Anyone ever wrench in a storage unit?

sloFOUR

sloFOUR

Forum Member
Got a house, but no driveway or garage, and no room for any of it either. So I bought my DSM and put it in a storage unit down the road. Pulling the trans tomorrow. Anyone spend a lot of time in one of these? Any tips? Management is cool with me doing whatever I want, they didnt seem to care at all.
 
I have a 50x60 unit with 16 ft ceilings that I wrench out of. Lighting is great, but it's 110 and theres only ONE plug outlet in it, so that kind of sucks. But I make do with it.

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Back 20 years ago when I had a storage unit there was a guy down the isle from me that had 4 10x20's all opened up together as one and he used it as a backyard type auto repair. There was even a family living in one during the summer. It's funny some of the shit you see at storage facilities if you hang out there enough.
 
Years ago I used to rent out a 30x50 spot up on the 3rd floor at the old Packard Plant. It used to be sectioned off and rented out as an industrial park. Came with one 110 outlet, no lights, and no facilities. But I did a lot of wrenching there for $50 a month.
 
Some facility's may have rules against it... but its a great idea.
Years ago I knew many people that ran side auto repairs out of one on Van Dyke in sterling heights (manager allowed it)
The rented 3-4 in a row and removed the dividing walls. (40 bucks for a 10x30 back then)
In the winter they used electric & propane for heat.
They could work all night... no one around to bug them or complain about noise.
They expanded a little on the lighting... added some conduit and plugs but they still had limited power.
 
Detroit Gearbox said:
Some facility's may have rules against it... but its a great idea.
Years ago I knew many people that ran side auto repairs out of one on Van Dyke in sterling heights (manager allowed it)
The rented 3-4 in a row and removed the dividing walls. (40 bucks for a 10x30 back then)
In the winter they used electric & propane for heat.
They could work all night... no one around to bug them or complain about noise.
They expanded a little on the lighting... added some conduit and plugs but they still had limited power.
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I looked at getting storage unit for this reason, cheapest I found was $125 a month in my area(Shelby Township)

I am just going to move into condo with a attached garage, be about the same increase.
 
BigWheelinBubba said:
Back 20 years ago when I had a storage unit there was a guy down the isle from me that had 4 10x20's all opened up together as one and he used it as a backyard type auto repair. There was even a family living in one during the summer. It's funny some of the shit you see at storage facilities if you hang out there enough.
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This seemed to be pretty much the norm in Florida. :facepalm: but to OP I haven't done any wrenching because my place said specifically no working on vehicles....shit I couldn't even put my bike in one. Although I've worked out of garages with no power and that's a pain in the ass but you make due with what ya got.
 
I made sure I could do whatever I wanted before I signed the agreement. The only rules are I will pay my lease and I wont store anything explosive, other than that I can do whatever. I have no electrical hook up in the unit, across from it there is an outlet I was told I could use. Well someone blew the breaker or something, it isnt working and manger said he is waiting on an electrician.

That would be crazy to rent space in the old packard plant for something like this now, you would need an armed guard to watch it while you were away.

And there are no on site restrooms. There is a speedway about a mile away. I just go behind my car with the hood open and pee in something, then dump it outside when no one is looking. :fart:
 
I did before. You can get those little plugs that screw into the light socket on the ceiling but be careful with how much you put through it
 
I wrenched out of a 12 x 30 when I lived in Texas. Same experience as so many others: It was kinda cool!
One guy had 2 spots and was doing car stereo installs. Another guy with a double was running a full-blown auto repair.
If the landlord is OK with it, you are all set. I would be concerned about security. A generator and compressor would be mighty tempting to the theiving rat bastards. Hope you get some electricity in there!! Or at least available.
 
sloFOUR said:
I made sure I could do whatever I wanted before I signed the agreement. The only rules are I will pay my lease and I wont store anything explosive, other than that I can do whatever. I have no electrical hook up in the unit, across from it there is an outlet I was told I could use. Well someone blew the breaker or something, it isnt working and manger said he is waiting on an electrician.

That would be crazy to rent space in the old packard plant for something like this now, you would need an armed guard to watch it while you were away.

And there are no on site restrooms. There is a speedway about a mile away. I just go behind my car with the hood open and pee in something, then dump it outside when no one is looking. :fart:
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Keep a 5 gal bucket and bags on hand.. Some ass wipes or TP. Avoid white castles if you know you are going out to work in the unit!
 
There are security cameras out there and the manager lives on site so I am not worried about theft really.

I was just gonna buy a couple harbor freight specials anyway. Nothing worth anything.
 
Beigg said:
Keep a 5 gal bucket and bags on hand.. Some ass wipes or TP. Avoid white castles if you know you are going out to work in the unit!
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haha. I would keep an old McDonolds bag and napkins around in I couldnt make it to the nearest fast food to use the latrine.
 
a lot of facilities turn off access to their gates after hours so make sure you know if and when that happens. I used to work for a storage company and they would turn of the gates after 10:00PM. a lot of people would get stuck and would have to call the police to get them out.
 
When I was 19 and didn't have $ for a hotel, i used to take my ex, in the back seat of my 77 Delta right up into the storage unit. Called it the park and fuck back then lol. Oh the memories :D
 
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