Garage Saga Continues: Low-clearance experts needed
#32
Race Director
Thread Starter
MOST QUOTED POSTED I WILL EVER MAKE.. READER BEWARE.
Have race ramps build you a custom ramp set.
Here is a banked set for ideas http://www.raceramps.com/banked-track-display-ramp.aspx, but take a look at the last set on the bottom here http://www.raceramps.com/custom-race-ramps.aspx
Here is a banked set for ideas http://www.raceramps.com/banked-track-display-ramp.aspx, but take a look at the last set on the bottom here http://www.raceramps.com/custom-race-ramps.aspx
i'll take a shot. Looks like from the photos you biggest problem in on the left side. Have you tried an extreme angle hugging the right side as close as possible and then turning in so as to end up on the far right side of the garage wall. Short of this you need a reverse race deck made for your angles that would be easily removable and reinstalled each time you entered or exited the garage. Not sure if they would make you a custom ramp but it be worth a try. Another crazy idea would be a roller system that would attach to your jack points that would lift the car the required amount. Your wheels are on the ground so that may work. Good luck
Love the interior colour combo Alex. Its a real shame they dont offer that package for the GT3/RS afterall it doesnt weight any more Im sure...
Have you tried backing the car in Alex?
Otherwise 15 mins with my electric hand grinder and my concrete disc and I reckon we could re shape the transition thats on your legal private landlords property without issue....
Have you tried backing the car in Alex?
Otherwise 15 mins with my electric hand grinder and my concrete disc and I reckon we could re shape the transition thats on your legal private landlords property without issue....
Hi CAlexio,
Congratulations twice!! First on your engagement (this was news to me, but sorry if I missed an earlier announcement and am late on this), and second on your new Spyder!! Fantastic news on both accounts!
As to your question, I suspect that strategic positioning of some sort of ramps will solve your problem #2.
You might want to consider this Race Ramps product, like Nate suggested. Try these for example.
http://www.raceramps.com/portable-pi...-xtenders.aspx
Basically, you place the ramp at the point where your front wheel would be when you high centre. This ramp lifts the front wheel just enough to clear the apex of the driveway. Then you need a similar ramp for the rear wheel (think of the problem as being symmetric on either side of the driveway apex). This lifts the wheel at precisely the time when you'd high centre again. (To get a little more technical, this assumes the front tire has passed entirely off the first ramp already. If the first ramp is "long" enough and the front tire remains elevated, you may not need the second rear ramp, for the rear wheel to clear the apex.)
The front ramp is easy. Install it in your garage more or less permanently. The rear ramp is harder, but you could simply spray paint a little innocuous mark to help you position where the ramp would go, and then have to jump out of the car and set up the rear ramp here before you enter and exit.
If my explanation sucks, I'm happy to try to rephrase it.
Finally, as for problem #1, another ramp would fix this. Alternatively, if you can back into your driveway and garage, it might solve the problem.
Good luck!
This diagram I drew up quickly might help. Think of it essentially as "rounding out" the sharp green peak into more of a circular arc (blue line) using the red ramps to extend the green outwards. Make sense? Hope that helps a little.
Congratulations twice!! First on your engagement (this was news to me, but sorry if I missed an earlier announcement and am late on this), and second on your new Spyder!! Fantastic news on both accounts!
As to your question, I suspect that strategic positioning of some sort of ramps will solve your problem #2.
You might want to consider this Race Ramps product, like Nate suggested. Try these for example.
http://www.raceramps.com/portable-pi...-xtenders.aspx
Basically, you place the ramp at the point where your front wheel would be when you high centre. This ramp lifts the front wheel just enough to clear the apex of the driveway. Then you need a similar ramp for the rear wheel (think of the problem as being symmetric on either side of the driveway apex). This lifts the wheel at precisely the time when you'd high centre again. (To get a little more technical, this assumes the front tire has passed entirely off the first ramp already. If the first ramp is "long" enough and the front tire remains elevated, you may not need the second rear ramp, for the rear wheel to clear the apex.)
The front ramp is easy. Install it in your garage more or less permanently. The rear ramp is harder, but you could simply spray paint a little innocuous mark to help you position where the ramp would go, and then have to jump out of the car and set up the rear ramp here before you enter and exit.
If my explanation sucks, I'm happy to try to rephrase it.
Finally, as for problem #1, another ramp would fix this. Alternatively, if you can back into your driveway and garage, it might solve the problem.
Good luck!
