Re: Do it yourself garages

["Janet Scruggs" <scruggs@mbay.net>]

In addition to Steve, I too, have pondered the same.  And for the same
reasons of liability in our it's-always-someone-else's-fault society have
discarded the concept as a commercial enterprise.

But... I believe the matter would be different if the shop/garage were part
of membership in a club.  Membership in a club brings with it
acknowledgement of the risks and nature of that type of activity... or at
least the possibility of reduced liability exposure.  I'm thinking of a club
that use to exist in NYC called the "Goat Alley Garage."  It was a car club,
for wealthy types, that had at their disposal a rather complete facility for
working on their automotive projects.  Was said that one could see
everything from Ferrari's to hot rods under the wrench.  You didn't have to
be out of there at the end of the day and projects could last months or
years.  The club owned the major equipment... compressors, jacks, hoists,
pullers... for the use of it's members and the members usually had their own
tools.  Seems like they did have at least one person that 'ran' the place
and served as the on-site expert.  Always sounded like a good job for a
retired mechanic.

Years ago in Capitol Heights, MD area outside of DC, I located what I
thought would be a perfect facility from which to operate a 'club garage'...
it was a boat sales place which went out of business... shop space, high
fences and everything, but found there were not enough gearheads at work to
reach a critical mass.

Still, an idea that may work with the right combination of factors.  Ideas?

Regards, Gross Scruggs