Well, not really, just one pit.
When I was using the backhoe to dig the footings for my garage walls I dug this and while placing the concrete I put the bottom in to lay the block on so that I'd have a grease pit to make it easier to under the vehicle work and not have to lay on my back and work and not use ramps or a jack. When not in use I lay inch thick plywood in the recessed ledge for a cover so I don't worry about falling in. I have been using it for 24 years and haven't succumbed to accumulated fumes and never work without proper ventillation. I used it yesterday to replace all of my truck's armored flex brake lines and I was glad I had it, but that's a subject for another post later. It makes changing the oil and all other under car/truck work a lot easier. JiffyLube has nothing on me, oil changes in 15 minutes, at home
Carter
Life Member:
Delta, Peach Bottom Fish & Game Assn.
Boy, do I want once of them in my shop! Oh, and the pit too!
-John
Member of Dixie Division MVC
1953 USAF M37 wow, restored
1962 M151 Ford Production, on the rotisserie now
1953 USMC M37 w/w -in storage
1942 M6 Bomb Service Truck (sold to UK collector)
1967 M116A1 Pioneer Trailer
1968 M101A1 Trailer
S-89 Comm box
refit1701 wrote:Boy, do I want once of them in my shop! Oh, and the pit too!
Thanks;
Both were a lot of work. I use the pit more than I do the truck and it took more than 20 yrs to get to where it is now but it's not done yet, did you notice the missing bolt in the tail gate bracket? The threads are stripped and that's one more thing on the to-do list, but it is a nice looking M37, even if I do say so my self
Carter
Life Member:
Delta, Peach Bottom Fish & Game Assn.
On my original bed, that exact bolt broke off when I was taking it apart.
It's a conspiracy!
Beautiful truck though.
-John
Member of Dixie Division MVC
1953 USAF M37 wow, restored
1962 M151 Ford Production, on the rotisserie now
1953 USMC M37 w/w -in storage
1942 M6 Bomb Service Truck (sold to UK collector)
1967 M116A1 Pioneer Trailer
1968 M101A1 Trailer
S-89 Comm box
Nice pit!! I wanted one in my second garage ,but time and money were short ,so I didn't get it. I still want one and would like one soon. What are the dimensions of yours, and what do you use for steps??
Thanks. DJ
PS. Am still trying to convince the warden a lift in the tall garage( 14' ceilings) is what I need.
I wanted to put a pit in when I built my garage but the engineering study required by the county added over 2000.00 to the price of the permit!!! so no go. Oh well been on a creeper for over thirty years why change now
That is a mighty nice truck!!
I drilled and ground my broke bolt out. Then after all that, got a new bed.
-John
Member of Dixie Division MVC
1953 USAF M37 wow, restored
1962 M151 Ford Production, on the rotisserie now
1953 USMC M37 w/w -in storage
1942 M6 Bomb Service Truck (sold to UK collector)
1967 M116A1 Pioneer Trailer
1968 M101A1 Trailer
S-89 Comm box
DJ wrote:Nice pit!! I wanted one in my second garage ,but time and money were short ,so I didn't get it. I still want one and would like one soon. What are the dimensions of yours, and what do you use for steps??
Thanks. DJ
PS. Am still trying to convince the warden a lift in the tall garage( 14' ceilings) is what I need.
The pit is 84" X 36" and at one time I had concrete block for steps but they took up to much room so I removed them and now use a short stepladder leaning against the wall which I relocate as needed depending on what I am working on.
Before deciding on a pit I checked out lifts but there was no way I could justify the cost of one for only hobby use and I don't have enough headroom as my ceiling height is only 10' and the pit cost almost nothing to build. I had free use of the backhoe and also free concrete for both the concrete block garage wall footings, the bottom in the pit and the garage floor from a friend of mine who owned several concrete plants and a fleet of delivery trucks. The block for the pit walls were part of the ones I bought and hauled on my Ford F500 flat bed that I got surplus from the navy at a bid sale for $551.99. After I used it for several years I sold it for $1200 which paid for all the block I used building the garage. I did all the block laying so basically everything was free except for the lumber and shingles for the roof.
Carter
Life Member:
Delta, Peach Bottom Fish & Game Assn.
rixm37 wrote:I wanted to put a pit in when I built my garage but the engineering study required by the county added over 2000.00 to the price of the permit!!! so no go. Oh well been on a creeper for over thirty years why change now
That is a mighty nice truck!!
$2000
All I did was draft a set of plans, go to the county engineer that I worked for as a bridge inspector, get him to stamp and OK them and I was ready to build. No charge! No county building inspector ever came to see what I was doing. I guess they figured I knew what I was doing and I was building for my self so I did it correctly. Another friend was a licenced electrical contractor so we trenched and buried the 230V. 100 amp. service, did the entrance panel/inside wiring, also no charge except the supplies. I guess it's all about who you know.
Carter
Life Member:
Delta, Peach Bottom Fish & Game Assn.
Hi carter. IT just looked like it would become a big hassle for something so simple. Here in Tucson they inspect every step of a building even garages. And they will make you tear it down if they don't see it on the approved plans or they cant see it exposed. Same will happen if you build without a permit and they find it out. I guess that over the years lots of hacks got away with bad building practices and so the laws and codes are really tough here now. ON my final I had a run in with the inspector over minor stuff. I had to do a bunch of little sh?>t to meet the notes left on the final insp form. They were pissed I had my M and my Bronco in the garage already before they had passed the final. What a pain in the A';/. that was. Anyway I love my garage and it was worth it but it would have been frosting on the cake to have a pit.
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