My Aircooledwonders Workshop

[vw59beetle]

Thanks for all the well wishes guys. Firstly I would like to say that I am very privileged to have a work space and lifestyle like i do, but that magic have happened in smaller and less ideal places than mine. If you have passion and a love for what you do, anything is possible. You don't need the flashiest workshop to enjoy your passion.
It all started when I inherited my Grandfather's 1959 Beetle. You can read more about it here http://www.aircooledwonders.com/feature ... ed-wonder/ .One of my biggest influences, apart from my dad, is my friend and mentor, Werner Alker. In 1999 I did the first ever African Beetle Marathon, which Werner happen to win in record time. In 2000 I did a little road trip in a 1959 kombi with a Norwegian friend of mine, Espen Svensen. You can read more about it here http://www.aircooledwonders.com/feature ... he-59-way/ . I spend the next 10 years in America, teaching tennis and finally moved back to South Africa in June 2009. I decided to experience this beautiful Country of ours after a decade absence, in my 50 year old Beetle of course.
In 2011 I bought a 1967 911 Porsche and started restoring it in our garage. We live in a neighborhood, where it is frowned upon making a noise, but lucky for me the house next to us was being upgraded. Every time the builders made a noise, I made some noise.This was not the best situation and one day a guy named Werner Roux knocked on my door, looking for a old Porsche. He invited me to finish the Silverado restoration at his panel beating shop. During this time he decided to make his panel shop a bit smaller and this is how I ended up with the spray booth and the two post lift. You can read the Silverado story here http://www.aircooledwonders.com/restora ... o-project/
I started building the Aircooledwonders workshop in 2012, with the help of 3 of our workers. I plan to restore the projects we have collected over the last two years. I will do as much as I can of the work myself. In my mind it's the only way you know that it is done right. I will also host events and workshops(by Werner Alker) soon.
You are all welcome to visit me anytime and share this passion of ours.
@ Armand. Thanks for the suggestion with the paint for the floor. The little room that you see in the workshop is my tool room.It is also a great spot to make some noise (metal shaping) The workshop building is 7m by 14m I think, with a little room added next to the workshop.
@ Rekert. I'm not sure on the height of the lift. I will measure it on Monday and let you know.

Wernher

[Riekert]

Epic story! I can't wait for my spot to be finished.

[jolas]

Great progress there Wernher, hope all the rest of the project goes smootly and according to plan - a few more "afdaks" perhaps

[vw59beetle]

@ Rekert. I just measured the lift. It is 3,6 m high and the car is 1,8 m off the ground at it's highest. Hope this answers your question.
Wernher

[Riekert]

@ Rekert. I just measured the lift. It is 3,6 m high and the car is 1,8 m off the ground at it's highest. Hope this answers your question.
Wernher

Any updates? Also shot for the info. Might be able to fit it in my garage now

[greenbean]

...very nice

[vw59beetle]

A lot has happened since I last updated this thread. Aircooledwonders hosted Herbiesworldtour as a first event. It was an amazing day spent with great people.
I have also planted grass in front of the workshop and built a media blasting cabinet.
Here is a picture of the cabinet.



Sunset at Aircooledwonders. Heaven might be on earth.

[Barry]

Looks good Wernher - I need a cabinet like that. Care to build a second?

[calooker]

Great work, how I would love to build something simillar.
Looking thru the pics, I have 1 huge concern, the 2 post lift is sitting on a un-reinforced slab that is only 85-100mm thick (correct me if I'm wrong) but that is way short of min. requirement, you run the risk of the whole thing topling over. A quick thumb suck calculation, considiring that the base is on fill, it should have base min. 1000x1500x350 thick with 1 layer of reinforcement at the top to avoid things failing, that is taking into account 350kg of the lift & 2000kg for a car and rather than mechanical anchors, have holding down bolts cast into the base.

[vw59beetle]

Thanks Barry.I used the skills that I learned at The Garage sheet metal course. So building a second should be easy. But you should be able to build it in your lunch break, with your mad skills.
@ Calooker. The whole floor is pretty thick. A bit of an overkill actually. I did make the area where the posts are even deeper than the rest. I also had a certified person install the lift, so everything should be ok. But if it falls over,I will just have to use the skills I learned at Barry to fix it

[greenbean]

Let me know if you need blast media, can supply you....

[vw59beetle]

Thank you.We are good for now, but I will let you know when supply runs low.