HOW LONG IS YOUR GARAGE?

[Fossil]

1 hour ago, Str8-8-Dave said:

This picture was taken the day the boat was launched for the first time at the public launch ramp about 1 mile from the cottage. 

And here I thought I owned boats so I wouldn't get wet. Guess not!

Nice looking boat. Do you still have it?

 

 

[Str8-8-Dave]

8 minutes ago, Fossil said:

Nice looking boat. Do you still have it?

Actually- no.  I sold the boat in fall of 2014 to Brian Gagnon who was then president of the Antique Classic Boat Society (ACBS).  Brian was interested in the boat because the demographics at ACBS were changing and membership was in decline.  ACBS was originally aimed at wood boat fans who by that time were retiring from the hobby one way or another.  Up to that point fiberglass boats had been pretty much denied recognition as classics and therefore a younger group of boating fans was being ignored and turned away.  Chris Craft of course was one of the original wood boat manufacturers and having the Chris Craft name on a fiberglass boat undeniably tied the boat back to a well recognized boat builder and Brian used it to break the ice at ACBS and welcome the members of the future.  He drove from NJ and picked the boat up on a Saturday and the following weekend splashed it at the ACBS Fall Boat Show at Skaneateles Lake NY.   

 

Pictures and article here- just scroll down past the headline page

#12 Makes A Statement In Skaneateles NY | Classic Boats / Woody Boater

[60FlatTop]

I used to have a boat in my garage.

[Fossil]

3 hours ago, 60FlatTop said:

I used to have a boat in my garage.

I've only owned one boat like that. 70 Buick Electra. Didn't have a garage to park it in though. 

 

 

[Rivguy]

My house was built in the 1970s, the two car garage could hold my '56 Cadillac. But my Wife could bareliy open the dryer, which was located with the washer at the  at the far end of the garage. Luckily, I don't plan on getting anything that big anymore.

[victorialynn2]

Mine is just barely “a ‘57 Skyliner with Continental kit” long. I think I have 3” total to spare. I used to have shelves on the back wall, but had to tear them out to accommodate her. 
 

As far as the C kit goes, I could live without, it but it’s ok. My dad bought this car in the 90’s with the kit, so it will stay on. I’m determined to keep it as original as possible because I know that’s what my dad would want. I know the C kit was added before he acquired it, but if it was good enough for my dad, it stays. 
 

 

 

 

Edited December 15, 2021 by victorialynn2 (see edit history)

[victorialynn2]

On 12/13/2021 at 5:05 PM, f.f.jones said:

I grew up in the SF Bay Area in the '50's and was quite aware of the then current trends in both new and older (hot rod and custom) cars. As I recall, continental kits were quite popular. Maybe it was a regional thing, but when the T-bird and the Continental were new in '56, I recall seeing mostly Chevrolet Bel Aire hardtops with that accessory. I also recall Buicks that had the factory/dealer kits, but I don't remember seeing Chrysler products. A couple of my grade school teachers owned Chevys with continental kits and a friend's family had a '60 convertible.

Many '49 thru '51 fords were severely lowered in the rear and then added the kit with rollers under the bumper to keep from scraping over dips in the road.

I spent some time in New England in the early '60's and was surprised to see the majority of cars were of the "plain-Jane" family sedan variety in contrast to the more premium models common in California. Practical New Englanders didn't spend unnecessary dollars for a car that might rust away in a few years. That might help to explain to some extent why continental kits aren't as popular with eastern members.

 

 

You’re spot on. I grew up in NH in the 70’s & 80’s and my dad owned a trucking business. He had empty trailers on the way home and often brought home rust free cars from the south. He knew cars, grew up in Detroit and had his first Model A at 14 that he paid for. Worked on cars as a teen, mechanic in the Air Force and lifetime collector. He made a lot of money selling rust free cars in NE because they were hard to find up there. 

[f.f.jones]

Personally, I think the c-kit on a Skyliner ('57 - '59) helps somehow to distract the eye from the shape of the trunk compartment that encloses the retracted top. Without it, the bulk of the rear end seems, to me, a little overpowering. Glad you aren't considering removing it.

[1932 plymouth pb sedan]

"Never long enough" is the answer.

[60FlatTop]

13 hours ago, Fossil said:

I've only owned one boat like that. 70 Buick Electra. Didn't have a garage to park it in though. 

