My new workshop

[KevJTD]

After years of struggles, both with time and location, I've finally managed to get my very own workshop.
Doing restorations on a gravel driveway, albeit with a carport cover, has always been an issue.
I know I must stretch my neighbours patience whilst they're trying to enjoy a peaceful Sunday afternoon or midweek Summers evening, so they'll be glad too!

I've been on the lookout for a suitable premises for a while, it needed to be big enough but cheap enough too to be affordable for a part time amateur restorer such as myself.
John's unit has long been a source of envy for me, not in a bad way as he is very generous with it and well deserving of it due to the amount of Alfa's he saves, but it only served to make me aware of what could be.

So before Christmas I got a call from John's Landlord to say that a small unit would be available in the New Year but it may be too small, we had been asking for a while for him to let us know if anything was coming up.
The dimensions he gave seemed likely to disapoint, barely big enough to get a car in let alone work on.
So we waited to view it with little hope of it being suitable, the wait for the tennant to vacate so we could have a look too weeks, a lifetime when you might be so close!

We got the chance to view it a few weeks ago and luckily enough (or not, I'm gonna be busy now!) it was a little bigger than first thought. Actually measures about the size of a Residential double garage, almost 20 feet each direction. Bonus is a little storeroom off the back at 7 feet square which will be handy.
There is also an Industrial dust extractor in the roof that works a treat, will come in handy when doing the painting.

So finally I got the paperwork sorted yesterday afternoon, all signed over to me now. There was a lot of cardboard and general rubbish left in there yesterday which the Landlord wasn't chuffed about, the previous tennant was supposed to have cleared it all, but he promised to bring his trailer in this morning and clear it out for me plus have a bit of a tidy-up around the outside as dead leaves had been left to build up around the outside causing damp to show on the inside walls.
I got a text from him this morning saying it was all clear and I could now do as I wished.

This afternoon the 147 resembled a small van, loaded up with wood/saws/power tools etc to start making an effort to convert an empty space into a small workshop.
With Rob's help we got the framework cut up and screwed to the wall to make an 8 foot long workbench which will hold my metal folder, vice and a bench grinder. Should be able to fill the lower shelf with a few odds and sods, no end of choice for that as I have collected stuff over the years..


I bought another mig welder last week to take down there, got a spot welder to collect this week, bought 3 new 4.5" angle grinders yesterday. Compressor is next on the list.


The finishing touch we did this evening was to hang the Alfa shield I bought a good few years back, been waiting for somewhere suitable to hang it since then, now I finally have the place.

[Sud 145]

It's a wonder the neighbours didn't help you move stuff. Lol

[Veesix75]

Very good!

I'm currently searching for similar as my current free storage is ending this year.

Is it for personal use only, or for 'business' aswell?

[KevJTD]

already got projects lined up mate, first one should be here in the next few weeks.
my own stuff won't get much of a look in, if any suds want some work doing then i'll be ready in a couple of years

[Veesix75]

Ha ha...Well, it's nice to be booked up solid but don't forget your own car.

[PETROLHEAD]

Well done mate, i know how long you've hankered after your own unit.

Your biggest problem will soon be

"how did i have the time for work? "


Let me know if you need any help with anything, quite handy with property stuff, and I'm still a decent sparky too if you need more light or power etc etc


What about a paint party?

Get the lads round for a spell with the rollers followed by a burger and a beer?

[Johnboy]

Well done Kev
The unit looks a great size and a big bonus with that extractor too! You can never have enough light . So get shrew down to do the sparking
spooky I was working in my garage yesterday and finally put up my alfa signs too.
Good luck with the resto's

[Ted27sud]

Looks great Kev, well done! And not too far from Cadwell.

I Spent the weekend sorting out garages and stuff - weather was great so good to be outside again! All my Alfa spares are now on racking neatly behind the Sud.

And to finish it all off I mounted my 8 inch Alfa Badge on the door! Must've been the day for it.

[KevJTD]

cheers for the comments guys, i'm chuffed to finally get somewhere sorted.

shrew, painting it out is on my list of stuff to do when it warms up a little, landlord has said "do whatever you want to" with it so won't get in any bother for tidying it up! he did mention that if i wanted to put more lights or sockets around the place to feel free.........so may well let you save me from electrocuting myself! there is a big electricity box thingy inside the unit so maybe straight-forward??? only got power points either side of the door so will have to do something, maybe more neater than extension cables too

very handy for cadwell too ted....if i ever get around to making myself another armco magnet

[Kegsti66]

Nice one Kev, wish you all the best with your plans.
Nearest I got to a sign was fitting my newly painted grille.......... and the Alfa badge.

[BS25]

Excellent Kev, I bet you'll fill it in seconds!

[Alfasixnut]

Nice unit Kev!
Soon have it as a home from home!!

[PETROLHEAD]

Just holla mate, ill come over and suss it out for you.

Gotta have good lighting and sockets everywhere, cant beat it!


Im coming over this week anyway yeah, so shall we make it an evening and see the gaff aswell?

[Johnboy]

Yep Agree . I went the led root in my man cave. Plus afew sockets where I knew I'd be working

[jobeed]

Nice Unit Kev!

Looking forward to seeing some of the great work that comes out of there!

[KevJTD]

Just holla mate, ill come over and suss it out for you.

Gotta have good lighting and sockets everywhere, cant beat it!


Im coming over this week anyway yeah, so shall we make it an evening and see the gaff aswell?

i'm up there this weekend mate finishing off that workbench and getting stuff in place on it, plus sorting out the stores door etc.

if you wanted to come up one evening next week i can take those rims up there over the weekend, save you coming down here first...


might be going up there tomorrow after work, thursday going to norfolk to fetch a spot welder. friday i could go up but would only be a quick visit as the mrs will be working.



unless you wanted to go up tomorrow after work for a look see?

[KevJTD]

general concensus is spot on guys, it'll make it a lot easier to get work done quicker & easier.

first project due in a few weeks....although not an alfa...

[Kegsti66]

Kev, please at least confirm it is Italian !!

All the best mate.

[AlfaCorseChris]

Great move Kev !

You should had done this years ago ! I'm pleased you went down this route

... mind you... your family was used to having you around, so they might miss you now

[York Sud]

[vecchioalfa]

Nice one Kev, well done, the size looks ok mate, keep thinking I could do with something similar as I have parts stored in 3 different locations across Nottinghamshire currently.

[KevJTD]

got the wrokbench finsihed off this afternoon, can soon start loading it up with tools

took the remaining 3 speedline wheels up there that will end up on the 33, hopefully.
bought a DA sander to make life easier, about 500 times quicker than by hnad!
primed them tonight before locking up, may sneak out for an hour or so tomorrow to put the paint on


great to finally have the space to do jobs in comfort.
the dust extractor works fantastically well too, will be a real bonus when it comes to bigger paint jobs

[KevJTD]

1st arrival today....

[KevJTD]

indeed

[Fiatchris]

That is very cool!!

Chris

[KevJTD]

finally got around to sorting out my airline tonight
got myself a decent 160L compressor a while back but still find myself working around things rather than taking the time to set stuff up properly.
so after work i went down to the unit and fitted my retractable one to the wall.
really neat one as its swivel mounted so can easily be used outside the unit or to any point in the workshop.
15M or so long so goes pretty much wherever it's needed then auto retracts when you've done, no more trying to wrap up a curly/stiff airline.
made up a bracket and fitted the regulator/water trap so all ready for use for saturday