Nick Mason may have built his reputation playing drums for Pink Floyd, but he’s now known as an accomplished car collector. Mason’s garage includes a Ferrari 250 GTO (worth somewhere between $20 million and $46 million), a Ferrari BB/LM, a Lola T297 and about 40 other classic cars. To house them all he owns two hangers, which are packed nearly bumper to bumper.
While you probably don’t need this much space for your own car collection, you still should figure out the best way to store your vehicles. Here are some tips on how to set up your garage and show off your car collection.
Plan Your Storage Space
Unlike Mason, your home probably has limited garage space, so you need to plan how you’re going to store your collection. Your main options include optimizing your existing garage space, building a second garage or supplementing your space with an external garage facility.
If you need to create more space in your garage, consider installing one or more hydraulic lifts so you can store vehicles vertically. Maximize your vertical space, and install shelving systems to help you conserve floor space.
Maintain Proper Atmospheric Conditions
Proper conditions are crucial for collectible car storage. Ideally, you should store your cars at temperatures below 70 degrees with humidity between 40 and 50 percent, according to Road Scholars. Stable conditions are best. For example, opening the garage door all day while you’re working on your car and then closing it at night can create temperature fluctuations that affect your vehicle.
To get control of your garage’s atmospheric conditions, start by checking conditions with a thermometer and humidity gauge. Then consult an HVAC specialist to get their recommendations on how to adjust conditions to maintain proper temperature and humidity.
Organize for Frequent Maintenance
Maintenance is everything when it comes to car collecting. Without maintenance, your investment can become a tragic junk pile, which may then lead you into wanting to get rid of any older vehicles & save the cash for a newer one.
Organize your garage space to make maintenance easy. This way you’ll be less tempted to procrastinate because you can’t get at your car or tools easily. A hydraulic lift and shelving may help here as well. Make sure you have room to get under the hood and that all the tools you need are within easy reach.
Decorate With Memorabilia
Collecting cars is all about style. Choose a theme for your garage, and then find automotive memorabilia that fits. These can include books, magazines, posters, models, marketing materials, newspaper announcements of car races and trophies. Get a display case where you can show off your memorabilia.
Protect Your Investment With Solid Security
A car collection is an expensive investment, and it’s worth your while to protect your property. Install a good security system in your garage that includes locks, window guards, HD security camera system, motion sensors, alarms and sprinkler system in the event of fire. Disable your garage door’s emergency release lever and remove the cord so a thief can’t open the door by inserting a hanger through the top of the door. In case a thief does manage to break in, make sure you insure your vehicles. If security and convenience are your priority, take a look at these garage door openers on Car Bibles, and choose the perfect one for your garage.
