Restoring a car on a driveway – shelter?

[niwid]

After trying and failing to find somewhere big enough and cheap enough to do the resto on my MGB, I am starting to realise that the only place I’m going to be able to do it is my driveway. The thing is, I’m only going to be able to work on the thing during evenings and weekends, and our weather is unpredictable at best, so I really could do with working under cover.

Essentially, I’m wondering what sort of shelter would be suitable? I had thoughts of a large second hand frame tent, but I worry that it would burn down around me at the first sign of welding in there. I have no space beside my house to put a car port, so that’s out of the question. I’ve heard of people using some sort of A frame and a tarp?

Any suggestions would be really helpful, but please remember that they have to be cheap!

Thanks in advance

[shin2chin]

Cheap gazebo tent?

[composimmonite]

Just work when dry and warmish ! Wind will play havoc with a gas MIG (and gasless don't do such a good job) so I use a big piece of ply as a shield. Also remember to ensure no MIG light can be seen by passers by as I think that might be some sort of offense. Despite having a garage and carport I prefer working outside. If wet then a tarp draped over simple frame made out of wood covering the area you are working makes things a little more comfortable. I once made a frame out of garden canes with joints held together with twisted wire. Surprisingly strong and lasted a winter before being dismantled. Mate used to have a frame tent that I was constantly having to braze cracks that kept occurring at the joints after strong winds so don't think the idea of a cheap frame tent is viable. Maybe an ex military tent could be worth considering as they will be far stronger construction. If it's just for a short while then a "shed" made out of hardboard with edges joined together with wire or cable ties through drilled holes then a tarp over the lot would work. If you gloss paint or varnish hardboard it resists water. I've a piece of unpainted hardboard covering a broken window in my garage that's been there for a couple of years and is still sound. It was only intended for an overnight fix after something slipped and smashed a hole through !

Paul H

[Ratdat]

I think if I was going to attempt anything like this, I'd get looking for some second hand scaffolding tubes and clamps from which to assemble a sturdy fram over which I'd place a heavy duty tarp of the sort hauliers use. Properly assembled it'd be dry and most importantly resistant to wind which will destroy most gazebos.

[goldnrust]

I did lots of work on a restoration in winter under a gazebo, about 4 months into the project there was a strong storm and it ripped the gazebo to bits. After that, with spring on the way, I just worked outside.

The Gazebo did a good job of keeping with worst of the winters weather off, but it wasn't a pitch on being indoors. I still wouldn't be out there working if it was raining hard as everything was so damp and dank. Once spring came I was actually be glad to be free of the Gazebo because it meant for every wet day I couldn't work, I got a sunny day to be outside in.

As composimmonite mentions, it's worth thinking about having some sort of shield between you and the world, to protect them from welding flashes/grinding sparks and to protect you from the smart comments members of the public seem to always make and the dodgy neighbourhood kids eyeing up your tools while you're on a tea break!

[stevepeanut]

It depends also on how bothered you are about getting cold and wet. I rebuilt the drums on my van the other day outside with no protection. It started raining halfway through and I ended up kneeling in a puddle all wet, but I just got on with it. It was ok for an hour but I couldn't do that regularly.

[fred]

Depends on how old you are, when I was a kid being under a car half the day in the snow in a T shirt didnt bother me, I'm 44 now and just the mention of getting under a car with inclement weather puts me off !!

[niwid]

Thanks for all the suggestions folks. A gazebo sounds like one option, but as stated, it wouldnt last long in high winds. Does anyone have any experience of building a car port or similar?

I should also add that one of the reasons I'd like some sort of shelter, is that at the moment, the car does leak...a bit (quite a lot)...and ideally I'd want to prevent water getting in as much as I can. The car is under a tarp at the moment, but water still gets in, and I suppose, can't get out.

[composimmonite]

I build my carport frame out of scaffolding poles and KeeKlamp fittings. Heavy enough so you don't have to concrete into the ground (although I did) so could be classed as a "temporary structure". Roof is industrial fibreglass sheets. Neighbour has a carport roof with cheap DIY store corrugated sheets and after one strong windy period they got ripped off. Cost for me was quite cheap. I bought the KeeKlamps secondhand (£50 for 300 !), scaffolding poles were in exchange for something a mate wanted off me that was worth around another £50, roof was approx. £150 including fixings. So after adding incidentals the end result was well under £500 and is strong enough to lift engines on the frame (done it - have electric hoist attached to one of the roof bars) and also strong enough for me to walk on the top although I tend to spread the load with a sheet of ply. One side is by house wall and other is 2/3 covered by garage wall plus there are full height gates at the front so only the rear is 100% open. In winter a tarp is clipped on to seal the worse of the wind out.
Have a word with some scaffolders working for a big firm. I found they aren't legally allowed to sell poles that are no longer safe for scaffolding anymore so they have to be weighed in. Talking to the chaps might get therefore some suitable poles and bucket of fittings for scrap money.

