New garage lift

[Adam Wright]

I was having the same problem that many of us have with the car addiction, no room to put them all. I was figuring out what to do and had a couple of options.
1. Buy a building to store them in. This wasn't ideal because it would be a lot of money and the cars would be away from me.
2. Build something else at my house. This wasn't ideal either because I live on a ridge, so my yard is a couple of acres but most of it is a sloping hill, so there wasn't anywhere really to build another garage. Then I had an idea. My two car garage had an attic above it. A friend was building a deck for me so I asked him if we could eliminate the attic and raise the ceiling in the garage. He said no if it was made with truss built, but if it was stick built, sure. Luckily it was stick built so all he had to do was raise the pitch, and he was able to re-use most of the existing lumber!

Once the garage was where I wanted it, stage two came in, the lifts. The first lift went in today. My friend Greg helped me put it in, he also ordered it for me, he's the manager of the local NAPA. He had done one before but even with his experience it isn't a simple affair. There are lots of adjustments and a couple of times we had to take stuff apart and put it back together. It took 1.5 days, so it isn't as easy as the manufacturers make it out to be, but it is do-able if you're patient and know tools.
I ordered the 2nd lift today and it should be here in a couple of weeks, which works out because the 3rd car, the 993, is coming Feb 4th and the 4th car the 65 Mustang fastback should be done around there too.

So overall my review is you can put a lift in your garage yourself but it isn't super duper easy.

[John Brooks]

Adam

I for one from Greg Smith a few years ago. I ordered the "long high' truck version since I have a 49 pick up to store also. It came with a set casters, I can put a Porsche or the truck on it. The lower it on the casters, that will lift the 4 post an inch or so off the deck. Then I can rotate the lift 90 degrees and push it against the back wall sideways in the corner. Then park two cars under it. I do this a couple time a year since my roadster stays inside for the winter. The 912 and truck both fit fine. And with the truck in the air both Porsche's fit easy. I built 16' ceilings in the shop so the truck will go all the way up.

If you are going to get another lift get the longest one you can, the casters really do work even with a car on. I have pushed the lift outside to do nasty wet work in front of the shop.

http://www.gregsmithequipment.com/

[Adam Wright]

This one has removable wheels for moving around, we used those to get it in final position. The 2nd lift is going to be very tight, a matter of inches, and we will have to move the pump to the back, rather than the side mount.

[George Walling]

I also have a Eagle 8000 lb 4 post lift with the removable casters and wouldn't be without a lift so nice for gaining extra room but if I had to do it all over again I would get the extra long and wide one so I could put my new 4x4 2500 Ram pickup on it but didn't know I was going to get a new bigger truck 8 yrs ago. My old Chevy pickup and 65 Falcon along with my 65 Barracuda fit on it fine. Hope you enjoy the new lifts and extra room.
George

[Nick Daffern]

Adam,

I had Bend Paks installed a few years back and had them bolted to the floor. I like having all the toys in one place but I often find the car I want to drive is the one on top!

Enjoy

[Erik Thomas]

So, which one is Adam-12. The cop car?

Now I know what you have been up to.. Having a place on a hill is good. This should enable an over/under garage. I guess you can get to that when the current garage is full.

[WilliamVaughan]

I'll bet the 356 pees on the Mercedes.

[Adam Wright]

I'll bet the 356 pees on the Mercedes.

Luckily it came with drip trays. It's nice when a company understands their target market.

[Adam Wright]

So, which one is Adam-12. The cop car?

Now I know what you have been up to.. Having a place on a hill is good. This should enable an over/under garage. I guess you can get to that when the current garage is full.

Funny story about that. I went to the DMV to get Adam 1 and Adam 2, both were taken, so I started at 10, got that 11 and when 12 came up it was taken so I got 13. When the lady, who was about 20, said ADAM 12 was taken I said that makes sense, because of the TV show. She had no clue what I was talking about. The lady next to her, who was about 50, said, "Car 1 ADAM 12, where are you?" I laughed. The young lady mumbled something about old people...

There is a basement garage but I let my wife use it as a wood shop and I took over the top garage. When the kids move out I will probably take over the whole basement, it has a cement floor and I can convert one of the slider doors to a garage door.

[John Weyand]

Many years ago I bought an "Autolifters" two post version. My shop has a 12 ft. ceiling so I could lift to stand-up height except the Ford van we used as a family car when all four kids were still growing. I often tell people that it was the best gift that I ever bought for myself. Since my kids now show up for an occasional oil change or maintenance issue and I spend lots of time there, the lift doesn't get used for storage--and as a two post version, there is no provision for the bedpan. It sure is convenient for the oil change and tire rotation.

[Dave Ross]

Congrats... looks good! I second the recommendation for Greg Smith. Great people, and they are based here in Indianapolis (I actually grew of with the kids of the owner).

My lift houses my 356 and 911. The poor 912 is outcast to the detached garage...

[Adam Wright]

So, which one is Adam-12. The cop car?

Now I know what you have been up to.. Having a place on a hill is good. This should enable an over/under garage. I guess you can get to that when the current garage is full.

Funny story about that. I went to the DMV to get Adam 1 and Adam 2, both were taken, so I started at 10, got that 11 and when 12 came up it was taken so I got 13. When the lady, who was about 20, said ADAM 12 was taken I said that makes sense, because of the TV show. She had no clue what I was talking about. The lady next to her, who was about 50, said, "Car 1 ADAM 12, where are you?" I laughed. The young lady mumbled something about old people...

There is a basement garage but I let my wife use it as a wood shop and I took over the top garage. When the kids move out I will probably take over the whole basement, it has a cement floor and I can convert one of the slider doors to a garage door.

The ADAM5 plate came in today. I still need two more, wonder what's not taken, apparently Adam 14 and 15 are taken, as are 1-4, and 6-9, strange.

[Mervyn Hyde]

I have had a Max-Jax for almost 10 years and every day I praise my judgement in buying it. It can be easily moved away and I have done so many jobs with it - from engine removals to steering refurbishment. Best of all I can do suspension work without needing jacks. The lift is for lifting and mechanical work, not storage in my case.

[Larry Grantham]

Merv i have the same lift and bought my 1st porsche 356 last month.
Can you tell me where to place the lifting arms? If i move the arms in
too far it will be on the floorpan

Thanks
Larry G

[Mervyn Hyde]

Larry, I may be wrong but I place the rear ones under the reinforced edge on the chassis frame (photo) and the front rubber pad under the section where the wheel well meets the floor pan (figuring that the vertical section above distributes the load. I am probably being lazy on that and should use the arm extension to the suspension.