Garage, car port or...?

[markp4200]

#16
I'm about to build a car port for my GT, what have those of you with car ports used for roofing and the structure? I've seen timber framed with felt roofs and grey alluminium structures with Perspex. Not sure which direction to go in, it need to look 'pretty' as it's essentially the view from the back garden!

Matt,
don't know how this helps but I had mine constructed from fairly hefty timbers and jointed and pegged (It has to last as long as the cars).
Shots show that I did it in two bits; the initial bit for the 4200 (but it looked a bit weak) so then had an addition for the Mini and boosted the frontage. (pic 4), the cars do now actually both get fully covered.
Pic 5 shows the back view still being constructed.
Roofing was from darkened PVC roofing sheets with fitted channels and firm fit. Electrics for the battery chargers and general lighting. It was made to tie in with the front porch design and the front boundary 'fence'.
It does the job well incidentally and both cars have loved it. Totally damp-proof and lots of lovely fresh air blowing around underneath.

 

[Mike X]

I have a single ( pretty tight ) Council garage I have managed to sneak power to it so a trickle charger and lights are taken care of , it used to be a tad damp though .
I have sealed the floor and insulated the walls and roof , there is an air brick and a gap under the door so I think it is better now .
I was going to plug in a dehumidifier or heater but then you just end up trying to heat or dry out the whole world .
Ideally I would like a big car port inside a walled garden but that ain’t going to happen unless my numbers come up .
In the end I am just happy to be living the Maserati dream , long may it continue .
Must admit I really love this car , I had a Mercedes SLK a little while ago and it fought me all the way , anything I tried to do just went wrong , so far the Spyder has been very accommodating and responded well to my efforts .

 

[zagatoes30]

Now that looks awesome, totally different to the sort of car ports I envisaged

 

[Mike X]

Matt,
don't know how this helps but I had mine constructed from fairly hefty timbers and jointed and pegged (It has to last as long as the cars).
Shots show that I did it in two bits; the initial bit for the 4200 (but it looked a bit weak) so then had an addition for the Mini and boosted the frontage. (pic 4), the cars do now actually both get fully covered.
Pic 5 shows the back view still being constructed.
Roofing was from darkened PVC roofing sheets with fitted channels and firm fit. Electrics for the battery chargers and general lighting. It was made to tie in with the front porch design and the front boundary 'fence'.
It does the job well incidentally and both cars have loved it. Totally damp-proof and lots of lovely fresh air blowing around underneath.

That’s what I am talking about , looks perfect , well done Markp .

 

[mjheathcote]

I can seen benefits to a car port compared to nothing, keeping the direct rain and snow off, but surely you still have gusty windy wet weather throwing dirt and wet leaves onto the car, and in the summer pollen and dust?
I guess it all depends on how open the car port actually is.

 

[Matt82]

Matt,
don't know how this helps but I had mine constructed from fairly hefty timbers and jointed and pegged (It has to last as long as the cars).
Shots show that I did it in two bits; the initial bit for the 4200 (but it looked a bit weak) so then had an addition for the Mini and boosted the frontage. (pic 4), the cars do now actually both get fully covered.
Pic 5 shows the back view still being constructed.
Roofing was from darkened PVC roofing sheets with fitted channels and firm fit. Electrics for the battery chargers and general lighting. It was made to tie in with the front porch design and the front boundary 'fence'.
It does the job well incidentally and both cars have loved it. Totally damp-proof and lots of lovely fresh air blowing around underneath.

That looks fantastic, thanks for posting the pictures up. The combination of wood with the darker roofing sheets works really well.
Like the mini as well, I've got a 1975 mk3 850 in bits that I've been meaning to restore for a number of years! In fact it's in my garage, not that the garage is long enough to accommodate the maser gt

 

[hunta]

Matt,
don't know how this helps but I had mine constructed from fairly hefty timbers and jointed and pegged (It has to last as long as the cars)...

Mark, very smart indeed. Can I ask who you found to do this for you?

 

[markp4200]

Well thanks for the comments.
I kind of had this feeling once that I wanted to be an architect but at 67 I'm a bit long in the tooth to begin.
The old house is 'cottagey' so need things to blend in.
However for things around the home I do the design work and plans and have a local (Poole) chap who has done my work for 10 years. Trouble there is he is my age and I just wait for him to say 'enough-is-enough' but he is a craftsman and I want to keep him going for as long as possible. The beer keeps him keen!

