Mechie3's 818S

[aquillen]

If you're still taking visitors, I'm of a mind to come down soon and see that in person. In my 818C. I'm finding it does very well in cold weather, at least with what we've had down to 40 so far.

[Mechie3]

If you're still taking visitors, I'm of a mind to come down soon and see that in person. In my 818C. I'm finding it does very well in cold weather, at least with what we've had down to 40 so far.

Sure. I'm going into the office tomorrow, but should be home this weekend and working from home most days next week. The big garage door is currently broken (spring popped this week) and it weighs 300lbs! I'm having a high lift kit put in sometime early next week.


I saw the calendar photos and this wasn't one of them so I can share this one.

[AZPete]

That garage pic with all the artwork and tool boxes should be in the calendar! Beautiful.

[Jetfuel]

What Pete said...

jet

[roadrashrob]

When was the last time your garage was that clean?? If only they'd stay that way. Looks great!

[Mechie3]

That garage pic with all the artwork and tool boxes should be in the calendar! Beautiful.

I took several photos and sent them in. This was one that was not chosen. You'll have to wait to see the others.

When was the last time your garage was that clean?? If only they'd stay that way. Looks great!

7 years ago right before the kit was dropped off. lol.

[Jetfuel]

OK...take a pic from the car to the other wall...we want to see how high the pile is ...lol

Jet

[Mechie3]

OK...take a pic from the car to the other wall...we want to see how high the pile is ...lol

Jet

uhhh......

It was pretty bad. I did throw away a LOT of stuff, but I had to pile all the kids toys, move a work bench, took a shelf off the wall so the pic would look better. Plus, there's a CNC, lathe, compressor, welder, and a saw already crammed on the other side. lol

[FFRWRX]

uhhh......

It was pretty bad. I did throw away a LOT of stuff, but I had to pile all the kids toys, move a work bench, took a shelf off the wall so the pic would look better. Plus, there's a CNC, lathe, compressor, welder, and a saw already crammed on the other side. lol

OK, now I don't feel quite so bad about my garage. Of course I still don't think I could move enough stuff around to get a nice clean picture like that! Beautiful car and picture.

[Mechie3]

All right... who wanted to see the other side? It was actually worse than this because I already put my kids bikes and one workbench back up against the wall with the flags. Side note, FFRWRX, is that a Tesla Roadster (the original one) in your avatar?

[Jetfuel]

Thank you so much for being a great host today for Art and I as we crashed your garage to look at yout project....we had a great time sharing ideas and hope we gave you that extra push to get it done....it was fun.
Thanks

Jet

Ps...naaaah...it's not that bad...we saw it today...you don't want to see mine...

[aquillen]

And hoping that little spin in my buggy will get you pumped to get on the road. I still don't know how you'll get away with straight pipe on any roads around here...

[Mechie3]

Yeah, now that I haven't been able to drive this OR my F600 in a while I really want to get it done. We'll see how that straight pipe does. lol.

Now that you've all seen the clean garage, the hidden dirty side... how about the front yard on Saturday?

[FFRWRX]

..Side note, FFRWRX, is that a Tesla Roadster (the original one) in your avatar?

Good eye there! Most people, even having a close look at it, think it's a Lotus. Of course they are pretty rare anywhere and very rare in Canada. But I just sold it so I'll have to update my avatar.

Rick

[FFRWRX]

Now that you've all seen the clean garage, the hidden dirty side... how about the front yard on Saturday?

Don't feel quite so bad about my garage now. That is a really nice picture. Great comparison of the 2 versions.

[Mechie3]

Don't feel quite so bad about my garage now. That is a really nice picture. Great comparison of the 2 versions.

Yeah, that garage pic, like many things in life I've found, are shams. lol. It's like one of those clickbait articles "top tourist attractions that are a waste of time", or that photo of the great pyramids taken through the door of a KFC. You think they're in the middle of nowhere, and yet there's a KFC. lol. Same with the garage, it CAN be made to look nice, but it's not realistic.

[Mechie3]

Not a car update, but I had my garage door fixed today... and upgraded! The spring broke 2 weekends ago. I figured I might as well upgrade and not pay for two springs and labor twice. Priced out a high lift kit and it was about $440 for parts. A local guy quoted me $530 for parts AND labor. Boom..done. Plus, I don't need to worry about dying when a spring lets go and a 1/2" rod whacks my skull. I gained about 36" of additional overhead room with the door and got a side mounted opener to eliminate the track and opener in the middle (which cost extra). It's pretty awesome with the door open having a full 14' of headroom in most of the garage instead of a door than limits the ceiling artificially to 9' when open.

Previous opening spot:


Current opening spot:


Good comparison of the original vs new height (single bay door wasn't raised, just the double):


You can see here the opener in the far corner and the difference in shaft/spring heights:


Opener came with a powered lock too which is pretty cool:

[Hobby Racer]

I switched to those jack shaft style openers and I love them. So quiet and smooth!

