Surf City Garage Car Care Products

I really like their products and that's why I sell them. Surf City Garage developed their car care products for their use on the huge car collection they own. You can learn more about their products on the Surf City Garage website and view videos on youtube.

DASH-AWAY is great for your interior but I've used it to clean my convertible top also.

Road Trip works great on the difficult road grime. I recently used it to remove duct tape adhesive from my track car and it simply melted it away.

Japanese Classic Car Show

A couple of weeks ago I found my trip to Southern California was over a weekend when the Japanese Classic Car Show was being held in Long Beach. I've owned a few Japanese cars over the years and thought this event might bring back a few memories. Only in California will you find Datsuns and Toyotas never sold east of the Mississippi. I saw well preserved sedans, station wagons, and pickups I've never seen before. Lots of Datsun 240Z cars and a bunch of Datsun 2000 sports cars. Mazda was represented by a number of early RX7 models in showroom condition and a couple of rotary powered pickup trucks from the early seventies. The interesting Toyotas included a 2000GT and a big sedan that had a sign on it with "JDM Palace" written on it. Besides the pristine originals were a few highly customized show cars and race cars. It was great to see a show dedicated to the admiration and preservation of foreign cars that were not then or now priced for only those with deep pockets. The passion was evident in the crowd attending this event. When I arrived there were about 200 people in line to get tickets and two hours later when I left the line was still that long. Southern California seems to have admirers of everything foriegn or domestic that has wheels.

Do you collect die-cast vehicles?

Our interests in all things automotive likely began with a Tonka truck. Or maybe it was the Hot Wheels collection. If you're a car enthusiast you probably have a few pieces of automobilia in the garage, gameroom, or even your office. In your collection of automobilia there is probably a die-cast car, truck, or motorcycle. Your die-cast collection might be a model of a car you once owned, currently own, or wish you could afford to own. The quality and detail can vary between manufacturers as well as the pricing. My personal favorites are GMP cars and First Gear trucks. Being in the Atlanta area I've had the opportunity to visit the GMP facility for their annual car show. Roaming through their offices will have you feeling like a kid on Christmas morning. The walls are covered with various collections they've produced over the years. There are display cases for 1/64th to 1/12th size cars. A collection of artwork is displayed throughout the offices and halls. If you've been, you know what an amazing collection is there. If you ever have the chance to visit...do it. Got any favorites of your own? Tell me about your collection.

Car care product winner is...

The August winner is Hotrodnation. The Surf City Garage Car care package has a 24oz. spray bottle of Speed Demon detailer, an 8oz. bottle of Beyond Black tire treatment, and an 8oz. bottle of VooDoo Blend leather treatment. Congratulations! I'm also giving Surf City Garage swag to Chevywagon55 and racerdon. I'm doing it again for September! More Surf City Garage products for a lucky follower or someone who comments on a blog.

Make it reflect your interests!

If you like cars and motorsports you probably have a collection of ticket stubs, posters, and automobilia you've picked up over the years. Is it tucked away in a drawer, a box, or under the clutter on your work bench? Maybe it's time to turn that stuff into 'garage art' by framing it, tacking it, or some other way of attaching it to your walls. Got decals? Put them on your tool box or on the garage fridge. Mount a bulletin board and pin your latest ticket stub to it. Maybe you have a few items from garage sales or flea markets like an old sign or thermometer that could fill a bare spot on your wall. The point is to personalize your garage. Let your garage walls tell visitors what you like and where you've been. It won't be long before you'll find yourself standing in the middle of your garage and reflecting on fun you had as you collected each piece of memorabilia.

The 'BONE' Creeper

Can you say a creeper is revolutionary? Spend a little time on the BONE creeper and you'll want one. Yeah, it looks cool, but its also comfortable. The large diameter wheels allow you to roll over the stones and pebbles that bring a standard creeper to a halt.

And now there is a revolutionary mechanics seat to go with the BONE called the TAILBONE. The seat is extra large for comfort and it uses the same large diameter wheels as the BONE.

What makes a garage cabinet...

What makes a cabinet a GARAGE cabinet? How about a 400 lb. shelf capacity? Or materials that withstand temperature and humidity extremes? The UltiMATE Garage cabinets are assembled using a thermofused melamine laminate over MDF for maximum strength and stability. Cabinet doors are polyurethane coated with radius edges. Door pulls and handles are oversized 20mm diameter brushed zinc that are not only easy to grab, but make great tool and towel holders. Base and tall cabinets have 4" stainless steel adjustable feet making it easy to clean under your cabinets and adjust each cabinet on uneven ground. If you prefer to do it yourself, the cabinets come ready to assemble. For more on UltiMATE Garage cabinets and other ideas and products to make your dream garage a reality, check out our website at http://LegendaryGarage.com.

