THAT NEW GARAGE

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 91, 8 July 1927, Page 21 (Supplement)

THAT NEW GARAGE

HOUSE FOR YOUR CAR CORRECT MEASUREMENTS For that car you are going to buy at Olympia you must, have a garage. Owner-drivers are paying increasing attention to the facilities for housing their cars, and as it is more convenient and cheaper than seeking accommodation at the nearest public garage, many people prefer to have their cars in their own private motor houses. The proof of this statement is seen in the fact that it is becoming almost a habit for contractors and builders, when figuring on the construction of a home, to include the

cost of a garage. People who build homes of their own are among the largest groups of those who own cars, and most of them want their own individual garages. How to plan and design a private gargae, and where to locate it, represent problems in the motoring experience of many owners of cars. There are several items to be taken into consideration. For instance, there is the style of arhitecture, which should receive careful attention. Of course, any old box-shaped structure will house a car, and protect it from the weather, but a neat garage that is in harmony with the type of architecture of the house is most desirable. It make’s one’s property more attractive and saleable if the owner should ever wish to sell. If the home is of wood, stone, brick or stucco, the same material will probably look best in the garage. As for the size of the garage. Although one’s present car may be of small dimensions, one may later wish to house a much larger vehicle, besides which the next occupier of the house may Heed a large garage and thus be tempted to buy at an advanced figure, if the motor house is of suitable dimensions. There should be

plenty of room to pass down each side of the car and round the ends. An allowance of at least four feet each way should be added to the dimensions of the car to be housed. The height of the doors can be found by measuring the height of the car un-

laden with the hood up. The highest point of hood should be measured, and a generous allowance made over and above this. Whether a single door or double doors should be fitted, depends on the owner’s taste; the material of which the door is made, and facilities for opening. If the drive-in is straight, a motor-house may, in a case of necessity, be cut down to dimensions a little larger than the car, say, Ift 6in extra each way. In this case the car should be driven in bonnet first, with the offside of the car as near to the wall as possible. A stop for the front wheels should also be arranged on the floor.

The gargage should be well constructed. There should be no draughts. The doors and windows should fit tightly, so that the place can be easily heated if desired. The only proper heat for a garage, however, is steam or hot water. A coal or wood stove in a garage would be extremely dangerous. The building should be constructed so as to keep out various animals that might enter and damage a car.

On the other hand, the garage should be well ventilated. The danger of running a motor in a tightly closed garage is frequently emphasised by tragic consequences to those who do so. The exhaust throws out carbon monoxide, a deadly gas, and. in addition, the carburettor constantly drains out the oxygen in the room. One is easily overcome by such conditions, and once this happens the victim has little chance of recovery.

The floor should be of concrete. There should be a water outlet, under each car, so that the dampness will disappear after the car has been washed, or the water has been let out of the radiator. The best method of lighting a garage at night is by electricity. To use any other light is dangerous.