Is the planned work area on the front or side / rear of your house ?

Paul H

[omega]

the fault with a gazebo is that the wind will blow it away,but if you get a couple of ratchet straps and chuck them over it and can anchor them to the ground it will help

[Ratdat]

I have a large-ish gazebo (3m x 4.5m) which I use for outdoor Autojumbles. After Beaulieu Autojumble I put it up in the garden to dry out when I got home before packing it away for spring. I always have it secured with ground anchors and ratchet straps and have it braced diagonally with with straps on three sides. That's a total of ten straps I use. The wind got up and folded it up despite the straps. Unless you have a profession quality one made from 50mm tubing they will not stand up to wind.

[niwid]

Dec 28, 2013 10:25:42 GMT composimmonite said:

Is the planned work area on the front or side / rear of your house ?

It's at the front of the house on the driveway. There is not enough space at the side to get the car down and through to the back. I'll definately have a look into the scafolding poles though, as a gazebo just doesnt sound substantial enough.

Where would I stand if someone made a complaint about the 'temporary structure'? Due to budget constraints, I will be going one panel at a time, so it could be there for a long time

[composimmonite]

I'd be tempted to make a "temporary" frame out of scaffolding poles & fittings then cover in a tarp rather than something like corrugated sheets. That way if council ever come around you can remove the "cover" in few seconds and prove the scaffolding isn't anchored to the ground (not needed due to weight)
If you make the basic "box" shape then elasticated / shock cord can be laced across the top to provide a semi rigid base for a tarp so it doesn't pool in the rain or collapse under weight of snow. Forget the cheap and cheerful blue type tarps unless you are happy to change them every so often. Lorry tarps, especially traditional canvas, are desirable but can be expensive - but they last years so cost can balance out compared to changing a cheap one numerous times.
When attaching any tarp to a frame consider using some sort of rubber shock cord so that there is a little give if wind puts pressure rather then ripping out eyelet. Eyelets are easy to install with cheap tool from eBay etc and worth putting them every, say, 18" as tarps tend to have them spaced a lot further apart when you buy them.
A couple of 6' high fencing panels can be bought cheap and light enough to be moved around. Screw in eyelets on edges give you something to attach them to the frame with cable ties, bungie cords, twisted wire or whatever They then can be used as screens to stop grinding sparks / welding flash possibly affecting passers by. They are also reasonably acceptable to look at so less chance of a complaint.

Paul H

[wagoneer]

I'm looking at a similar idea, although my car will be behind gates and well hidden, I want to screen it from the ever present view of wifey. As I'm removing windows and doors, the cover has to stop water ingress too. Any 'temporary' structure is exempt from planning regs in the UK so I'm hoping to construct something pleasing to the eye, purposeful and sturdy that will last the duration of the build. A wood frame is top for me as it can be easily and cheaply built then covered in tarpaulin. I'll go for white if I can find them. I'm sure the key is plenty of rigging to keep the structure tight as compo says.

[superfly35]

I made one big tent out off scaffolding pole an trap.
I made the roof out off steel tube painted and all.
The structure is hight 2.5m at the lowest and 3m at the highest and 6 meter long by 2.7m so drive way size.

The neighbour got very tick, although I ask permission up front from them and landlord.
Both got me stick after 3 month, I left the house I don't like getting hassled.
If it was my own place the thing would have stay up as it was ace.
I will post picture in the evening.

[superfly35]

I made one big tent out off scaffolding pole an trap.
I made the roof out off steel tube painted and all.
The structure is hight 2.5m at the lowest and 3m at the highest and 6 meter long by 2.7m so drive way size.

The neighbour got very tick, although I ask permission up front from them and landlord.
Both got me stick after 3 month, I left the house I don't like getting hassled.
If it was my own place the thing would have stay up as it was ace.
I will post picture in the evening.


Edit:
Can I ask do you have tools ? Mig, basic hand tool. Socket and the like.
And what is the size of the resto on the MG ?
Other question have you done such thing before, Mecanic, panel beating and the like.