Become a blog follower...win car care products!

So here's how it works...become a follower and comment on a post...at the end of each month someone will win a Surf City Garage car care package. At the end of August, the Legendary Garage team will choose the winner of a 24oz. spray bottle of Speed Demon, 8oz. bottle of VooDoo Leather rejuvenator, and an 8oz. bottle of Beyond Black tire dressing.

Sign up now and follow the Legendary Garage.

What's in your garage...Diecast vehicles collection?

I've always been fascinated with toy cars and trucks. It probably started with Tonka trucks and evolved to plastic model cars before my 10th birthday. As an adult, my toy car obsession was reignited when I bought a few diecast vehicles from Hemmings and Eastwood. When I first put my hands on a GMP diecast GTO I could not believe the quality and detail put into that small vehicle. And I don't exactly know how it started, but I became interested in the trucks produced by First Gear. So now my growing diecast collection has a selection of GMP cars, First Gear tow trucks, and an assortment of vehicles from Hemmings, Eastwood, Mac and Snap On tools, AUTOart, and Hot Wheels. I'm in the process of evaluating display products for this growing collection. Got a diecast collection? Tell me what's in your collection and how you display them.

Keeping your cool...

This has been one HOT Summer. The thought of going into a hot garage to wrench on something just isn't exciting. You can crank up a fan or two, but you're just moving hot air around. There was a time when air conditioning meant blowing air across a block of ice. Last week I saw something not too far removed from this concept while attending the Street Rod Nationals in Louisville, Kentucky. Vendors set up indoors at the exposition center where we spent a good bit of our time because of the outside temperatures. It was inside where NAPA had a huge display and in that display was something called a PORT-A-COOL. This is a portable evaporative cooling unit. These units force air over water-soaked media and cool temperatures by 15 to 25 degrees F. It actually cools instead of recirculating hot air. The Port-A-Cool has a water reservoir that uses tap water and runs on 115 volt electricity. They had units capable of cooling 4,000sf, but the smaller, 900sf capacity unit would work in a garage or small shop and it sold for $899. The Port-A-Cool is self-contained and sits on four casters allowing you to move it around as needed. If you need more information go to http://www.port-a-cool.com/ to learn more.

CARPE NOCTEM...if you can see!

Most garages are equipped with inadequate overhead lighting in the form of bare bulbs or cheap fluorescents. If you work in the garage after sunset, either wrenching on your car or applying stain to your latest woodworking project, you need to upgrade the lighting. I prefer fluorescent lighting. For most garages, the main concern with fluorescents is the temperatures that are typical in your garage. Cheap fluorescent lighting will provide light, but will be slow to light or not at all, if the temperature drops below 55 degrees. If your garage temperatures dip below 55 degrees for extended periods of time you want fixtures with electronic ballasts. Electronic ballasts will give you good service down to 0 degrees. But if your garage gets down to 0 degrees it might be time to move! Fluorescent fixtures use either a T12 or T8 tube. Your cheaper fixtures will use the T12 tube and have an electromagnetic ballast. My preference is a fixture that uses two T8 tubes, usually more expensive, but works better in cooler temperatures because it has an electronc ballast. I've seen these in home improvement stores under $20.

After choosing the T8 fixture you have to choose the T8 tube to provide the lighting effect. You can find the tubes in two-packs with various ratings on the packaging. The Color Rendering Index(CRI) is vital for seeing colors clearly. Look for a CRI of 85 or more. Brightness, which is measured in LUMENS, is your next consideration. A 40-watt cool white fluorescent tube has 3,050 LUMENS compared to a 60-watt incandescent bulb that puts out 850 LUMENS. That's over 6,000 LUMENS for each two-tube T8 fixture! Another rating you might see on the tube packaging is color temperature. The unit of measure for color temperature is called KELVIN. A lower color temperature makes the light appear warmer. Where a common light bulb has a color temperature of 2,800 Kelvin, a cool white fluorescent has a color temperature of 4,100 Kelvin. You may have to experiment to find the color temperature you like. So how many fixtures does your garage need? This also may take some experimenting due to different ceiling heights. In general, the average garage should have fixtures 3 to 4 feet apart.

Garage Clutter...who's got it...everyone!

