I’m wondering if the Jp community can help me out with some information.  I live in Southern California (Orange County, to be specific) and I’m working on building up a 1959 Willys Wagon. My dilemma is given the housing costs around here, I cannot afford to buy a home, and finding an apartment with a garage is near impossible.  Worst of all, almost everything relating to cars is regulated in my complex (they have security that seems to know exactly when I’m working on my truck, regardless of how quiet I am!) and I really just want to spin some wrenches now and again as I work towards making the wagon more of a daily driver.

So this poses my question: are there any do-it-yourself garage facilities in Southern California, or nationwide, for that mater, that will allow you to work on your truck with their shop equipment for a fee, or anything like that?  Ideally, the place would allow you to store a project there for short periods (While working on things like yanking the engine and trans out and rebuild them) and has some of the basic, or even advanced shop tools on hand (a lift, air tools, tube bender and a MIG, etc.).  Does such a place exist anymore?  I know that they did in the 70’s, but I cannot seem to find anything like this concept for quite some time.   Are they not profitable, or is the insurance too high?  What other outlets are there for a person work a project rig,  but no place to work on it? (On this topic, I’ve though about local high-school/community college auto shop programs with “adult education” on the weekends, as a lab, but again, the info seems to be eluding me.)

This could be a great feature story for guys (like me) that want to build the truck themselves (any fool can write a check) but don’t have a workspace or the tools to build them up. Any interest? Or too much off the beaten path?  

I have never seen anything like you are talking about. People that I know in that situation usually rent (alone or with others) a warehouse/shop and use that space to work on their off-road vehicles. It's not cheap, but nothing  in SoCal is...  

Truer words were never spoken!  I’ve seen a few advertisements for chopper DIY shops, but nothing yet for the off-road/hot rod crowd.  I guess they figure if you can afford a rig, then you can afford a shop.

Since you mentioned the whole “friends the rent” thing, is there a resource that you can point me to maybe? My truck club is too small, and mostly farms’ out work (and that’s not fun! What’s the point of that?!?) and my WillysTech group is great for questions, but it seems most the 3000 members are in the Mid-west or Northern Cal.

Maybe a directory, or a “Looking for Group” (I gotta stop playing online videogames!) for a shop or something?

Thanks!  

http://portland.craigslist.org/mlt/mcy/456428378.html


kinda like this?  

I'm not 100% sure on how to actually find places besides stopping in and talking to the building management if they have a 'for rent' sign out. Or there is always Craigslist and the Classified ads.  

Thanks.  I'll continue my quest to find so place to work on my truck.  Or *shudder* contemplate selling it all together and work on my TJ only.  I wonder if you could turn a profit on such an enterprise?  

Thanks for the advice!  

If you could get the liability insurance figured out (I would imagine it would be astronomical in an endeavor like this) I would think it would be a safe bet that you could make some money on it. I know in SoCal you would get a lot of interest from the desert community. If you had a place with a few bays with lifts, clean places to work, and a secure facility, for the right price you could possibly make a killing...  

With a little imagination and a minimum budget, anyone can get a garage to work in. With just a little prep time, you will be turning wrenches in a garage in a matter of no time. Let me tell you how.

1. Prepare your vehicle. You need to clean up the interior. Make sure there are no stray wires hanging out of the dash. Interior is half way clean. Do make sure everything is running good. The motor not missing, preferably not smoking (be careful with this, it may help you. I will get to that later). You want to make yourself look like you know what you are doing when it comes to mechanics. Also, make sure the outside of it is dirty as possible. The dirtier, the better. This shows that you are someone to hang out with to have fun. Plus...it sometimes works in attracting the girls. Where can you go wrong?

2. Prepare yourself. Make sure your hands are greasy. This way you give the image of knowing how to work on your vehicle. Don't overdue it, though. You want to pass as mechanically inclined...not a human grease gun.

3. Come up with a good B.S. story. Don't overdue it. You don't want to look like "that guy" that thinks he knows everything. Come up with something such as, "I was out testing out this new suspension I had fabbed up. I was going over some high speed whoops a little too fast when I busted an axle. I ended up having to pull out the axle, JB weld it together, wrapped it in duct tape, and put it all back in....with a 1/2 wrench, hammer, and a 4-way (don't use that...you may end up looking like "that guy", but you get the point).

4. Now head out into the city lights where they everyone cruises to find your victim. Don't go where the rice-burners are. They are dumb....and well, half their tools are useless to us anyways. Go where you see other 4x4s (preferably Jeeps) or maybe even older fixed up cars.

5. Once you find a potential group, pull in quietly. Remember, you are in their turf, not yours. Sometimes it is better to scope out the prey before you attack. They can become over-protective of their territory.  Be confident. They can smell  your fear and ignorance (not saying you are ignorant...but, hey, I don't know you). Strike up a conversation about their vehicles first, not yours. Ask technical questions. The more technical you are, the easier it will be to reach the goal. Let them lead the conversation to your vehicle. This shows interest in what you have. Now you want to pull out the B.S. story. You want to capture their attention into your vehicle make sure they stay interested in it. Slowly lead into your future plans on what you want done to it. After all is said and done, get to know these people. Start on working to a more personal level.

6. Leave. Don't stay and be the weird person that everyone makes fun of. Wait a couple days and find the same group. Pull back in and shoot the *** Act like you have known them for a while. Also, make sure you have made a small change to the vehicle. Nothing major. Remember, you want to use their garage and tools.

7. Invite the potential loaner to some crazy times out on a trail. Show the person what you can do. Like I said before, everyone likes to see the mud fly. Lots of bonus points if you bring along girls. Maybe even a 6-pack to help end the night. Remember, DO NOT drink and drive. That makes you look retarded. Also, what good does it do when you are in jail?

8. Wait a few more days before you meet the victim. By this time, you should be in well enough with the person anyways. Make another change to the vehicle, but leave something wrong. Nothing major, but if possible, something that needs a special tool to fix. Play the sob story about how it needs fixed bad and you don't have the tools or the place to do it. If all goes well, the invite should be thrown in the air. If not, keep working on it.

9. If all else fails, remember that smoking motor? Using that to your advantage, break down in near distance to the group. Get under the hood, cuss a lot. If they are friendly enough, they may come to assist. Explain how you are just learning on how to work on vehicles. Tell them you only have basic tools and that's it. If you play your cards right, they will offer help. Build relationship from there. Offer lots of beer. Have girls with you. Objective completed.

Disclaimer: I am not responsible for any a** kickin' you may receive. I only use examples that I have used in my area. Not guaranteed to work where you are located.

When I did this, not only did I get a garage, I got a heated barn that was used for repairing John Deere tractors. I had more tools than I knew what to do with. Welders, torches, and even lifts. A little ingenuity goes a long ways!  

sounds like a scam to me, by the way people who actually know what they're doing can pick apart a B.S. story with half a glance, so if it works you didn't get much.
It was funny, I'll give you that.  

Haha, true. It is amazing what you come up with at 2 AM and nothing to do. I was half way out of it. Oh well. It amused me, to say the least....  

no doubt.  

But on a more serious note, check around to see if you can find any local Jeep clubs. They are basically everywhere. There are a few around here. I know a lot of them like to get together and work on their vehicles. One of them owns a shop that they meet at. You should be able to google it. Very useful people. Plus, it leads to some great friendships, stories, and many memories.