The 'E' Type Forum

I've never come across those - neat idea and solves one of my cautionary notes. Just need a drip pan....

Thanks guys. Excellent advise. A drip pan is the next problem to solve!!!

Just a cautionary note,the lift shown is a Mowhawk which is designed with that application in mind,have seen them advertised as a two post storage lift.
Regards Gerry 62 Ots.

Hi Richard

Another thought is to lower the floor of your garage, as you were thinking of digging a pit anyway.
I lowered my floor at the front by only 15cm which allows me to drive in level onto the ramps of a 4 poster. You could lower the floor further but would have to use a 4 post ramp lift to allow the car to drive onto, 2/3rds of my ceiling is nearly 3 metres high though. The front shown here is about 2.5 metres. This garage is also 3 metres wide and is on the small side for doing work on any car/Etype but is still possible when short of building space. This allows you to store 2 etypes when the time comes!

Hi you can get a 2 post lift over a shallow pit that allows u a low roof but the lift needs no base a bit more expensive but works well
Regards Rob

Hi Rob,
Who makes that and what is the model number?
Barry

Hi Barry....CJ do a "movable" low height 2 post....2m high post...you (wheel) move into position bolt down then can remove bolts and move away....I have looked at them...very good piece of kit.....http://www.cjautosheywood.co.uk/2post.shtml not sure about fitting one on the edge of a pit unless the floor support was adaquate...Steve

I wouldn't mind finding a two post lift where both post are on the same side, one for the front, one for the rear of the car with arms to reach out far enough. That way I wouldn't have a post in the middle of my double garage and the two posts could be bolted at the side wall and not take up space in the middle.
Anyone know of this arrangement?

Geoff

Hi Geoff...plenty of single post lifts about..not exactly as you describe...just google search single post lift
Automotech have very good products...iv seen some of their lifts but not this one https://www.automotechservices.co.uk/pr ... icle-lift/
You may not be able to drop your engine/gearbox with this

Thanks Steve, they might help. I was also thinking of it being used to store one car above another, hence the thought of two posts. Could do with the extensions you posted above to support by the wheels so no load is left on the IRS for long periods.
But that is a good suggestion, must collar one or two companies at the restoration shows.

Geoff

Thanks Steve for the links. Really interesting and will make up my mind.
Barry

Anyone considering garage design might like to delve back into the Forum

http://forum.etypeuk.com/viewtopic.php? ... oundations

where two-post lifts were sneered at, but FWIIW I can confirm that - having worked with both two and four in the past - this type of Italian lift, that I have now been using for over 10 years, has been perfect in every sense for working on the E-Type.

https://www.wertherint.com/wp-content/u ... 170203.pdf

There's a good dimensioned drawing in this that enables one to work out how it might fit.

The idea that they're imbalanced, that cars tip-up with the engine out, or with the diff out, is simply nonsense - I have had every imaginable configuraion of this-in and that-out, and it remains the best money I've ever spent.

In the most unfavourable and potentially imbalanced configurations I've even tried to provoke problems, by hanging off the front or the back, just to test the theories of the nay-sayers.

Certainly, lifting anything above ground-level has the potential to convert its potential energy into an injury, but as I said at the time -

"If I didn't think I was safe enough to work all this out for myself, I wouldn't be working on my own brakes, steering, chassis, suspension etc and would just confide all my car maintenance to a specialist garage."

The ONLY aspect I could fault is that I can't quite get the doors 100% open, so re-fitting them requires a little more care, but that's the only niggle I can think of.

There are other similar ones on the market, but the Werther is available in the UK, here amongst others

https://www.straightset.co.uk/werther-3 ... tonne.html

and here

http://www.pmdgarageequipment.co.uk/bon ... t.lift.3t/

and if anyone wants any other measurements or pictures or advice just PM me, or get a £50 return EasyJet/Ryanair flight and come and have a look.

Now battle can commence!
The new shed is finished! 4MT of hardcore, 4 cubic meters of concrete and some wood later and here we are.
Very chuffed and now I can finally start to make sense of all my tools and a dismantled e type in a single garage until now

Oh, and we just need to drop this in the ‘ol and fix up the lights and plugs...

Nice one Rich.....and dont forget you need a driveway to get it in

Think about the electrics. In mine I fitted twin sockets at each end plus a light switch. I ran these to a master switch on the garage wall as it is more convenient to be able to switch the lights on before you enter the pit and switch them off again as you leave the garage. I also made up about 20 heavy duty planks so the pit could be covered up when not needed. All too easy to forget it is there and step back into it.

I assume you are going to back fill the hole with concrete once the pit is in place?

And that is the last time you will see it that empty and tidy. I wish I was one of those tidy people who put things back from where they came. I have tidied my garage many many times and swore blind I will keep it that way. In a week it is as bad as ever.

Tony, you need a pretty Swedish au pair to keep the workshop tidy for you
Even better if she knows the difference between a spanner and a screwdriver
“Do you want a screwdriver?” “Not now love, can’t you see I’m busy”

Geoff

Thanks for all your comments gents!
Yes David, I have thought about the lights - the pit is already wired for a double socket and two LED lights that I will be able switch on at the wall, along with the main lights and there will be a number of strategically placed sockets around the garage.
I will back fill the pit with concrete and partially fill the pit with water until it is set, so the whole thing doesn’t float while the concrete is going off! I also have plenty of 8 X 2 left over to make some pit boards. I did once partially fall in a pit when I was carrying something and didn’t notice the two missing boards. My left knee would prefer that didn’t happen again
I think I’ll resin coat the floor too and then need to get plenty of shelves and storage areas in place and will try, for once, to keep the whole place tidy. I’m very guilty of throwing tools over my shoulder when I am ‘in the zone’!

Painted body shell is back at the end of June ( I hope), so hopefully I’ll be full prepared to receive her back then.
Cheers,
Richard

Take care with your choice of resin floor. I used it in my garage and if I walked with wet feet they would slip from under me - deadly. The plastic inter-locking tiles are a better solution.