Dream shop

[Tom Kochtanek]

I just got back from family vacation in Hot Springs Village, Arkansas (about 20 miles from actual downtown Hot Springs) and snapped some photos of some of my father-in-law's buddies' shop. They are a group of retired guys in the Village who call themsleves the "Cabbage Heads". Collectively they own a large metal building full of interesing cars. Most were restored locally by the likes of these guys. They can fabricate, paint, wire, wrench, and do most anything in this shop. It's large and clean and very well appointed. The cars are "all over the place" with no common theme (whatever they feel like buying). Inventory changes, but some are precious and forever. This is what I want when I grow up (when will that ever be?).

Here's a shot of the place from the inside (mostly the display side of the shop, not the greasy side):

[Tom Kochtanek]

The main "collector" is John Hollandsworth, who competes in the "Great American Race" across the country in a 1911 Peerless roadster. You can see it in the background on some of these shots. Here's another of my favorites:

[bobs409]

What was the winning lottery numbers the day this shop was conceived? :rofl Someone has some cash I'd say.

[Tom Kochtanek]

You might have noticed the Indy car in the left of the last picture. John sponsored his son at Indy a few years back , and that was their vehicle, sitting on a banked curve with a mural of the Brickyard on the wall. Pretty cool, eh? I suspect it takes some real cash to sponsor and Indy car?

Here's another Oldie I really like. Saw this while it was being "hammered out" for repairs:

[Tom Kochtanek]

They are also somewhat eclectic:

(And, yeah, Bob, they do have tons of money, mostly from business ventures and real estate investments). Very down to earth guys, however (just like us!)

[JimKwiatkowski]

Tom,nice looking shop talking about shops how is yours coming along?

[Tom Kochtanek]

Jim, thanks for asking. Nothing I am presently working on is getting complete and coming in "under budget" :). I have a building permit now, the footprint is 40' by 60', and now there's a basement involved. I actually hired an architect to design the structure to match the adjacent condominiums we are also building (next season).

This coming week we begin the excavation work on the entire tract of some 5 acres. It starts with a "clear and grub". First we take the top 8-12 inches of good top soil off and put it in a big pile. Imagine five football fields one foot deep with dirt, all in a pile. Then we take the trees out, including root systems (About 750 large trees). Then we burn stuff. Next we cut up to 8 feet in some sections and lay it out on the low parts. Every 8 inches of "fill" requires compaction (sheep's foot) and soil compaction tests (called, "geotechnical", costs $$$). Basically we cut from the high parts and spread out on the low areas, all across the five football fields. This results in the final "grade", so I can then site the building at 610 feet above sea level. We have the exact location already determined, just need the level.

After that (probably a couple of weeks), we trench for the footers and set up forms for the basement walls. Above that we "stick build". The basement will have a large part at 8 foot ceilings (about 46 by 40) and a smaller part (14 by 40) at about 15-16 feet high (for the car hoist). That will be in concrete step down walls, with stick building up to the ceilings. The top floor will be all stick built, and dimensions are 44 by 40. Final square footage will be 4160 (2400 basement with 1760 main floor). I am trying to keep the support columns to a minimum and am using pre-built trusses. The floor of the main level will be done with engineered I-beam lumber (the kind you see with elephants on them!). That will also serve as the ceiling to the basement area.

Monday I go down and check out the lumber list, along with prices. A foundation company is doing the side wall work. I have a framer lined up to do the stick building. I may do the concrete flatwork (floors, walkways, and so forth) myself. I'm OK at concrete, just don't have the forms and they cost a lot to rent. I'm going to do the roofing and siding, along with the rough and finished interior work. Electrical and HVAC will probably be subbed out. I will do the rough plumbing and drainage work.

I have no idea what this will cost when complete. I kinda want to keep it that way, so I don't get cold feet. It's like building that blessed 409 stroker, who knows what it will really take in terms of time and money? All I know is when I am done, I should be able to host the next Convention :) :) :)

My '62SS is suffering due to my attention elsewhere, but in the end, what's a deadline? Just some objective someone has that can't be met or satisfied :)

More stories and pics when I get to various stages. Right now, I am busy painting the chassis black parts for the '62SS. Should have those done this weekend. Doesn't look good for getting the SS done before KC and September 15th. I may have to tow it there in whatever stage it is in just to prove to you guys that I am hard at work. It's hard to believe that I started dismantling in October and still don't have an semblance of a vehicle :(

Hope no one else has my glacier-like progress / habits, and that all your projects are coming to fruition. Phil Reed has been a real help in getting all the pieces to fall together, but it's up to me to assemble them!

Cheers,
TomK