[DAVES]

Originally Posted by tankman

The feet on my 4-Post lift are 1 foot square. they put less weight per square inch on the garage floor than a car. When I built my house in 2001, the size of the garage was a priority. I had mine widened, lengthened, floor lowered, an area added in the back for a workshop, and a tray ceiling. Total square footage is about 800. Picked up extra room recently by hanging my new furnace from the ceiling and putting a tank-less water heater on the wall.

Just beware. Personal experience. In days of old, eight years ago when I was still working and in New York, I used to walk by and chat with a neighbor who as a hobby was restoring, working on old cars. He was proud that he got one of those old gas heaters that I remembered seeing hanging from the ceiling, in stores. He was so proud. He hung it and connected it to the gas all by himself. I have some regret I saw it and wondered if he had any idea that that heater and spray paint etc is a bomb waiting to blow up. He was found dead under his formerly gorgeous 1950 or so Jag that was destroyed by the fire and explosion in his garage. A simple spark as in a light switch can ignite dust, vapors etc.

[Altavia]

Originally Posted by Road-Runner

That's awesome, one of mine is a bone stock 14 GT500 that I have a ton of parts to put on before I do any racing. I'll probably go the autocross route as I've done that in the past with other cars.

Here's a fun group to get some track time a couple of hours away:

Race Track at The FIRM | High Performance Driving School

The FIRM Friday Open Track Day April 2 info on Apr 2, 2021 '('577906')' | MotorsportReg.com

[ton80]

Originally Posted by tankman

I had a tray ceiling put in my garage when I built my house in The Villages. Under it is a 4-post lift for parking a 4th car or just working on my hobby. No extra cost when I built the house.

Glad that you were able to get the TV builder to make truss modifications in the original design and construction. It is a cost effective way to achieve more headroom. Using a scissors truss (go online for many sketches and discussion). In TV, the IVY model ( and many others) has a "scissors type truss construction" to create a raised ceiling effect without increasing the masonry wall height. There is a sloped up section at the exterior walls that raise the ceiling to about 10 ft. The end bottom chords rest on the masonry walls and then the central bottom horizontal chord forms the central raised ceiling area. Perhaps this is what was used in your garage area rather than the classical tray ceiling effect around all four walls.

Trying to modify an existing standard truss to do this would be extremely difficult.

[Patty906]

Originally Posted by Road-Runner

From what I've read that is mainly an issue with 2 or even 1 post lifts that have to be anchored more securely into the concrete. The lifts I'm looking at are bolted to the floor so they don't move around so the concrete can't be so thinly poured it would lead to cracking, etc.

The standard concrete thickness will be fine with a 4 post lift. You said the garage depth was 24 ft., that should work also with lift pushed toward the rear, the garage door will be close but will work. I looked at a house that had a two car garage w/8 ft ceiling , went to County and told them what I wanted to do, they said if I had an engineer do drawings they would approve. I had an engineer come to the house for a look. 5 minutes later he said no. Trusses were running side to side, not front to back.
So you couldn't cut thru all the trusses, if they ran side to side, it would only need a few to be modified. So take a look up there. If the trusses run front to back you can probably do it. Side to side is out. Or find a house with a 5 panel garage door, most of them are on garages with 10 ft ceilings. I've been in a few but don't remember the model type.

[tankman]

Originally Posted by DAVES

Just beware. Personal experience. In days of old, eight years ago when I was still working and in New York, I used to walk by and chat with a neighbor who as a hobby was restoring, working on old cars. He was proud that he got one of those old gas heaters that I remembered seeing hanging from the ceiling, in stores. He was so proud. He hung it and connected it to the gas all by himself. I have some regret I saw it and wondered if he had any idea that that heater and spray paint etc is a bomb waiting to blow up. He was found dead under his formerly gorgeous 1950 or so Jag that was destroyed by the fire and explosion in his garage. A simple spark as in a light switch can ignite dust, vapors etc.

So after 18 years, my original furnace needed replacement. Rather than put the replacement on the platform where it originally stood, taking up valuable floor space at the rear of the garage, I had it hung from the ceiling. Cost a little extra, but along with the wall mounted tank-less water heater I picked up about 30 more square feet of floor space. I did not, nor would not, use anything that did not meet code.

[Road-Runner]

Originally Posted by Patty906

So you couldn't cut thru all the trusses, if they ran side to side, it would only need a few to be modified. So take a look up there. If the trusses run front to back you can probably do it. Side to side is out.

That's interesting. Based on the gabled roof I'm 99% sure the trusses run side-to-side. I was thinking I still would only have to cut a 'few' trusses since the tray would only be as long as the roof of the car on top, plus wouldn't extend back towards the door since the garage door would make it unusable there. All good information, thanks!

[Blueblaze]

I'm a new villager, and for me the toughest part of moving to TV was the lack of shop space.

There must be thousands of car guys in TV. You have to wonder why there aren't half a dozen hobby garage places nearby. That "My Garage" place is half a hour from me and completely rented out.

It's amazing that it's never occurred to the Developer to build a bunch of metal barns near by, subdivided into 1000 sqft hobby garage condo's, for all us guys who were forced to give up a lifetime of tinkering and a garage full of tools just to retire to Florida. What a missed opportunity!

[Road-Runner]

Originally Posted by Robbie0723

Here's a fun group to get some track time a couple of hours away:

Race Track at The FIRM | High Performance Driving School

The FIRM Friday Open Track Day April 2 info on Apr 2, 2021 '('577906')' | MotorsportReg.com

I have checked them out online, just haven't signed up so far. Definitely something to do for a fun weekend! I've also looked up the SCCA autocross nearby and there's also the Martin Sports Car Club which is dedicated to autocrossing. Not as much fun as an actual track but a fun way to wring out the Shelby while I hone my driving skills.

[5:00somewhere]

I do not plan to be adding a car lift to my garage; but I have an engineering degree and could not resist researching this further. I ran across a great video that I think accurately demonstrates a potential solution. I AM NOT RECOMMENDING THIS. SEE A LICENSED ENGINEER BEFORE YOU PROCEED. Engineers just see things differently than most people do


How to Modify Garage Trusses for More Height for a Car Lift (Super Garage Video #1) - YouTube

[Road-Runner]

Originally Posted by 5:00somewhere

I do not plan to be adding a car lift to my garage; but I have an engineering degree and could not resist researching this further. I ran across a great video that I think accurately demonstrates a potential solution. I AM NOT RECOMMENDING THIS. SEE A LICENSED ENGINEER BEFORE YOU PROCEED. Engineers just see things differently than most people do


How to Modify Garage Trusses for More Height for a Car Lift (Super Garage Video #1) - YouTube

Watched & Bookmarked! A ton of good information there, hadn't thought about the scissor bracing, but if I'm right about my trusses running side to side wouldn't work for me, darn it. Still shows what can be done and definitely would have a licensed engineer design it out if that's the way I go. Thanks so much.

[drpepper]

I live in The Villages and I have a hobby shop 8 minutes from The Villages 1/2 block off 44 and 27. I have room for car storage and a 40 x 20 with a 16 foot ceiling a/c and bathroom available soon.I use it for my car hobby so I would prefer to rent to car guys.352 661 5616