Reply To: Building my Pierce Arrow shop

[Robert Coates]

James hit the nail on the head. My father-in-law and I have been looking at these for 10 years, and watched the progression of the designs. I had a ’66 Mustang roll on me using cheap ramps and jack stands, I would NEVER compromise on quality again. Buy the better unit or buy a lot of life insurance.

I built a 30 by 44 garage at our River house on the Northern Neck of Virginia 10 years ago with the intent to retire there and restore cars. Hopefully some day… Make the garage height at least 12 feet 6 inches to cover for the Packard and the Pierce. In designing the slab, I made sure there was a slight but positive slope from the back wall to the doors using 5 inches of 3500 to 4000 lb concrete with both wire mesh and fiberglass strands in the concrete. I then made an educated guess (this was 2003) as to where the posts would be (I assumed a two post lift then), and dug two holes approximately a yard square. Jak, for you that is a meter ! I then filled the hole with a lattice of #4 (half inch) rebar, and left four pieces sticking up through the top, with the top of the concrete at the bottom of the final grade of the slab. I then used 2 by 4’s as a perimeter, and poured the entire garage slab, leaving the lift base 4 inches low. The garage now has the wood around the perimeter with a plywood cover until the lift is installed. The lift manufacturer can provide a drawing showing the exact locations for the lift posts and the bolt holes. When you order the lift, you construct a metal plate with holes to accommodate the four rebars with studs (stainless is best) set to accommodate the posts, weld the plate to the rebar, fill the area flush with concrete to the height of the existing floor, and wait for the lift delivery. Concrete needs at least a week, and preferably longer to cure. The lift should fit perfectly on a very sound foundation for the cost of a couple of yards of concrete and some steel.

One thing we all seem to forget is the power requirements for these lifts. I would provide for a circuit large enough (and with the correct voltage class) to accommodate the largest lift you will need. You can use larger capacity wire than you need, not smaller. If your code allows, add a floor drain so you can wash salt off cars in the winter.