[FFRWRX]

Plus, I don't need to worry about dying when a spring lets go and a 1/2" rod whacks my skull.

Not sure what you mean by that. Don't both of those opener systems use the same sort of spring arrangement? I did a similar thing with my door by modifying the tracks and moving the opener up into a cutout in the roof of the garage to move it up higher, still keeping the chain drive system. One garage door supply place wouldn't sell me new springs because he said it was too dangerous to do them yourself. I bought them from another place that basically said they can kill you if you don't know what you are doing, but I'll assume you do.

[Mechie3]

I meant, that because it wasn't that much more expensive to pay someone to do it, so I did, I didn't have to worry about winding springs and dying. lol. If I did do a total DIY I was going to wear my helmet.

[Rob T]

When we built our house and shop last year, our builder suggested those openers. All the tracks are right up next to the ceiling and no center motor, etc. As Mechie mentioned, the deadbolts are an extra perk.

[Mechie3]

Got around to making a few parts I designed almost a month ago now. Driver and passenger sidemarkers and a mirror mount. The SPA mirror mount is very functional, and looks very bland. Steel triangle, three through holes. This hides all the hardware and makes it fancy. The pocket underneath is slightly shallower than the mount thickness so that when I bolt up into the aluminum it will clamp down on the steel mount. With the R windshield, this will be quite visible. Going to paint the wings on all of these parts.

[Mechie3]

Haven't done much to the car (err...anything?). Made some Xmas ornaments for friends on the CNC and...oh, yeah. I got a lift and assembled it. It's a bit challenging to assemble a lift by yourself in a single bay, but it can be done! After I do some repairs and maintenance on the Mini and my A3 I'll move the 818 out, move the lift over, and the 818 on the lift. It'll make finishing up the underbody stuff so much easier. I have enough headroom to be able to put the lift up high enough with the mini on it and almost be able to walk underneath without ducking (I'm a little over 6' tall).

[Mechie3]

Had to do some maintenance on two of the DD's at the house (leaking transmission oil cooler on Mini, DSG oil change on Audi). Then I pushed the 818 out of the garage. It was an overcast day but it still looked fantastic (IMO, lol) even though it was dusty. The lift has caster adapters so it can move. I pushed it to the side, rigged up a winch to a 4x4 which I strapped to the uprights so it wouldn't shift. My power supply couldn't quite get enough current for the winch to haul it back up the driveway so I had to put a breaker bar on a lug nut to give it a little assistance. I got it on and then lifted it up AAAAAAAALLLLL the way. There's a couple inches of clearance with the flange on the garage door. If I backed it in I'd have more room. In this position I have about 8 inches of clearance between my head and the bottom of the lift. The best part? I have tons of room to move things around, I can finish up the bottom of the car quite easily, and my wife can park the van in the garage those 2 weeks a year we get super cold weather.

[Hobby Racer]

Lifts are the bomb! BEST tool I ever bought.

[Ajzride]

Lifts are the bomb! BEST tool I ever bought.

I'm so sad I have a 8' ceiling.

[aquillen]

Lucky!

[Mechie3]

I'm so sad I have a 8' ceiling.

A lot of homes (most really) in my neighborhood are built with the garage in the house (if that makes sense). Ours stands in front of the house. It came with added benefits of more living space, a round floor plan (vs an L shaped plan with dead ends), no bedrooms above the garage which means less noise to wake kids and the ability to have 12 foot ceilings. I didn't build the house, but whoever did had me in mind. lol.

I'm hoping this makes some of the upcoming tasks a bit easier like, finishing the underbody, rear diffuser, etc.

[Mechie3]

Almost 4 years later.... Hi!

I've decided to sell this. Details can be found here. I'll make a FS thread in a bit.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1KQH...VTqL-QbwIUoBkV

[Shawn818c]

Almost 4 years later.... Hi!

I've decided to sell this. Details can be found here. I'll make a FS thread in a bit.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1KQH...VTqL-QbwIUoBkV

The end of an era.

[longislandwrx]

wow no way. I just lurked on as I'm finally about to bring my 818 back to my garage. Sad to see you selling... I wonder how many of the first 50 still own their cars.

is the FFR registry still a thing?

[driveslikejehu]

I wonder how many of the first 50 still own their cars.

is the FFR registry still a thing?

I thought to refine, reenergize the register, but with lack of skills and with waning interest in 818s, I didn't pursue it. While I'm enjoying the "final" stages of my build and driving the car, I'm bummed that 818s seems a dying thing. Lots of folks selling, with a few?/a lot? still driving tracking and racing. Though prices are falling, that means there is still a market and folks are getting pretty interesting cars for good prices.
I see more activity on the FB groups than forum. Maybe that's the place to grow the 818 "second wife club" so to speak.
Sorry for the "old man story time," only one cup of coffee so far...
But I'm interested in keeping the flame alive.