This diagram I drew up quickly might help. Think of it essentially as "rounding out" the sharp green peak into more of a circular arc (blue line) using the red ramps to extend the green outwards. Make sense? Hope that helps a little.
not sure how it happened but someone took a video of it with a drone ;-D
https://vimeo.com/150499114
yup.. same result.
I had the same problem when I moved into a new house a few years ago. I'd high center badly as soon as I got a couple of feet into the garage. My solution was to build a platform. I stacked multiple 2x10's, cut angles on the edges and staggered the top one to form a 'ramp'. As soon as the car would be close to high centering the front wheels would go up the ramp and eliminate the issue. I put cross braces in between them and then covered it with plywood. I then had a platform that was 6" high or so. It also served the dual purpose of making working on the rear of the car very easy- oil changes, for example. PM if you'd like more details. It took 1/2 a day and probably $400 of materials.
Alexio,
I'm no engineer, so no help on your ongoing garage saga, but seriously congrats on your Spyder, it is gorgeous car!
Also, big congratulations on getting engaged, I feel like we watched some of that unfold on the GT3 threads in 2013-14! Speaking of which what does your finance think of your the LWBs in your car?
Finally, you have to share with us about the very special P-car coming in 2017-
Did you get a .2GT3 allocation.......?
I'm no engineer, so no help on your ongoing garage saga, but seriously congrats on your Spyder, it is gorgeous car!
Also, big congratulations on getting engaged, I feel like we watched some of that unfold on the GT3 threads in 2013-14! Speaking of which what does your finance think of your the LWBs in your car?
Finally, you have to share with us about the very special P-car coming in 2017-
Did you get a .2GT3 allocation.......?
Perhaps another option is to bring in a company that polishes concrete and have them 'flatten' (polish off) the high point between the ramp into the garage and the garage floor. It looks like you only need a small change to clear.
This way, you'd have a permanent solution and avoid the need for ramps.
This way, you'd have a permanent solution and avoid the need for ramps.
thanks to everyone for the suggestions.. these are very good and I'm going to pursue first the short rubber ramps, and if that fails... my wood furniture buddy will have a project on his hands.
#33
Race Director
Thread Starter
Spyder Driving Impressions I was asked about
Figured i'd keep the gt3 forum clean by not creating a thread about an un-related car.. but as I was asked about driving impressions.. i'll post that here:
What a perfect two days, I'll add my impressions as I know before receiving my car, that no matter how many people's words I read, I always wanted more. If this post is redundant.. Skip it.. It's just so much fun to share new toy sensations.
So... I Put 300 miles on it since picking up yesterday AM. I have done gentle excursions to 5000rpm to hear that incredible baritone brassy howl, and I can't wait for 1000 miles to be here. I have soundly scrubbed in the tires however with 10+ trips in the twisties from Skyline drive in Santa Cruz mountains down to the pacific coast and hwy1. The Pzeros were slippery when new, but appropriately grippy for the road now that they have a few miles under them. The car feels planted but powerful enough to get squirrelly in tight switchbacks.
..., the suspension.. From road use, seems superb. The x73 is firm but compliant, nothing new there. I'd say perfect. Car scrapes, I cannot imagine having a gt4 lip on it.. This is the limit for NorCal roads IMO.. As detailed in another thread, i can't get the car into my garage.. It's a mess I'm trying to solve. It's low.. Not insanely so.. But it would have been amazing with a front lift kit, at least in San Francisco where I live.
The balance... Found a little damp patch on 2-3 safe uphill switchbacks on 84 from Woodside, and experimented with the squiggly button off and a small amount of power oversteer and it felt GLORIOUS... Anna loved it and she said she felt like we were on top gear.. Haha.. Not sure if it's a compliment or not. I'm in love either way (with her and the car both)
Sound and looks..
Most surprising thing to me and also to mySA is the sound.. Very loud, very brassy, like a trumpet orchestra.. A-mazing sound. Driving between skyscrapers downtown I'm almost embarrassed at how it echoes... And the downshift crackles scare people on the sidewalk.. I have to turn of sport exhaust off downtown. Under accelerate and downshifts with PSE on, this car has an exhaust which I can't believe is legal. So loud with a high quality very exotic sound. Dealer said its one of the best sounding Porsche's next to a carrera gt he's heard. I agree.. It's got that multi-tonal... Complex sound. From a low rpm growl, to a trumpet orchestra high rpm howl. A 911 DOES NOT sound like this, it's got a throaty growl.. This thing SINGS! Not sure how they did it, but I'm almost scared to mess with the purity of it with any kind of aftermarket exhaust mods.