Your neighbor has it, you have it, and I have it. Even the neat freak and organizational fanatic has it. Garage clutter is in every garage. Some have it all the time and some have it occassionally. Nothing will help more with garage clutter, even if it's just to hide it, than cabinets. Base cabinets, wall cabinets, and wardrobe cabinets are available from a number of manufacturers. You can get steel, aluminum, or wood-based cabinets in an array of finishes and colors. Want a powder coated steel cabinet? You can get it. Or maybe a bare aluminum finish? It's pricey so open up your checkbook and get your pen. Alright, you prefer wood and you want it to look like metal so you get black melamine cabinets with a silver color powder coated MDF door. The availability of materials and finishes can satisy any taste and budget. So forget the recycled kitchen cabinets. They won't look as good and they aren't strong enough to hold tools and car parts. Besides, do you want your garage to look like a kitchen? Are you baking cupcakes or doing brake jobs?

When you plan to hide, I mean organize, the clutter are you adding a workbench? You can certainly build one yourself, but if you can't, check out the Gen

eva Garage Gear workbench. Butcher block top and steel legs tell you this workbench is built for work. It's stable thanks to bracing and adjustable feet. Add a couple of their roll-a-round base cabinets and youre ready to work on your latest home or car project.

The VIKA portable workbench

I bought a VIKA portable workbench recently and this is now one of my favorite tools. It is an extremely versatile workbench and scaffold. If you're working on your car or your home project you need one of these. In workbench mode you have a rigid portable workbench. In scaffold mode you have solid elevated platform that gives you the ability to move side-to-side or even have a friend step up to help if you need a second set of hands. Here are the features that make this a must have:

• 46 inch work length


• 3-outlet power strip


• tool tray


• small can holder


• V-groove for cutting pipe


• Dual rulers and protractor for measuring and work layout


• 500-pound capacity

You have to check this out at VIKAUSA.com to see all the features. It retails for $149 and retailers can be found on their website. Go get one now!

COOL GARAGE ACCESSORIES

My pursuits to find cool accessories for garage projects can turn up things reengineered for garage use. Did you know there is a wall-mounted vacuum cleaner, with a 20 foot hose, for the garage? Vacuum your car outside the garage or get the crud in the far corner of the floor. I had to get one of these and so should you. You've seen the white "slatwall" in retail store displays with clothing hanging from it. Well now you can get the PVC version, which is stronger, in an assortment of colors. There are different manufacturers of "slatwall" with their own line of hooks, shelves, and baskets. Few of these accessories are interchangable between manufacturers, so do your homework to insure you get what you need.

The first area to upgrade in any garage project is the floor. Did you know you can change the look of your floor in about 30 minutes? A product known as G-GLOOR, a vinyl mat, can be purchased in different length and width dimensions to custom fit your entire floor or just cover the area where you park your pride and joy.

I'm guessing a lot of you have a creeper in your garage. Some are better than others, but they all look alike. Well now there is a revolutionary creeper called the "BONE." It's cool looking and it will make your time under your car more enjoyable. The "BONE" has large wheels at each corner that roll right over the stones and other debris that stops the average creeper. The manufacturer recently introduced a mechanic's seat called the "TAIL-BONE" built on the same wheels that glide smoothly over rough surfaces. The "TAIL-BONE" has a large, comfortable seat that resembles a tractor seat.






These are just a few of the products that get my garage a little closer to "GARAGE-MAHAL" status. If you've discovered any cool new products tell me about them. I'm always looking for things to make my garage look good and make it a better place to work on my cars.

The Endless Possibilities of Garage Space

Square foot for square foot, no other room has the versatility of the garage. Yes, it is the place you park your car and store the kids' sports equipment. But it's also a workshop, a hobby shop, an art studio, a workout room, and even an office. Some of these workshops were the birthplaces of Apple Computer, Hewlett-Packard, and the first studio for a cartoonist named Walt Disney. As families grew, the garage offered the opportunity to renovate and increase the size of the kitchen or the living room. There's room for expansion above the garage where you can add the home office or another bedroom.

Anyone who admires, owns, or collects cars spends time in the garage. Garages designed for car enthusiasts are functional, well lit, and easily accessible. Preferably the ceiling height will accommodate a car lift. Electrical wiring should support multiple power tools, a compressor, and ventilation. All of this is possible and doable with the right plan. Spend the time needed to work and rework your plan and you'll have the garage of your dreams.

Once you have the space you want, you have to fill with the stuff you want. The vehicles you have. The tools, the garage accessories, the decorations and the automobilia all reflect your tastes and interests. Signs, clocks, posters, banners, and model cars add interest. Cabinetry for your car parts and car care products eliminate the clutter. Add a powerful stereo and your ready to spend hours wrenching and waxing.

