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Posted by: Gatornapper Oct 7 2023, 07:07 AM

With the acquisitions of my sweet '87 944 S and '81 928 5-spd, I had to have a place to keep them stored. To start, my & my wife's cars had to sit outside so I could keep them in 2 of the 3 bays in my attached 3-car garage. But that could not be permanent.

As I wrestled with the cost of building a new 2-car garage on our 15 acres - with today's construction costs, I was flumoxed in what to do.

Then I realized I already had most of my new garage & much of the lumber for it.

20 years ago I took a great 2-car aluminum carport a friend removed from his house for an addition. He was taking it to the dump. NO! My great JD 5045E tractor needed a home! Our property is mostly very contoured with few flat places near our log home my sons & I built ourselves in '99/'00, but I found one about 100 yds. from our house, about 15' lower grade. So I put the car port there on 6 - 6x6 posts.



It had become a storage barn for large lumber and other remains from many earlier projects.

Location was perfect, at a turn in our driveway up to our log home, so I had it graded to put in a gravel entrance.





And then used old large lumber stored there to build a framework for outer walls.



And brought 120v circuit down 130' from the closest source, a storage shed, and installed LED lighting and outlets.

Posted by: Gatornapper Oct 7 2023, 07:25 AM

I then realized that stored in this shed for many years I had stained & finished log siding that had come off our log home from projects/additions, etc.

Why not use the log siding to give the garage the same look as the house - at least as it is seen from the driveway? PERFECT!









I did the sides and rear with barn panels in same color as our main garage roof.







Now my 944 S & 928 have a wonderful home of their own, a short walk from our house.



Oh - if any wonder where I've been for the last 6 months - I've done 90 - 95% of this garage on my own. And I'm 78. Total cost about $3,500.00. Garage doors $900.00 of that. Metal siding $1,500 installed.

So only just now have I been able to get back to finishing my 2056 build on my 914 engine......

Hope you all enjoy this garage story.

Posted by: Gatornapper Oct 7 2023, 07:30 AM

For the detail nuts like me:

Bucket in middle of drive in front of garage covers a 500' deep well that only delivered 1 pint/minute of water. Drilled in 1999. We don't use it but keep it for future emergency use. It does hold 750 gallons of good water. It's a back-up well so we want to keep it. I put old tires over the bucket so we don't hit it using garage. It's no problem for the left bay, but must be watched for the 944 in right bay.

Also need to extend white gutters on flat roof on front left and right.

And clean and re-stain the log siding.

Doors are very light and easy to lift so they don't need electric openers.

Garage isn't fancy or luxurious, but fits our "live in a log cabin in the woods" lifestyle and it suits me fine - and my old Porsche's love it! And the cost was incredible!

GN

Posted by: 76-914 Oct 7 2023, 07:57 AM

That works. Get'r done!

Posted by: 914Sixer Oct 7 2023, 07:57 AM

Brilliant use of materials. Everything practical and handy.

Posted by: mepstein Oct 7 2023, 08:43 AM

Big win on the carport conversion.

Posted by: brant Oct 7 2023, 08:59 AM

Damn nice
I’m impressed

Posted by: Gint Oct 7 2023, 09:49 AM

I like the log cabin front. Cool.

Posted by: mlindner Oct 7 2023, 10:12 AM

That looks great GN, have fun with that space this winter. I'm 76 also, still building lots of projects like you. Best, Mark

Posted by: Shivers Oct 7 2023, 10:39 AM

Very cool. Ended up a great space

Posted by: Gatornapper Oct 7 2023, 02:17 PM

As you enter area from 1/2 mile drive through heavy oak forest.....it's a Pano so you have to scan from left to right......



You see lower garage to left in distance......



Then approaching lower garage.....



GN

Posted by: Gatornapper Oct 7 2023, 02:21 PM

My poor JD has to now sit out in weather.....glad it's at least got a canopy.....

BTW - of all the many tools I own - the JD is by far the most useful, versatile & valuable........bought it new 12 yeas ago....

GN

Posted by: mepstein Oct 7 2023, 02:54 PM

Time to build another garage.

Posted by: Shivers Oct 7 2023, 04:39 PM

I hear you on a great tool. This is my 25 hp 3 cylinder diesel 1976 L225 Kubota I’m restoring. The 3 point and PTO are a whole work force with the right attachments. And that is coming from a city boy.

Posted by: Gatornapper Oct 7 2023, 07:37 PM

Wow! My FIRST restorations were TRACTORS! About 1982!

I went from there to motorcycles, to Porsches!

But tractors are by far the easiest! Especially the old ones!

GN

Posted by: Gatornapper Oct 7 2023, 07:42 PM

No hurry - but someday! Actually there is a plan!

On the left side of the lower new garage, I can easily put a slant/shed roof extending to the left with 8' lumber the full 20' depth of the garage - enough to cover the tractor but not its implements. Design is already in my mind.

The ground is flat and nearest tree is 9' from new garage.....plenty.

Now - about my poor but sweet '96 - F-150 XLT 4x4 pickup.......??????? I could do another shed roof on right side of garage, but it would block light coming in the only window.......

GN