Power....
Power is adequate, I'm not disappointed, I'm not impressed. Yea gears are very long, yea torque in midrange isn't impressive. You have to rev it to make it go, so after breakin is finished I'm sure I'll be more impressed.
Brakes are great, steering feel is good, light and direct, not very communicative.
LWB....
The seating IS great. I am SO SO happy about the LWB. Even if they were not so comfortable I would probably be happy on the uber-exotic looks alone. Red leather with carbon with that thin look... Beautiful beautiful. The position, for my 175lb 5.10 frame is perfect... That's all I can say. Getting in and out is tough without rubbing bolsters, but I have technique down now and I told Anna to "think like a hummingbird and gently levitate over them and lightly sink in to the them.".. She gets it, she loves them too. The car is also so cocooning that I didn't miss seat heaters. definitely get these seats, the small amount of recline won't be missed. The seating position is full racecar.. High wheel, in your face, perfect recline.. Makes you feel like a champ!
INTERIOR OPTIONS...
Red steering column looks fantastic.. Gives a very finished look and matches the top of the dash.. I saw some without it and the black plastic in the middle of all that alcantara and leather was jarring. Red leather sun visors I also like, but more of a preference. To me they are beautiful and feel very nice to the touch.. I wanted as much red leather as possible, and least items to touch that were not leather or alcantara. I would not leave the visors standard, either red leather or gray alcantara.. I got the inner door sills in leather hoping they were red, but they are black with black stitching. Not worth it as I can't see them, save your money there. I really really like my leather edged floor mats.. Look really nice and finish out the bottom of the interior. Lastly.. I'm very happy with my silver belts.. Matches very well with silver trim and exterior and contrasts with seats. I also really like the leather dash surround.. no stitching but looks really luxurious and i'm staring at it the whole time. lastly the emblem on center console i also enjoy.. my suggestion is if you're getting the red interior, skip the inner leather door sills. if you're getting black with contrast stitching, then get those as well.
Synthesis...
This thing is a baby Carrera GT... Pete Stout called me on Friday and told me this same thing.. And now I feel it.. Or at least I want to believe it. Something about the cohesion between streamers on the trunk, lower body treatment, extended spoiler, wheels.. It's amazing... Amazing. The silver polished wheels are so much better in person than pics where they seem washed out.. I couldn't be happier.
One last thought.. Get your clearbra on. I drove two days, stayed away from other vehicles and somehow STILL ended up with a small chip on the hood. **** me!!!! Anyway... Cindy Crawford's mole and all that jazz....
Hope this helps, I'll post detailed pics tomorrow if anyone wants them but this car is same as everyone else's basically. Hope to meet other NorCal guys soon. Thank you everyone for sharing these special months of waiting together.. as big as the anticipation was, the reality is even bigger. I LOVE this car.. Love love love LOVE it. It's very special..
What a perfect two days, I'll add my impressions as I know before receiving my car, that no matter how many people's words I read, I always wanted more. If this post is redundant.. Skip it.. It's just so much fun to share new toy sensations.
So... I Put 300 miles on it since picking up yesterday AM. I have done gentle excursions to 5000rpm to hear that incredible baritone brassy howl, and I can't wait for 1000 miles to be here. I have soundly scrubbed in the tires however with 10+ trips in the twisties from Skyline drive in Santa Cruz mountains down to the pacific coast and hwy1. The Pzeros were slippery when new, but appropriately grippy for the road now that they have a few miles under them. The car feels planted but powerful enough to get squirrelly in tight switchbacks.
..., the suspension.. From road use, seems superb. The x73 is firm but compliant, nothing new there. I'd say perfect. Car scrapes, I cannot imagine having a gt4 lip on it.. This is the limit for NorCal roads IMO.. As detailed in another thread, i can't get the car into my garage.. It's a mess I'm trying to solve. It's low.. Not insanely so.. But it would have been amazing with a front lift kit, at least in San Francisco where I live.
The balance... Found a little damp patch on 2-3 safe uphill switchbacks on 84 from Woodside, and experimented with the squiggly button off and a small amount of power oversteer and it felt GLORIOUS... Anna loved it and she said she felt like we were on top gear.. Haha.. Not sure if it's a compliment or not. I'm in love either way (with her and the car both)
Sound and looks..