In 1972 I was freshly out of the Navy and needed a garage. I advertised in the local Penny Saver and found a garage that I rented until the 1990's.

 

I have always had Buicks so one of the first cars to go into the rented garage was a 1967 Electra convertible with a bad engine. My friend Mike took one look at the Buick and said "This isn't a garage. It's a marina". That stuck. In 1988 I had my own garage built at my home. For Christmas my wife had a sign made that is on the door today.

 

The "Herbie" part is another story that goes way back to a junkyard owner who couldn't hear well.

[kingrudy]

I have heard a lot of negative comments about continental kits. I would differentiate between the continental kit with the full back porch and the tastefully done cc which has the bumper wrap around the spare tire. To me, the latter looks good with out looking like a full "add on" Just my opinion. The 58 and 59 Impalas in the original post are good examples of the abbreviated continental kit.  

[TAKerry]

On 12/13/2021 at 1:33 PM, edinmass said:

My 1921 hollow block garage in Florida will fit a Model T, but nothing else. Even then, it's tight. Over the years most have been extended longer, and will fit a modern mid size car. You would think a three bedroom home in 21 would have had a larger garage. 

My grandfather built his house in south Fla in the late 40's and he was driving a Cadillac at the time. I dont know the dimension but in the 70's when we would stay there his new at the time caddy would barely fit, lenght and width. He was a builder/developer and all of the houses he built post war into the early 70's all had garages that would barely fit a modern car. A garage was wasted square footage!

[Chris Bamford]

Our city-central neighbourhood was developed between 'teens and the '40s, with a typical 50' lot width.  Recent zoning changes aimed at increasing density allow developers to split these lots lengthwise and build two skinny houses. Up and down the alley just in our one block there are five pairs of skinnies occupied or under construction. The two-car garages on skinny lots are typically narrow, by necessity, and short, to allow for long houses and still a bit of backyard space.

 

Neighbour Ryan across the alley bought a fancy new Ford F250 extended cab a couple years ago which turned out to be 3" too long to fit in the garage... out came the Sawzall and the 2x6 studs in front of the that lane became 2x2s and the truck juusssttt fits. Since then, that lane has been repurposed for bicycles and other garage junk but the slenderized studs remain.

 

 

 

Edited December 16, 2021 by Chris Bamford (see edit history)

[54Coupe]

Mine is 45x65. I can't believe how fast it got filled up.

[mcdarrunt]

My old shop was 225' long by 185' wide (just under an acre of floor space) and it was too small. New shop is a closet at 60 x 100 but tires the old man using it by noon or shortly after. I tell people if I work on a project all day I can only charge for two hours as that is all the work I get done. Guess at very near 85 I should be happy to wake up on the right side of the grass and not complain about being crowded.

[TexRiv_63]

I have what is called a "tandem" three car garage with a single space on one side and a double on the other with one car in front of the other. It works well but the inconvenience factor of the double can be interesting. When I had prewar cars I had no trouble fitting them in the single side with a tire stop, even my Packard with a 134" wheelbase - primarily because there was very little front overhang. After getting major hail damage on our daily driver a few years ago due to leaving it out in favor of hobby cars I made a rule that the DD always has to be garaged. This became interesting recently when my hobby cars became a 66 Dodge Monaco station wagon and a 60 Buick Lesabre. Both of these cars are over 18 feet long, due to front overhang the Buick will not fit on the single side and the wagon just barely fits. The Buick goes in the front of our DD only by tapping the wall with the front bumper and there is only enough space between the cars to shimmy in sideways. The extreme width and invisibility of the fender edges on the Buick also make parking it an adventure, but it all works!

[HarryLime]

[Paul Dobbin]

On 12/13/2021 at 7:35 PM, keiser31 said:

I wanted my garage longer, but we had plum trees. My honey said I could extend to the trees, so I added the 6 foot x 24 foot section. The trees are now gone....mmmmmm....UPDATE! She said, NO!"

 

  looks ilke you painted it since your last garage photo,

[Paul Dobbin]

5 hours ago, HarryLime said:

    Another advantage to Micro Cars

[Larry Schramm]

On 12/13/2021 at 4:24 PM, GARY F said:

I could sit and polish that chrome and stainless all day on that Limited.

 

I did that on my Dad's cars.