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View Full Version : Where to park classic car?


JohnW
11-06-2011, 05:23 PM
I'm not yet a resident, but I'm looking forward to moving to TV. I see that there are several vintage/classic auto clubs. My question is this: Where do these folks park their projects? I see that the woodworkers have a community workshop. Is there anything similar for the auto restoration crowd? I have a 1964 Mercedes Benz station wagon (rare) that I am restoring now. I hope that it is a completed car when I come to FLA, but is there anyplace for car tinkering? It would seem that home garage space is going to be limited (severely). I'm probably going to be looking for a courtyard villa. I'm concerned about parking since at least for a while I expect to have several cars and probably 2 golf carts. It appears that there is no acceptable street parking, so I'm wondering what options are available for guys with big toys. It would have been so much easier if I would just collect decorative thimbles instead! Help!:jester:

George Bieniaszek
11-06-2011, 05:43 PM
If you are interested in a CYV, there are a few that come up as a resale that have a 2 car garage instead of a 1.5. But seriously, with all the toys, you may need to consider a designer home that had the garage expanded for the extra elbow room to work on your cars.

Jim 9922
11-06-2011, 06:44 PM
If you are serious about garage space you better shop for a large garage with a house attached to it. Most standard Villages garages are only 20 feet deep which leaves little room for a workbench, let alone some storage for parts, tools, compressor, floor jacks, golf clubs, yard stuff, etc. It is even worse if you are into the late 50's or early 60's cars with the 210 to 225 inch lengths. Even many of the Premier models up until the last couple of years came with small garages. You can usually forget about extending to the front or sides of existing garages because of iron-clad setback rules. For the most part, larger garages (i.e. 3 or 4 full and a stall for a couple of carts) will be restricted to the Premier areas because of the tight spacing of houses throughout The Villages. I would say, forget about finding anything workable in a CYV area, and I wouldn't even attempt a light restoration in a VIllages standard size garage.

I collect and work on cars too. It took us 3 1/2 years to find my garage with a house attached my wife would accept. I had several real estate agents watching new listings for me to try, find and grab "the proper garage". Good garages are in demand, and quite frankly, sell fast.

As an aside, there are at least ten and maybe a couple more, homes built around 1995-1997 that have 50' long by 14' high garages for motor coaches. Needless to say, any resales of these jewels never hit the open market!

Good luck in your search!

graciegirl
11-06-2011, 06:46 PM
If you are interested in a CYV, there are a few that come up as a resale that have a 2 car garage instead of a 1.5. But seriously, with all the toys, you may need to consider a designer home that had the garage expanded for the extra elbow room to work on your cars.


He is right you know.
We have dear friends in the same boat. I think a Designer or possibly a Premier may be your answer.

linandvin
11-06-2011, 06:46 PM
or a Cottage. Check out the Seabreeze...the size of the garage.

new peeps
11-06-2011, 07:19 PM
Johnw, I think you are going to find a villa with a 1 1/2 car garage might be a bit to small to keep a golfcart and try to work on a classic. We bought a designer and had the garage expanded both ways, two feet deeper and four foot wider as we was planning on having two classic's and a golf cart. Even this will be tight in our garage. The lot we picked on a preserve that did not have enough room for a golf cart garage but the view was incredible. Although I did see a premiere that had a two car garage with a lift in it to keep his toys above the daily driver. He said when they had it built he requested a taller ceiling to allow for this. Also north of 466 I have seen a house that has a garage for a rv. I think what you are looking for will be hard to find and will not last long on the market. We are not full timers yet and what I decided to do was finish restoring my classic's before comming down. At first I did look into a couple of commercial buildings that was for sale close to the villages to have a place to do smaller jobs but that is all I done was looked and inquired on the prices. Most was priced as village property. I did see a few forclosures further out on some nice sized buildings that was reasonable. I decided I am enjoying this new hobby of trying to play golf instead.

Pturner
11-06-2011, 07:56 PM
Hi JohnW and welcome to TOTV!

Another option is to buy on the "pre-historic" side and either tear down the mobile home and build a garage and home, or, if it would fit as the mobile home sits, keep the mobile home and add as much garage space as you require. As I understand, these options are permissible in the Lady Lake portion of The Villages.

Someone please correct me if I am wrong.

l2ridehd
11-07-2011, 05:35 AM
Garage space is a premium on most homes. One of my rental homes has a garage to die for. It was expanded 6 feet longer and 4 feet wider. I could put my full size extended cab Tundra, a full size car and two golf carts in it and still walk around everything. How I wish that garage was on our current home. If I could change only one thing on our home it would be a larger main garage and add a golf cart garage that was two carts deep.

billethkid
11-07-2011, 09:57 AM
there is no place specifically for the purpose of housing and tinkering with your collectable. Most of us use our garages.....and I don't know any that do it in a villa set up.
We had our home built in 2004 and very specifically designed the garage to hold 3 full sized cars (one of which is a collectible corvette trailer queen) + golf cart + very ample space on all four sides to accommodate all the rest of the garage "stuff". Oh yes we did add space for sleeping, eating and the other requirements of living in the house part.

btk