So the other night I'm standing in my garage, organizing my boxes I have this revelation that my tools aren't being used nearly enough. I know that a lot of you guys out there know a thing or two about working on cars but don't have the tools you need to accomplish your goals. As a New Year's Resolution, I've decided to make an offer: One weekend day a month (probably every third Sunday or something like that), I'll open my garage to anyone who needs to use it. The catch is this will be for 350Zs and by appointment only. Here's what I have available:

Shop air (2 compressors) - impact guns (up to 750 ft/lb), butterfly impact wrench, air ratchets, air hammer, cut-off wheels, angle grinders, etc. You need to put a few bucks in the jar if you use my cut-off wheels or Roloc discs. Otherwise, you can bring your own. I have all the standard and deep 1/2" impact sockets you'll ever need.

Full front end & bearing set - includes tools to work on tie rods, pitman arms, ball joints, races, seals, bearings, etc.

Vacuum tester/airlock purge for cooling system - check for leaks, fill coolant under vacuum using shop air (no more air pockets). Obviously, you'll need to supply your own coolant and take away any waste.

Full mechanic's tool set - pretty much any tool you can think of, I probably have it. 1/4", 3/8" & 1/2" 12-point and 6-point standard and deep sockets, ratchets and torque wrenches (from in/lbs to 250 ft/lbs); 12-point and 6-point combo and ratcheting wrenches; stubbie, off-set and brake line wrenches; screwdrivers; pliers; vice grips, brake tools; suspension tools; pry bars; pullers; extractors, hammers; interior trim tools; body tools; micro tools; every tap and die imaginable, etc. Full metric and standard sets. They're pretty much all covered under lifetime warranties, so if you break a tool, no big, I'll get it replaced. It's 95% US-made Craftsman & Craftsman Professional tools that I've collected over the past 20 years (no, I don't do this professionally, so I never spent the big bucks on Snap-on or Mac, though I do have a few tools from Proto).

Scanning equipment - Live scan and OBDII capture hardware and software, both hand-held and laptop.

Diagnostic equipment - Multimeters, ammeter, PowerProbe III + all accessories, spark/coil testers, vacuum gauge and pump, compression tester, fuel pressure tester, stethoscope, timing light, temperature probes and IR temp gun, shorted wire tracer, etc.

Jacks, stands, no engine hoist though (I got rid of that when I sold my Fiat X1/9 project car.)

Every tool you'll need to do a stereo install. I have a modest supply of wires, fuses, connectors, etc. but you're better off bringing your own supplies. Also, bring your own wood if you're going to build a box.

Electric tools: I have a huge table saw, miter saw, pneumatic stapler and brad nailer, sprayers, hand-held saws, router, sander, drill, Dremel, sawzall (you never know), joiner, heat gun, etc. I also have a bunch of soldering equipment. If you don't bring your own supplies and I have what you need, it's a cash in the jar thing.

If you have a frozen bolt, you can borrow my basic oxy/acetylene torch by (again) throwing some cash in the jar - what I have is good enough to make your nuts glow red. Same goes with propane (good to use when checking for vacuum leaks).

Also, I only have a .pdf manual for the HR. If you need something fixed and want the instructions on paper, especially if it's a DE, you need to bring that yourself.

Finally, my driveway's fine if your car isn't lowered. If it is lowered, it could be a problem getting your car into my garage. I figure you can be dropped by 1/2" - 1" max and make it in without bottoming out, but that's it. Clean up after you're done and take all your trash and used fluids with you. Also, since I do have neighbors, no Seafoam applications at my house (if you've done this before, the reasons are obvious).

I'm doing this because I genuinely do want to see the garage get some more use. Also, I want to learn a little bit more about the Z since I've been under warranty and haven't had to do any mechanical work on it. My warranty expires in February, so this will benefit me as much as it benefits you.

My mechanical experience goes back about 20 years. I started as an mechanic's apprentice during my senior year in high school, and primarily did brakes, tire mounting/balancing, valve/lash adjustments, oil changes and tune-ups (think old cars with carbs and distributors with points and condensers), but I never pursued the automotive field professionally beyond that. I'm good with a wrench though and have worked on several restoration projects and on dozens of friends and family's cars (mostly European).

Let me know if there's any interest in this. If not, no big, I still might consider loaning out my garage on a case by case basis if you need it.

I'm located next to Genesee Park in Seattle (think SeaFair).

I'll post open garage days on this thread. If there's any interest, the first one will be in January 2012.

 

Move to San Diego

One thing you may need to consider is insurance issues. If your tool breaks and rips half someone's face off, you could be in a messy situation....dual meaning.

I'd be interested since I had to down size to a single garage when we moved, but Washington is further than where I work on my car now. Good luck!

 

Actually, that's a really good point. I'll put together a legal waiver that people will have to sign if they want to use the garage and run it by my attorney (who does free work for me since I work on his BMWs).

 

Pretty awesome idea.
Have a waiver for injuries but what bout damaged tools?

 

As mentioned in my novel above, I'm not really worried about damaged tools because almost everything I own has a lifetime warranty. I actually get a kick out of taking a tool as far as it will go. I will require that people wear safety equipment if the situation warrants it (i.e., safety glasses when under the car or using power equipment.) I have a pretty decent cache of goggles, gloves and masks.

 

Wow! You're the coolest! Not many people help their neighbors anymore.

I have a feeling that your lawyer will advise against doing this at all.

 

Awesome idea and hope everything works smoothly without any negative consequences.

 

Actually, I talked with my lawyer friend the other day, and he said yeah, it's a bad idea, but what really IS a good idea anymore? Then he said it'd be like sh-tting on his own porch if he told me to stop letting people use my garage. He's going to work up a liability waiver based on some boilerplate he used for a shooting range once (i.e., "I fully understand that this is an inherently dangerous activity, etc."). I'll make him sign it first... lol.

So I'll be posting more on this in the next few weeks. Meanwhile, I'm going to go grab a roller box I've been storing at my dad's house and I'm going to attach a bench grinder to it (good weekend project). I just ran a couple new 20 amp outlets in the garage to run some of the higher-load equipment off of. I'll probably end up painting the garage as well, because all that drywall tape looks embarrassing. Everything should be good to go by January.

 

wow. very cool of you.

 

Oh, you better start engraving your name on your tools too. So many a-holes out there with sticky fingers.

What did your atty say about safety gear? Should you keep it handy or should they have to bring their own?

 

We're going to work through all of the contingencies when he comes by in a couple weeks. RE: stolen tools... Well, I'm a glass half-full kind of person. Anyway, I'll be in the garage when the work is being done. Like I said, this is for my benefit too.