MJ, have to say that apart from the early-2018 blizzards when the snow did get a bit naughty, nothing seems to get under - maybe the odd bit on the front of the 4200 when it's really bad, generally with that strong gusty drying wind, it works so well.

Matt; the Mini?
Amazing; had one in 1968 to start with and always wanted one again.
Get yours going - just do it. You won't regret it. The discomfort and the basic facilities are what it's about and they still out-corner every other car.
I'm in love with 2 cars. Also about to post about the Maserati which is having some cosmetic work done.

 

[Felonious Crud]

Good car-port. My space is sort of the opposite - a bit longer than one car and wide enough for two, but I'm sure the architectural challenges will be similar. Building something which isn't an eye-sore will also be a challenge, one which you managed to achieve nicely. I'm thinking oak-framed... and then my architectural and design talents grind to a halt. Happily, my brother-in-law is talented in that regard and reckons it will be 'a piece of pi55'. Persuading my wife it's worth the spend will be harder... she favours a new bathroom before we go down the carport route. Women! sigh

 

[markp4200]

Hah, is your fragrancy more important than the cars which are an asset ...supposedly? For me, I would rather be lacking a perfect scent for perfect sense!

 

[namaste]

Here's my warts and all DIY version looking quite shameful in comparison to that wooden beauty. Painting the aluminium brown would probably go a long way but it does its job. Materials came to £450. Been up a couple of years now. Camera, security light and trickle charger under there too.

Wonderful car! I used to have a mkIII. Not reliable, but a peach when it ran.

Here's the far too dusty at the moment Spitfire. Its a 1979 1500 model.

 

[Felonious Crud]

Here's my warts and all DIY version looking quite shameful in comparison to that wooden beauty. Painting the aluminium brown would probably go a long way but it does its job. Materials came to £450. Been up a couple of years now. Camera, security light and trickle charger under there too.

View attachment 50473



Here's the far too dusty at the moment Spitfire. Its a 1979 1500 model.

View attachment 50474

Oh. THAT's what they look like without rust and oil sprayed everywhere! Actually, the good thing about all the oil leaks is that it prevented rust on quite a lot of the chassis and bulkhead.

How's the diff and that transverse leaf-spring?

 

[namaste]

Oh. THAT's what they look like without rust and oil sprayed everywhere! Actually, the good thing about all the oil leaks is that it prevented rust on quite a lot of the chassis and bulkhead.

How's the diff and that transverse leaf-spring?

You mean like this:


Yeah diff is all good. The leaf spring I had out and overhauled. The whole running gear is good to go. Engine runs, has had new bearings, rings, etc.. Sounds great with dual exhausts. Interior is ready to go in and new windscreen, re-chromed bumpers. Just got to do that bonnet up on the wall, which is going to be an ****.

Edit: sorry to de-rail the thread, its FCs fault

 

[Felonious Crud]

You mean like this:
View attachment 50475

Yeah diff is all good. The leaf spring I had out and overhauled. The whole running gear is good to go. Engine runs, has had new bearings, rings, etc.. Sounds great with dual exhausts. Interior is ready to go in and new windscreen, re-chromed bumpers. Just got to do that bonnet up on the wall, which is going to be an ****.

Edit: sorry to de-rail the thread, its FCs fault

Yes, like that... but with a more rusty hue.

Joy to work on. Even whipping the gearbox out was a doddle. Balancing the carbs was always challenging, though. Mine was running a Triumphtune s/s exhaust and mild steel manifold. Sounded gorgeous, when it ran. Which was whenever it d@mn well pleased as far as I could ever tell. Good luck, and keep us posted.

Back on thread, it’s the perfect car to work on in a carport.

 

[mjheathcote]

Here's my warts and all DIY version looking quite shameful in comparison to that wooden beauty. Painting the aluminium brown would probably go a long way but it does its job. Materials came to £450. Been up a couple of years now. Camera, security light and trickle charger under there too.

View attachment 50473



Here's the far too dusty at the moment Spitfire. Its a 1979 1500 model.

