Stacking porsches with a lift

[Danglerb]

My condo assoc CC&R's require two cars in the garage before they issue a permit (with a monthly fee) to park another vehicle in the complex. Over the last few months the lax older practice that allowed me to accumulate stuff for 15 years was reversed, and I have until the middle June to fit two cars into the garage or lose my parking permit for the wife's car, which is NOT an option.

I've currently got my parts car stuffed into one side, and a bunch of commercial shelving along all three walls. Serious shelves, 8 to 10 feet high, 12, 18, and 24 inches deep filled with stuff. More than you might imagine possible, plus half a dozen full size rolling wire rack shelving units (6'x6'x18"). 928 parts from several cars and motors, old computer stuff I collected, tools, plenty of misc junk.

My plan is to install a lift on one side so a second car fits under the car on the lift, and concentrate remaining stuff on the other side. Condo politics I hope are over, the board accepted my plan, so this thread is all about the details of stacking two Porsche's with a lift in my typical condo two car garage.

Issues as I see them;

Storage loft above my garage door opening, about 5' down from the ceiling, about 6' deep, full of a lot of stuff, and runs the full width of the garage.

Sectional garage door retracts on rails a few inches below the shelf.

This is SoCal, earthquakes happen, so the lift needs to be pretty secure to have a car up on it 24/7.

4 post drive on ramp style is hands down the best option for pure car storage, but its weak for cost, working on the car, and installation space.

2 post asymmetrical arm lift seems like the best option for working on a car, but some question about stability, and it needs some care when lifting and locating the pickup points.

Some stuff has to go, my existing scissor lift, bulky car parts I've saved like fenders, doors, seats, and the whole chassis of the parts car. That will get its own thread.

*** Next I do some measurements, make some diagrams, and consider some options.

[tmpusfugit]

I installed a 4 post lift several months ago. I should have done it years ago.....I have 12' of ceiling height, so I can put 2 cars in easily, can actually leave the hood up on the top 928 and it just brushes the ceiling in the topmost position. It is harder to work on the car than it would be with a 2 post lift, but for purposes of storage, much better....

I have, IMO, questionable concrete in my floor, so the 2 post was not viable. The 4 post can be moved about whith wheels that came with it, can be "installed" in a couple of minutes, I can move the lift outside to power wash chassis and the like...the 4 post lift cost me $2000 and the company that sells them here in Houston was 3 miles from my house. I installed it myself, it weighs 1700 pounds, so it would be better with 2 people. But, with an engine hoist I was able to move everything a piece at a time. Took about 6 hours to put it all together....

I have manual lift door, I have looked the side mount optional garage door lifts, just haven't justified the extra $$$ as i can lift and close a couple fo times a day for free....

[Pete R]

I have done a lot of research on lifts as I was going to put in another garage last spring before a financial glitch halted the project. One of the distributors of these guys is right down the street from me so it's where I checked them out. Greg Smith Equipment Sales Inc. - The lift professionals with quality automotive equipment at discount prices. There a very few manufactures, yet they are stickered and painted different and sold under different names.
They do not recommend 2 post lifts for storage. You need at least 4 (don't quote me) inches of 3000 psi concrete also to bolt them down. A 2 post is also much wider as you have to "drive through". You also have the inconvenience of the posts, which the 2 cars (up and down) as well as the car in the other bay will be subject to hitting there doors on. A 2 post however is much better for repairs.

A 4 post is a little more money but recommended for parking. It also has attachments you can slide between the ramps like drip pans. There is also a hydraulic lift attachment($$). You can buy 1 or 2. This will allow you to lift the car off the ramps to do wheel work ect.

I went through the same back and forth about what lift and decided a 4 post would be the best.