Garage

Haggerty has classic/antique insurance that pay on an "agreed upon" value,
likely I could have gotten a policy for under $500 a year.

I knew this, but ASSUMED it would be covered under contents.
Then I was informed that if it was insurable, it is not covered.
For example, my skidsteer was not insurable, so it was covered.

Red was two wrecked bodies grafted together, front half/back half,
and I just used the number plate already on the front half.

It was extremely difficult to find the old parts, and expensive if you did.
Some were spares that I had to coax and cajole away from the owners.
Other people heard of my project and actually contacted me,
like the guy in Cali that had the rear and wheels.
Over almost 5 years on one project, you get (I got) attached to Red.

 

Took all-day today to remove the burned exterior fiberglass sheets from the walls.
Peeled most with one tooth of excavator bucket, some from inside, and some by hand.
All that is left is one 10' X 10' roll up door that needs to be removed to get the
fiberglass sheets from behind it. (And the entire roof is still on, but now leaks.)
Lucky I have an excavator to get the sheets loaded into the dumpster.
3' bucket w/thumb picks up the sheets easily if you stand them on edge,
reach over top, and grab them over the top and squeeze. 85 degree good day.

Can't get over the damage done in one hour from everything being on fire.
That melting 3" thk. foam sheet insulation was like napalm. Devastating.

 

Today I had a 7 AM appointment to have my new transmission diagnosed at the
local Allison automatic service center. Issue was hi revs and no speed?
8 thousand dollars and it lasts 6 months? WTF? It's not the cost; it's the downtime.
On the way, it quit on a hill in front of 6 cars, had to be towed in the rest of the way.
Cost me 400 bucks. Great, I mean, just great. I am trying to stay positive.

What else could possibly happen??
Don't ever say "what else," you'll find out what else.

 

So the transmission sensor lost comm with Computer, and they added two dedicated lines.
$875.00 later, we're good to go. Included 5 hours diagnostic, for a problem service manager
told me he had a fix for, as we were signing it in??? Thanks, buddy.
For a grand total of $1275.00 loss.

 

I had a public adjuster team, over a 6 day period, itemize over 2,800 Excel Spreadsheet line items,
with a Link to click on - for each picture taken of each item, (it was basically storage for tools,)
so there isn't much wiggle room for them to try to play me. The sentimental value stuff hurts, tho.
I just want to be made whole; I paid in 32 years w/o any claims, ever. What a disaster.
I collected tools since 1971, after grad. high school, and never sold or traded anything.
I turn 71 in a month, I don't need this (s*&%) now in my life!!!

 

Thought for the day

Quote from A.J. "Trucker" Newell, (R.I.P) :
Cheer up; it'll get worse.
He means - we will look back on today as the "good old days."

I'm afraid I will not be able to rebuild the steel building after the fire.

I WAS going to have steel roofing and siding put on the existing steel frame.
I have a 24 foot span of bar joist steel trusses, 40 feet long,
I was going to put a new center support post up in the middle,
and run a 4x4 structural tubing front to back under trusses, to split the span in half.

I think it would work, I think you could run bulldozers around up there,
open span reduced from 24' to 12' - but i'm sure the zoning gods would frown on it.
And in the end be tyrannical, and deny me an occupancy permit.
SO...
A new pole barn would have been pre-engineered and have certs.

As I cannot see anyone certifying the structural soundness of this;
Reluctantly, seeing no option, other than to tear it down for the foundation and floor.

Cheer up; it'll get worse.
Sure did, but I ain't out yet.

 

Thanks, man,
Agreed, but you never win with the all powerful zoning gods.
First, they can deny you a permit, or put a stop work order on you.
Then they can come and inspect. and take pictures.
That just gives them the opening to nose around your property.
They are not here to help you.

If I go with an engineered pole barn, THEY go to the township and get permits.
I really don't want to deal with the bat rastard cheese eater zoning people.
Those who produce nothing.