Most surprising thing to me and also to mySA is the sound.. Very loud, very brassy, like a trumpet orchestra.. A-mazing sound. Driving between skyscrapers downtown I'm almost embarrassed at how it echoes... And the downshift crackles scare people on the sidewalk.. I have to turn of sport exhaust off downtown. Under accelerate and downshifts with PSE on, this car has an exhaust which I can't believe is legal. So loud with a high quality very exotic sound. Dealer said its one of the best sounding Porsche's next to a carrera gt he's heard. I agree.. It's got that multi-tonal... Complex sound. From a low rpm growl, to a trumpet orchestra high rpm howl. A 911 DOES NOT sound like this, it's got a throaty growl.. This thing SINGS! Not sure how they did it, but I'm almost scared to mess with the purity of it with any kind of aftermarket exhaust mods.
Power....
Power is adequate, I'm not disappointed, I'm not impressed. Yea gears are very long, yea torque in midrange isn't impressive. You have to rev it to make it go, so after breakin is finished I'm sure I'll be more impressed.
Brakes are great, steering feel is good, light and direct, not very communicative.
LWB....
The seating IS great. I am SO SO happy about the LWB. Even if they were not so comfortable I would probably be happy on the uber-exotic looks alone. Red leather with carbon with that thin look... Beautiful beautiful. The position, for my 175lb 5.10 frame is perfect... That's all I can say. Getting in and out is tough without rubbing bolsters, but I have technique down now and I told Anna to "think like a hummingbird and gently levitate over them and lightly sink in to the them.".. She gets it, she loves them too. The car is also so cocooning that I didn't miss seat heaters. definitely get these seats, the small amount of recline won't be missed. The seating position is full racecar.. High wheel, in your face, perfect recline.. Makes you feel like a champ!
INTERIOR OPTIONS...
Red steering column looks fantastic.. Gives a very finished look and matches the top of the dash.. I saw some without it and the black plastic in the middle of all that alcantara and leather was jarring. Red leather sun visors I also like, but more of a preference. To me they are beautiful and feel very nice to the touch.. I wanted as much red leather as possible, and least items to touch that were not leather or alcantara. I would not leave the visors standard, either red leather or gray alcantara.. I got the inner door sills in leather hoping they were red, but they are black with black stitching. Not worth it as I can't see them, save your money there. I really really like my leather edged floor mats.. Look really nice and finish out the bottom of the interior. Lastly.. I'm very happy with my silver belts.. Matches very well with silver trim and exterior and contrasts with seats. I also really like the leather dash surround.. no stitching but looks really luxurious and i'm staring at it the whole time. lastly the emblem on center console i also enjoy.. my suggestion is if you're getting the red interior, skip the inner leather door sills. if you're getting black with contrast stitching, then get those as well.
Synthesis...
This thing is a baby Carrera GT... Pete Stout called me on Friday and told me this same thing.. And now I feel it.. Or at least I want to believe it. Something about the cohesion between streamers on the trunk, lower body treatment, extended spoiler, wheels.. It's amazing... Amazing. The silver polished wheels are so much better in person than pics where they seem washed out.. I couldn't be happier.
One last thought.. Get your clearbra on. I drove two days, stayed away from other vehicles and somehow STILL ended up with a small chip on the hood. **** me!!!! Anyway... Cindy Crawford's mole and all that jazz....
Hope this helps, I'll post detailed pics tomorrow if anyone wants them but this car is same as everyone else's basically. Hope to meet other NorCal guys soon. Thank you everyone for sharing these special months of waiting together.. as big as the anticipation was, the reality is even bigger. I LOVE this car.. Love love love LOVE it. It's very special..
#34
Drifting
Congrats Alex. Looks like a easy problem to solve for your driveway. I see the SA sent you away with some gifts. It's been a while since I got one of those. We are just happy not to be paying over. Enjoy the beauty.
#36
Congratulations! Great to have the drone video of the moment on that ski run. Beautiful setting. Nicely done!!! Mine was up on top of a mountain in Peru. (The climb at altitude must have left my wife hypoxic, disoriented, and susceptible to suggestion--she said yes!)
And please let us know how the garage situation works out.
And please let us know how the garage situation works out.
#38
Three Wheelin'
Dan (considers this more needed than window tint or exceeding speed limits when "needed")
#39
Burning Brakes
If you lived in Chicago you'd A) make a contribution to your alderman's campaign fund B) take a sledge hammer to the drive in just a few spots C) call your new alderman buddy and ask what could be done about the damaged concrete in front of your place D) "suggest" to the city crew that was sent out to replace your driveway that they re-contour it to work for your car.