View attachment 50474

Looks like Mallard Blue the same colour as my Stag.
My sister had a 1500 Spitfire just after I bought my Stag, in '86.
Added a Triumph Tune tubular manifold, and twin exhaust sounded really nice.
For the suspension added their uprated front anti-roll bar, and added one on the back.
Also fitted roll over hoop behind the seats, oil cooler and K&N air filters.
She used it as a daily for a number of years, like i used my Stag, but it rotted out badly and she sold it, whereas I did a full nut and bolt bare shell restoration on my Stag.
About 13 years ago she bought another 'mint' 1500. I took it for a drive, would have been 15 years or so since I last drove one, sorry, but I felt like it was a death trap, it didn't stop and didn't go around corners very well. Maybe it was that particular car, being standard compared the one years before, or things had moved on over the years, but my Stag, even today, still feels up to date regarding stopping and cornering! She didn't keep it long only a year or so.

 

[conaero]

I have a double + garage with an electric up and over door. Whilst I can’t deny it’s the most secure it’s a ball ache getting the cars in and out as required due to the garage being at 90 degrees to the drive and exit. The drive has space for 4 cars but to extract the cars from the garage reminds me of the sitcom Betterflies. A car port would be my preferred housing but have thought about slinging one of those sail type covers across the driveway from the garage to protect the cars and stop the water burning when I wash them.suppose I’m spoilt really.

 

[hunta]

Thanks everyone. I'm currently thinking the garage + small desiccant dehumidifier route, mostly because I already have a garage and don't want to spend £££ putting up a car port, especially having seen how expensive the nice oak framed ones are, even if that would be the ultimate solution.

Looking at some threads on PH this seems a viable option. Seemingly even putting the car away wet it'll be dry by next morning with a decent dehumidifer running. I'd envisage it'll only need to be on during the winter months and even then probably only when the car's been out in the wet since there are no other sources of moisture in that space.

 

[namaste]

Looks like Mallard Blue the same colour as my Stag.
My sister had a 1500 Spitfire just after I bought my Stag, in '86.
Added a Triumph Tune tubular manifold, and twin exhaust sounded really nice.
For the suspension added their uprated front anti-roll bar, and added one on the back.
Also fitted roll over hoop behind the seats, oil cooler and K&N air filters.
She used it as a daily for a number of years, like i used my Stag, but it rotted out badly and she sold it, whereas I did a full nut and bolt bare shell restoration on my Stag.
About 13 years ago she bought another 'mint' 1500. I took it for a drive, would have been 15 years or so since I last drove one, sorry, but I felt like it was a death trap, it didn't stop and didn't go around corners very well. Maybe it was that particular car, being standard compared the one years before, or things had moved on over the years, but my Stag, even today, still feels up to date regarding stopping and cornering! She didn't keep it long only a year or so.

Its indigo Blue, a modern pearlescent Lexus colour. It was originally red as per the photo, but I'm modernising it a little. Have already made the door cards a bit flashier and made the dash one piece and screwless. Got some minilite alloys to come as well. Not going to be one for the purists. It will probably still be a death trap but I don't plan on pushing it like that. Its not really a fast car and well, I've got a Maserati.

Thanks everyone. I'm currently thinking the garage + small desiccant dehumidifier route, mostly because I already have a garage and don't want to spend £££ putting up a car port, especially having seen how expensive the nice oak framed ones are, even if that would be the ultimate solution.

Looking at some threads on PH this seems a viable option. Seemingly even putting the car away wet it'll be dry by next morning with a decent dehumidifer running. I'd envisage it'll only need to be on during the winter months and even then probably only when the car's been out in the wet since there are no other sources of moisture in that space.

Well thats its, threads over, no more Spitfire talk.

 

[hunta]

Well thats its, threads over, no more Spitfire talk.

Sorry chaps, don't mind me! You carry on!

 

[mjheathcote]

I have a double + garage with an electric up and over door. Whilst I can’t deny it’s the most secure it’s a ball ache getting the cars in and out as required due to the garage being at 90 degrees to the drive and exit. The drive has space for 4 cars but to extract the cars from the garage reminds me of the sitcom Betterflies. A car port would be my preferred housing but have thought about slinging one of those sail type covers across the driveway from the garage to protect the cars and stop the water burning when I wash them.suppose I’m spoilt really.

I bought a sail that I use over the back of the house decking/eating area, good quality and works well.
I have also thought of buying another for outside the garage for the same reason when washing and cleaning the cars in sunny weather.