Dream garage design opinions

A 4 post car hoist. "car parking" ones start from around £1500.

Space to put the shell on a spit. It makes it far easier to weld floors back in.

How many panels can be replaced before the car it not an "original unmodified bodyshell" and has to be Q reg? Classic Car SOS replaced every bit of a Ford Escort Mexico except the roof!

Assuming you do replace all the panels, it is still OK. Changing the entire shell for a used one, a different matter.

I will have space in the main garage for a spit and a 4 post lift. I have both.

Most of the time I will be working on things off the car on benches or trestles. But also aware of space constraints, hence the in-floor scissor lift.

Inspection pit?

Obviously you lose some convenience, but save the cost/complexity and to an extent, for cheaper hoists, better safety.

Just how often do you need an inspection pit?

A means of lifting the car while the wheels hang free would be my ideal. Not necessarily high enough to walk under it.

I may excavate one outside, as I'm on quite a slope, I have to build up a level parking area. I plan to have a smoooth concrete slab outside with a water and electricity supply for jet washing etc, so may, as part of that, work in some pit or hollow I can drive over for work on vans or tractors etc I can't get in the workshop or on the lift. Good thinking Batman!

Well, not often - I'd guess I'd use it a few times a year.

I hate crawling under the car - even when it's on axle stands.

My ideal would be a lift that worked on the wheels and the chassis. But I've often thought a pit would be a good compromise. As it is I don't even have a garage ;-)

If you are on a slope that may make the problem of drainage for the pit a bit easier, or not.

Back when I lived in the US, I met the guy who was the announcer at the annual Pebble Beach Concours.

I went to his house a couple of times, and saw his garage. It was sized four cars wide and three cars deep. The left side was taken up with the steps from the house, and an inspection pit. Not bad for a Methodist minister. He died a few years ago now.