Garage Mahal, Man Cave, or Dream Garage

Do you want a dream garage? Thought so. Well, it's not out of reach. If you have a one-car or a six-car garage, your dream garage is possible. If you don't have a big budget, get creative. Stickers and decals, brand and model emblems, and license plates and hubcaps all make good decorations in the garage. Flooring options include epoxy paint from the local big box store to professionally applied polyaspartics. There is something for every budget. I'm sure you can look around and find items of interest all around you.

Racedeck, Swisstrax, G-Floor...and epoxies

The floor is the first thing to address when doing your garage. There are many flooring solutions, so do your homework. Epoxy paints work well if you invest time in the prep. Allow a week to prep, paint, and time to cure before parking on it. Interlocking tile products from Racedeck and Swisstrax, the industry leaders, are a solution that is quick and has endless creative patterns. The floor pictured is Racedeck. A simple pattern that was installed in a few hours. Another product, G-Floor, is a vinyl mat that rolls out covering the floor just where you park or wall-to-wall. It's pre-cut in various sizes. I recommend the thickest of the G-Floor products.

If your floor is reletively new and has no stains, give the epoxy products a look. For older floors or floors with cracks and stains, look at the interlocking tile or mat products. Do your homework. There is plenty of information available online.

Surf City Garage Road Trip destroys grime...and adhesives!

I have this V8 powered RX7 that I hoped would be more of a track car than a street car, but it hasn't been like that. It's a convertible that does not have a convertible top anymore. It has a serious roll bar and an aggressive stance. But it's useless when there is rain. I recently attended the Hot Rod Power Tour and got caught in the rain. Anticipating this, I brought a roll of duct tape and a sheet of plastic. When the need arose, I created a top with the plastic. Problem is I used the duct tape to secure it to the body. Yeah, you know what's left when you remove duct tape. The sticky remains do not come off easily. Several people made suggestions on what to use. The lacquer thinner suggestion was scary! So I had a bottle of Surf City Garage Road Trip with me for the road grime I expected to deal with. I tried this on the duct tape adhesive and it worked! SCG Road Trip is a gel. Let it sit, rub it gently, and off comes the junk stuck on your car. Keep in ming it removes your wax also. So you'll have to wax again.

The 'BONE' Creeper

Have you seen this creeper? Looks cool and is the most easy to use creeper you'll ever work with. The large wheels make this thing glide across the concrete. Check out my website to learn more and order one of your own.

But wait... the same company recently released the 'TAILBONE' mechanics seat. Same concept of comfort and easy to use. Again, large wheels allow you to scoot around your car.

Do you need a garage vacuum?

I have one and it's great! With all of the garage vacuums on the market none have evolved beyond the typical bulky, awkward, and space hogging units. Mine is a GarageVac manufactured in the USA with a 6 year warranty. It's a sleek, powerful, injection molded from polycarbonate vacuum with a 12 amp, 113 cfm twin fan 5 peak HP turbo motor. Installation is simple. The 40 foot stretch hose and all tools are in one place . Want one? Check out the http://LegendaryGarage.com shopping cart.

Die-cast collections

Are you a die-cast car collector? Most of us have a few replicas of our favorite race cars or dream cars. Some of us have hundreds. Whatever your interests are there is likely a replica being produced by someone. There are several manufacturers who rate very high with collectors including AutoART and GMP. Both of these companies have race cars, sports cars, muscle cars, and classic cars. Looking for a classic BMW, AutoART probably has it. Looking for a vintage '32 Ford Hot Rod, GMP probably has it. If your interests lean toward commercial vehicles, then you probably are aware of First Gear die-casts. Do you want to add a classic tow truck or stake bed truck to your collection? Check out First Gear. But don't think you're limited to replica vehicles. There are die-cast clocks, motors, and all the accessories to create your own diorama garage or drag race. If you've limited yourself to Hot Wheels, you should check out some of these companies. The quality will blow you away!

Garage Inspiration...Books and Magazines

There's great cars and great stories in the pages of "Garage Style" magazine. The stories of the inspiration behind the car collections and the garages where they are kept are written by true enthusiasts. The garages may belong to individuals, businesses, and clubs throughout the country. The magazine is based in Orange County in Southern California and usually has a garage or two from that area. You might read a 3-part story about Jay Leno's collection and a story of an individual holding on to a dusty, covered-up Duesenberg purchased by a distant relative following World War II. There could be stories about collectors of engine parts, model cars, or automobilia all kept in a garage, basement, or building built specifically to house the collection. I urge you to get a copy, find a quiet corner where you won't be found, and devour this magazine from front to back.

