Arrrrrgghhhhhh! Fitting a car and a bike into my garage

[Monkeyleg]

My Mustang will be coming out of storage as soon as possible. First I have to get my one-car garage ready to accommodate the car and my Harley.

First, get rid of anything not needed (why is all of my wife's gardening stuff needed when it hasn't been used in years?). Next, move the three tool carts to the front of the garage. Now I have as much width as I'm going to get.

The car is 188" long, and 73.9" wide, but 82" wide with the mirrors. I have an 86" garage door opening. This should be interesting. Also, from the edge of the tool carts to the garage door is 196". It's a tight squeeze, but it should fit.

Wait a minute. I forgot about the motorcycle. Damn. Ok. There's a built-in shelf/table to the left of the furthest left tool cart. If I remove that shelf, I can slip about half the motorcycle into that gap, up close to the left corner of the garage. Then, if I turn the car to the right slightly when pulling in, I should be able to clear the bike.

I'd put the compressor under that table, but maybe I can stand the compressor on end to take up less space. Or I can put it in the basement and run a long air hose to the garage. What am I talking about? There's no room to use tools with all this, much less air tools. All work will be done in the alley, so the basement is where the compressor goes.

Damn. Once the car is in, will I be able to open the door to get out? The only way to know is to use my old Saturn as a stand-in, and measure the difference.

Even if the car does fit, I'll have to pull the car out of the garage to get at the lawnmower, or even to get a screwdriver out of a tool cart.

And, of course, if I make one little mistake pulling the car in or out, it or the bike is going to get scratched.

Here's the really frustrating part, though. Directly across the alley is a two-car garage that's vacant. The husband, George, died three years ago. The wife lives in the home alone and has no car. The grandchildren stop in every few days to check on her. I asked the grandchild-in-charge if she'd be willing to rent half the garage to me for either my bike or car. She said no, because sometimes she likes to put her car in the garage when she visits. I don't think I've ever seen anybody's car in that garage; they always park on the street.

Aaaarrrrrgghhhh!

[LadySmith]

You might do as I intend to do...park the Harley in the living room. 

[Strings]

Heh... I can park the Harley for ya... >:)

[Gewehr98]

My Harley lived in a dorm room for several years, as part of the previous owner's furniture collection. 

I've known Ho Chunk/Winnebago tribe members to chainsaw big holes in their government-provided houses, to park their 4x4 pickup trucks...

Opportunity awaits, Monkeyleg.   

[Monkeyleg]

We're going to be putting the house on the market next Spring (assuming there's still a "market"). Do you think a big hole in the house would affect the price?

[Boomhauer]

You are going to have to put one outside, I think...

I have never understood why garages are built so small...

[Matthew Carberry]

How high is the lid in the garage?

http://www.mygaragestore.com/detail.aspx?ID=325

[Monkeyleg]

I've seen lifts similar to that. Won't work in this garage, though.

You are going to have to put one outside, I think...

I'd rather cut a hole in the side of my house.

I used the Saturn as a stand-in, and the Mustang will fit, but very, very close. It will be about 2" away from the right rear turn signal on the bike, and 2" or so from the wall.

The house and garage were built in 1938. Cars were huge back then. How did they fit them in these tiny garages?

[Chuck Dye]

You need not a dog house but a hog house. 

Thought of a storage shed for the two wheeler?  Lots of folk around here buy them built on their own chassis with skids,  and take the shed with them when they move.  Depending on how big, how fancy, and how permanent, they can be fairly reasonable.

[wmenorr67]

You need not a dog house but a hog house. 

Thought of a storage shed for the two wheeler?  Lots of folk around here buy them built on their own chassis with skids,  and take the shed with them when they move.  Depending on how big, how fancy, and how permanent, they can be fairly reasonable.

He beat me to it.  If the funds are there just purchase a storage shed big enough for the bike.

[Harold Tuttle]

one can write off storage expenses for household goods prior to a new job move to a location of over 50 miles away

[Monkeyleg]

one can write off storage expenses for household goods prior to a new job move to a location of over 50 miles away

I know. The problem is that I work out of my home. I don't think the IRS would allow the deduction, since I'm moving to another state. I'm not moving to a job, my job is moving with me.

I thought about the sheds, but $$$$.

The hole in the house sounds good, though.

[BridgeRunner]

Keep the car outdoors. 

[Regolith]

Build a temporary shelter for a bike.  Make it just large enough to cover the bike, and it will probably cost less than than buying a shed.  Just gotta buy some 2x4's, some plywood, some hinges and handle for a door and some nails. 

[MillCreek]

Here is the solution to one of your problems.  The BikeBarn: http://www.thebikebarn.net/

[Balog]

2 inches clearance both sides? Scratched car, broken tail lamp on the bike, maybe even knock it over....

Park the car outside or build a cheap shed for the bike. Cheaper than fixing the vehicles.

[Parker Dean]

How about a quality car cover? It'll be a few hundred, but better than nothing.

[Monkeyleg]

Thanks for all the suggestions. Parking either the car or the motorcycle outside is out of the question, as I'm fanatical about keeping my toys perfect.

Having a shed--especially a homemade shed--in the back yard wouldn't exactly help for resale of the house. Besides, I'm no carpenter and sheds are expensive.

I managed to make a little more room by moving my wife's gardening "essentials" to the basement, so I have a little more room. Not a lot, but a little.

Fortunately this will be temporary until our move. But I'll never buy a house with a single-car garage again.

[Harold Tuttle]

the knock together / knock down Sheds are workmanlike in appearance
http://www.restockit.com/Slide-Lid-Storage-Shed--(RHP3752)---TOP-SELLER!.html
you could easily take it with you