[Gary Logan]

I'm curious what creative ideas you've used to store cars that don't quite meet "HOA standards."

About six years ago, I moved away from my acreage and shop and left my '65 Catalina four-door hardtop parked at a friend's place. He now needs me to move it so he can build his new home.

Since the car has been sitting for so long, it needs quite a bit of work, and I don't have any garage space where I live now. I also don't want to spend more on storage than the car is worth.

What creative or budget-friendly solutions have you found for storing project cars in situations like this?

[Rachelsdad]

Well... As a guy with too many cars in his driveway "until I build that new 4-car, double high garage," your post got me curious. Check out this site, perhaps:

https://www.extraspace.com/

You may be able to find outdoor parking spaces (think RV parking) and then you could get a decent cover (all of my cars in the driveway have covers).

Alternatively, some storage facilities have units large enough for some cars (8x18, 9x18), but of course indoor storage is generally more than outdoor.

If something more interesting comes to mind, I'll pass it along.

GL HTH

[Trulyvintage]

Six years in storage at a friends house
and you have yet to start working on
it and are not motivated now.
Unless you want to store it in
your garage, perhaps it is time to
pass it along to someone who will.

Jim

[Rachelsdad]

I dunno...

The owner of the X-400 bought it around '82, I think, and started the restoration in 2006/7, finishing around 2015.

One of these days, I'll get back to my '82 Firebird SE, which has been waiting patiently since '95.

Everyone is different in this regard. We all have different priorities and responsibilities which vie for our time, attention, and resources.

[SRGN]

Send it to body shop jail, it should buy you at least a couple years, and when you get it back it's going to look pretty good. Just negotiate the price beforehand.

[Gary Logan]

It was running and driving when I had to leave it behind. I could only take one with me when I moved 2+ hours away for work. The 2+2 won. Then last year we had to move 4 hours in the opposite direction to an even smaller space that I don't own and it has an HOA. My 22 yo son has "dibs" on the 4dr. At least that's his story.
I am almost done with the major checklist on the 2+2. So I want to bring the 4dr closer than 2+ hours away so that we can go through it and at least get it back on the road so that he can have a toy too.
The HOA docs say it needs to be licensed, insured, and operational. I see nothing about pretty.
I have looked at extra space and a few others. They are in the $150 to $180 range per month and most around here don't allow you to work on them and they have to be drivable. I have also looked on sites like https://www.neighbor.com/ That gets interesting to say the least. Its like Airbnb for your junk. I found one fenced gravel lot for $50 but I'm not sure just how long it would be before the car disappeared. It was a little sketchy.
I used to rely on friends in the area for leads on car stuff, but I haven't made the right contacts here yet.
The body shop jail is the best idea so far.

[GTOnly70]

Originally Posted by Gary Logan

It was running and driving when I had to leave it behind. I could only take one with me when I moved 2+ hours away for work. The 2+2 won. Then last year we had to move 4 hours in the opposite direction to an even smaller space that I don't own and it has an HOA. My 22 yo son has "dibs" on the 4dr. At least that's his story.

Seems the perfect solution would be to let your son exercise his dibs.

[Gary Logan]

Originally Posted by GTOnly70

Seems the perfect solution would be to let your son exercise his dibs.

I failed to mention that he lives with me so it would still be in the driveway. Good thought though.