I bought my GT3 from a guy who encountered the same problem when he bought a place near the beach. When he told me he was selling the car because he couldn't get it in and out of his garage I thought he was full of $&!#, but I went to look at the car anyway. It took 2 of us 45 minutes with ramps, boards, bricks, and sweat to get the car on the street. I ended up buying it.
Though the race ramp solution is attractive - it appears your approach angles differ from right to left - with the left side lower. The suggestion of building the ramps from stacked wood will allow you to adjust the ramps to the garage and fine tune on the spot to optimize the solution. That will be difficult to do if someone custom builds ramps off site. Beware - from the looks of it you'll have neighbors knocking on the door looking for the same solution. Congrats and good luck. Every guy should have the problem of where to park a beautiful car when you return home with the love of your life (or where to park the love of your life when you return home with your beautiful wife).
I bought my GT3 from a guy who encountered the same problem when he bought a place near the beach. When he told me he was selling the car because he couldn't get it in and out of his garage I thought he was full of $&!#, but I went to look at the car anyway. It took 2 of us 45 minutes with ramps, boards, bricks, and sweat to get the car on the street. I ended up buying it.
Though the race ramp solution is attractive - it appears your approach angles differ from right to left - with the left side lower. The suggestion of building the ramps from stacked wood will allow you to adjust the ramps to the garage and fine tune on the spot to optimize the solution. That will be difficult to do if someone custom builds ramps off site. Beware - from the looks of it you'll have neighbors knocking on the door looking for the same solution. Congrats and good luck. Every guy should have the problem of where to park a beautiful car when you return home with the love of your life (or where to park the love of your life when you return home with your beautiful wife).
#40
Race Director
Thread Starter
Originally Posted by jpoint
If you lived in Chicago you'd A) make a contribution to your alderman's campaign fund B) take a sledge hammer to the drive in just a few spots C) call your new alderman buddy and ask what could be done about the damaged concrete in front of your place D) "suggest" to the city crew that was sent out to replace your driveway that they re-contour it to work for your car.
I bought my GT3 from a guy who encountered the same problem when he bought a place near the beach. When he told me he was selling the car because he couldn't get it in and out of his garage I thought he was full of $&!#, but I went to look at the car anyway. It took 2 of us 45 minutes with ramps, boards, bricks, and sweat to get the car on the street. I ended up buying it.
Though the race ramp solution is attractive - it appears your approach angles differ from right to left - with the left side lower. The suggestion of building the ramps from stacked wood will allow you to adjust the ramps to the garage and fine tune on the spot to optimize the solution. That will be difficult to do if someone custom builds ramps off site. Beware - from the looks of it you'll have neighbors knocking on the door looking for the same solution. Congrats and good luck. Every guy should have the problem of where to park a beautiful car when you return home with the love of your life (or where to park the love of your life when you return home with your beautiful wife).
I bought my GT3 from a guy who encountered the same problem when he bought a place near the beach. When he told me he was selling the car because he couldn't get it in and out of his garage I thought he was full of $&!#, but I went to look at the car anyway. It took 2 of us 45 minutes with ramps, boards, bricks, and sweat to get the car on the street. I ended up buying it.
Though the race ramp solution is attractive - it appears your approach angles differ from right to left - with the left side lower. The suggestion of building the ramps from stacked wood will allow you to adjust the ramps to the garage and fine tune on the spot to optimize the solution. That will be difficult to do if someone custom builds ramps off site. Beware - from the looks of it you'll have neighbors knocking on the door looking for the same solution. Congrats and good luck. Every guy should have the problem of where to park a beautiful car when you return home with the love of your life (or where to park the love of your life when you return home with your beautiful wife).
The neighbors ARE being helpful now that she is parked on the street.. One guy came out this weekend and offered his 5 car garage with a nice flat entry.. Alfa and Porsche aficionado.. The "problem" is slowly melting away.
Have a furniture maker buddy coming over this weekend to measure for ramps... I'll post pics when it's done. I WILL prevail.
#41
I bought my GT3 from a guy who encountered the same problem when he bought a place near the beach. When he told me he was selling the car because he couldn't get it in and out of his garage I thought he was full of $&!#, but I went to look at the car anyway. It took 2 of us 45 minutes with ramps, boards, bricks, and sweat to get the car on the street. I ended up buying it.
"I don't think I want it at asking, but have fun getting it back into your garage by yourself!"
#45
Rennlist Member