Hi all,
I just bought a historic house with an old garage and it's about 3" too short to fit my '89 Custom Cruiser. Does anyone have any ideas that are non-structural to finagle something to make this work?

Are there products sold for this purpose that, for instance, can cover the outside of the garage so the door stays open and the drape (maybe vinyl, etc) keeps the snow/cold out?

On another front, is there a manufacturer that sells car covers that would fit an 80s B body wagon like mine?

Thanks!

Ryan

 

What does the garage framing look like in front of the car? Is it a stud wall, post & beam, concrete, or block? There are some tweaks you can do to move the whole garage door out too. All are structural changes but three inches should be do-able

 

California car covers make custom fit for any vehicle - supposedly. I have a nice fitting one for my el camino -

DSC_3653_zps90a6bed4.jpg

 

It's a stone foundation with a studded wall above it - the old stone foundation comes up about a foot from the ground...

 

Awesome, thanks, I'll check them out.

Ryan

 

Frame in a header above the hood elevation, remove the studs in the way, then you can pull the bumper right up to the inside of the sheathing. Even with 2x4 studs that gives you an extra 3 1/2". If your knee wall is only a foot high the underside of the bumper should fit over it.

 

Or you can build a ramp to angle the car up.

 

I thought by angling it up it made it longer

 

Nope it will make it shorter. Lean a ruler against a wall. It will make it easier to do an oil change also.

 

deja vu here
removing the front end may gain 3"
Can you close the door partway?
build a 3" hump in the door?
[thinking swingdown type door here, not the kind that rolls straight up-n-overhead.]

 

Vermont...keep the cold out...is moving to Texas non-structural?

Is it a one or two buggy garage?

Maybe it is best to get the car cover. Last thing you need is trying to squeeze the car into the garage - hitting the wall and knocking the garage over onto the car.

Good luck with the car, garage and house!

 

Lifting a 20' long car 1' at one end makes it shorter by 3/8" . Raising it 2' makes it short by 1 3/8". 3' makes it 2 7/8".... You get the idea. Raising isn't going to give you enough room without being dangerous.

 

I was being facetious, we had this same conversation a few years back. I think he did what was suggested in post #6.

 

This isn't going to helpful to you, but it reminded me of my grandpa. He parked a Minneapolis-Moline tractor and his car end to end in the garage. Each time he bought a newer car, it was a little longer than the last. So, each time he got a new car, he would strategically locate and/or enlarge notches in his workbench to accommodate the tractor so he could fit the car in behind it.

This was just a fun memory for me. Good luck with whatever method you choose!

 

How about removing one of the bumpers for sure to be more than 3 inches there.

 

Instead of a roll down door that fits inside the garage, external hinged door (swings out) that fits outside, like on the old carriage sheds

 

You could try one of those plastic car shelters...they come in different lengths. They have a metal framework with a plastic cover...but the ones that I had, had poor quality thread and the sunlight weakened the threads on the stitched seams. With the added length you can work on the car under cover too.

 

The neighbor behind the house where I grew up plowed a land yacht through the rear of his detached garage. Instead of repairing in-kind, he added a funky hood-high extension. Funky but functional.

I would not recommend that demolition technique.

 

I had to squeeze a 72 Monte Carlo in a garage too small for it by about 2 inches. Fortunately, all I had to do was lift the hood and the stud went right over the grille.
The 442 was in the same garage, and had about 2 inches clearance, slightly shorter car.

 

Remove a bumper ?

 

A knee wall/bumpout is your best, most economical bet. My great aunt had on in her garage because the early 50's era Plymouth would not fit.

 

Sell the Custom Cruiser for a car that is 3" shorter. Possibly a Vista Cruiser pre 1973. Before that they didn't have 5 mph impact bumpers which is good for at least a 3" gain! Plus they look better

 

I did this with my 68 Delmont to get it in my attached garage until the larger detached garage was built a couple years later.

 

knee wall, many houses in my neighborhood have 100 year old "carriage houses" and many have had a knee wall put in to accommodate the longer cars

 

Had that problem with the race team hauler. Made a bump out in the wall so the back end would stick past the framed wall. For us it was almost 4 feet. The back dullies would touch the 4" high foundation as we backed up and we were good to go. I think it could work for you. Would the car frame/bumper clear the 12" high foundation?

Mike