will draw her hands together showing the distance, then signal at about 6". Then go to the overhead door and check the track to see it will close. I just got back from picking up some new polishing cloths that I drop on the washing machine when I get a few dirty ones and using my Smartphone to update the forum while the I wait. I'm driving the '60 Buick and I know she recognizes this horn. I wonder if I should blow the horn two more times. I know she has the day off work today. Bernie 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trimacar Posted May 26, 2017 Share Posted May 26, 2017 Well, the horn blowing is a great scheme, in your mind....if I planned to do that at my house, I'd need to buy one of those bulletproof, armored cars, since she might aim at the horn area, but miss.... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmTee Posted May 27, 2017 Share Posted May 27, 2017 7 hours ago, trimacar said: Well, the horn blowing is a great scheme, in your mind....if I planned to do that at my house, I'd need to buy one of those bulletproof, armored cars, since she might aim at the horn area, but miss.... Ha - you beat me to it! I was gonna say she was busy reloading and would be right out! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mudbone Posted May 28, 2017 Share Posted May 28, 2017 I have tried just about all of these methods and then I bought a laser. Works great! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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