After you've been inspired by "Garage Style" magazine, you'll want to check out "How To Build Your Dream Garage" by Motorbooks. This book will help you organize your thoughts and put a plan on paper. You'll begin to understand the inner workings of a garage and the systems needed to make it suitable for your activities. Construction, electricity, and plumbing are all covered in detail to help you build the garage of your dreams. Options for flooring, cabinets, and storage organization are addressed. By the time you're through researching with the help of this book, you will have planned the most well equipped, envy inspiring garage in the neighborhood.

Fuller Hot Rods...a cool garage visit!

I doubt that most people want their home garage to look like the local auto repair shop. But I feel certain if you paid a visit to Fuller Hot Rods in Atlanta you'd want your garage to resemble this garage. Murals on walls, antique bikes hanging from the rafters, and pinstriping on the equipment tell you right away this is a place where the creative juices flow. Bryan Fuller, who you may recognize from the SPEEDTV program 'Two Guys Garage," actually earns his living as a fabricator in Atlanta. Fuller Hot Rods is staffed by a group of young, talented craftsmen. Bryan is the 'old man' in this group and he isn't 40 years old. His love of speed is evident in the murals, pictures, and posters on the walls.

So think about your memorabilia and be creative in how to use it in your garage. Don't be discouraged wondering if your stuff is worthy to hang your walls. Have you been to an art gallery lately? Your stuff IS worthy.

Dream garage...this one's off to a great start!

I met Dick less than two years ago when he was researching cabinets for his new garage. The garage was well planned and well executed. The lighting was brilliant and the electricity was installed to handle any load needed in a working garage. A 220 volt circuit was installed for the Mohawk lift. The temperature is maintained at a comfortable level by a small, built in unit mounted on the rear wall. The walls are painted white and the floor was finished with U-Coat-It epoxy. Dick did the floor himself and said it was a little more time consuming than he initially anticipated. But it sure looks good. The garage is now home to a Porsche Cayman. Dick enjoys maintaining his car, participating in the occasional car cruise, and listening to the sounds coming out of the exhaust as he goes through the gears.

UltiMATE Garage Cabinets

This state of the art system transforms your garage into a functional workspace and provides plenty of storage options for tools, sports gear, and home maintenance equipment. The UltiMATE Garage cabinets are assembled using a thermofused melamine laminate over MDF for maximum strength and stability. Polyurethane coated doors and drawer facings have radius edges and give a clean, finished, and refined look. Cabinets come ready to assemble and are designed to hold up to 400 lbs. Oversized 20mm diameter brushed zinc pulls and handles provide comfort and double as shop towel and tool holders. Base and tall cabinets have 4" stainless steel adjustable feet making it easy to clean under your cabinets and adjust each cabinet on uneven ground. Assembly is simple thanks to pre-installed drawer guides and runners, step-by-step instructions, and friendly and knowledgeable customer support.

Check out LegendaryGarage.com for pricing information.

Garage Envy!

My friend Bill discovered a few years ago he REALLY likes Porsche. First it was a Boxter S, then a Carrera S, then a Turbo Cabriolet. As you can see, he still has the Turbo, but has added a 911 GT3! He tells me he will soon add a 911 GT3RS. I REALLY like Bill. I won't list everything in Bill's collection, but it does include a '65 Corvette convertible, a '69 Camaro Pace Car, a '69 Mustang Mach I, a '79 Ferrari 308, a Nissan GT-R, and more. I installed RaceDeck flooring and Black cabinets in his garage. The cabinets have a melamine finish and black edge banding. The upper cabinets have a simulated carbon fiber look. There is also a wall where slatwall was installed

to get some of the kids' sports gear off the floor. The counter top is clearcoated MDF. Great looking, very durable, and inexpensive to replace. My current project involves a cabinet system on wheels with a powder coated finish. This one will not be ready for pictures for a while, but I may tease you with a few cabinet pictures.

Check out Bill's garage!

WOW! Check out this dream garage.

Bill D. sent me a few pictures of his 60'x40' garage where he keeps his toys and entertains friends. Bill's place has a Full Swing Golf Simulator, card table, and a bar with a 40" TV, stove, fridge, and dishwasher. As you see he has a lift with Racedeck flooring. Outside is a covered 20'x30' area where Bill keeps his truck and trailer.

Bill has vintage Coke machines and signs around the garage. This is also where he keeps his Diasy BB gun collection. Bill's place looks like a cool place to hang out. Great job Bill. I'd like to hear about other garages out there. Maybe you have a question or comment for Bill. I know I could talk to Bill for hours about every aspect of his garage.